BioSqueeze Inc. was contracted by an operator in Loving County, TX to remediate sustained casing pressure and fluid migration on a well in the process of being plugged.

The well was drilled and completed in 2005 as a vertical Cherry Canyon producer. Surface casing was set within a salt zone, with little to no cement coverage across the shoe. A high pressure injection zone around 3,000' likely contributing to surface pressure and flow. Prior remediation included multiple attempts to squeeze cement with no injection achieved (2,567' - 2,825' & 2,120' - 2,400').

Despite a no pressure RCBL indicating a general lack of cement behind pipe throughout the well, prior remediation points to decent cement present below the surface casing shoe. Therefore, the previously perforated interval where cement was unsuccessfully squeezed was targeted for re-treatment with a Downhole BioSqueeze®.

The previously treated interval was re-perforated at 12 SPF from 854' - 857' to enable access to leakage pathways below the surface casing shoe. In preparation for treatment an RBP was set at 870' and a work string with an AD-1 tension set packer above the top perf at 825' and tailpipe with end of tubing at the bottom perf (857').

Treatment consisted of injecting our various BioSqueeze® fluids (MacroSeal™, MicroSeal™, and NanoSeal™) into the annulus at pressure, reducing permeability over time as limestone was formed to permanently seal leaks. Initial injection was established with the surface casing open resulting in our fluids surfacing at a rate equal to injection indicating little to no cement above the perforated interval. Five stages were pumped over the course of three days with 111 gallons injected at which point the decision was made to change strategies to expedite the process and seal the leak further downhole.

The surface casing was then shut in to force fluids down into leakage pathways in the existing cement below the surface casing shoe. The injection rate reflected the change in leakage pathway profile, with an immediate reduction of over 80%. Eleven stages were pumped over the course of five days with 144 gallons injected and a final rate of less than 0.01 gpm.

At the conclusion of treatment some gas and fluid continued to flow up the annulus, but subsided entirely over the course of the week. Leakage pathways in cement were accessed and subsequently sealed, eliminating the gas and fluid flow up the annulus enabling plugging operations to proceed and the well to be permanently decommissioned.