Polymer protector for drill stem testing a success
Polymer protector company, PolyOil has developed and deployed a polymer protector for a drill stem test operation on Total’s Atlantic margin Laggan field. Total announced positive results from the Laggan field in September 2004 and the data is being analyzed to consider the possible development of Laggan, which would then be the UK’s first Atlantic Frontier gas development.
“Knowing about our track record in designing and developing innovative protectors for completions operations,” says Serena Arif, a founding director of PolyOil, “Total asked us to devise a unique umbilical protector that would withstand the substantial in-riser forces and mechanical stresses in a drill stem test. We worked closely with Total to design and manufacture a cross-coupling umbilical protector that would be used to carry and protect two important, and safety-critical umbilicals plus one other monitoring line running down from the rig floor operations to the BOP stack.”
The drill stem test (DST) provided the crucial data that Total logged during testing and will analyze later to determine if the well can produce gas commercially.
“PolyOil’s umbilical protectors use an innovative material and technology that were not available when Laggan was first discovered in the 1980s,” says Alistair Stenhouse, a senior subsea completions engineer at Total. “We found the product performance to be just what was required for this important drill stem test, and are delighted with the polymer protectors.”
Laggan hydrocarbons are at 3,600 m depth. PolyOil sees further applications of this new umbilical protector around the world in oil and gas provinces where water depth and running conditions are an issue, such as West Africa and Brazil.
With statistics showing that over one quarter of reported accidents are related to manual handling, safe lifting load regulations are now of key importance in terms of equipment selection. The Poly-Tectors always score top marks here too, with weights, which are well within regulations.