Xcelis™ high-performance liner hanger system provided an efficient solution for a casing leak in a remote well, avoiding the time and cost inherent to cement squeezing and enabling subsequent high-pressure hydraulic fracturing.
XCL Resources installed a 5- × 7-in Xcelis liner hanger system in a remote horizontal well in northeastern Utah, with the top of the liner at 10,043-ft [3,061-m] MD. After the liner was cemented, a subsequent pressure test revealed a leak somewhere in the well. A readily available workover rig moved into position while the drilling rig moved to a new well to maximize cost efficiency. Using a service packer, the casing leak location was eventually identified 163 ft [50 m] above the top of the liner, indicating damage to the 7-in host casing. Addressing the leak was key before other operations could proceed.
SLB proposed remediation with a scab liner comprising a second Xcelis system, three joints of 5-in liner, and a seal assembly. The seal assembly would stab into the tieback receptacle at the top of the production liner. TDAS™ tubular design and analysis software showed that this Xcelis system, which is rated to 12,500 psi [86 MPa], could better withstand subsequent hydraulic stimulation or other high-pressure operations.
The hanger prevents downward movement of the liner top packer, averting damage to the packer seals and buckling of the scab liner joints below. By modeling various intervention plans, the software simulator enabled risk assessment of different casing remediation options and enhanced confidence in the selected course of action, which was also the most cost efficient.
XCL Resources accepted the proposal, and a second Xcelis system was promptly dispatched to the wellsite. The scab liner was installed in a single run and pressure integrity was confirmed by applying 4,800 psi [33 MPa] from surface. Completion operations were able to proceed with confidence; 61 stages were hydraulically fractured later without any issues, using stimulation pressures measuring 10,500 psi [72 MPa] at surface.
