Coiled Tubing Troubleshooting

Sr.
Problem Solution
No.
1. Stop injector.
2. Apply reel break.
3. Isolate Inside Traction Pressure.
Power Unit, Injector Head, Tubing Reel
1 4. Evaluate Situation.
or Control System, Failure.
Note:
If coiled tubing moves or stripper leaks, close coiled
tubing BOP and pipe ram (and manually lock).
Well Fluid Return System Failure 1. Stop pumping.
2. Close in well.
2
3. POOH coiled tubing to safe depth if required.
4. Evaluate Situation.
Circulation System / Pumping Failure 1. Stop injector.
2. Monitor coiled tubing differential pressure.
3 3. Close in coiled tubing at reel if required to maintain
adequate internal pressure to avoid collapse of coiled
tubing.
4 COILED TUBING RUNAWAY
4-a Uncontrolled fall into well 1. Evacuate area around reel.
2. Stop pumping.
3. Try to catch up with running speed, increase inside
traction, stripper and reel pressure to maximum, in that
order. If increasing inside traction to maximum does not
work, activate emergency traction pressure control.
4. Evaluate situation.
Note:
Prepare to close coiled tubing BOP in event of leak
from well
4-b Blown out of hole 1. Evacuate area around reel.
2. Stop pumping.
3. Try to catch up with running speed, increase inside
traction, stripper and reel pressure to maximum, in that
order. If increasing inside traction to maximum does not
work, activate emergency traction pressure control.
4. Evaluate situation.
Note:
Prepare to close coiled tubing BOP in event of leak
from well
5 LEAK IN THE COILED TUBING STRING

5-a 1. Stop injector head

Leak in the coiled tubing string above
2. Reduce pumping pressure as low as possible
stipper (minor leak)
without exceeding
collapse limitations
3. Evacuate area around reel.
4. Switch to pumping an inert fluid (sea-water for
example) if a hazardous fluid is inside
the coiled tubing
5. Prepare to pump kill fluid.
6. POOH to surface, while maintaining pressure on
coiled tubing to
avoid collapse.
Note:
If the coiled tubing maly break, secure the pipe
7. Close christams tree.
8. Evaluate situation.
Sr.
Problem Solution
No.
5-b Leak in the coiled tubing string above 1. Stop injector head. Stop pumps. Set reel brake.
stripper (major leak) 2. Observe coiled tubing to determine if check valves are holding.
3- If the check valves are holding:
- Prepare to pupm kill fluid.
- Evaluate situation.
4. If the check valves are not holding:
- Close coiled tubing BOP pipe and slip rams.
- Close upper BOP shear / seal.
- Observe for leaks
5. Evaluate situation.

5-c Leak in the coiled tubing string below stripper 1. Stop injector head.
2. Circulate inert fluid through coiled tubing.
3. Prepare to kill well.
4. Evaluate situation.
6 COLLAPSED COILED TUBING STRING 1. Maintain enough internal pressure in coiled tubing to avoid
further collapsed of coiled tubing.
2. RIH until round coiled tubing is across the well control equipment.
3. Prepare to pump kill fluid.
4. Evaluate situation.
7 STUCK COILED TUBING 1. Stop injector.
2. Evaluate situation
The coiled tubing is defined as stuck when Note:
it can not move up or down within the
Special attention should be paid to the cycle life of the coiled tubing
operational limits of the coiled tubing or
bottom hole assembly in a stuck situation. Excessive up and down movements should be
avoided to minimize cycling of the coiled tubing.
8 EXTERNAL LEAK IN THE RISER 1- Close DHSV, bleed off pressure.
2- POOH to surface.
8-a Coiled Tubing above DHSV 3. Close Christmas tree.
4- Evaluate situation.
8-b Coiled Tubing Below DHSV (minor leak) 1. Stop injector.
2. Bullhead aquifer water down the tubing and kill the well.
3. POOH w/coiled tubing and prepare to pump kill fluid. Monitor leak
while POOH.
4. Close DHSV and/or Christmas tree when coiled tubing 15 above
the valve.
8-c Coiled Tubing Below DHSV (major leak) 1. Pick up to normal POOH weight.
2. Close safety head (Coiled tubing/BOP/shear seal).
3. Close hydraulic master valve, close swab valve.
4. Prepare to pump kill fluid.
5. Evaluate situation.
Sr.
Problem Solution
No.
13 LEAK IN LMV WHILE LUBRICATING AGAINST SWAB

13-a Gain on Trip Tank while Lubricating Long 1. Lift BHA above swab with crane. If a large leak and
BHA against dead well. insufficient time to lift BHA out of well, drop BHA.
BHA length such that crane can lift BHA above
2. Close HMV.
swab valve in one piece
3. Evaluate situation.
Gain on Trip Tank while Lubricating non-
13-b 1. Drop BHA.
shearable long BHA against dead well.
2. Ensure BHA not across coiled tubing BOP shear/
seal and close coiled tubing BOP.
3. Isolate trip tank from well.
4. Close swab valve.
5. Prepare to kill well.
6. Evaluate situation.
CASE HISTORY

