Fishing Job using Expandable Thru Tubing Fishing Tool to Catch Slickline Fish (Wire) inside 7” Casing (Success Story from Gas Well)

Abstract

This paper presents success story about fishing 543 m of 0.125” slickline wire inside 7” casing of gas well (6.184” inside diameter). The well has completion string that consists of 4.5” tubing with minimum restriction 3.826” and Wireline Entry Guide at depth 2,305 meter. The top of fish is predicted at depth 3,068 meter. The fish was left in hole when slickline wire broken off in the middle of Pressure and Temperature Survey. Before the fish happened, the well was being planned for a perforation job. The objective of the fishing job is to ensure the well is clear from any obstruction that can put at risk that job. Therefore, the fishing tool must be designed to be able to run through 3.826” inside diameter and expand to 6.184”. The design incorporates metal fingers that can expand by slight jar actions. However, the metal fingers are flexible enough to be pulled out through restriction inside the wellbore.

Fishing job included several critical activities: pre-work tubing clearance, tool-string selection catch the fish and retrieve out of hole, break up and connection surface lubricator to free the wire from x-mas tree while maintaining well pressure controlled. Braided line was used to have more strength to retrieve the fish.

The procedure was carefully reviewed and executed to avoid create another fish left in the hole. At the end, 540 m of wire-fish was able to retrieve. Another 60 m was left in hole because it was no longer affect the planned workover. The fishing tool has  successfully performed the intended job. The thru tubing fishing job is inexpensive and able to create economic opportunity to execute the planned workover.

The proudest thing of this subject is the fishing tool is made locally by national industry which its design is derived from analytic thinking and collaboration to solve problem. This paper will be beneficial because this paper summarizes what a successful fishing job with a unique technical approach from planning until execution and will provide detail yet brief the actual fishing job for similar activities in the future.