IOOC to Secure Wells
Most Iranian oil fields are in the second half of their lifecycle. Therefore, their installations need to be reconstructed and renovated. Some oil wells are also mothballed because they have stopped production. However, their fate depends on carrying out necessary studies. It is not clear whether they are to resume production after securitization or they would be abandoned for good. The Iranian Offshore Oil Company (IOOC), which is responsible for operating offshore oil and gas fields, is responsible for the reconstruction of oil and gas platforms, workover on fields and similar operations. Furthermore, IOOC technical teams regularly view wells to detect any possible oil leakage Mohammad Hossein Daneshfar, IOOC director of production affairs, has said that some of wells drilled in IOOC-run areas are ageing. “Twenty decrepit oil wells owned by IOOC would become fully secure,” he said.He added that technical services teams were monitoring the wells round the clock to prevent any possible accident. “Securitization of wells as well as rebuilding and renovation of IOOC platforms are on our agenda,” said Daneshfar. He referred to leakage from C-2A well in the Soroush oil field last December, saying: “This oil well became operational in 1961, but its production came to a halt after the imposed war. Following the reconstruction of a new platform for Soroush, this well and other ageing wells underwent securitization. But this well was among those with no production. During periodical inspections we saw oil leakage.” The oil leakage was detected by the logging team of the Soroush platform. In the first step, it was decided that a well kill team be installed on the wellhead platform of C-2 well, but that could not happen due to bad weather conditions and low visibility at night.The day after oil leakage was detected, a vessel made 15 attempts until it could berth on the location of the well. The idea was to set up structures and provide a ladder which would give access to the wellhead crown. However, due to the decrepit platform, such operation was very risky and furthermore it was impossible to mount the scaffolding.Finally a meeting was held during which it was decided that due to unpredicted conditions, the critical situation of the well and water contamination and the possibility of fire, the staff were to be airlifted onto the central platform. The technical team finally had direct access to C-2 well. It became clear that the leakage had resulted from the flow line which had been ruptured on several points. All valves were inspected and it came out that the wells had not been completely turned off. Furthermore, one of the valves had been spaded under the rainfall of oil and it was closed off. Daneshfar said: “Given the significance of preventing environmental pollution at sea and our sensitivity to this issue we regularly visit well which are no longer producing. This platform had fallen into disuse, but we managed to contain the leakage.”“We have now made plans to make the well fully secure,” he added. Daneshfar said due to regular visits to old platforms and wells no serious accident had taken place. “We don’t need technical support either to contain the leakages and similar problems, and our specialized teams can carry out the task if they are provided with necessary tools,” he added. He said that 20 wells belonging to IOOC needed to become fully secure. “Securitization has various levels: whether we seek downhole securitization before producing from that well or we intend to abandon the well, in which case the well has to become permanently secure,” said Daneshfar.Everything, he said, depends on the volume of operations. “For instance, some platforms have no problem with the installation of rigs, but some others need structural work. The second part of operations is related to the plan we envisage for the well. Do we intend to make the well secure temporarily or permanently?”He said some wells had been blocked during the imposed war in the 1980s. “But we don’t abandon all wells. In prospective reservoir studies, we may conclude that we need enhanced recovery and therefore we can use the existing wells.”Noting that securitization and production would top IOOC agenda, Daneshfar said: “Although we are handling some reconstruction and renovation of wells and platforms through relying on our own facilities, we are likely to award some projects for enhanced recovery to contractors.