Offshore staff
HOUSTON – Chevron’s Environmental Management Company has contracted Abrado Wellbore Services to support P&A of more than 30 wells offshore California.
All are in federal waters around 12 mi (19 km) offshore and are exhibiting sustained casing pressure. Some require dual-string remediation for permanent P&A.
Under the multi-year contract, the largest in Abrado’s 10-year history, the company will provide section milling using its Medusa VS variable stabilized dual string technology, supported by fishing services and real-time downhole video diagnostics.
Since 2016 the company has assisted Chevron and other majors on various P&A programs in the Gulf of Mexico.
CEO Sandy Esslemont said: “Section milling the casing, creating a solid 360° circumferential rock-to-rock barrier across the wellbore and visually validating the work through downhole video is the most accurate and effective method for operators to permanently plug and abandon a well.
“We believe this method offers a high degree of confidence and risk mitigation.”
Among the challenges that have to be addressed for the Californian P&A campaign is the fact that some of the dual-section milled windows will be greater than 100 ft (30.5 m) long, in order to provide increased rock-to-rock sealing and cement plug assurance.
08/05/2019
