Plug-and-abandonment (P&A) operations can be expensive, leading to negative net present value. Historically, P&A operations in the North Sea—estimated to hold some 3,000 wells of declining production—were performed with either drilling or workover rigs. In many cases, wells drilled from fixed platforms in the North Sea no longer have operational drilling rigs, requiring recommissioning of existing facilities or mobilization of workover rigs. The complete paper discusses an alternative approach to P&A using coiled-tubing (CT) processes and techniques to create permanent reservoir barriers.
Barrier Requirements
Permanent abandonment of a well can be defined as the activities involved in securing a well that will no longer be used, to ensure containment and no harm to the environment.
