Expro Excellence
Mechanical Slickline
World-first largest slickline saves marathon time and money
Customer challenges
  • Marathon awarded Expro a contract to provide conveyance service for modular perforating operations with slickline on the Alba Field, off Equatorial Guinea
  • Some of the wells were 14,000ft deep and deviated, as well as underbalanced 
Expro Excellence
  • Expro’s team determined a new, larger gauge slickline wire would be required which would overcome the challenge of larger gun size and pulling wireline weights never previously attempted
  • The very first, production and operation of the largest gauge slickline with a diameter of 0.160” was invented and installed by Expro
  • Ran a number of 48ft, 3 3/8” perforating guns on slickline and stacked them in lengths exceeding 1,000ft
  • Firing head was run last on the top and the guns, detonated – the same slickline wire retrieved the firing head and guns before the guns deteriorated to a dangerous condition
  • Due to presence of CO2 in the reservoir the wire had to be made of a particular alloy (GD 31MO) to reduce corrosion risk, however this created further challenges for the team
  • All equipment certified for zone 1 and 2, and work was carried out to UK North Sea standards
  • The entire operation was completed quickly - wells were perforated in underbalanced conditions 
Value to client
  • Innovative approach by Expro provided Marathon with a world-first solution
  • Saved Marathon time and money – much quicker than conventional braided line, as well as solving many of the well control issues braided wire might create
  • Guns run faster and using less equipment
  • Estimated savings of 25% in running costs compared to braided wire method 
Contact

World-first largest slickline saves marathon time and money

In Brief
Expro’s world-first, large diameter slickline installation provides innovative solution that saves Marathon time and money
Product Line
  • Mechanical Slickline
Region
Asia-Pacific
Customer challenges
  • Marathon awarded Expro a contract to provide conveyance service for modular perforating operations with slickline on the Alba Field, off Equatorial Guinea
  • Some of the wells were 14,000ft deep and deviated, as well as underbalanced 
Expro Excellence
  • Expro’s team determined a new, larger gauge slickline wire would be required which would overcome the challenge of larger gun size and pulling wireline weights never previously attempted
  • The very first, production and operation of the largest gauge slickline with a diameter of 0.160” was invented and installed by Expro
  • Ran a number of 48ft, 3 3/8” perforating guns on slickline and stacked them in lengths exceeding 1,000ft
  • Firing head was run last on the top and the guns, detonated – the same slickline wire retrieved the firing head and guns before the guns deteriorated to a dangerous condition
  • Due to presence of CO2 in the reservoir the wire had to be made of a particular alloy (GD 31MO) to reduce corrosion risk, however this created further challenges for the team
  • All equipment certified for zone 1 and 2, and work was carried out to UK North Sea standards
  • The entire operation was completed quickly - wells were perforated in underbalanced conditions 
Value to client
  • Innovative approach by Expro provided Marathon with a world-first solution
  • Saved Marathon time and money – much quicker than conventional braided line, as well as solving many of the well control issues braided wire might create
  • Guns run faster and using less equipment
  • Estimated savings of 25% in running costs compared to braided wire method 
Contact

For further information, please contact:

wellintervention@expro.com