Gaia Cable Protection System [GCPS]

Enabling safe and efficient wireline operations in tortuous, soft or depleted wellbores: less risk, less time, more data



"The modelling work in risk profiling our planned well paths allowed us to target certain wells with the mitigation of WLSO appropriately. A brilliant result overall"

KNOW THE RISK

Assess the risks of wireline cable keyseating and differential sticking with a good degree of confidence.

PLAN THE JOB

Optimise the tool-strings and procedures to control cable thrusts and minimize slot-cutting during the logging operation.

DEPLOY WLSOs

Deploy WLSOs using a bespoke plan to cover the sticky zones in the wellbore, without consuming excessive rig time.

ACQUIRE ALL DATA

Enjoy a cost-effective and safe logging operation: no sticking or fishing, no pipe-conveyed logging and no cancelled samples.

OVERVIEW OF GCPS

GCPS is a result of many years of intensive "field based" R&D by Gaia. The system is designed to facilitate safe and efficient wireline conveyance in soft, tortuous or depleted wellbores which might otherwise result in cancelled surveys, cable fishing, pipe-conveyed logging or additional LWD runs. GCPS is an integrated service, combining Gaia's proprietary conveyance software "Wire-Pro" (linked to our global sticking database), wireline standoff hardware (WLSOs) and petrophysical expertise. GCPS may (or may not) include a plan to deploy WLSOs – depending on the risk profile of the well. To date GCPS has de-risked over 70 critical wireline runs on 40 high profile wells worldwide [with > 98% success] and saved upwards of $20-25M in. potential NPT: ROI varies from 8:1 to 50:1 depending on the rig-rate and well depth. (Cost of missed data and cancelled sampling points without GCPS not included.)

State of the art modelling package (conveyance & sticking)
Systematic engineering approach to assess conveyance risks
Benchmarking future sticking risk against offset wells
Monitoring sticking risk with time-depth
Optimization of job plans to minimise sticking risks
WLSO deployment planning and operating guidelines
Development of regional or project sticking databases

MARKET

The demand for GCPS is influenced by three things:

a) The logging environment (wellbore trajectory & BHA, geology & mud, rock mechanics & pore pressures).

b) The wireline conveyance system, and any limitations it may possess (e.g. limited pull on land as opposed to high tension logging systems offshore).

c) The client's desire to minimize their operational & financial risks.

The baseline requirement for cable sticking risk is a tortuous open hole section: a distinct change in hole deviation or azimuth from the Casing Shoe to TD. A deviated but straight open-hole section does not generally create sticking risk unless there is concern over differential sticking over upper (exposed) sands when deep sampling.

Any well with offset cable sticking experience
Tortuous wells with soft formations over the build/drop zones
Moderately tortuous wells with permeable sands (esp. depleted)
Wells with long OH sections (build/drop outside the CSG shoe)
Deepwater jobs & soft formations: risk of pulling too much
Land jobs: risk of not pulling enough

WIRE-PRO

Wire-Pro is Gaia's proprietary conveyance software, with a special focus on open hole operations and sticking risks (tools and cable). Wire-Pro facilitates the benchmarking of cable sticking risk at the pre-spud stage and also during drilling (with time-depth). Wire-Pro determines whether wireline standoffs (WLSOs) may be required for a run, how many are needed, and where they should be deployed on the cable. It also assesses the degree of sticking linkage between tools and cable, whereby overpulls to free stuck tools may induce cable sticking, due to higher applied thrusts when cycling the line.

Wire-Pro identifies risks that other conveyance packages cannot, due to its advanced algorithms that integrate cable forces, pore pressures, and available LAS data.

Conventional modelling outputs for independent conveyance QA
Well characterisation and risk profiling by tortuosity
Integration of mud-log and LAS data to aid well visualisation
Inclusion of pore pressures for differential sticking
Cable thrust visualisation and 3D contacts along the wellbore
"Lookahead" feature for tool sticking risk vs. depth
WLSO deployment planning (zones, depths, quantity)

WLSOs

Wireline standoffs (WLSOs) provide a precision mechanical intervention down-hole: dispersing cable thrusts, minimizing cable contact area, and suspending the cable above pre-cut slots.

WLSOs are deployed in arrays (typically @ 40-110 feet space-out) to cover specific sticky zones in the wellbore. The WLSO O.D. is selected according to the pipe size and fishing gear on the rig.

The minimum number of WLSOs deployed to date is 5 and the maximum is 60. (The average number is 33 per run.)

The installation time is less than 2 minutes per WLSO, including winch driving between WLSO stop-depths.

Made in UK to British Standards, within an ISO9001 QMS
Detailed QA & conformance reports supplied
Available in a range of sizes: from 2.15" to 2.95"
Cable insert packs supplied according to requirements
Custom WLSOs available on request (e.g. H2S or special size)
Rollered CH version available to reduce cable drag with tractors

WXSO - WIRELINE AVIONICS (BLACK BOX)

WXSO "XRAY" is the world's first cable mounted acquisition package.

WXSO records high resolution data about the wellbore environment and cable dynamics during a logging run.

Cable contact log for improved WLSO deployment rationales & planning efficiency
Early stage keyseating i.d. (cable stick-slip during continuous passes)
Independent wireline jar firing and re-cocking records
Independent record of all sticking events (e.g. cable or upper tool-string?)
Loss & influx zone identification, and wellbore transients during clean-up & sampling
Cable torque log for stranding risk analysis
Mud integrity log and slump identification (wrt conveyance & sticking risks)
Buoyancy corrected tension modelling (better benchmarking)
Continuous creep log for improved depth control and survey efficiency for formation testers
Mercury-free continuous temperature log
Cased hole contact log for predicting wireline wear zones

ABOUT

Gaia Earth Technologies Limited [GETL] is part of Gaia Earth Group. Our goal is to offer practical solutions that reduce operational risk and improve wireline operating efficiency & data quality. A full spectrum of services are offered by GETL: technical & service analysis, modelling & software, design & prototyping.

GETL's current focus is GCPS (Gaia Cable Protection System) with a range of other innovative products and services in development. All solutions offered by GETL are derived from first-hand operational experience, gathered over decades at the front line of worldwide logging operations (including Deepwater, remote, HPHT).

SPE papers & links:
SPE-174068
SPE-193232
Petrowiki article on wireline keyseating

CONTACT US

Europe & Africa

Phayrelands
Cummingston, Elgin,
Morayshire IV30 5XZ, UK
Tel: +44 1343 830 617

North & South America

1210 Veterans Memorial BLVD, Suite 3
Kenner, LA 70062
USA
Tel: +1 (985) 240 9449

Asia Pacific

P.O. Box 1, 413 Moo 5,
Somdet, Kalasin 46150
Kingdom of Thailand
Tel: +66 91 061 1474


Operations' Hotline

Tel: +44 (0)1343-830617
Email: info@gcps.tech

Please contact us for further information or a free sticking assessment