An Oceania operator faced significant difficulties while unloading a well using traditional methods. The state of the well, particularly concerning cushion fluids, was uncertain, which made planning difficult. Following unloading using a standard choke program with a preset underbalance, the well did not achieve steady flow. Adding to the challenge, the well's S‑shaped trajectory increased the risk of heavy completion fluids or remnants of mud filtrate falling back into the well during shut-in—potentially hindering productivity or introducing unprocessible fluids into the production system. The operator partnered with SLB for fast, accurate fluid flow scenarios and a new unloading schedule.
SLB leveraged its Cleanup Advisor solution to generate unique visualizations and deliver comprehensive fluid tracking, clearly identifying where fluids could get stranded in the wellbore. Using the sophisticated solution, the SLB well intervention team presented six different scenarios, including the outcomes of various changes in reservoir or surface choke parameters. Despite the well trajectory presenting several challenges, the ability to accurately predict and model fluid flows enabled the operator to avoid several unsuccessful scenarios, leading to a faster, more successful operation.
The entire process—from reporting the situation to developing a new well unloading plan—was completed in less than 72 hours, minimizing operational disruptions. The operator successfully unloaded and tested the well with no issues, ultimately saving up to 2 days of operational time and USD 300,000 in offshore rig time.
