Cudd Energy Services runs single NOV coiled tubing string more than 1.2 million ft
The dramatic increase in both the quantity of horizontal laterals and their length—often beyond 10,000 ft—has led companies to use high-capacity coiled tubing units for well completion and intervention work. This is especially true in North American shale wells, including those of the prolific Permian basin, where economics are key. In this area, efficiency gains—made possible by advances in drilling and completion equipment and technologies—continue to make difficult wells profitable. As laterals have gotten longer, so too has there been a shift toward larger coiled tubing units and larger coiled tubing, with outer diameters of 2⅜- and 2⅝-in. becoming more common. QT-1300 coiled tubing, from National Oilwell Varco (NOV), was developed to address the increased demands of challenging wells.
QT-1300 is one of the company's ultra-high strength coiled tubing products—and with a minimum yield strength of 130,000 psi, it is one of the highest strength grades of coiled tubing. The coiled tubing’s higher strength, greater resistance to low-cycle fatigue cracking at high pressure, and broader ranges of potential string designs makes it ideal for operators trying to achieve greater success in increasingly challenging well environments. In addition, QT-1300 is manufactured from high-strength, low-alloy steel with alloying additions, which provides improved resistance to atmospheric corrosion.
In a recent project using NOV's coiled tubing, Cudd Energy Services (CES) was able to run a single string of 2⅜-in. tubing—at a length of 22,374 ft—for a total of 1,262,681 ft. This total included approximately 93 jobs run with the string, with a majority of them being drill outs, and the maximum fatigue reached was 54.7%. The string was retired early due to never reaching that kind of footage previously with other strings. From this, CES learned that they can use these strings to reach further and exceed previous fatigue and footage limits.
Despite the challenges associated with logistical bottlenecks and rising service sector costs, the Permian basin remains an attractive play due to advances in wellbore technologies and improved completion and production solutions. As coiled tubing operations continue to be implemented in an attempt to drive down well completion costs, the companies that use the best coiled tubing units and most durable, highest performing coiled tubing products, will see their efficiency and profitability leap ahead of their competitors.
