Plug and abandonment operations and tool positioning

Abstract

With aging oil fields, the Norwegian petroleum authorities are focusing on Plug and Abandonment (P&A) plans. Therefore efforts are being made, by relevant authorities, to improve standards and procedures for the P&A operations. Regulations for UK part of the North Sea define the P&A operation plans and execution phases in a way that may help improve the standards on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. Halliburton like its competitors is focusing on the development of tool that would allow safe and efficient P&A operations. For using it efficiently with coiled tubing, accurate positioning of the tool in both axial and radial directions is important. Finite Element Analysis (FEA) which is based on numerical problem solving technique is used for positioning of the tool down hole at the end of coiled tubing. Ansys 13.0(academic version) and Autodesk Inventor (academic version) have been used to model and analyze the case. With the results presented in the subsequent chapters, an analytical approach for determining the position has also been presented that can form basis for further development.