[en] This paper reports that U.S. well completions in 1991 will increase about 8% compared with 1990 if operators stick with present spending plans during the second half. Operators are expected to realize $76.4 billion in wellhead revenues this year, 10.7% less than the 1990 estimate. However, they are expected to invest a larger share of those revenues in drilling this year than they did in 1990. With less than half the year remaining, here is Oil and Gas Journal's updated look at 1991 U.S. drilling: The rotary rig count will average 1,050, up from last year's average of 1,010. Operators will drill about 31,654 oil wells, gas wells, and dry holes compared with an estimated 29,170 drilled in 1990. Exploratory drilling will decline to 5,711 wildcats. Total footage drilled will exceed 152 million ft of hole; average well depth is expected to be about 4,805 ft. Major oil companies drilled 2,602 wells in the U.S. during first half 1991 and plan to drill 2,569 the rest of this year. Meanwhile, drilling in western Canada will likely total 5,900 wells this year

[en] While oil and gas wells have the advantage of being able to expel damaging particles from perforations and/or formation, water injectors are prone to accumulating damaging substances since their completion. In order to remove those substances and restoring the injectivity of those wells, acid jobs are usually required. One of the major obstacles for the success of those operations consists of obtaining treatment diversion. For diversion to occur, a highly effective material needs to be applied. The diverting agent must also be non-damaging, low-cost and easy to- use. In order to achieve all these goals, a new and highly effective diverting agent was developed. It consists of a supersaturated solution of ammonium chloride and the field results obtained so far have been excellent. The main advantage of the product, besides its high divergence capacity, is the self-removal capability, that eliminates the need for subsequent treatments that would increase time and cost of the operation. A sequence of treatments that was performed in the deep water fields of the Campos Basin, in different formations, confirmed the system efficiency and effectiveness, with significant improvements of the productivity indices of the wells and the diverting effect was verified by the analysis of real-time monitoring curves. (author)

[en] The years 1995 and 1994 may turn out to be nearly carbon copies in terms of the number of wells to be drilled in the US and Canada. OGJ estimates that operators will drill only 3.6% more wells in the US this year than they did in 1994. The totals for both years are considerably below the expectations held early last year for 1994 US drilling. Canada, on the other hand, is poised for its third straight near record year in terms of numbers of wells drilled. The paper discusses busy areas in the US and the canadian outlook. Tables present data on US fields with ultimate oil recovery exceeding 100 million barrels of oil

[en] This patent describes an anti-rotation plug set for use with cementing equipment having an insert seat therein, the anti-rotation plug set and the cementing equipment for use in cementing a string of casing into a well bore. It comprises an upper plug including: a non-metallic body member having a plurality of teeth integrally formed on the lower end thereof and an elastomeric covering thereon having, in turn, wipers which engage the interior of the string of casing; and a lower plug including: a non-metallic body member having a bore therethrough, having teeth integrally formed on the upper end thereof which mate with the teeth integrally formed on the lower end of the nonmetallic body member of the upper plug when the upper plug engages the lower plugs, having teeth integrally formed on the lower end thereof, having an insert member in a portion of the bore through the non-metallic body member, and the cementing equipment comprising: an insert seat having teeth thereon which mate with the integrally formed teeth on the lower end of the non-metallic body member of the lower plug of the anti-rotation plug set when the lower plug of the anti-rotation plug set engages the cementing equipment during the cementing of the string of casing into a well bore

[en] The eighteen 10-acre infill wells which were drilled as part of the field demonstration portion of the project are all currently in service with no operational problems. These wells consist of fourteen producing wells and four injection wells. The producing wells are currently producing a total of approximately 376 bopd, down from a peak rate of 900 bopd. The four injection wells are currently injecting a total of 140 bwipd. Unit production is currently averaging approximately 2,600 bopd, 12,000 bwpd and 18,000 bwipd

