An operator in the Gulf of Mexico used the ReSOLVE™ instrumented wireline intervention service to quickly pull a fish at 7,300 ft downhole. This light well intervention operation avoided mobilizing a rig and workover and enabled resuming changeout of an electrical submersible pump (ESP).
During an intervention to change out and upgrade an ESP, a sealing element on the top packer did not fully retract after setting in the wellbore for an extended period of time. This issue produced significant overpulls while passing through each tubing collar. The first attempt on slickline failed due to the high force needed by a stroking tool to pull the packer through the collars. And the heavy weight of the ESP reduced the effect of the jarring action. It was noticed that stroking was necessary every 30 ft corresponding to the tubing section length when the packer faced the collar, increasing tension. After a couple of strokes, the tension did not reduce, and stroking was required through the collar until reaching the larger section at 500 ft. During 2 continuous days of operations and 194 strokes, the force increased and exceeded the stroking tool’s maximum force of 40,000 lbf.
The operator mobilized a heavy-duty ReSOLVE anchor-linear actuator, capable of pulling up to 80,000 lbf and fitting within the same parameters. After the previous stroking tool was sheared off by reversing the stroking direction and leaving the ESP and packer in place, the heavy-duty ReSOLVE anchor-linear actuator successfully pulled the fish through the obstacles. Seventy-six additional strokes were required to reach the subsurface safety valve and pass it.
The fish was pulled and rigged down at surface after 3 days of heavy-duty instrumented wireline intervention, avoiding workover and resuming the ESP changeout plan. This major success demonstrated the effectiveness of this light intervention method.
