Tag Archive for: Well Control

Risks in the Hydrocarbons Sector

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A risk, according to the Law of the National Agency for Industrial Safety and Environmental Protection of the Hydrocarbons Sector (ASEA), is the probability that an undesired event will occur, measured in terms of its consequences to personnel, to the population, to facilities and equipment and the environment. In short, a risk is the probability of an accident occurring.

In this regard, it is important to consider that “risk” is not synonym to “danger”, since the latter refers to the intrinsic conditions or characteristics of an object capable of causing harm, while the risk is the probability of that damage occurring. From the above it follows that there are situations and objects that are dangerous themselves and therefore have the potential to cause harm, that is, they represent a risk, which however can be controlled and minimized.

In terms of hydrocarbons, oil and gas are hazardous materials, given their explosive and flammable characteristics. Therefore, the activities in which they are involved represent a risk, hence they are legally defined as highly risky activities.

In addition to the intrinsic characteristics, the operations carried out throughout the hydrocarbon value chain are highly complex, since 1) they involve large-scale infrastructure: drilling platforms, ship-tanks, pipelines, storage terminals, others; 2) are carried out in conditions that may be extreme, for example, drilling an oil well in the sea or traveling long distances through a ship or a train; 3) Advanced technology and specialized personnel are required.

Derived from the above, it is necessary to take all the measures in risk management to avoid accidents from happening. However, although a risk can be prevented and controlled, it can not be eliminated completely, so in any case, it will be necessary to transfer it, with the aim of preventing a company from absorbing the total economic losses that a loss may represent and that they can translate into a significant patrimonial detriment.

A risk can be transferred to an insurance company, through an insurance contract in which the insurer is committed to the insured, who in return for a premium, will indemnify him in case he suffers a loss that causes losses economic, as long as the event corresponds to the insured object, conforms to the terms and conditions established in the policy and is not an exclusion.

In the SectorHydrocarbons Sector, there are specific insurances to cover the risks inherent to this activity, which have also been established as mandatory by the regulatory authority (ASEA), such as: 1) Well control; 2) Civil Liability and 3) Environmental Responsibility.

At NRGI Broker, we are experts in insurance for the Hydrocarbons Sector. Come to us.

 

The security policy in the hydrocarbons sector

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The safety policy of the hydrocarbon sector focuses on two concepts that respond to the environment that may be impacted by the activities developed with hydrocarbons and their derivatives: industrial safety that refers to the external environment and the relationship of the installation with third parties and operational security, referred to the internal scope and related to the installation’s own processes.

In the ASEA Law, Industrial Safety is defined as the multidisciplinary area responsible for identifying, reducing, evaluating, preventing, mitigating, controlling and managing risks in the sector, with the aim of protecting people and the environment.

Operational safety, is understood as the multidisciplinary area that is responsible for the analysis, evaluation, prevention, mitigation, control of the associated risks of the process, which includes the design, construction, startup, operation, normal stoppages, emergency stoppages and maintenance.

As we can see, industrial safety is a broader concept that involves considering not only the installation but its environment, at least where their activities may have some impact, such as the surrounding population, which may suffer damage to their people and to their assets, or the pollution of the environment.

On the other hand, operational safety focuses on internal processes, which must also be procured, in order to avoid damage to the installation and personnel, as well as preventing an accident from reaching greater proportions and also affect industrial safety.

Risks are an inherent part of the activities of the hydrocarbon sector, therefore as part of its security policy, companies must make the decision between retaining and transferring risks. They will generally retain those that may have minor consequences and whose costs do not affect their assets. In the case of risks that can have serious consequences, it is better to transfer them through an insurance.

The insurances that companies in the hydrocarbon sector must contract to complement their industrial and operational safety policy are: 1) well control (exploration and extraction companies); 2) construction and assembly; 3) civil and environmental liability; 4) property damage; 5) electronic equipment; 6) machinery breakage; 7) Boilers and equipment subject to pressure, among others.

If the activities are carried out with vessels, the insurances to be contracted are: 1) hull and machinery, 2) protection and compensation and, if applicable, 3) the charterer’s civil liability.

Each one of these insurances will cover some aspect that will contribute to complement the policy of industrial and operational safety, with the aim of having safer facilities and reducing to the maximum the possibility of an economic detriment to the companies of the sector.

 

At NRGI Broker, we are experts in insurance for the hydrocarbon sector. Come to us, we will gladly assist you.

 

Riesgos y Complicaciones durante el Descontrol de Pozos

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De acuerdo con el National Alliance for Insurace Education and Research, el riesgo se define como la “Incertidumbre concerniente a una pérdida que se presenta debido a un conjunto de circunstancias dadas”. Entre sus principios básicos se encuentran los siguientes:

No retenga más de lo que pueda soportar en pérdida.
No arriesgue mucho por poco.
Considere la probabilidad de los eventos y su impacto potencial.

En el sector hidrocarburos, uno de los riesgos más comunes que enfrentan las empresas que se dedican a la extracción de petróleo es el descontrol de los pozos, lo cual puede implicar altos costos debido a la reparación de los daños y/o perjuicios que se hayan generado a personas, instalaciones o al medio ambiente.

