Low Pressure Wellhead Guidelines for Scab Operation on Old Wellheads
Authors: Ahmed Al Hinai , Ibrahim Kamyani 
Published: May 2024

The aim of this paper is to summarize technical learnings and came up with standard options from the successful installation of low-pressure wellheads in existing old wellhead which were supplied by old suppliers who are not exist in PDO operations anymore. The challenge is to find a replacement parts when additional casing or tubing spools need to be installed, in which it has to be sorted out from the current wellhead supplier, where the interchangeability and compatibility is the main challenge.

It is critically important to ensure that the correct wellhead is installed according to the specifications of the well and in compliance with industrial standards and local regulations. So, wellhead’s field survey was conducted to gather data about the current conditions in terms of old wellhead in operations and to understand the upcoming challenges upfront as a proactive approach. Additionally, few implemented jobs were done to collect more practical learning and do ability of replacing old type wellhead parts with new supplier’s parts despite of the mismatching challenges. Accordingly, an operation’s envelope was developed to cater all challenges and to build options for each case. Guidelines were created to avoid incorrect installation of wellheads which also supports to remove the human factor’s errors and provides assurance that the equipment is properly installed as designed.

With new guidelines addresses the correct practices for wellhead installations using the current supplier’s parts, this has resulted in preventing leaks/process safety events, corrosion aids and other operational and safety issues during handling.

Additionally, the new guidelines have significantly reduced the cost of the wellhead remediation and repair work, as well as avoided potential legal and regulatory consequences due to incompliance.

These new guidelines promote the learning of the site people to have a clear understanding of the well's specifications, the intended purpose of the well, and to follow the manufacturer's recommendations and industry best practices.

As a result, more common observations and outcome benefits from installing a new wellhead on old type of wellhead: Enhanced safety and environment protection: Installing a new wellhead can ensure that safety measures are met as per standards and meets regulatory requirements, reducing the risk of incidents and environmental damage.Extended well lifespan: By refurbishing the old wellhead with new parts, operators can extend the lifespan of the well and continue to extract resources efficiently and safely.Cost savings: avoid full new wellhead, improved well performance and reduced maintenance requirements can lead to lower operational expenses and increased profitability over time.

These guidelines improved the operation’s smoothness, cost efficiency and safety that helped PDO to perform more efficiently since the other option is to abandon some of such well and replaced by new wells. We believed that these practices can be replicated elsewhere within the oil and gas industry.