Unveiling Shell’s Innovative Approach to Well Repair

A Shell-authored paper was recently published in the Journal of Petroleum Science & Engineering. The title of the paper is “Shell Restoration of annular zonal isolation using localized casing expansion (LCE) technology: A proof of concept based on laboratory studies and field trial results”.

The paper details the following:

• How sustained casing pressure (SCP), surface casing vent flow (SCVF), and other types of annular fluid migration plague wells across many regions, including an overview of conventional methods to repair these wells
• A deep dive into the technical specifications of the Local Expander tool including modeling diagrams, measurements, pressure ratings, and performance capabilities
• Dual annulus laboratory testing and post-experiment cement characterization and casing integrity modeling studies
• Extensive detail of the field trial process, results, modeling, and performance studies including cement bond log (CBL) and caliper data

The Authors are:

T. K. T. Wolterbeek, E.K. Cornelissen, S. Nolan, F. Todea, W. Stam, S. M. Roggeband, L. Dam, E. J. van Riet, F. Ruckert, W. J. G. Keultjes