Un descontrol de pozos se genera por un brote, el cual no se puede manejar a voluntad, y se clasifica en:

Descontrol diferencial.- Sucede cuando la presión de formación es mayor que la presión hidrostática, invadiendo los fluidos de la formación el fondo del pozo, levantando la columna de fluidos de manera que la expulsa a superficie y el equipo de control superficial no está cerrado.

Descontrol inducido.- Es ocasionado por el movimiento de la tubería, la cual puede sondear o aligerar la columna hidrostática o fracturar la formación al introducirla complicándose el problema al tener tuberías rotas.

Ante el descontrol se procede a aplicar un método específico de control según sea el problema que lo genera, sin embargo la realidad es que son pocas las acciones en el Control de Pozos que ocurren como son planeadas, por lo que es importante estar familiarizado con las complicaciones que pueden ocurrir durante la ejecución del control.

A continuación presentamos una lista de las complicaciones más comunes:

Tapado / colapsado del anular
Sarta tapada
Falla de la BOP
Falla o daño del revestidor
Tapón de cemento
Errores conceptuales
Complicaciones durante la circulación de un Kick
Presión excesiva de revestidor
Presión reducida no confiable o no disponible
Perforación en caliente
Consideraciones de Control de Pozos horizontales
Hueco o lavadura en el Tubing
Congelamiento
Detección del punto libre
Válvula flotadora de Contra presión en la sarta
Pesca
Pérdidas de circulación
Pérdidas parciales y severas de circulación
Problemas mecánicos del Pozo
Fresado
Tubería fuera del fondo y fuera del Pozo
Tubería muy débil o muy corroída
Cambios en los Tanques
Bit o embudo tapado
Presión entre las sartas de revestidores
Falla en los manómetros de presión
Problemas más allá del estrangulador
Falla o cambio de la bomba
Reciprocrado de la tubería durante el Control de Pozo
Consideraciones de las presiones de cierre
Snubbing en la sarta o Tumbing
Pega de tubería
Sarta de telescopía

Por lo anterior, es de vital importancia estar siempre alerta ante los indicadores de presión, flujo y equipo involucrado para reconocer el surgimiento de brotes a la brevedad y tomar las medidas necesarias para evitar que se produzcan incidentes, y en caso de que sea imposible evitarlos, contar con un Seguro de Control de Pozos, que dé certeza de la obtención de los recursos necesarios para reparar los daños y que la operación de la empresa no se vea comprometida.

Recordemos que no existe “una pérdida sin asegurar”, lo que no se asegura implica una retención, la cual afecta directamente el patrimonio de la empresa.
En NRGI Broker contamos con un equipo experto en Seguros de Control de Pozos, Seguro de Responsabilidad Ambiental y Seguro de Responsabilidad Civil, así como con especialistas en administración de riesgos que le brindarán soluciones integrales, con productos comprobados, que se adaptan a la medida de sus necesidades.
Comuníquese con nosotros, estamos para ayudarle:
info@nrgibroker.com
(55) 9177.2100

 

Complications during well control.

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Decontrol wells is generated by an outbreak, which cannot be operated at will, and is classified as:

  • Differential.- happens when formation pressure is greater than the hydrostatic pressure, invading the formation fluids down hole, lifting the column of fluid so that the ejected surface and surface equipment control is not closed .

  • Induced.- is caused by the movement of the pipe, which can probe or lighten the hydrostatic column or fracture the formation to enter complicated the problem by having broken pipes.

Given the lack of control proceeds to apply a specific method of control as the problem that generates it, but the reality is that few actions in the Well Control that occur as they are planned, so it is important to be familiar with complications that can occur during execution of the control.

Below you can find a list of the most common complications:

  • Capping / collapsed the ring

  • covered string

  • Failure of the BOP

  • Failure or damage coating

  • cement plug

  • Misconceptions

  • Complications during circulation of a Kick

  • Excessive pressure casing

  • Unreliable or unavailable reduced pressure

  • Drilling hot

  • Control Considerations Horizontal Wells

  • Hollow or weakness in Tubing

  • Freezing

  • Detection of free point

  • Float valve backpressure in the drill string

  • Fishing

  • Lost Circulation

  • Partial and severe circulation losses

  • Well´s mechanical problems

  • Milling

  • Pipe off the bottom and out of the well

  • Very weak or much corroded pipe

  • Changes in Tanks

  • Bit or clogged funnel

  • Pressure between the strings of coaters

  • Failure pressure gauges

  • Problems beyond the choke

  • Failure or change of pump

  • Reciprocated pipe during Well Control

  • Considerations closure pressures

  • Snubbing in the string or tumbing

  • Paste pipe

  • Telescoping string

Therefore, it is vitally important to always be alert to indicators of pressure, flow and equipment involved to recognize the emergence of outbreaks promptly and react seeking to avoid incidents and be protected with Insurance Well Control we support for any inconvenience.

In NRGI Broker we have an expert in Insurance Well Control and risk analysis that will provide comprehensive solutions, with proven products, which are tailored to suit your needs equipment.

 

Contact us, we are here to help:

info@nrgibroker.com
(55) 9177.2100