Wellbore clean-up is the essential link between drilling operations and the completion of a well. Once a well has been drilled, it is essential to prepare it properly in advance of cementing and casing insertion.
Mike Morrice, Well Services Laboratory Specialist at Aubin Group has over 39 years of experience working in cementing and stimulation projects, discusses the importance of wellbore cleaning and how you can tell if your solution is right for your company.
Understanding the process
“Cleaning your wellbore can involve the removal of all manner of debris and mud residues that can interfere with the optimal efficiency of your well and it’s important to ensure you don’t damage the well’s integrity in the process.
“A thorough cleanout of your wellbore at the outset will be well worth the effort. It can assist in setting and retrieving downhole tools. But, more importantly, it can help maintain a trouble-free completion, optimise productivity and reduce the amount of money wasted in non-productive time and workover delays.”
Moreover, cleaning up your wellbore using environmentally friendly products can eliminate the potential for fluid contamination downhole and avoid a serious threat to the surrounding environment.
Fail to prepare and prepare to fail
“Investing in a thorough wellbore clean up solution at the outset can save you significant time and money later on. Often companies are too eager to start producing that they go straight from drilling the wellbore to cementing the well and installing completion, missing out the all important wellbore cleanup.
“It’s important that you prepare your well before starting production. By not cleaning your wellbore properly, you can expose your company to a range of problems down the line. As well as facing extra logistics costs, well damage, increased non-productive time (NPT) and workovers. Worse case scenario you could lose your well, costing your company millions of dollars.”
One size does not fit all
“At Aubin we recognise that each well is different, so when it comes to wellbore cleanup solutions, one size does not fit all. Onshore, offshore, horizontal, deep and shallow water wells all come with their own challenges.
“Depending on the well, you could choose to use mechanical or chemical solutions, and sometimes a mixture of both. But if you pick the right solution for your wellbore you can save millions of dollars later on.
“To find out more about wellbore cleaning and to find the best solution for you, fill out your details below and a member of our team will be in touch.”
