Shifting two sliding sleeves using Well Key 325

A well designed with an upside-down completion was causing problems for an operator in Indonesia. The operator needed to shift two 4.562″ sliding sleeves in the 5-1/2” lower completion. To do so, the toolstring needed to pass through the 4-1/2” upper completion, where a 3.688” nipple profile was restricting passage. Slickline was impossible. This would require the time-consuming and costly pulling of the upper completion along with the associated deferred production.

Welltec® was called upon due to the operator’s previous experiences with our solution package for mechanical manipulation. The Well Key® design allows it to pass restrictions, as its keys are only extended when positioned accurately in the well to lock into the sliding sleeve profile.

The Well Key 325 Extended Reach was selected to pass through the restriction and reach the sliding sleeve shifting profile. Prior to mobilization, a SIT was conducted at Welltec’s Jakarta facility and the key profile was revised to match the sliding sleeve profile perfectly. The operator was satisfied that the tools would work properly and recommended to reduce the force on the Well Stroker® from 33,000 lbs to 15,000 lbs to avoid damaging the sleeve. During the operation, the toolstring passed through the restriction with no complications.

The Well Key profile was positioned with pinpoint accuracy above the sliding sleeve profile and then activated. The Well Tractor® powered up to engage the Well Key profile to the shifting profile. The Well Stroker, configured with 15,000 lbs force, anchored in position on the 5-1/2” 20# blank pipe above the sliding sleeve and powered up to stroke down and shift open the sleeve. It required two strokes to fully open the sliding sleeve door. Once the first sleeve was opened the well was unloaded and the second sleeve opened a few days later.