Laser magnet technology boosts debris recovery in high-risk well ops

Addressing long-standing challenges in debris management across horizontal and vertical wells, laser-focused magnets are helping enhance oil production rates Qamar uz Zaman tells OGN

- Qamar uz Zaman

In oil and gas drilling, debris retrieval remains a persistent operational challenge, especially in high-risk wells where perforation efficiency directly influences productivity.

Traditional cleanout methods, including the use of conventional magnets, often failed to provide reliable results, leading to productivity loss and costly intervention.

However, laser-focused magnets has begun to redefine the approach, offering operators a more effective tool for unholstering well potential using converging shockwaves, Qamar uz Zaman, Operation Manager, Innovar Solution Middle East, tells OGN energy magazine.

FROM CONVENTIONAL CLEANOUTS TO LASER PRECISION

The limitations of conventional magnets became clear during Petroleum Development Oman's (PDO) early trials in horizontal wells.

With gun assemblies exceeding 1,000 m and perforation intervals between 150 and 700 m, conventional debris recovery tools struggled to match the volume of debris with the actual gun length.

Initial attempts with two conventional magnets yielded inconsistent recovery, with debris weight failing to align with expected perforation lengths (Figure 1).

This inefficiency prompted PDO to collaborate with RAY International on an alternative solution.

Laser magnet technology was developed as a direct response. Unlike conventional tools, laser-focused magnets were designed to enhance retrieval precision and increase debris capture capacity.

Their deployment began with two magnets in trial wells, immediately demonstrating improved results.