Intercept® RBP retrieved after nine months in wellbore

Overview

Halliburton had been delivering Intercept retrievable bridge plugs (RBPs) on a regular basis to a major operator in the North Sea in order to have a gas-tight, V0-grade bridge plug on board in case of a temporary plug and abandonment (P&A) situation. 

Wellbores lacking a gas-tight seal can mean loss of control and an undesirable release of hydrocarbons that can pose safety and environmental hazards. The Intercept RBP prevents these hazards and complies with ISO 14310 and API 11D1 V0 standards for wellbore isolation.

Challenge

In one occurrence during the drilling phase, problems arose that required the operator to quickly mobilize and install the Intercept RBP to temporarily plug and abandon the well. The Intercept RBP was installed successfully with no issues.

After nine months in the wellbore, the operator was ready to retrieve the installed Intercept RBP. Any time a bridge plug has been left in a well for such an extended amount of time, there are challenges to face. In this instance, the operator did not want to use a designated tool operator for the job due to limited rig bed space. Halliburton cementers who were already on the platform were given the task of retrieving the bridge plug, aided by onshore support. 

Solution

The retrieval of the 9 5/8-in. Intercept RBP went according to plan with no issues and zero non-productive time (NPT). Effective communication between offshore and onshore personnel, along with the successful retrieval operation, demonstrated how simple the Intercept RBP is to operate. Additionally, when the Halliburton team pulled the Intercept RBP out of hole, the tool looked brand new with no sign of damage on key parts such as the elements, slips, and ball valve module – thus further proving the durability of this tool.