Offshore staff
ABERDEEN, UK – FourPhase has completed a desander operation for an unnamed major offshore Trinidad and Tobago, which it claims was a first for the region.
During production, the treated well underwent a heavy accumulation of solids in the injection line, forcing the well to be shut-in, with the operator setting a plug above the production packer by the operator. However, when the gas lift valve was pulled from the lowest gas lift station, debris from the A annulus entered the tubing.
A coiled tubing operation was selected to clean out the solids, pull the plug, and gain access to the lower zone, using FourPhase’s DualFlow 5K cyclonic separation system was selected as the best technology to undertake the job.
Seawater was the main cleanout fluid, along with gel pills, to assist lifting of the solids. FourPhase deployed its DualFlow 5K desander, a flow meter manifold, dual-choke manifold, a surface safety valve, and production-specification pipework.
In total, the operation led to the return of 348 kg of solids as measured by the 560 sensors incorporated in the system. A fluid sample from the well revealed an average particle size of 4-100 microns.
The FourPhase DualFlow also suited the limited space on the platform deck, due to its 6.7 x 6.7-ft (2 x 2-m) footprint.
A four-person crew operated the equipment, with control provided from a remote location on site to minimize exposure of personnel.
10/25/2021
