4

Sooiety of Potrobum En@wra

SPE 25499 Fishing With Coiled Tubing

R.L, Hilts,Otis Engineering Corp.; S*H.FowlerJr,, HalliburtonManufacturing& Services Ltd.; and C.W. Pleasants, Otis EngineeringCorp,
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* AB~TRAcl Improved coiled tubing (CT) technok:y, developmentof speciallydesigned hydraulically-actuated servicetools, and increased emphasis on cost efficiency have made coiled tubing a viable option for many fishing jobs. Before tie emergenceof coiled tubing fishing technology, traditional serviceprocedures includeduse of wirelineto retrieve fish from oil and gas wells. If wireline was unsuccessful,a rig or hydraulic workover (snubbing) unit had to work over the well and remove the fish, This paper addresses the successful use of CT in fishing operations. The capability of CT to circulate fluids at the fish and generate high downhole forces enakiies the retrieval of fish in situations that would not be possibleor cost effectiveby other service options, Cf fishing can be performed under premre on live, highlydeviated or horizontal wells; the job can be compietd and the well returned to production within 1 to 3 days for only a friictionof the cost of a workover, The paper will describe the tools, their capabilities, and service techniques currently in use for CT fishing operations as well as new equipment being developed, Data from several case histories will be used to provide considerations, surface rig-up, and job limitations,
Referencesend illustrations at end of pepcr.

INTRODUCTION An oilfield definition of fishing might be: an attempt to engage and retrieve unwanted, unserviceable,or often damagedequipmentfrom a wellbore. The term fishing is generally used when downhole equipment cannot be retrievedfrom the well using the tools or methoddesigned to operate or retrieve that piece of equipment, Generaily, fish fall into two cmegories - some are simply nuisances, causing decreased production or increased operatingdifficultiesand costs, but some must be removed for sitfetyor mechanicalreasons if the well is to continue production. In production operations, fish might include: o Stuck, damaged, or inaccessible subsurface flow controls, plugs or subsurfacesafetyequipmentthat cannot be pulled by wireline. Lengths of wireline or logging (E-line) cable, Service tool strings. Other foreign objects,

Pefore 1980, the qutdity of the CT, particular y the weld joints, was relatively low, and tubing failures resulted in fishingjobs to remove the dropped pipe, In spite of these

827

.
q

FISHING WITH COILED TUB:NQ

SPE 25499

problems, the benefits of CT could not be ignored, particularlysince falling oil prices during the 80s created the need for operators to seek cost-efficientalternativesin production operations, CT could offer the benefits of mobility, relativelylow cost, and briefjob times combined with s?me of the advantage of jointed pipe, such as circulation, utilization of pressure-activated tools, and capabilityto work on live wells, As the quality and reliability of CT and related equipment improved, changa such as increased tensile strength, improvedwelds, and !arger tubing S:zesfurther expanded the range of jobs that could be performed with CT. CT could be consideredfor services that used downholetools such as inflatablepackers, downhole drilling motors, and service tools on the end of the tubing string for installing and removing downhole flow controls. he expanding number of horizontal and highlydeviated wel)s haa increased the number of jobs fbr CT since wireline and electric-line servicm reiy on gravity for tool deployment and, therefbre, are not effective in highlydeviated wellbore configurations.l Large diameter, more-reliable CT enabled tool designers to develop specialized heavyduty, coiled-tubing workatrings to service downhole flow controls. These toolstrings form the basis for fishing-with-coiled-tubing operations. The availability of CT services and suitable fishing tools has expandedthe number of fish that can be retrieved from live wells, ofien eliminatingthe need for a workover with a rig or hydraulic workover unit,

latching the fish; in addition, there is a practical limit to the amount of sand that bailers can remove since trips to emptythe bailer may allow more debris to settle on top of the fishy If a CT unit is neededto circulatedebris off the fish, the unit should be used for the fish retrieval operation also since these operationscan be performedconcurrently. CT has three major advantages over wireline for fishing operations: @ It has the capability to circulate various wash fluids, including nitrogen and acid, at high pressures to wash, jet, or dissolve sand, mud, scale, and other debris off the top of the fish. . It has the capability to generate large axial forces in straight or highlydeviated wells for jarring and/or pulling a fish that is too heavy for wireline. It can perform the above operations concurrently.

