Well Integrity Technical Section

Dear experts,

1, I would like to know what can we do with P&A pipes, if they have been run downhole for just a few years? (if it's run for 30 years, the clear answer is scrap)

2, Some people say we can repurpose (good) tubing into bare pipe sand screen. Why it's possible and what are the risks? 

3, For (good) pulled pipes >= 7in, common sense is to use them as casing in other wells but lower spec. What do we care of? From API5C1 & general practices, I think we need to:

• Inspect them all to make sure no defects (crack, pitting, connection damage..)
• Check full-length WT for integrity 
• Check the grade, weight compatible with well design
• Check all material certificate, pipe manufacturing data

But is it easy to find another well that we can use the pulled casing?

Appreciate your comments & practice sharing

Binh

In rural QLD, Australia, I recall that farmers built fences from old tubulars that had been left unattended.

Regards
Gerard Mckay

Sent from Mail<https: go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid="550986"> for Windows

Gerard,

Not just Australia!  I have seen this in Oklahoma, Texas and places in Colorado/Utah/Wyoming!  

Also makes good cattle guards for roads and fences!

Doug White

Sugar Land

Original Message:
Sent: 03-28-2023 12:51 AM
From: Gerard McKay
Subject: Repurpose used casing tubing

In rural QLD, Australia, I recall that farmers built fences from old tubulars that had been left unattended.

Regards
Gerard Mckay

Sent from Mail<https: go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid="550986"> for Windows

I'll second this one - best price for used tubing is almost always for fences/fencing, because it's reuse as opposed to melting it down for scrap mettal.  I have also seen it used for making steel frame buildings, mostly barns.  Just make sure there is no NORM or dangerous scale on the pipe before you try to sell it on the open market like this, or you could be in a lot of trouble down the line.  Even if the regulations where you are currently at say it's not required to test/check for that sort of thing, you never know when the rules might change, or public opinion might move in a different direction. Plus, if done right it's good public relations. 

Probably the only tubulars that are worth considering for re-use in a well are those with a very high base material cost - usually high chrome steels. 

------------------------------
Eric Gagen P.E.
SLB
egagen@slb.com
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 03-29-2023 07:27 AM
From: Douglas White
Subject: Repurpose used casing tubing

Gerard,

Not just Australia!  I have seen this in Oklahoma, Texas and places in Colorado/Utah/Wyoming!  

Also makes good cattle guards for roads and fences!

Doug White

Sugar Land

Original Message:
Sent: 03-28-2023 12:51 AM
From: Gerard McKay
Subject: Repurpose used casing tubing

In rural QLD, Australia, I recall that farmers built fences from old tubulars that had been left unattended.

Regards
Gerard Mckay

Sent from Mail<https: go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid="550986"> for Windows

Hi there, very good question and a nice thought to repurpose the tubing after it's been used.
The first thing you need to check is  NORM contamination, most of the the pulled tubing is NORM contaminated which means it will need to be decontaminated which is a costly exercise.
Once you clear the above, you will need to to check the integrity of the tubing from all the aspects as you mentioned in your message, yet again the cost might be substantial.
Even if you clear this step you will need then to convince the end users and stakeholders that the risk of using the old tubing is minimal, otherwise it will end up as a scrap.
We just engaged in a similar exercise I will keep you posted if and when we get to the bottom of it.
Best of luck.

------------------------------
Salim Taoutaou
CEO at TCOFS
Salimtaou@yahoo.co.uk
Staoutaou@tcofs.com
+971585843370
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 03-30-2023 01:09 PM
From: Eric Gagen
Subject: Repurpose used casing tubing

I'll second this one - best price for used tubing is almost always for fences/fencing, because it's reuse as opposed to melting it down for scrap mettal.  I have also seen it used for making steel frame buildings, mostly barns.  Just make sure there is no NORM or dangerous scale on the pipe before you try to sell it on the open market like this, or you could be in a lot of trouble down the line.  Even if the regulations where you are currently at say it's not required to test/check for that sort of thing, you never know when the rules might change, or public opinion might move in a different direction. Plus, if done right it's good public relations. 

Probably the only tubulars that are worth considering for re-use in a well are those with a very high base material cost - usually high chrome steels. 

------------------------------
Eric Gagen P.E.
SLB
egagen@slb.com
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 03-29-2023 07:27 AM
From: Douglas White
Subject: Repurpose used casing tubing

Gerard,

Not just Australia!  I have seen this in Oklahoma, Texas and places in Colorado/Utah/Wyoming!  

