VACS FLO

CASE HISTORY
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VACS FLO System Cleaned, Verified, and Pressure-Tested
Sump Packer in One Trip
Location: Gulf of Mexico
A customer with a deepwater well in the Gulf of Mexico with an approximate
depth of 26,500 ft (7925 m) employed Baker Hughes to complete several
operations before running the completions equipment. These operations, which
were performed with minimal time and cost, included deburring a two-zone
perforation, removing debris on top of the sump packer, verifying the cleanliness
of the sump packer, and pressure-testing the sump packer to 4500 psi (310 bar).
To successfully accomplish these tasks, Baker Hughes deployed the VACS™
(vectored annular cleaning system) FLO technology. The VACS FLO system
was configured with one engine module and two consecutive debris-retaining
modules. The system also included a sliding piston to allow the tool to shift from
providing reverse circulation to conventional circulation.
During run-in, a string mill was used to deburr the upper and lower
perforations at a depth of 25,900 ft (7894 m) to 26,340 ft (8028 m). The
VACS FLO system was engaged to clean any residual debris on top of the sump
packer. Upon verification of the cleanliness of the sump packer, a 1.50-in.
ball was dropped to convert to conventional circulation for pressure testing
beneath the sump packer. The seal and locator assembly were then stabbed
into the sump packer with 20,000 lb (11 339.8 kg) of set-down weight and
pressure was increased to 4,500 psi. The pressure was successfully held for a
period of 10 minutes, as the customer required.
Upon moving the bottomhole assembly (BHA) above the sump packer, a
1.875-in. ball was dropped to open the full function valve (FFV) and circulate
bottoms-up before pulling out of hole. While pulling out of hole, the FFV was
used to clean the blowout preventer (BOP) stack. Once on surface, the VACS FLO
debris retainer modules were emptied by using a specialized containment box to
eliminate any health, safety, and environmental (HSE) concerns. No debris was
collected from the upper retainer module, but approximately 1 gallon
(3.78 l litre) of debris consisting of small metallic, sand, and cement
particles was seen in the lower module.
Baker Hughes not only met but also exceeded all customer objectives, saving the
customer significant rig time by combining multiple runs into a single trip. In this
trip, the VACS FLO system, combined with other Baker Hughes tools, successfully
deburred two perforation zones, cleaned the sump packer, verified its cleanliness,
and pressure-tested the back side of the sump packer and shoe all in one trip.
Benefits
nnReduced
nonproductive time and
operational risk
nnMinimized
impact to perforation
and formation
nnDeburred
two perforation zones and
cleaned sump packer in a single trip
Background and challenges
nnGulf
of Mexico well: 26,500 ft total
vertical depth, 8,150 ft (2484.1 m)
water depth, 23.5° deviation
nnSmooth
off perforations to lower
risk of damage to completions
equipment upon installation
nnClean
the debris on top of the sump
packer and verify its cleanliness
nnTest
sump packer to 4,500 psi
nnPerform
operations with minimum
time and costs and zero
HSE incidents
Baker Hughes solution
nnDeployed
customized Baker Hughes
7.63-in. VACS FLO system with FFV,
XP magnets, smooth OD string mill,
and seal assembly
nnRecovered
of debris
nnRemoved
perforation burrs, cleaned
sump packer, verified the cleanliness
of the packer, and provided integrity
test up to 4,500 psi, all in one trip
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the information and disclaim all express and implied warranties or representations to the fullest extent permissible by law, including those of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose or use, title, non-infringement, accuracy, correctness or completeness of the
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© 2014 Baker Hughes Incorporated. All rights reserved. 37529 06/2014
approximately 1 gallon