The breaking strength difference of wireline and CT is illustrated in Figure 1, CT AND -INF EWGY COM PARISONS

One methodused to compare the efficiencyof fishing with CT to wireline is to approximate the availabie energy in each system that can be utilized to deliver impact forces downhole. This can be done by applying the internal energy and strain equations in the Appendix. Tables 1 and 2 list the appropriate informationto compare the internal strain energy of CT and wireline at depths of 500 ft. A graphical representation of the internal energy is shown in Figure 2. Examinationof the tables and bar graph of Figure Z shows that the internal strain energy, U, of CT at 500 h is 8.32 times that of wireline. Upon tklher review, time results are not surprising, ccmidering the hangoff weight of the CT at such a shallow depth is rather insignificant compared to the surface load applied, It should also be noted that the spring rate of the CT system is 1,723 lb/in, This implies that the jarring force in the system will decrease rapidly s the tubing contracts, but the initial force or surface load is so large that the overall effect on the internal strain energy is positive.

COMPARISON OFWIWLJNE v~RW!UX

Wireline semice is readily available and is the most costeffective means of performing many well servicing operations, In addition, numerous tools and techniques have been developed for wireline fishing operations, and wireline operators with invaluable experience in fishing proceduresare available. However, wireline is limited by wall configurationsthat must either be straight or deviated less than 60 degrees from vertical, Increasedwelldeviation limits the mbility to jar effectivelyand can create problems with tool transport. Sand and debris on top of a fish can prevent a wirelineconveyed service tool from effectively reaching and

SPE 2S499

ROBERT L. HILTS, S, HAMPTON FOWLER, CHARLES W. PLEASANTS

Tables 3 and 4 list the appropriate informationto compare the internal strain energy of CT and wireline at a depth of 10,000 ft. A graphical representation is also included in Figure 2, The internal strain energy, U, for CT is again impressive, but this time it is 2,20 times that of wireline. Why the lower energy ratio as compared to both systems at 500 ft? It should be noted that the hangoff weight of the CT is considerable, almost 12,000 lbs. The usable force is, ttwrefore, decreased cmsiderrbly but is balanced son>;what by the greater amount of deflection, &, of the longer length of tubing in the hole, When examining the data of the wireline system, the deflection, 6, is enormous at 3@8 inch-. This, along with the extremely low mass and weight of the wire, explainsthe large increasein internal energyof this system as compared to the wireline system of 500 ft. l%is, in turn, also explains how the energy level of the wireline system has gained on that of the CT system but overall is still ccmaidrrablyhas. With such a large deflection, the spring rate, k, would be expectedto decrease significantly, and this is indeed the case. This data is an indication of the maximum amount of energy available in a particular system; how this energy translates into jarring force will depend upon such factors as the jar stroke, stem weight, and whether an accelerator is introduced to the system. This data, however, along with the benefits of ac whoie circulationand abiiity to use the tubing as a transportation medium for downhoietoois in highlydeviated and horizontal weils does heip support the fact that CT providea an exceiient option for performance of fishing operations and deserves high cmsideration.

Figure 3, and a discussion of the various components foiiows.

CT Connector - This componentis the crossoverbetween the CT and tooistring. The CT connector must be designed to withstand the working pressure and tensiie ioading capahiiitiea of thu tubing string, A thread+n connector, zpprop:iate for small diametertubing, is shown in Figv.s 4. New higher-strength siip-type connector desigri are fiow avaii~~bie for 2-inch and larger O,D, ~~bingthat eiiminate the need for threading of the CT.$ This type of connector is also shown in Figure 4. Emergency Disconnect Sub - The emergency disconnectsub is used in the event the tooistring becomes stuck and cannot be reieased. A baii is circuited through the tubing strin~ to the disconnect sub, and activates the release mechanism. This feature may also be used to reiease a fish suspended in a biowout preventer (ROP) at the surface in order to rig down the CT injectorand rig up the additional lubricator and wireiine fir recovery (Figure 5). Rack Pressure Valve - This is basicaiiy a check vaive that aiiows flow through the CT and into the weil but wili not aiiow back flow into the tubing. In the event of a surface ieak in the tubing string, this valve wili prevent the uncontrolledreleaseof weii fluids at the surface above the BOP stack (Figure 6), Ported Knuckle Joint - Becauseof the curvature in the

CT, the ported knuckie joint is needed to allow the tooistring to flex without the influence of side ioadings, This curvature is especiallyprominent near the end of the tubing string, where there is insufficienthangingweightto straighten the tubing string, When fishing in iarger diameter weilbores, the ported knucklo joint wiii aiso enable the fishing toois to foiiow the low side of the hole where the fish is most iikeiy to be iocated (Figure 7),
Accelerators - Acceleratorsthat employ a heiicai spring

