Real-Time Wire Management System Improves Reliability and Efficiency inSlickline Service Operations (2006)

Real-Time Wire Management System Improves Reliability and Efficiency in Slickline Service Operations Orlando De Jesus; Orlando De Jesus Halliburton Energy Services Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Richard Mineo; Richard Mineo Halliburton Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Jerry Foster; Jerry Foster Halliburton Energy Services Group Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Syed Hamid Syed Hamid Halliburton Energy Services Group Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Paper presented at the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, San Antonio, Texas, USA, September 2006. Paper Number: SPE-103168-MS https://doi.org/10.2118/103168-MS Published: September 24 2006 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Twitter LinkedIn Get Permissions Search Site Citation De Jesus, Orlando, Mineo, Richard, Foster, Jerry, and Syed Hamid. "Real-Time Wire Management System Improves Reliability and Efficiency in Slickline Service Operations." Paper presented at the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, San Antonio, Texas, USA, September 2006. doi: https://doi.org/10.2118/103168-MS Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentAll ProceedingsSociety of Petroleum Engineers (SPE)SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition Search Advanced Search AbstractThe technological enhancements, new tools, versatility, and cost efficiency of slickline services have increased its usage considerably in the last decade. However, an efficient method to capture the integrity of slickline wire prior to its use has not been available until recently. This paper will discuss a new Real-Time Wire-Management System that has been developed to predict the used life of the wire in slickline operations. The system uses a general wire model to detect fatigue failure in the wire. The model results are accumulated for the whole life of each drum of wire, and then, when the use life exceeds predetermined levels, the operator can remove the slickline tool and can make appropriate changes to the wire. A specified amount of line can be cut off to move the bending point to a new location, or the line can be reversed, extending the life of the whole unit by moving the operation to wire that was located previously at the core of the drum. Finally, the system can help the operator determine when a drum of wire should be discarded completely. Field applications have shown that this system can result in enhanced reliability in slickline operations and that cost savings from reductions in catastrophic operational events can be significant.IntroductionIt is a well known fact that the useful life of a line, such as a slickline or wireline, is shortened each time the line is used in a well operation. This reduction in integrity results from the fact that the line is subjected to bending stresses each time it passes over a sheave or pulley during well operations. Eventually, the line will be sufficiently fatigued that it will fail if remedial actions are not undertaken on a timely basis to prevent the failure.Since different sections of the line are subjected to different stresses and different frequencies of stresses during operations, it is very difficult to keep track of which section of the line has been fatigued and to what degree. This difficulty is compounded when the line is used in multiple operations over time.In the past, reliance has been placed on an operator's experience to determine when a portion of the line should be discarded, a line should be reversed, or the line should be completely replaced to prevent operational failure. To assist in this determination, operators kept manual logs of the details of an operation. For example, an operator might record in a log the details of jarring with the line at 3,000 feet, so that in the future, the same or a different operator would know that the line had been subjected to some degree of stress at that section of the line.More recently, databases including spreadsheets have been used to more accurately accumulate the details of operations performed using a line. Using the accumulated information, the service personnel can determine the used life of the line after each operation. Unfortunately, manual entry of the details of each operation still has to be made. This method allows data entry errors to be made, relies on operators to remember to make the data entry after each operation, and does not guarantee that details of each operation specific to stress fatigue have not been omitted. For example, an operator might remember to record the details of hour after hour spent jarring at a certain depth (perhaps because this stands out as being especially important and memorable) but might forget to record the details of a routine plug setting or sleeve shifting using the line. As a result, the actual condition of the line as new jobs are performed might not really be accurately known, making it difficult to track usage from one job to another. Also, spreadsheets were limited in size, and real-time tracking of the condition of the line was not possible. Keywords: real time system, Upstream Oil & Gas, diameter, wire file, operation, slickline, information, las, spe 103168, ams panel Subjects: Formation Evaluation & Management, Information Management and Systems, Open hole/cased hole log analysis This content is only available via PDF. 2006. Society of Petroleum Engineers You can access this article if you purchase or spend a download.