Nexen – Electric Line Tractor technology drives savings for Nexen

Submitted by Nexen Petroleum U.K. Limited

Impact

Nexen has saved nearly £1 million by attempting new methods in the removal of isolation plugs.

Results have also included substantial reductions in heavy lifts offshore, platform services support and operational risk.

Plugs are often used in wells to cut off water producing zones in multi-layered reservoirs.  In early field life the water producing zones are often isolated due to other layers producing plentiful ‘dry’ oil.  However later in the life of field those reserves that were previously isolated start to become more attractive to produce, as water production in the field rises in general.

Removal of the isolation plugs has traditionally been done by Coil Tubing, however Nexen Petroleum U.K. Limited has carried out the removal of isolation plugs by a combination of milling and other devices deployed on Electric Line Tractor technology.

This operation removes the requirement to use coil tubing and results in a substantial saving in operational cost of up to £1 Million.

There have also been many incremental benefits such as the substantial reduction in heavy lifts offshore, platform services support and operational risk.