CT requires a specialized tooistring designed to take advantageof the tubings flow and pressure capabilities, Whiie wireiine reiiea on speed or wire strain to create impact forces, CT can also utiiize iarge axial forces becauseof its high tensiie strength. The tooistring used for CT fishing may vary by application; however, a typical toolstring is shown in 829

to store the energy necessary to activate the jars are used to acceleratethe weightedstem to a high velocityto create impact ioads at the fishing or service tooi, It is not uncommon for jar up and down accelerators to be inciuded in the CT fishing tooistrings, particularitywhen used in shaiiowdepth, highiydevjated or horizmmd applications(Figure 8),

FISHING WtTH COILED TUBING

SPE 25499

Weighted Stem - The weighted stem provides the mass required to impart high impact loads to the fish when used in conjunctionwith the jars and accelerators(Figure 9). Hydraulic Jars - The hydraulic jars are the timedelay

Qbta in an Accurate Des criotion and Historv gf the Fish It is important for the qerator to assess job requirements by thoroughly reviewing the job logs, impressionblocks, mating parts, and similar equipment, Access to well schematics and dimensional data for a known fish can save time on the well site; knowledge of conditions or reasons the fish remained in the wellbore can also facilitate planning, For example, if scaie in the productiontubing causedthe loss of wirelinetools, removal of the scale prior to actual fishing would optimize operational eftlciency.

devices that allow the up or down accelerators to filly extend or contract before releasing. The jars also contain the necessary stroke to allow the weighted stem to accelerateto a high velocity to insure a high impact force is transmittedto the fish, It is not uncommonfor up and down jars to be made up into fishing toolstrings (Figure 10).
Fishing c: Service Tools - The appropriatetool for the desired operation is attached below the jars. These tools can be overshots, tap=taps, spears,,wireline pulling tools, junk baskets, and custom-designedhydraulically-actuated running and pulling tools (Figures 11 & 12).

.. tain FoIIow-UDInformation Based on Inltl~ Wireline drift runs and impression block runs provide additionalinformationnecessaryto finalize fishing strategy. Downhole video cameras can provide an invaluable source of information concerning location, condition, and orientationof the fish that can save days of fishing time on the well site, 4

SERVICE TocLS4J!J~FRDEVELOPMENT
New systems are now :beingdeveloped that will allow the deploymentof video equipmenton CT. Downholevideo technologyis not new to the petroleum industry in electric line applications; however, restrictions posed by cable deploymentprevent the camerafrom being transportedinto highlydeviated and horizontal wells. CTdeployed video equipment will further facilitate fishing operations in applicationswith deviated well configurations. ,Another tool undergoing development is the downhole force generator, This device takes advantage of the internal pressure capabilitiesof CT to deliver large tensile and compressive forces downhole. These forces can be used to shift sleeves and to set and retrieve downhole flow controls. The downhole force generator will be particularlyadvantageousin highly deviatedand horizontal applicationswhere friction limits the amount of force that can be delivered to the end of the tubing string.

Take Advantaae of the Benefits of WirelinQ In certain fishing jobs, wireline used in conjunction with CT ran shorten the overall job time. Wirelines fast rig-up and trip speeds allow drifts, impression blocks, and wire retrieval tools to be run quickly and eftlciently. Wireline runs to bait the fish (gripping the tish with a service tool that can be purposely left in the well and subsequenty engaged) can be accomplishedmore quickly than those done with CT. Wireline is sensitive to small changes in weight indicator t~adings; thus, it is useful in locating the top of wire, tight spots, or tubing leaks that cannot be detected with CT. It is preferable to consider CT unit personnel with prior wireline and wireline fishing experiencefor actual operation of these procedures as their knowledge of the tools and techniques in various fishing situations can maximize the efficiency of the operation.

PRF-JOB PI ANNING The followingsteps should be taken in pre-job planningto maximize the economic benefits of CT in fishing operations:

830

SPE 2S499

ROBERT L. HILTS, S. HAMPTON FOWLER, CHARLES W. PLEASANTS

successfidlyfor removing long fish from the wellbore of keeping the rig-up height at a minimum. It is importantto plan for those situationsin which the first fishing attempts are unsuccessful or the fish separates, If possible, have a part similar to the one being fished available on location. Also, have adequate spare parts on hand for the downholetools that will be utilized, and if possible and practical, keep a backup set of tools available. A flanged wireline BOP is connecteddirectly to the tree. This wireline BOP is used to hold the fish that has been brought to the surface if it is too long for the available riser. Above the wireline BOP is a four-foot flanged riser with a gate valve. Above the gate valve is sufficient flanged lubricator to cover the fishing tool workstring, followed by the CT BOP stack, and injector (Figure 13). The advantage of this rig-up lies in how the fish is retrieved at the surface, A typical fish retrieval sequence would be as follows:
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t o We IIEntry

