DRILLBITS
Monthly eNewsletter from the IADC




Technical Publications Committee Discuss Workover & Recompletions

Members of the Technical Publications Committee recently sat down for a Q&A discussion. about one of the committee’s most recent initiative: “Well Integrity for Workovers and Recompletions.”

About the Committee’s Latest Book

The committee work product is a textbook that covers the steps necessary to ensures that production wells can be re-entered and modified safely. The adherence to best practices allows the production well to maximize productivity for long-term gain.

Fred Growcock, Chair of Technical Publications Committee, and author of the textbook, Les Skinner, discuss his 3rd book after 30+ years as a petroleum engineer. Skinner mentioned that the reasons why he spent more than a year on such a large project: there was not much written about workovers and recompletions.

Given creeping Great Crew Change coming to the industry, efforts at distilling and delineating the technical knowledge of drilling help create a new generation of young apprentices within the drilling industry.

Filling a Knowledge Gap

The seven chapters and six appendices cover everything about the basics of well integrity, workovers, and recompletions; recognition of symptoms and performance of diagnostic tests to determine well integrity and potential failure modes; and assess risk and economics, including how to increase reserve potential and rate of return.  Ultimately, the book serves to provide oil and gas engineers and managers a vital tool for keeping their assets safe and effective for the long haul.

Key Features of the Book

  • Helps readers understand how to protect wells through the production, workover and recompletion lifecycle, both from an economic standpoint and technical view
  • Includes real-world examples with quizzes included at the end of each chapter
  • Examines why establishing an integrity baseline is important, along with a Well Integrity Management System