Case Study
Mechanical pipe cutter service cut plastic-coated pipe in California
Jun 24, 2020
Overview
Challenges
- Onshore production well, California
- Plastic-coated pipe
- Customer had used chemical cutters in the past, without favorable results
- Fluid level below cut
- 3.5-in pipe inside 5.5- and 7-in casings
Results
- MPC tool ran through 3.5-in tubing to 1,417 ft and cut at a 16° angle
- Cut plastic-coated pipe in eight minutes, reducing rig time
- Less than five hours of total operation time
- After rig down, the work over rig pulled the tubing out to surface
- Provided a non-ballistic, non- chemical solution to sever downhole tubulars
- Efficient cut reduced debris and damage to outer strings
- Confirmed cut avoiding unnecessary trips out of hole
- Minimized mobilization expenses
Case study details
A major operator working a production well in California had a stuck pipe. After two unsuccessful attempts
by a competitor to free the casing string using a chemical cutter, they contacted Baker Hughes.
The 31⁄2 in pipe was plastic-coated and the fluid level was below the cutting depth, making the cut a complex operation for standard cutter services. By using the 2 1⁄8-in Mechanical Pipe CutterTM (MPCTM) service to sever the pipe, Baker Hughes avoided the delay caused by explosives or hazardous chemicals.
Download the PDF to read the full case study.
/sites/bakerhughes/files/2020-05/Mechanical-pipe-cutter-cuts-plastic-coated-pipe-California-cs.pdf