[en] This patent describes a packer milling and retrieval tool including a mandrel having an upper milling portion with cutting blades for engaging the upper milling portion with cutting blades for engaging the upper end of a packer in cutting relation, and a lower retrieval portion for contacting the lower end of the packer for removal of the packer from the casing. It comprises an improved release means; a sleeve mounted on the mandrel; the sleeve when fingers are disengaged from the packer abutment and spaced downwardly therefrom being slidable upwardly on the mandrel from a differential fluid pressure exerted against opposite ends of the sleeve provided by pressurized drilling fluid discharged from the tool upon the upper end portion approaching the small diameter bore portion from lifting of the mandrel to position the fingers adjacent the reduced diameter portion for inward deflection of the fingers to permit the fingers to pass the packer bore upon upward lifting movement of the mandrel to release the tool from the packer

[en] The Alberta requirements and expectations for upstream petroleum flaring are presented. Flaring is associated with a wide range of energy activities including oil and gas well drilling and well completion operations. The guide incorporates the recommendations made to the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board (EUB) in June 1998 by the multi-stakeholder Clean Air Strategic Alliance (CASA) on associated or solution gas flaring. Additional requirements which address flaring issues not covered in the CASA report are also included in this guide. The Guide requires a 15 per cent reduction in solution gas flare volume by the end of year 2000 from the 1996 baseline, and a 25 per cent reduction by the end of 2001. The Guide prescribes new flare performance requirements for all flares, within three years for existing solution gas flares, five years for flares at other existing permanent facilities. It sets personal consultation and public notification requirements for new and existing solution gas batteries, and new sulphur recovery requirements for facilities not covered by existing EUB regulations. The Guide also addresses the question of conflict resolution to deal with flaring concerns, the release of flaring and venting data, the proposed reduction of flare limits, progress towards minimizing requirements for electricity generators using otherwise flared gas, annual reporting to the EUB, and management framework review in 2001

[en] The nature of hydrogen sulfide blowout recovery projects, their management, challenges and relevant operational limitations, are reviewed from the point of view of the blowout contractor. While blowout events are described from the blowout contractor's point of view, the objective is to familiarize operating personnel as to what large hydrogen sulfide blowout recovery projects entail. The huge financial implications of hydrogen sulfide blowouts, the extreme danger to life and property, the importance of having an experienced operations person with significant authority on site, securing the confidence of head office, and a confident and assertive well control attitude as a fundamental part of managing the situation, are emphasized. Various factors such as the location of the well, weather conditions, and flow direction and flow stream composition, any of which can make recovery operations easier or more difficult, are also described

[en] This patent describes a shifting tool for use in oil and gas well bore holes. It comprises an elongated tool body having a flow bore for circulating fluid through the tool; first connection means at the first and upper end of the elongated tool body for connection to the lower end of coil tubing or to tools connected to the lower end of the coil tubing; second connecting means at the second end of the elongated tool body for connection to tools and, force means, for generation and application of a sudden downward force, relative to the tool body, at the second connection means

[en] The Petroleum Services Association of Canada and Winterhawk Group Ltd. prepared the 17th annual Well Cost Study for 1999 with the object of providing detailed 1999 costs to drill and complete wells in high-activity areas in Canada. Costs for 25 wells throughout Western Canada are included, and this year's study covers 22 conventional vertical wells and three horizontal wells. Seven wells are new to the study this year, and the percentage of wells studied increased from approximately 40% last year to 45% this year. A discussion regarding the generalized cost trends that were observed to occur during the study is presented. For the purpose of the study, Western Canada was divided into 12 areas with representative wells covered in each area. An index table outlines the geographical areas and approximate location of all the wells presented. This year each well has a corresponding graphic illustrating the downhole configuration. A summary of 1999 drilling and completion costs is included, and detailed individual well costs for each well are presented. Opposite each data page is a brief description of the area, including geology, geography and infrastructure. The report covers: introduction, methodology, new technologies, data qualifications, study results for historical drilling activity, drilling and completion costs, cost trends 1985-1999, and a comparison to costs of previous years, index table of wells, and drilling and completions costs summary for each of the 12 areas