FLI achieves success in US field trials

Aberdeen-based downhole technology specialist, Well-SENSE Technology Ltd has achieved success with its pioneering FiberLine Intervention (FLI) technology for an oil major operating in the Eagleford, West Texas, USA.

The trials demonstrated that, by using FLI, wells can be temperature profiled over an extended period of time, in a cost-effective manner, without affecting drilling schedules.

FLI offers an entirely new approach to well intervention and combines several innovative concepts in a single package. As a hugely simplified disposable intervention method, it represents a radical advance in downhole tools for the industry massively reducing cost and risk.

A properly cemented surface casing is a fundamental requirement for well integrity of any well. In the US, there is legislation in place to protect the environment during life of well, which includes being able to demonstrate where the Top of Cement (TOC) is. Getting acceptable cement returns is a common requirement.

Where cement returns are not seen, data (for example, temperatures) must be provided to validate the TOC, which is usually achieved by using Electric Line and a single point measurement tool string.

To establish the TOC in-line with legislation, a US based operator enlisted Well-SENSE’s innovative technology, FLI. A fiber optic line was installed using the FLI system and utilising Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS), the development of temperature across the entire well (5,250ft) was monitored at 1m increments, over a 53-hour period, at one-minute intervals.

In doing so, the technology created a detailed profile of the cement curing process. This data will be used as a reference for future operations where FLI will be installed to determine the TOC, in wells where cement returns are not seen.

Well-SENSE’s co-founder and technology director, Dan Purkis said: “It’s taken two years of work, continuous development and innovative thinking to get to this point, but we’ve clearly demonstrated that wells can be temperature profiled over a number of days at low cost, without affecting drilling schedules.

“This is just one of many, many ways in which FLI can be utilised and is why it’s such an exciting technology. FLI’s portability and compactness makes it more practical to implement than its counterparts – this trial was just about the lowest risk operation that can be performed in a well, yet FLI’s data capture can add meaningfully to an operator’s bottom line.”

Stuart Ferguson, chief executive of FrontRow Energy Technology Group, of which Well-SENSE is part, said: “The industry is in desperate need of cost effective new technology and FLI is a simplified intervention method which is a breakthrough for the industry. It offers vast benefits to operators in the new oil price environment, and we’re excited about how quickly it is progressing. “The flexibility of the system will allow operators to adopt it across a multitude of applications. Given the interest and the traction we’re making with FLI, we’re confident it will become a widespread method of well intervention.”