Corrosion in the 18 5/8-in casing had compromised the integrity of several wells offshore Norway. As a result, the operator was facing potentially long and complicated workovers before drilling sidetracks from the affected slots, threatening its ability to meet gas production targets.
The challenge was compounded by the lack of existing casing repair tools for this casing size. The operator asked SLB to develop an 18 5/8-in version of its innovative Casing Reconnect metal-to-metal, gas-tight casing repair system to restore casing integrity and facilitate reusing the compromised well slots for new drilling operations.
Given the urgency of the requirement, the technology was developed, tested, and deployed in the short space of just 15 months. The damaged casing was cut and removed. Using expandable technology, the Casing Reconnect system enabled connecting new casing to the cut string downhole and reestablished integrity with a metal-to-metal connection.
By remediating damaged casings, the operator was able to perform shallow sidetracks and drill new wells from existing slots, meeting its well delivery target of 70 days. With hundreds of new wells required to sustain gas production, this Casing Reconnect system provides a scalable and reliable solution for efficiently reusing existing well slots, contributing to long-term energy security.
