CASE HISTORY

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RESTORE Wellbore Remediation Program Increased

Revenue by Factor of 75 and Prevented Well Abandonment
Location: San Joaquin Valley, California
Results
nnImproved

net oil production from an

average <1 BOPD to 4.6 BOPD

nnIncreased

revenue from producing

well by a factor of 75

nnPrevented

imminent plug and

abandonment procedure

nnRecovered

treatment costs
within 45 days

Challenges
nnImprove

initial production of
<2 BFPD

nnManage

An independent operator in the San Joaquin

Valley was on the verge of abandoning a well
that yielded less than 2 BFPD, with almost no
oil production. Rates were so low that instead
of connecting a flow line, the company hired
a tanker truck to draw down the fluid from
the wellbore at weekly intervals. Attempting
to improve permeability, a competing service
company had recently pumped 3,000 gallons
of acid into the shale formation.
When the matrix acidization job failed, the
operator requested a chemical remediation
proposal from Baker Hughes in a final
effort to revive the well. The RESTORETM
wellbore remediation program team initially
recommended a small annular application
of an asphaltene dispersant. The asphaltene
dispersant provided a cleaning effect,
allowing a small volume of emulsified sludge
to be produced to the surface.

The sludge was analyzed in the laboratory

to find the best chemical treatment option.
Lab testing showed that a mutual solvent
was most effective in breaking the emulsion
and improving the flow characteristics of the
downhole fluid.

near-wellbore damage
from previous matrix acidization

nnOpen

tight formation with low

permeability

nnStay

below required fracture

gradient

Baker Hughes solution

A second proposal was solicited, and the
operator agreed to install an annular packer
above the perforations and to contract
high-pressure pumping equipment from
the Upstream Chemicals well-remediation
fleet. A 5% solution of the solvent was
pumped through the packer into the open
perforations, with care taken to remain
below the fracture gradient pressure, as
per regulatory requirements.
After the well was put back into production,
gross fluid increased from 2 BFPD to over
100 BFPD, including nearly 5 BOPD. Revenue

nnRESTORE

program

wellbore remediation

CASE HISTORY
increased by a factor of 75, and the operator
was able to recover their well remediation
costs within 45 days.

This case history is presented for illustration

purposes only, as the results may vary
between applications.

Because of the Baker Hughes RESTORE

wellbore remediation program, the operator
was able to earn a healthy profit from the
well instead of implementing expensive
plug and abandonment procedures. Most
importantly, the operator was able to
identify new reserves in the heretofore
nonproductive zone.

RESTORE is a trademark of Baker Hughes Incorporated.

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2015 Baker Hughes Incorporated. All rights reserved. 42610 01/2015

01/2014