Percussive scale milling
3 to 4 times more effective
Dual rotation milling
Prevents rotation during plug removal
Two new solutions are being added to the Well Miller® portfolio, further enhancing Welltec’s intervention services for clean-out and downhole access challenges.
Firstly, a newly developed percussive milling solution is ready for deployment, having shown three to four times more efficiency than standard options during extensive scale milling testing. Secondly, a dual-rotation miller which nullifies torque to prevent any unwanted rotation of its target during operations is to also be added to the tool fleet.
Scale milling and the removal of hydrates are commonplace operations, and the more these procedures can be optimized the greater the benefit to operators.
The percussive milling solution employs a rotary hammer action, allowing the bit to stay in contact with the target while delivering additional impact energy and frequency that is continuously sent through the bit, breaking up the scale more efficiently.
The hammer impact is produced by a toothed cam mechanism, which remains active throughout the tool's operation. This mechanism induces micro-fractures in the scale material, making the milling process three to four times more effective.
The toothed cam mechanism is an expendable and replaceable component. Once it has been fully used, standard milling can continue (without the percussive effect) without needing to end the run, or pull out of hole to redress the tool. Furthermore, custom bits are available to provide diverse effects during milling, i.e., different levels of force and frequency to match the challenge.
The dual rotation milling option has been developed specifically with plug removal in mind, however, this technology can also be utilized to remove flapper valves or other loose hardware that would otherwise be free to rotate in reciprocation with the milling action.
This same rotational issue if something that has been observed in the second half of many plug milling operations in the field, whereby the upper section is removed with relative ease before mid to lower sections can rotate and spin, significantly reducing the effectiveness the milling.
The solution addressed this issue through a two-part mill bit, the outer and inner, which sit flush to one another with just millimeters between them. Just as with the percussive miller, the dual rotation is always active, with dual rotation in opposite directions nullifying any rotation of the target.
These innovative additions to the Well Miller portfolio underscore Welltec’s commitment to providing advanced solutions for well intervention challenges, ensuring operators achieve optimal performance and efficiency.
About Welltec
Welltec® is a global technology company that develops and provides efficient, hi-tech solutions for the energy industry.
The company was founded in 1994 and grew rapidly by supplying innovative robotic technology to oil and gas operators. In 2010, Welltec introduced a new business segment focused on the development of Completion products. Commercialization of these products began in 2014, and the company is now a global leader in the field of metal expandable packer technology. Welltec’s cutting-edge products and services are designed to optimize the performance and integrity of a well, in any environment. As a well-established and trusted partner to energy industry stakeholders across the globe, Welltec is successfully aiding clients within New Energy and Climate Technology, with a focused approach to help develop geothermal energy, and carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects.
Through advanced engineering and lightweight design, Welltec’s solutions have helped clients increase operational efficiency and reduce carbon footprints in a safe and sustainable way for 30 years.