BioSqueeze Inc. was contracted by an operator in the DJ Basin of Colorado to remediate high bradenhead pressure (sustained annular pressure) on a well slated for abandonment. The operator had been attempting to plug this well for over three years to no avail. Unsuccessful remediation efforts included numerous cement squeezes, micro-fine cements, resins, and an attempt to pull the casing. After all these attempts and well over $1 million spent on remediation efforts, bradenhead pressure remained high.

BioSqueeze Inc. performed BioSqueeze^®s on this well at two different depths. The first BioSqueeze^® produced significant formation of crystalline calcium carbonate, as shown in Figure 1, resulting in reduced bradenhead pressure but not fully eliminate gas migration in the well. The operator indicated that there was evidence of gas coming into the annulus near the surface casing shoe, and received permission to perform a second BioSqueeze^® closer to the shoe.

During this BioSqueeze^®, pumping at constant pressure caused the injection rate to drop, as shown in Figure 2, indicating sealing of fractures and micro-annuli in the cement. The second BioSqueeze^® permanently sealed the well, as shown in Figure 1, completely eliminating bradenhead pressure and allowing the well to be subsequently cut and capped. Earlier use of BioSqueeze^® would have saved hundreds of thousands of dollars.