Despite high overbalance in deepwater well, formation isolation valve opened six times faster and without intervention

The eTrigger™ IV isolation valve electronic remote activation device streamlined completion of a deepwater well with high overbalance. It enabled reliable and interventionless valve opening, overcoming the challenges faced by conventional remote actuation technologies and achieving the result in <30 min compared with an average of 3 hours.

An operator offshore Angola was facing well completion challenges due to a depleted reservoir, which was creating high overbalance across the formation isolation valve (FIV). Extensive analysis confirmed that the well environment was beyond the operating envelope of conventional nitrogen-based remote activation devices. Additionally, the operator was using a simplified landing string; any issues in opening the valve mechanically would necessitate suspending the well until a full landing string was mobilized. To avoid this potential delay and the increased costs, a reliable intervention-free solution was key.

SLB proposed its eTrigger IV device, which enables dependable valve activation regardless of overbalance conditions, and the operator agreed. As a result, the

• FIV was opened in less than ½ hour, compared with approximately 3 hours for conventional remote opening
• operator avoided the need for mechanical intervention, ensuring uninterrupted well completion
• delays and cost overruns associated with temporary well suspension and the risks of mechanical intervention were eliminated.