Introduction
For the next three years, decommissioning plans in Malaysia include the plugging and abandonment (P&A) of about 130 wells and the abandonment of about 50 facilities. Experience in other parts of the world indicates that wells can make up over 50% of the overall field decommissioning costs. The need for competent technical staff trained in planning, managing and executing P&A has never been higher especially when abandonment activities are trending up locally and globally.
This advanced course is designed to provide an overview of all technical aspects of well decommissioning together with a review of contractual and commercial models used for the execution of work programmes. An emphasis is placed on practical exercises which will prepare you for well specific decommissioning work and challenge you to think beyond your existing experience to date.
The course will be delivered using a combination of instruction, facilitation of group discussions and the frequent use of practical examples and both individual and team-based exercises. This approach will provide valuable technical and commercial insights into the practical implementation of well P&A techniques. It will challenge your existing approach to the planning of well decommissioning activities and the management of key related risks and uncertainties.
This course is brought to you in partnership with Well Experts Services (WES).
Key Benefits
Highly interactive learning approach
- A clear understanding of the P&A issues and challenges
- All delegates will receive comprehensive course documentation
and for use during and after the course - Hands-on case studies and insights from the trainer’s extensive
experience - Open discussion to further engage and share best practices
- Two exercises each day based on real case study
- HRD Corp claimable course
- Free hard copy book – Introduction to Permanent Plug and Abandonment of Wells by Mahmoud Khalifeh & Arild Saasen
Who Should Attend
This course is intended primarily for technical staff (of all disciplines) already accustomed to P&A activities with some exposure with industry guidelines and regulations.
The course is also suited to Technical Management requiring an in-depth appreciation of the challenges associated with decommissioning and insight into the meaning and importance of relevant regulations, guidelines and standards.
Course Outline: Day 1
Module 1: Introduction to Well Plugging and Abandonment
- Types of Abandonment
- Asset Retirement Obligation (ARO) and Financial Provision
- Preparing for Permanent Plug and Abandonment
- Plug and Abandonment Challenges
- Past, Present, and Future of Plugged and Abandoned Wells
- Regulation of P&A activities
- Barrier Philosophy
- Well P&A and Overall Field Decommissioning
Module 2: General Principles of Well Barriers
- Well Annuli
- Well Barrier Envelope
- Well Barrier Elements (WBE)
- Abandonment Plugs
- Well Abandonment Design
- Well Abandonment Phases
- Christmas Tree and Assembling Blowout Preventer
- Wellhead Systems
- Special Considerations in Abandonment Design
- Control Lines
- Well Design
- Well Schematic
- Horizontal Wells
- High-Pressure High-Temperature Wells
- Shallow Permeable Zones
- Multilateral Wells
- Slot Recovery Side-tracks
- Multiple Reservoirs
- Slotted Liner
- Inflow Control Device
- Tubing Left in Hole
- Hydrocarbons in the Overburden
- Design Requirements for Permanent Barriers
- The Well Cross-sectional Barrier
- Plug Setting Depth and Formation Integrity
Course Outline: Day 2
Module 3: Specification for Permanent Plugging Materials
- Material Requirements for Permanent Barriers
- Functional Requirements of Permanent Well
- Barrier Elements
- Sealing Capability
- Bonding
- Displacement of Permanent Barrier
- Material
- Durability
- Remediation
- Qualification of New Plugging Materials
Module 4: Types of Permanent Plugging Materials
- Plug Setting Materials.
- Formations as Barriers
- Non-setting Materials or Grouts
- Thermosetting Polymers
- Metals
- Modified In-Situ Materials
Module 5: Working Units for Well P&A
- Onshore Units
- Offshore Units
- Submersible/Barge Rigs
- Semisubmersible Rigs
- Drillship
- Jack-Up Rig
- Platform Rigs
- Tendered Rigs
- Other Vessels
- Offshore Platform and Subsea Wells
- Types of Offshore Production Units
- Manned and Unmanned Platforms
- Mooring Systems for Floating Units
- Spread Mooring Systems
- Turret Mooring Systems
- Conventional Buoy Mooring System
- Offshore Mooring Patterns
- Dynamic Positioning
- Anchoring Types
- Moonpools
Module 6: Work Classification and Selection of Working Units
- Well Location
- Abandonment Phases
- Abandonment Complexity
- Time and Cost Estimation for P&A Operations
- Traditional Method for Time Estimation
- Probabilistic Method for Time Estimation
- Regression Method for Time Estimation
Course Outline: Day 3
Module 7: Fundamentals of Plug Placement
- Open Hole Plug Placement
- Fluid Removal
- Milling Fluid
- Hydraulic Mud Removal
- Mechanical Filter Cake Removal
- Cased Hole Plug Placement
- Qualified Annular Barrier
- Disqualified Annular Barrier
- Plug Placement Techniques
- Balanced-Plug Method
- Two-Plug Method
- Dump Bailer Method
- Coiled Tubing Method
- Mud Displacement During Cementing
- Placement Verification
Module 8: Tools and Techniques for Plug and Abandonment
- Casing Cut and Removal Techniques
- Cut-and-Pull Casing
- Casing Milling
- Casing Section Milling
- Upward Milling
- Perforate, Wash and Cement Technique
- Explosives to Establish Annular Barrier
- In-Situ Melting Downhole Completion
- Plasma-Based Milling
- Wellhead Cut and Removal
- Explosive Cutting
- Hot Cutting
- Mechanical Methods
- Abrasive Methods
- Laser Cutting
Module 9: Barrier Verification
- Annular Barrier Verification
- Acoustic Logging of Annular Barrier
- Noise Logging Measurements
- Temperature Logging
- Hydraulic Pressure Testing
- Internal Barrier Verification – Open Hole or Cased Hole
- Hydraulic Pressure Testing
- Weight Testing
- Hydraulic Pressure Equivalent to Drill Pipe Tag Weight
Module 10: Contracting Models for Optimum Work Execution
- Day Rate and Lump Sum approach
- Managing risk and uncertainty for the best outcomes
- The melting pot of ‘Value’, ‘Profit’ and Win Win
- Optimum Contracting Model Challenge
Module 11: Course Summary
- Core Subjects
- Lessons Learned and the future of P&A
- Key Messages
- Wrap-Up, Feedback and Certificates
About Your Expert Trainer
Your trainer expertise is in all aspects of Well Construction (drilling, completions, workovers and abandonment) and Subsurface (geoscience, reservoir engineering, production engineering). He has spent over 13 years working on various decommissioning projects across the world focusing on the largest single element of cost: the plugging and abandonment of wells. This experience has covered actual field decommissioning projects, P&A planning, new technology, decommissioning deferment justifications, mature field asset trading and training for both engineers and non-technical staff.