In an inspiring coffee meeting with engineers from a major IOC in the Asia Pacific, a groundbreaking product emerged in just 45 minutes.
Sketched on napkins and solidified with handshakes, EPlug delivered the world’s first multi-set, multi-latch, settable, and retrievable 9 5/8” bridge plug on wireline just four months later.
Five years prior, EPlug entered Malaysia at the invitation of Petronas, aiming to identify opportunities for significant improvements in time, cost, and risk management. Establishing a presence in Kuala Lumpur led to a steady influx of simple scopes of work for the company.
EPlug’s patented TorcMethod deployment offers a comprehensive range of solutions throughout a well’s lifecycle – from drilling to completion, intervention, and P&A. The EMT running tool can exert push and pull forces up to 270,000 lbs (122 metric tonnes).
While simple tasks are welcomed, EPlug thrives on challenging wells, particularly where they can implement light well intervention solutions instead of relying on rigs or hydraulic workover units (HWU). Despite the challenges posed by two years of COVID restrictions, the early opening of the Perth office in 2021, led by VP APAC Thomas Espeland, has proven successful.
Today, the APAC region is EPlug’s fastest-growing market, with this innovative plug being just one example of the company’s ongoing advancements. In the field, the previously mentioned IOC utilised a HWU with drill pipe singles for their P&A program.
The IOC sought to improve operational efficiency by challenging the industry to develop a wireline-deployed 9 5/8” plug, moving away from HWU operations. The successful field trial set the plug at depths of 2,370 m MD and 1,450 m MD, establishing a new benchmark for rig-less applications. There are more than 100 wells where the plug could generate value in the future.
This new design unlocks significant value for both current and upcoming plug and abandonment projects globally. The 9 5/8” plug builds on the world’s first multi-set barrier-qualified bridge plug, which has completed over 500 runs worldwide.
It was designed to operate in challenging corrosion prone environments and features a slim outer diameter of just eight inches, making it the smallest in its class, while also accommodating a wider range than most plugs in this size, ranging from a setting ID up to 9,01”, covering all commonly used 9 5/8” casing sizes, typically from 40# to 53,5#.
The new bridge plug has some amazing features that is important to highlight for future users in the industry. In late life operations like workover or slot recovery, there can be challenges with restrictions in the 9 5/8” casing.
The new plug has a very slim OD of only eight inches, that is significantly slimmer than competitions that are typically around 8,3” to 8,4” in 8,525” drift. That is a significant benefit for passing through tight clearances typical for late life operations in subsided fields globally.
What is truly remarkable about this plug is that it is 8” OD but is qualified to be set inside 9,03” ID. This means it can be set in a corroded out of spec 9 5/8” 40# casing, and up to a 9 5/8” 53.5# casing, therefore covering the most used 9 5/8” casings in the industry.
Controlled from the surface via dedicated software, the plug provides real-time monitoring of all forces and allows for retrieval and re-setting if issues arise during the setting phase. It utilises an electric manipulation tool with torque capabilities up to 5,500 ft/lbs, enabling precise adjustments based on casing conditions.
This enables plugs to be set with more torque/ forces if it is a hard casing like Q-125 material, and with less torque if the tubing is corroded and integrity is suspected to be compromised. All parameters can be seen real time through the bridge plug software.
This plug design can be set multiple times with electronic manipulation and can be moved to several setting depths in the well bore for a wide range of applications in late life well operations, including well suspension barriers, leak detection, annular safety valve release, permanent barriers, cement retainers, barriers in harsh conditions such as corrosion erosion, and formation integrity testing with integrated monitoring.
The plug is highly versatile and can be paired with calipers, logging tools, and perforation guns for comprehensive integrity assessments, and is available in sizes that fits in 4 ½” – 9 5/8” tubulars and can help increase efficiency and reduce risk in late life well operations.
EPlug’s innovative bridge plug not only enhances efficiency and reduces risk in late-life well operations but also earned the company the “Innovator of the Year” award from Petronas MPM—an esteemed recognition of EPlug’s commitment to improving industry practices.