Problem Root Causes Lessons Learned

While POH with a coiled tubing 1. Failure in the coiled tubing due After mixing the required acid volume and prior to commencing any
after completing a stimulation to severe acid attack. stimulation operation, collect and analyze acid sample to ensure
operation in the well, sever leaks 2. Contrary to ADCO acid recipe, compliance of the acid quality with ADCO standard acid recipe.
developed from the injector no proper corrosion inhibitor has
stuffing box. been added to the acid.
While carrying out a stimulation 1. Failure to carry out proper 1. Preventive maintenance system must be available to reinforce
operation in the long string, the function and pressure test on the Coiled Tubing equipment maintenance (frequency and quality).
conventional stripper rubber of BOP prior to operations. 2. Ensure proper function and pressure test for BOP rams prior to
the coiled tubing failed to seal the 2. Failure to carry out timely mobilization to the well site and again at well site prior to commencing
WHP and leaked badly while preventive maintenance for BOP, operations.
POH with the coiled tubing at + stuffing box and power pack.
2000 ft causing crude oil 3. Failure and Huskel pump and
seepage. Nitrogen accumulator.
4. The stuffing box was provided
with a single stripper rubber (not
Tandum stripper rubber).
While RIH with a coiled tubing to Carry out tubing clearance check/dummy run by wireline in the wells
carry out a stimulation operation, prior to any rigless operation utilizing the coiled tubing.
The coiled tubing hit unexpected Undefined parted section of the
parted section of the tubing string. tubing string.
The coiled tubing buckled inside
the injector above the stuffing
box.
A coiled tubing got stuck in the 1. Improper technique of scale Collect & analyze scale samples and identify proper scale removal
well at the WLEG - Baker seal removal. technique (scale blaster, mechanical, acid wash, organic solvents,
unit. The coiled tubing was 2. Improper cleaning of scale etc.) as per analysis results.
sheared and left in the hole as obstruction.
fish utilizing BOP shear rams.
While RIH under negative weight Carrying out stimulation operation Downhole safety equipment must be retrieved from the tubing prior to
with a coiled tubing to stimulate in the well with a dummy valve in coiled tubing operations in any well.
the well with a 7" dummy valve the L/N while RIH with the
was in the L/N @ 220 ft, serious coiled tubing under negative
gas leaks were encountered in weight caused an obstruction
the coiled tubing injector. and formation of helical buckling in
Unsuccessfully attempted to the coiled tubing between the
close the BOP pipe rams and dummy valve and the Coiled
uncontrolled serious situation Tubing Injector.
eveloped.
While POH with a coiled tubing 1. Preventive maintenance system must be available to reinforce
after completing a stimulation 1. Failure in the stripper/stuffing Coiled Tubing equipment maintenance (frequency and quality).
operation in the well, leaks were box. 2. Ensure compliance of the acid quality with ADCO recipe.
encountered in the coiled tubing 2. Sever corrosion and metal loss 3. Closely monitor the Coiled Tubing integrity utilizing Real Time
stripper. The coiled tubing was in the coiled tubing. Monitoring System.
sheared and a total of + 2600 ft of
the coiled tubing were left in the
hole as a fish.
 Problem Root Causes Lessons Learned

After completion of a dummy run The weak point was 1. Ensure existence of proper logging deployment procedures.
utilizing a coiled tubing in sheared as a result of a 2. Ensure proper communication between the crew members at well-site and
preparation for a Flagship survey, sudden large tensile force proper training for all personnel as per ADCO standard requirements.
the coiled tubing was POH to applied to it when the WHP
surface and the dummy tool was was equalized during the
found lost in hole after breaking deployment stage.
the weak point in the coiled
tubing logging head as a result of
in proper equalization of the tool
deployment system.
While RIH with a coiled tubing to 1. Failure in the coiled 1. Coiled tubing integrity must be observed and closely monitored utilizing
carry out a Flagship survey, the tubing due to material Real Time Monitoring system.
tool did not pass beyond 11146 ft fatigue. 2. Ensure frequent replacement of double check valve and proper function
in the horizontal section of the 2. Failure in the double tests for all tools and equipments prior to operations.
well (TD was 12030 ft). check valve.
Attempted to POH and RIH to
manage access to TD, however,
a crack pin hole was observed in
the coiled tubing at surface.
While RIH with a coiled tubing to 1. Reel motor failure. 1. Preventive maintenance system must be available to reinforce Coiled
carry out a stimulation operation, 2. Failure to carry out Tubing equipment maintenance (frequency and quality).
the reel motor failed causing function test on the reel 2. Function test all equipment prior to mobilization to the well site.
coiled tubing uncontrolled motor prior to operations.
slippage (runaway).
While POH with a coiled tubing at 1. Over-speeding while 1. POH the coiled tubing at suitable low speed as per procedures.
fast speed a BHA hit stuffing box, POH. 2. POH coiled tubing at high gear and low speed throughout the last 200 ft of
broke and dropped in the hole. 2. POH at low gear and the trip while POH.
high speed.
 Problem:
Upon loading coiled tubing equipment
(Injector head,
side door stripper and BOP’s) in vertical
position , the carrier sling parted and the
equipment fell down Parted
on Rig floor. Both the
coiled tubing and surface tree equipment
were significantly damaged.

Root Causes:
 Improper inspection and risk
assessment of the sling.
Gooseneck
 Improper execution of Tool Box talk to Injector Head
involve all crews.
 None
Side adherence to specific Rig
Door Stripper
procedures for SWL rating of slings. BOP's
 Possible shock load on the sling
upon loading on vertical position.

Lessons Learned:
 Slings and shackles must Injector be Frame
inspected, tested and certified Damage
on
regular basis.
 Valid inspection certificates must be
available at work site at all times.
 Pre-Job Tool Box Talks must involve
all personnel at work site.
 Ensure proper risk assessment for
all elements of operations during the
planning phase.