Most land wells in Mexico require liner hanger systems that can withstand elevated circulation pressures and high solids content while running in hole through loose, unstable formations with uncertain pore pressures—conditions that increase the risk of premature liner hanger and liner top packer activation. In addition, some wells require ultrahigh collapse performance to maintain well life cycle integrity under harsh loads. The system must also support uncemented installations exposed to high fracturing pressures, requiring ~1,000,000-lbm hang capacity and the ability to withstand >15,000-psi differential pressure across the liner top packer.
A particularly challenging J-profile well with tangent inclination was targeting a reservoir at 20,577-ft [6,272-m] MD, with bottomhole temperatures exceeding 300 degF. Liner hanger installation risk was elevated because of pore-pressure uncertainty in the openhole interval, gas presence, and differential sticking potential, which required mud rollovers at the casing shoe.
SLB proposed the Xcelis high-performance liner hanger system to handle these conditions. Built for challenging HPHT environments, it has ultrahigh collapse capability and provides the structural capacity required for a wide range of cemented and uncemented applications. The advanced liner top packer (LTP) features a self-energizing design with zero extrusion gap and fully redundant bonded sealing elements, ensuring superior sealing performance and long-term reliability in HPHT environments.
An enhanced antipreset mechanism mitigates the risk of premature activation and unintended LTP setting in challenging downhole conditions, including high solids content and debris accumulation in the reduced annular clearance between the LTP, tieback receptacle, and parent casing. The system incorporates a proprietary retention mechanism and optimized slip architecture that ensure reliable setting and enhance load transfer by distributing forces circumferentially through the cone and slips, increasing hanging capacity while maintaining structural integrity under high loads and pressure cycling.
The managed pressure drilling (MPD) process assisted running the liner string to target depth. Torque and drag trends and hydraulic responses were monitored in real time and remained consistent with prejob models, confirming effective risk mitigation and disciplined execution. The seamless operation established the Xcelis system as a scalable, high-collapse, HPHT solution that improves reliability and supports the operator’s development vision.
