Weatherford introduces latest rotating control device

Weatherford International plc has announced the commercial release of the ISO Extreme retrievable well barrier, which is qualified to ISO 14310 V0 standards for gas-tight isolation.

The company says that the barrier has a large operational envelope, capable of withstanding pressure differentials up to 10,000 psi (68.95 MPa) and temperatures between 40 and 325°F (4 and 163°C), which reduces the loss-of-containment risk in extreme environments. ISO Extreme well barriers are available for tubing sizes from 3.5 through 7 in. The variety of deployment options — including electric line, slickline, tubing and coiled tubing — further increases operational flexibility.

Unlike comparable technologies available for the high-pressure/high-temperature (HP/HT) market, Weatherford says that the ISO Extreme barrier does not require any nipple profiles and is retrieved by first shifting down to equalize the pressures then jarring up to release. This safety feature is designed to reduce the risk of trapped pressure below the plug prior to releasing. Additionally, the small diameter of the plug enables passage through typical wellbore restrictions for easy deployment and removal even in challenging environments.

“We are pleased to add the first V0-qualified and field-proven HP/HT well barrier to our industry-leading portfolio of wellbore isolation technologies,” said Mark Hopmann, Vice President of Completions at Weatherford. “With this addition, we now have a comprehensive offering of well barriers for diverse applications and environments.”