The trial testing of speciti tools and/or operations on the surface prior to commencingthe job on the well site is highly advised. CT generates significantly ttigher fbrces than many wireline tools are capableof wkhstanding. Brokentools on top of the original fish can be harder to retrieve than the original fish, Safety is the primary concern in all oilfield operations, and CT fishing, as with any live well intervention, must be performed with caution.g The toolstring should include a hydraulic disconnect and a minimum of one back pressure valve, The CT BOP stack should be thoroughly inspected, tested, and redressed as required prior to arriving on the well site. The in@ctormust be anchored securely to prevent movement or swaying during the jarring operation as movement can place undesirable bending loads on the wellhead equipment, It is advisable to flange ail sufface connections. SURFACE RIG. UP The primary considerations are safety and the removal of the fish (once it has been pulled to the surface) in planning the surfacerig-up for CT fishing, As previouslystated, all wellhead connections should be flanged, and the injector must be firmly anchored with guy wires, Surthceequipmentrig-ups will vary fromjob to job as will the fish they are attempting to retrieve, Following is a brief description of a typical rigup that has been used 831

Hold the fish with the wireline BOP Use the CT hydraulicdisconnectto releasethe fish below the gate valve Lift the CT and close the gate valve Rig down CT, and rig-up wireline with a lubricator long enough to cover the entire fish

An alternative to using the above s~~ence uses a specially-sized hanger sub below the CT hydraulic disconnect sub, which can be held imd sealed by a combinationpipe and slip ram BOP, The fish can then be located across the combination BOP, followed by the closing of the pipe and slip rams; the pressure above the BOP is then bled off. Atler insuring that the rams have sealed, the hydraulic disconnect is used to release the CT from the fish, In the event that the fish cannot be fully sealed off, or if it is extremely long, the well must be killed before the fish can be removed. On some offshore rig-ups, the distiincefrom the tree to the platform deck or rig floor will provide enough distanceto cover the toolstring and fish with a riser as shown in Figure 14.

mMMLll@S Any pulling tool run on CT should be designed to release easily in the event the fish cannot be retrieved, It may be

FISHING WITH COILED TUBING

SPE 25499

difficult to shear the pins in a down-to-releasepulling tool using CT, particularly if downtype acceleratorsand jars are not employed. However, there are seversi types of pulling tools designed for use on CT that can easily be releasedby using the availablepressure in the tubing string (Figure 11)or by simply slacking off the tubing weight. The pressure-release-type tools are disengaged by circulating a bail to the tool via the tubing string or by pumping fluid at a high enough flow rate to create the necessarypressure differentialto activatethe pullingtools releasemechanism, Mechanicsi-typepulling tools, such as overshots and spears, can be released by slacking off tubing weight, which activates the tools ratchet mechanism. This allows the pulling tool to cycle between the catch 8nd release modes. GT FLow-cycle fatigue can result from the CT passing rqwttedly over the injector tubing guide (gooseneck) during the jarring operations. The effects of low-cycle fat@ueare well known and area function of the internai pressure of the tubing, the radius of the tubing guide, and the radius of the pipe on the reel.io The higher the intemai pressure of the tubing and the smailer the radius of the tubing guide or reel, the shorter the predicted life of the CT will be. When jarring fbr an extended period of time, it may be nece$saryto increase the bend radius to reduce the effect of low-cycle fatigue. The radius can be increased by opening the tubing guide, spooling additional tubing from the reel, setting the rest brake, and using a crane to support the free arch formed by the additional CT. Depending upon the equipment and internal tubing pressure, attempts to retrieve the fish are normally limited to 50 to 150 jarring cycles, If the fish has not been relemed, the CT should be removed from the wellbore, and severai hundred feet of tubing removed prior to resuming the fish retrievsi operation. The removai of a segmentof tubing limits the number of jarring cycles that one section of CT receives; this, in turn, limits the fatigue of the tubing. If severe sweiling of the CT has occurred, the entire rest of tubing should be replaced,

