Customer challenges
- In 2010, Noble Energy discovered the largest gas field in the Mediterranean Sea. Following nearly a decade of planning, the subsea development in the deep-water field commenced in 2018
- Noble Energy and Expro have a long partnership in the Eastern Mediterranean; employing Expro's Landing String Assembly (ELSA®) and Subsea Test Tree Assembly (SSTTA), Well Testing and Fluids services
- Expro's "Excellence in Operations" throughout this shared history led them to being entrusted with the provision of critical services on four subsea development wells on the largest project in Noble Energy's history - Leviathan
Expro Excellence
- Development of Leviathan involved gas clean-up operations in excess of 120mmscf/day, water depths up to 1700m, and compliance to the customer's stringent and rig DNV Class standards. Expertise in ultra-high rate Well Testing and Fluids sampling and analysis, and a quick response subsea safety control system were all critical to project success
- Performing live well operations on a dynamically positioned deep-water vessel requires the ability to safely disconnect in a weather or emergency event. The solution is a SSTTA with the proven ability to isolate the well (including capability to cut and seal on any coil tubing or wireline operating in the wellbore), disconnect, and maintain well integrity - all in less than 45 seconds
- Noble Energy challenged Expro to supply a product suitable for back-to-back (batch-completion) operations; with pre-drilled wells. Expro's solution was its market-leading ELSA® 6-3/4"-HD - a high debris-tolerant SSTTA with Electro-Hydraulic(EH) control system able to isolate and disconnect from a well in less than 20 seconds
- Expro developed the MegaFlow Separator through its experience with high-flowrate gas wells. The only portable, modular, ultra-high rate separator capable of processing gas flowrates up to 175mmsc/day at a working pressure of 2,160psi; MegaFlow was selected as the ideal solution for the project, along with the high-rate Multi-Tube Heat Exchanger
- Expro's expertise in Fluids sampling and analysis during the development (and previous appraisal) wells was critical to accurate production design
- Expro's established CaTS Advanced Reservoir Testing gauges allowed the long-term monitoring of downhole reservoir communication and response
Value to client
- With an extremely tight project delivery schedule; Expro allocated a dedicated project manager in the Noble Energy's facility, ensuring efficient planning and coordination of the multiple services
- Expro provided continuity of specialists familiar to Noble, with previous operating experience in Israel and supported by dedicated international infrastructure for Subsea, Well Testing, Fluids and Wireless Well Solutions
- Expro's ELSA® 6-3/4"- HD SSTTA solution for batch-completions eliminated the requirement of performing critical path maintenance/supply of additional equipment, saving operational time and equipment costs
- The industry-unique MegaFlow Separator and Multi-Tube Heat Exchanger enabled a simple, compact Well Test installation suitable for ultra-high flowrate cleanup operations- versus the much larger footprint, crew and operational complexity which other dual-path, 'conventional' equipment options present
- Expro's proprietary Iso-Split fluid characterisation services provided a critical Condensate Gas Ratio (CGR) measurements and the highest quality surface samples which gave rapid confirmation of liquid-to-gas production rates. Additional wellsite chemistry performed by our Fluids experts provided a clear and precise data on contaminants (H2S, Radon, Sulphur and Mercury); critical to enabling an accurate field production design
- Installation of CaTS Advanced Reservoir Testing gauges allowed Noble to wirelessly monitor reservoir response and gather detailed understanding of infield communication, whilst simultaneous well test activity was performed on nearby wells, as well as providing long-term surveillance during production
