Workover and Completion Operations in Oil and Gas

Introduction:

After the initial completion of commercial production or injection of the wellbore, oil well workover operations are conducted when production or injection needs to be halted. These activities typically commence when there is a significant decline in production rates. Unwanted fluid production may arise from inadequate primary cementing or water/gas coning, necessitating restorative workovers that often involve remedial cementing to control unwanted production.

Post-drilling standstill operations, including workover and completion operations, are essential for initiating production or injection into a well. The approach to workover systems varies based on the type and location of well completion. For instance, a flowing well may require perforation to commence production, while low reservoir pressure areas might necessitate artificial lift systems, such as rod pumps or gas lift valves, to maintain economical production rates.

Through extensive training on oil and gas workover, participants gain practical insights into the essential processes and techniques involved in workover operations. The course addresses the fundamental question, "What is workover in oil and gas?" ensuring participants understand the critical concepts required for effective operation.

By the end of this training, participants will be equipped to organize and control workover operations efficiently and safely, emphasizing the significance of completion and workover activities in maintaining and enhancing oil well productivity.

Objectives:

At the conclusion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Prepare, plan, and manage ongoing completion operations.
• Enhance overall operational efficiency during workover operations.
• Recommend completion services and equipment suitable for specific field conditions and needs.
• Describe the most commonly used downhole tools and their applications.

Training Methodology:

• Interactive lectures
• Case studies
• Hands-on exercises
• Group discussions
• Field examples
• Simulation exercises
• Situational judgment challenges
• Q&A sessions
• Site visits (if applicable)

Course Outline:

Unit 1: Types of Completions

• Wellhead construction
• Functional requirements of a completion
• Completion tools
• Flow control tools
• Well packer tools
• Tubing tools
• Circulation tools
• Joint expansion tools
• Submersible safety valves
• Christmas trees and their types
• Surface apparatus

Unit 2: Reasons for Workovers and Well Preparation

• Well bores and depletion
• Sand control
• Acidizing
• Corrosion
• Hydraulic fracturing
• Issues with mechanical devices
• Removal/installation of the cellar tree and BOP

Unit 3: Basic Information about Surface and Subsurface Components and Procedures of the Well-Bore

• BOP stack and introduction
• Production and working tubing
• Auxiliary well control implementation
• Plugs and packers
• Shut-in confirmation verification
• Shut-in monitoring and recording
• Well entry preparation
• Wireline intervention open hole
• Contingency procedures for wireline intervention
• Coiled tubing contingency procedures

Unit 4: Barriers, Completion, and Workover Fluids

• Philosophy and method of barrier systems
• Division of barriers
• Barrier management
• Influx monitoring
• Gaseous forms and behavior patterns
• Relation between pressure and volume (Boyle's principle)
• Functions of completion/workover fluids
• Properties of liquids and fluids
• Testing of completion accessories
• Testing connections of control equipment for wells
• Control drills for oil and gas wells

Unit 5: Kick Causes, Warning Signs, Kill Methods, Risk Awareness, and Organizing Well Control Operations

• Oil and gas well shut-in and kill approaches
• Oil and gas well control difficulties
  • Well control techniques: bullhead, volumetric method, lube and bleed, forward circulation, driller’s method, reverse circulation, standing kill
  • Possible consequences of a well control event
  • Equipment pressure control/barrier envelope factors
  • Manpower allocation
  • Strategies for projected well control circumstances
  • Plugs and trapped pressure in combination tubing and wellbore
  • Plugging and choking off of combination tubing and wellbore
  • Hydrates and H2S considerations
  • Natural flow and artificial lift well workover operations
  • Case studies

Conclusion:

By the end of this oil and gas workover and completion operations training, participants will have gained a comprehensive understanding of the workover process in oil and gas. They will be well-equipped with strategic intervention approaches suitable for the field, enhancing their confidence and competence in addressing practical challenges within the industry.