CT Reverse Circulating - Basics

• Reverse circulating with aqueous fluid to unload frac

sand from large wellbores
– If sufficient annular velocities are possible with normal
circulation, usually don’t use reverse circulating.
• Hydraulics for lift are the critical issue
– Low shear support fluids – 2.5 to 3.5 ppb biopolymer
– Ability to quickly shift from reverse to normal circulation
• Hydrocarbons are never intentionally reversed up the
coil – extreme care is required.

Data from Alaska and North Sea –

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Stephens, Walter Crow.
 Normal Path Circulation – Rate
and ability to lift depends on CT
capacity.
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 Solids Transport in Annuli
(Conventional Jetting)
• Difficult to unload sand from 7” casing even with 1-
3/4” CT
• Very difficult over 20o deviation and Boycott setting
range of 30 to 60o is most difficult.
• Low reservoir pressure and dense particles (bauxite
and BaSO4) are an added problem.
• Example Well – North Sea – 60o deviation, 9-5/8”
casing and 3-1/2” tailpipe, very low pressure well –
how to unload several meters of fill????

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 1.5
bpm

1.5
bpm
Reverse Circulating – Above
the reservoir with no losses.
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 Reverse Circulating – Above Reservoir (no losses)

1.5 bpm
1.5 bpm
4800 psi
PRV

1.5 bpm

10 psi 1500 psi

2200 psi
PRVs

10 psi 1500 psi

1.5 bpm
Disposal
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 Reverse Circulating – 2 bpm losses

3.5 bpm
1.5 bpm
4800 psi
PRV

3.5 bpm

10 psi 1500 psi

2200 psi
PRVs

2.0 bpm

10 psi 1500 psi

1.5 bpm
Disposal
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 Reverse Circulating – 10 bpm losses

4800 psi
PRV

11.5 bpm

11.5 bpm
1.5 bpm
10 psi 1500 psi
2200 psi
PRVs

10 bpm
10 psi 1500 psi

1.5 bpm
Disposal
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 Jetting Bridge

2.5 bpm
2.5 bpm
4800 psi
PRV

2.5 bpm

4000 psi 4000 psi

2200 psi
PRVs

10 psi 10 psi

2.5 bpm
Disposal
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 Baker Oil Tools
Reversing/Jetting Nozzle

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 Nozzle converts
from a single
large port for
reversing to
multiple ports
for normal
jetting.
Clear string before
switch from
reverse to normal
jetting (prevents
erosion of the
ports).
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 RC&J Tool
Captured Ball Concept

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 Barriers
• Two Barriers Required:
– Mechanical
• Stuffing box
– Contingent
• BOP (CT BOP and/or Drilling BOP – depends on set-up)
– Others?
• Circulating fluid (kill weight?)

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 Risks
• Elimination of the CT flapper valve – small risk, still
two barriers
• Sticking the coil – reduced because of higher
velocities around solids and clean fluid in the
annulus.
• Bridging in the coil – just not seen - minimized by:
– Control rate of bridge entry - control of particles entering
the coil
– Control of type of particles that are reversed
– High velocities in the coil
– Fluid with high support at low shear
– Can quickly move from reverse to forward circulation
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 Coil Collapse Risks
• Coil far weaker under collapse than burst.
• Precautions and relief considerations needed to keep
outside pressure minimized.
• Consider increasing pickup weight on the coil (weight
of solids)
• Collapse is function of OD, ID, material strength,
ovality, pickup loads (weights and frictions),
buoyancy, coil condition, rate of load increase, etc.
• The collapse tables are for round pipe, not oval CT

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 Typical fluid density increase with sand at 1
lb/gal is about 9%. Sand is 6% of coil volume
at 1 lb/gal.
At 10,000 ft, weight difference between 0.43
and 0.47 psi/ft (1 lb sand) is 0.77 lb/gal or
extra 500 lb

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 Higher Risks (Poor Candidates)
• Multi-zone oil wells with cross flow
• Wells not killed by column of water
• Wells that produce but cannot inject
• Deep or bad dog leg wells – where pick-up
near the max allowable for the coil.
• HPHT wells – no experience.

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 Coil Requirements
• Less than than 40% fatigue wear.
• Less than 4% oval.
• No corrosion, pits, welds or damage.
• Pressure relief valves on backside to prevent
coil collapse.
• No more than 10% (volume of coil) solids in
the coil at any time.
• Model the job.

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 Formation/Well Requirements
• All hydrocarbons push out of pipe (3x pipe
volume)
• All zones kept overbalanced.
• Contingency plans for well flow.
• Consider type, shape, density and size of
solids lifted.

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 Selection of Equipment
• CT – largest possible with > ½” clearance between CT
and tubing.
• Large OD nozzle helps prevent bypassing solids in
deviated wells.
• Single large hole in nozzle for reversing (hole smaller
than minimum anywhere else in the system).
• Where frac sand is only fill, nozzle design is simple.
• No sharp shoulders on tool – oval shape preferred.
• Venturi junk baskets for large pieces.

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 CT Reverse Circulating Conclusions
1. Must have pressure differentials and hydraulics
under control.
2. Frac sand removal is most common target, but
other materials are possible with the right
equipment.
3. Circulating fluid must have low shear support.
4. Must limit the amount of sand in the coil at any
time.

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