Extended Reach tools is mainly aimed to reduce friction between coiled tubing and well bore in order to extend reach, but can also be used with other types of pipes. More than 30.000 coil tubing operations are done each year. It is estimated that approximately 5% of these operations are long horizontal wells in need of extended reach.
Extended Reach tools such as “Downhole tractors” currently exists in the market and is offered by competitors. Compared to the Downhole tractors the Extended Reach tools based on oscillations has the following competitive advantages:
- simple design, no wires or pulses
- does not rely on grip on the well bore
- easy to use
- cost effective
Typical placement of a oscillation tool in a coiled tubing string
Oscillation tool – Job History
- Customer: Conoco Philips
- Field: Alpine, Prudhoe Bay, Alaska
- CTU Operator: Schlumberger
- Well TD: 12,898 ft
- Completion: 6-1/8” Open hole
- Lock-up depth: 11,490 ft
- Extended Reach: 1,400 ft
- Comments: Picked back up at lock-up point and activated the oscillation tool. Gained 3000 lbs in slack off weight and continued to TD
This graph shows the extended reach length in feet beyond lock up of 31 wells in Saudi using oscillation systems. As an example the horizontal reach in well FDHL 605 was extended with more than 5,500 ft beyond lock up.