About the challenge

The ‘suspension’ or temporary abandonment of oil and gas wells typically involves the placement of cement plug barriers within the well to temporarily isolate the reservoir and other potential flow zones from the environment.

The shallowest plug in a suspended or temporarily abandoned well is the environmental or surface plug.  These plugs typically consist of between 50m and 150m vertical thickness of cement, the top of which is located between 20m and 200m below the wellhead.

Permanent abandonment of these wells requires the removal of the environmental plug so that permanent cement barriers can be set deeper within the well and adjacent to the ‘caprock’, to isolate the reservoir and other potential flow zones from the environment. Surface casings and the wellhead will also be subsequently removed as part of this process.

Should any of the barriers placed below the environmental plug have failed or are leaking, hydrocarbons may accumulate below the environmental plug resulting in pressure build-up.  The status of the well below the environmental plug is unknown, therefore re-entry for permanent abandonment operations typically requires the full pressure control capabilities of a rig.

Illustration of challenge focus area

If the absence of hydrocarbons and associated pressure build-up below the environmental plug could be confirmed prior to well re-entry, it creates the opportunity for rigless abandonment operations.  In the offshore environment, this potentially removes one of the biggest challenges associated with well abandonment, timely access to rigs in a highly competitive global market.  Operational costs are also likely to be substantially reduced.

This challenge therefore seeks novel concepts and technologies to verify the presence or absence of hydrocarbons and associated build-up of pressure below environmental plugs prior to well re-entry.

Ideally, solutions will be non-invasive and based on detection methods operating outside of the wellbore. Solutions which operate within the wellbore, based on detection methods deployed prior to the removal of the environmental plug, will also be considered.

Solutions review & prize awards

All solutions will be reviewed against the functional requirements and preferences outlined below.

Where appropriate, the owner of the ‘winning’ solution will be invited to develop a proof-of-concept or pilot application of the technology or process.

CODA will award a prize to the winning concept or solution that can, if required, be used to help cover the costs of proof-of-concept or pilot development:

  • A$15,000 prize for existing prototypes or at- / near-market technology solutions.
  • A$5,000 prize for new, innovative enabling concepts (which define a pathway to the development of technology solutions).

Deadline for submissions

Closing date for solutions to the ‘Remote Detection of Hydrocarbons’ Challenge is Thursday 31 October 2024.

Key information for submitting your solution
Solution functional requirements & preferences
Confidentiality
Publicity