DebriS

When the top of Lie fish is expected to have large debris such & metai cuttings, cement, or scale that cannot be easily circulated to surface, a junk basket may be run as part of the bottomhole assembly. A junk basket has also been effective in picking up segments of broken pulling tools, Pullina ~ Pri tr to iatching the fish, circulation of a high-viscosity pili may be rJsed to assist in ck.aning debris that could hinder the fishing operation from the hole. When the hole has been swept clean, accurate pick-up and siack-off weights can be performed and recorded. Oncethe fish has been engaged, overpull should be Iimit,edto 80% of the tubing yield strength. This limit should be downrated if fatigue of th( CT string is expected because of extensive and repetitive service. In a fluid-filled well, one method to increase the overpull available at the fish is to displace the CT with nitrogen, whichprovidesthe maximumbuoyancyeffects. However, displacing the tubing with nitrogen will aiso increase the CT internalpressure at the surface, thereby decreasingthe fatigue life of the tubing, Because of compressibilityof the nitrogen, this methodcan aiso causepotentisi problems at the surface in the event of a tubing failure above the BOP stack. erehr-Stuck FIs~ Malfunctionedlock mandrels, corrosion, sand, and fines can remit in stuck fish that can require nearly the physicai limits of the CT string to release. In addition, repeated jarring in one section of the coil weakens the tubing by causinglow-cyclefatigue as it passes back and focthacross the gooseneckof the injector, The development of 100,000 psi high-strength CT increases the tensile force available for pulling and/or jarring. The cycle life of high-strengthCT is longer than that of typicai 70,000 psi CT and, accordingly, can be advantageous in jarring operations.l The use of highstrengthtubing is aiso beneficialwhen fishing in wells that are deep, have long horizontal sections, or require high-pressurecirculation,

832

SPE 2S499

ROBERT L. HILTS, S, HAMPTON FOWLER, CHARLES W. PLEASANTS

ts and PIw

in Horizontal Wells

In vertical wells, wireline is often used to run a gauge ring and junk basket below the production-packersetting depth to insure the wellbore is to size and relatively free from debris. Wireline may also be used to set a plug in the tailpipe below the packer prior to landing the tubing for circulating the packer fluid into the well, In applications where the production packer is set in the highlydeviated or horizontal section of the wellbore, CT can be used for running the gauge ring and junk basket or setting and retrieving plugs in the tailpipe. 9~nhoie . . FISNM

Jarring cent ..ded, and the prong was successfullyreleased and retrieved, The plug mandrel was also released and retrieved, thereby completingthe fishin~job, In this case, the success of this fishing job can be attributedto the ability of CT to wash debris and generate high impact loads. ., .. !2T ~ w~rell~e ut~llzed to 13ecover Lost Wire While attemptingto set a plug below the packer in the nogo nipple at 9,700 ft, the wireline operator lost jarring action and parted the wire, resulting in NOO ft of .108 inch wire being left in the well, It was determined that iron oxide and iron sulfide, which were present in the wellbore, could have contributed to the loss of the wire and tools, T%e .108 wire was fished using 3/16 braided line to within 200 feet of the plug where scale had settled out into a solid bridge. CT was rigged up with a small C).D. bottomhole assembly and a high pressurejetting nozzleto wash down past the top of the wire and remove the scale fill. On the first pass, 100 feet of progress was made past the last knowntop of the wire, Wireline was subsequently able to recover the exposed wire. A second CT pass was made which cleaned down to the plug, and the last of the wire was recoveredwith wireline. A pressure test determined that the plug was set and holding. A final cleaning trip was made to clear the tubing, and the well was turned over to operations. In this case, CT was successfullyused in conjunctionwith wireline to recover lost wire. Tool ~ck With Brid_ Too 1in Pr~tion TM and_

Retrieving fish that have been dropped into the openhole can be particularly difficult when considering washouts, doglegs,and fill that can make locating and latching the fish nearly impossiblein some cases. The skuation is aggravated by the factthatthe toolstring usually must pass throughsmallerID tubing above the openhole. Use of a downholevideo camera can facilitatepreplanning for this type of job by determining the location and orientation of the fish as well as the ability of a wireli.~eor CT-conveyedfishing tool to latch the fish. GA= HISTORl~

The followingcase histories provide data concerningusage of specific fishing techniques and how their usage accomplishedsuccessful retrieval in actual applications. Id P~k in wins NioD\Q

The operator needed to log a well below a wireline plug, which had been stuck in the tailpipe landing nipple for 10 years, The well was producingthrough perforationsin the tubing above the plug, The plug was covered with fill, and previous wireline attempts to retrieve the plug had been UnSUCCeSSth!. CT washed down to the plug and latched the equalizing prong, Repeated heavy jarring did not successfully free the prong, Acid was spotted on top of the plug, and continuedjarring resulted in damage to the pulling tool. The tool was replaced, and the CT was dkplaced with nitrogen to increasethe jarring force availableat the fish, 833