Also makes good cattle guards for roads and fences!

Doug White

Sugar Land

Original Message:
Sent: 03-28-2023 12:51 AM
From: Gerard McKay
Subject: Repurpose used casing tubing

In rural QLD, Australia, I recall that farmers built fences from old tubulars that had been left unattended.

Regards
Gerard Mckay

Sent from Mail<https: go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid="550986"> for Windows

Aside from concerns about both eternal and external corrosion, my biggest concerns would be the threads and any shouldering surfaces.  Especially premium threads, are not designed for repeated make-up and break-out.  Add to that several years of the thread dope deteriorating in a subsurface environment, they will likely not pass inspection for reuse.  

Doug White

Sugar Land

You can save a company a buck or two for the repurposing. BUt take care it
1. Depends on
A. the Well Type you are retrieving from and Well Type your re-installation into
i. Generally For Same Well Type (Water Injector, Water Supply, Disposal Well) is ok for reinstallation
ii. Different Well Type repurposing. Depends on material requirement and selection
iii. Make-Up and torque of previous installation. Should have that above Max Torque. or higher then the optimum
B. Exposure of corrosive fluid (H2S/CO2, Acid etc)
i. if L-80 Better not repurpose - scrap is better
ii. If S13cr then recomment to check for SSC
C. Finally record of Visual Inspection during the retrieval if planning to repurpose
i. if it looks good can be consider
ii. if in doubt maybe can reline or re-machine - if cheaper
iii. If has some issue with thread or corrosion better for scrap

Original Message:
Sent: 03-28-2023 09:41 AM
From: Douglas White
Subject: Repurpose used casing tubing

Aside from concerns about both eternal and external corrosion, my biggest concerns would be the threads and any shouldering surfaces.  Especially premium threads, are not designed for repeated make-up and break-out.  Add to that several years of the thread dope deteriorating in a subsurface environment, they will likely not pass inspection for reuse.  

Doug White

Sugar Land

Hi Binh,

Rather than a time-limit, it's really the condition which should matter (ie. a 30yrs old OCTG might be in better conditions than one used for 5yrs).

You haven't mentioned potential contamination (oil and heavy metals) and in particular NORM... This is a often an underestimated issue, and any trace of mineral scale should raise a flag (if you want to know - even without making the info very public - there are cheap radioactivity meters on eBay now! (you'll need one able to pick-up contamination too, beta for instance)

If left oily or with organic scale, the OCTG should be fully cleaned (jet-blasted if necessary) and contaminated water / fluids properly disposed of...

You might be able to "fabricate" slotted or pre-perforated liners out of some OCTG. Typically, those are less demanding than real sand screens!

I share Douglas White's concerns re: connections... you might have to recut / use new couplings for any serious application.

Rgds.

Hi Binh,

From practicality standpoint this practice needs to be cost effective and might be very long, we are implementing this process for expensive CRA tubing pulled from the wells and it is not easy and straight forward, you might need to do a lot of segregation, identify damage and repair plan for each joint and then put plan for that, it is not cheap and quick. 

In addition, after WT inspection, you need to ensure you can properly derate this casing for expected well loads and take out thin wall pipes and do specific well tallies that are also not easy to do due to tracking, transportation etc.

Kamal 

Good points about practicalities and costs, Kamal.

@Binh Nguyen it might be useful for you to identify/frame what your main drivers are... in cases where lead time or availability of OCTG could be an issue there might be more incentive (but costs will likely be high). If your main driver is to find a 2nd-life for your OCTG applying the 3R's (reduce, reuse, recycle) then it can also be a cost/benefit analysis. Scrapping for recycling the steel may not be such a bad idea... in any case where you'd find a potential taker for your pipe, beware of potential reputational damage and make sure it is environmentally clean and has no NORM.

Original Message:
Sent: 03-30-2023 02:39 AM
From: Kamal Agazade
Subject: Repurpose used casing tubing

Hi Binh,

From practicality standpoint this practice needs to be cost effective and might be very long, we are implementing this process for expensive CRA tubing pulled from the wells and it is not easy and straight forward, you might need to do a lot of segregation, identify damage and repair plan for each joint and then put plan for that, it is not cheap and quick. 

In addition, after WT inspection, you need to ensure you can properly derate this casing for expected well loads and take out thin wall pipes and do specific well tallies that are also not easy to do due to tracking, transportation etc.

Kamal