An operator in Saudi Arabia had drilled a re-entry water injector well into a limestone reservoir. The liner incorporated hydraulically operated Inflow Control Valves (ICV), which dictate the flow into a well or section of a well. Three sections were created via the installation of the Welltec® Annular Barrier (WAB®) – specifically three 812 WAB packers.

Operational issues experienced by a third party resulted in the Liner Hanger (LH) being set off depth – approximately 360 ft shallow. The customer was facing a potentially long and costly fishing operation if deciding to rectify the issue with the LH. Attempts to apply pressure could not be held, indicating a leak within the lower liner assembly.
Fortunately, the Welltec Multi Injection Tool (WMIT) had been mobilized as a contingency to expand the WAB packers. Application of the WMIT would mean that inflation was still possible despite the LH issue.

Welltec would attempt to inflate three WABs in the horizontal section of the well, between 17,500 – 19,500 ft.
The WMIT was run to depth and placed straddling the WAB. A ball was dropped from the surface, landing on the seat in the WMIT (blocking circulation), thereby expanding the deepest most WAB.

At this point, crew were unable to gain circulation or expand the next WAB. With the WMIT being pulled out of hole it was found to be full of debris which had prevented it from resetting. However, one of the benefits of the WMIT tool is that it is very robust and easy to redress on the well site. Following resetting, the tool was run in hole again and the shallowest WAB expanded.
Due to the off-depth position of the liner, the decision was made to leave the central WAB unexpanded.

Welltec were able to save the client time and money. Two WABs were expanded using the WMIT, avoiding the need for an expensive fishing operation to rectify the LH issue.

The functionality of the WMIT enabled the client to expand the WABs with full circulation in a well control situation and with no swabbing of the formation as the WMIT has full equalization capability.
Furthermore, the WMIT has now been successfully deployed on three wells for the same client.