A bridge plug was being run below the packer on i+subsea well to perform a workover when the toolstring became stuck in the 3 1/2 tubing at 10,000 R due to iron oxide and iron sulfide scale. Attempts to free the plug resulted in the electric line being pulled out of the rope socket, Wireline fishing attempt ~wxe unsuccessful. CT and high pressure jetting techniques were used to remove the scale down to the top of the fish, A CT

FISHING WtTH COILED TUBING

SPE2S499

fishing toolstring with an on-off overshot were run but could not latch the fish. A wireline impressionblock was utilized and showed a clean fishing neck. Wireline was rerun and engagedthe fish but could not release the plug. The overshot was modified for a larger catch and run on CT, which successfullylatched the fish, jarred it free, and transported it to the surface. In this case, CT jet cleaning removed the scale that kept wireline from locating the fish. The high impact and pulling capabilitiesof CT were attributed with the success of this job. Qrift ~ I.D. of a Wireline Ret rievabl~ Safetv Va hQ

1,875 inch slickline running tool and toolstring stuck in the safety valve 2-inch pulling tool and todstring latched to first fish 2-incii wiregrab and toolstring hooked into a ball of wire above the second fish, Pulling tool and toolstring latched to the third fish 2-inch pulling tool snd toolstring latched to the fourth tish The total job took five days of fishing with CT and wireline. Extensive CT jarring was employed until the pulling tool of toolstring number 4 parted. Wireline was used for drifting and to remove wire as necessary. Continuedjarring with CT and wire removal by slickline resulted in all of the fish being removed from the well and subsequentinstallation of a new safety valve. This case history again demonstrates the advantages of wireline used in conjunctionwith CT to provide the most effectivemeans for a success!hl fishing operation. Qrift Runs and Pl~lv . . . -Devw WeJ.!S

During wireline drifting of a well, a fluted drift bar, too large to pass through the I.D. of the wireline retrievable subsurface safety valve, became stuck in the valve and lock mandrel. Wireline attempts using both wire and 3/16 braided line to retrieve the drift bar were unsuccessful. An overshot was used to engage the stuck drift bar, since the original fishi~gneck had been damaged @ previous wirelinejarring. Pulling tools, used to engagethe external fishing neck on the top of the overshot, broke upon heavy jarring by the CT, An additional overshot was modified to includean internal fishing neck on top, and was planted on the fish using wirelinet A pulling tool was used to latch the overshot, and su mequentheavy jarring by CT broke the skirt on the overshot, A heavy wall skirt was designedfor tlw overshot, which was rerun and latchedthe stuck drift bar. Repeated heavy jarring pulled the stuck drift free tfom the subsurface safety valve. This job illustrates the need to have spare parts and tools as well as alternative plans available if the primary approachshould fail. . . Five Wlrellne ToW elw and 300 Ft of
wir~;~

Using the CT workstring and a specially designed junk basket highlydeviated wells were drifted to the packer settingdepths, The junk basket was designed with a barrel section and, therefore, can pass casing and cementing collars, CT-conveyedplugs were set and retrieved using the hydraulically-actuatedsemice tools in well deviations between 60 and 85 degrees, YVirelineTo@ma the pac~ Drm m the Rat~

Improper assembly of wireline pulling tools would not allow the tools to release as designed, resulting in five tmlstrings and 300 ft of wireline abandoned on top of a subsurface safety valve, The fish included the following toolstrings:
834

A twenty-foot long, 1-1/2-inch wireline toolstring wss dropped into the cased rathole below the packer, With the fish in place, the well could not be logged below the packer, The well was deviated 28 degrees at the fish, which was covered with till, Wireline was unable to locate the fish due to the fill, CT washed down to the toolstring and latched the fish, After the latching operation, gel was pumped through the CT to circulate the sand out of the bottom of the well,

