Claxton wraps up well abandonment project for Tullow

Claxton, an Acteon company, has completed the abandonment of two wells on the Horne and Wren Platform in the Southern North Sea off UK for Tullow Oil.

Claxton said on Wednesday that the project was completed within 18 days in July.

The scope involved 5 1/2” tubing cut verification, tubing recovery, sub-mudline abrasive conductor severance, conductor cut verification and the subsequent multi-string recovery from both wells.

Rob Horton, project engineer at Claxton, said: “The multi-string severance was performed from a jack-up lift barge (JULB) for this project, allowing significant cost savings for the client against the use of a rig.

“The Horne and Wren platform has a small 8m x 8m weather deck footprint, creating a space challenge which we managed to overcome. This included a hydraulic proving system and a utility crane to ensure self-sufficiency in handling our equipment.

“Proving of tubing and conductor cuts were completed with the same system. Equipment was located on the JULB with services run to the platform for the tubing recovery and multi-string severance and subsequent casing retrieval.

“We also developed a bespoke tubing laydown frame that allowed the quick and safe laydown of the severed tubing in a controlled manner.”

Claxton added that rigless platform well abandonment is just one of the many services it can offer to reduce the costs of decommissioning projects.