Centura Oil introduces new downhole casing and pipe cutting system
Centura Oil, a Minnesota-based waterjet service contractor to the oil, gas and mining industries, has developed a downhole casing and pipe cutting system that can fit inside pipes as small as 2" ID (51mm) and cut multiple layers of grouted casing in a single pass with a 55K PSI (3800 bar) abrasive waterjet.
Operable in hazardous environments, Centura Oil's CenJet 90 casing and pipe cutting system is designed especially for oil, gas and mining applications, including plug and abandon operations. Its cutting process does not exceed 140°F (60°C), minimising the chance of ignition.
The system is powered by a 55Kpsi, 200hp Jet Edge waterjet intensifier pump and features a modified Jet Edge Permalign abrasive jet cutting head that is coupled to coiled steel tubing or conventional threaded rods. The system, which is capable of cutting 16" (406mm) thick steel, is deployed into the pipe or casing and cuts from the inside. It can perform cuts up to 300ft (91m) from the surface and can cut at any angle, horizontal, vertical and overhead, using four gallons (15l) of water and one pound (.45kg) of garnet abrasive per minute. Garnet is a natural stone that can normally be disposed of in a landfill.
The effluent created by the waterjet cutting process is circulated to the surface using formation water, treated water in strata prone to swelling, or nitrogen for an explosion-proof environment. The returns and cuttings are handled in accordance with industry standards.
Centura Oil originally developed the CenJet 90 as an environmentally friendly downhole waterjet cutting system for stimulating oil and gas well production at depths of 4000+ ft (1219m). It modified the system for casing and pipe cutting for a recently completed project at a uranium mine. During this 2.5 year project, Centura Oil staff worked 2,100ft (640m) underground and successfully cut hundreds of pipes and grouted casings at distances up to 300ft, many at a 70° angle.
Centura Oil's worldwide services include waterjet well recompletion and production enhancement, well plug and abandonment, and mobile waterjet cutting. The company also sells its CenJet 90 systems under a licensing agreement.