q 

SPE25499

ROBERT 1. HILTS, S. HAMPTON FOWLER, CHARLES W. PLEASANTS

The fish was pulled to the surface, and the well was Successfuly logged. l%e successof L$isjob can be attributed to CTs ability to wash and circulate, which allowed well cleanout to be performed in conjunction with a fishing job. Wireline Plus Co vered With DrillirvrMutj After a drilling rig successfuly set a production packer, a plug was set in the tailpipe by wireline. While circulating out the hole, diesel mud had settled out above the plug. Wireline attempts to latch the plug and bail the mud were unsuccessful, A CT unit was then brought on site and positioned on the drilling rig. A specially-portedpulling tool was used to successfill} washaway the mud, allowing the plug to be released and retrieved. CTs fast rig-up and trip speed saved a considerable amount of drilling-rig time, which would have entailed pulling the production tubing, washing down to the plug, retrieving the plug by wireline, and re-running the production tubing, CONCLUSION CT can be used to effectivelyremove fish from live wells where wireline alone has failed. Previously, a workover wouldhave been required to cleanthe well and retrieve the Gwmholetool, The use of preplanning, wireline, and CT operators that are experienced in fishing can reduce job time and increasethe chance of success when utilizing CT for jarring and retrieving. The use of downholevideo cameras, high strength tubing, and downholeforce generators will enhancethe capabilites of Cl systems when used in fishing operations, particularly in highly deviated and horizontal weli applications. The development of new state-of-the-art service too!? such as these wiii promote expansion of CT technologyand further enhance its abiiity to support field service ne& NO~ The authors with to thank the management of Otis Engineering Corporation for their permission to publish this paper, The authors also wish to thank A, Keith

McNeillYof Otis En~ineerin~CorPoration and A. Karim Hedjszi: Nazzeer M: (ltza~, and Amin H, Nasser of Saudi-Aramco for their valuable contributions to coiled tubing fishing. REFERENCES 1, Moore, S.D,: The Coiled Tubing boom, Petroleum
Engineer International (April 1991) 16-20.

2. Mullin, M.A., McCarty, S.H,, ana Plante, M,E,: FishingWith 1,5 and 1,75 Inch Coiied Tubing at Western Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, paper SPE 20679, presentedat the International Arctic Technology Conference, Anchorage, AK, May 29-31, 1991, 3. Fowler Jr., S.H., and Pleasants, C.W.: Operation and Utilization of Hydraulic-ActuatedService Tools for Reeled Tubing, paper SPE 20678 presented at the 1990 65th Annual Technical Conference & Exhibition of SPE, New Orleans, LA, September 23-26, 4. Walker, E.J., and Schmohr, D.R.: The Role of Coiled Tubing in the Western Operating Area of the Prudhoe Bay Unit, paper SPE 22959, presented at L}e SPE Asia-Pacific Conference, Perth, Western Australia, November4-7, 1991. 5, Robison, C,E,, and Cox, D.C,: Alternate Methods for Installing ESPs, paper OTC 7035, presented at the 24th Annual Offshore Technology Conference, Houston, TX, May 4-7, 1992, 6, Cobb, C,C,, and Schuitz, P.K.: A Reai-Time Fiber Optic Oownhole Vidtw System, paper OTC 7046, presented at the 1992 24th Annual Offshore Technology Conference, Houston, TX, May 4-7, 1992, 7, Radenwker, R,A,, Oiszewski, K,K,, Goiffon, J,J,, andMaddox,S.D.: ACoiled-Tubing-Depioyed Downhole Vjdeo System, paper SPE 24794, presented at the 1992 67th Annual Technicai Conference & Exhibition of SPE, Washington, DC, October 4-7, 8, Kilgore, M.D.: New Muscle for Coiled Tubing, paper OTC 7034, presented at the 1992 24th Annuai OffshoreTechnologyConference, Houston, TX, May4-7, 1992,
835

q 

10

FISHING WITH COILED TUBING

SPE25499

9. Sas-Jaworsky, Alexander IJ: Coiled Tubing: Operationsand Services, Part 2: Workover Safety, World Ofl (December 1991) 71-78. 10, Chitwood, G,B,, Lewis, P.C., Fowler, S,H,, and Zemick, W.M.: High Strength Coiied Tubing Expands Service Capabilities, paper OTC 7032, presented at the 1992 24th Annual Offshore Twhnology Conference, Houston, TX, May 4-7, 1992. 11. $higley, J,E,, and Mitchell, L.D,: Mechanical Engineering D~ign, McGraw-Hill Inc., New York, NY (1983) 110, 111, 132-135. 12, Blake, A,: Practical Stress Analysis in Engineering Design, MarcelDekker Inc., New York, NY(1982)52-58. ~pPFNDIX INTERNAL STRAIN ENERGY, DEFLECTION, AND SPRING RATE EQUATIONS One way to compare the efficiencyof fishing with Coiled Tubi~!gversus wireline is to approximatethe availableenergy in each system. This can be done by investigatingthe internal strain energy equation, U, for an elastic member of uniform cross section:i (1) U = F(V2 Where: d F is the axial deflection of the member is the tensile load on the member

Equations (l)-(3) can be combined, which results in the following:titz (4) u

= FL/2AE

= F2/[2(AE/L)] = 1=/2k

Deflection, 6, of an eiastic member of uniform cross section is defined by the following equation:11 (2) 6 = FL/AE Where: A is the cross sectional area E is the modulus of elasticity L is tie unloaded length of the elastic member Also of interest is the spring rate, k, of an elastic member of uniform cross section which is defined by the following equation:(z (3) k = F/Ii = AE/L
836

1.25 IN O.D, Modulus of Elasticity: Tubing Weight: internal Enerov, U: 30E06 psi 586 Ibs 7,331 ft-lb

TABLE 1 .095 IN W.1. CT -500

FT 18,000 10,1 in

Maximum Surface Load: Deflection, & Spring Rate, k:

Iba

1,723 ~slln

TABLE 2 .108 IN O.D, WIRELINE -500 Modulus of Elasticity: wireline Weight: Imernal EM* .+. U: I 30E06 psi 1 I 15,6 Ibs I Maximum
1

FT

SurfaceLoad:

I 1,000 Ibs J 21,6 in I I 46.8 lbs/in

I Deflection, &
I
Snrina Rata. k

I Eelit-is

1,26 IN 0,0. Modulus of Elasticity: Tubing Weight: Internal Energy, U: 30E06 psi 11,720 Ibs 19,068 ft4b

TABLE 3 0095 IN W,T, CT - 10k FT Max, Surface Load: Deflection, & Spring Rate, k: 18,000 Ibs 72,9 in 86,2 Ibsfin

/
TABLE 4 .108 IN OD, WIRELINE . 10k FT
A

Modulus of Elasticity: Wireline Weight: Internal Energv, U:

30E06

PSi

Max,Surface
Deflection, &

Load:

1,000 Ibs 300.8 in 2.29 lbs/in -+

311.1 Ibs 8,634 ft4b

Spring Rate, k:

TENSILE STRENGTH COMPARISONS

WIRELINE AND COILED TUBING
,092 IN WL

1,25 x .095 IN CT 1.50x .1091?4 CT

5x012NcTmmMm@m
o
S10162O*3O354O45 TENSILE STRENGTH, LUS
(Thousand.)

FIGURE1 =TENSILESTRENGTHOF COILEDTUBING& WIRELINE

INTERNAL ENERGY COMPARISONS

1.25
L

.095 INCH CT & .108 INCH WL

I

.108 WL, S00 FT

1,25 CT, S00 FT

,108 WL, 10k FT

1,25 CT, 10k FT , , 0240 , v b ENERQV, FT-LBS (Thousands)

F!QURE2 INTERNALENEROYCOMPARISONSOF COILEDTUBING & WIRELINE

q

SPE2Cj499

COILED TUBING
COILED TU61NG CONNECTOR SUB

COILED TUBING BACK PRESSURE VALVE

D Ml

... - COILED TUBING PORTED KNUCKLE JOINT

COILEI) TUBING ACCELERATOR

THREAD-ON TYPE

I SLIP-TYPE

Figure 4

. . !

Coiled Tubing Connectors

Figure 5 Coiled Tubing EmergencyDisconnect

COILED TUBINC STEM

,, _..COILED TUBING JARS

F

r
-_

COILEi) TUBING PULLING TOOL FOR FLOW CONTROLS

Figuro 6 Back PressureValve

Figure 7 Coiled TUblng Ported KnuckleJoint

Flguro 3
839

SPE25499

--

Figure 8 Coiled TubingAcmdorator

llllili

Figuro () Coiled TubingStem

840

Figure 10 Collad TUblngJars

~pE254y)

0 0 0
e

Q
Q

Figure 11 Coiled Tubing Pulling Toolfor flow Controls

341

Figure 12 Coiled TWng Running Tool for Flow Controls

. r
k-+

. n (45=-=3

TUBING INJECTOR

TUBING INJECTOR

+ STRIPPER

TRPPER
BLIND RAMS SHEAR RAMS SLIP RAMS PIPE RAMS

BLIND RAMS SHEAR RAMS SLIP RAMS PIPE RAMS

4$ M-----~.

k-

RISER AS REQUIRED TO COVER FISHING TOOL STRING

I
r
1

RISER AS REQUIRED TO COVER TOOLS AND FISH

GiATEVALVE 4 FLANGED RISER WIRELINE BOP TREE CONNECTION p---f_

I.--I
L

J .-l

I I I
SHEAR/SEAL BOP TREE CONNECTION

:~=j4-----

~~+-

LJ

II~

Fig, 13

Land Well Collad Tubing FishingJob Rig Up Configuration

Fig. 14 OffshoreWeii Coiiad Tubing FishingJob Rig Up Configuration

842