A leading offshore operator in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) was required to perform remedial work in a previously abandoned well due to the presence of bubbles on surface caused by gas migration within the wellbore. After an unsuccessful attempt to stop bubble flow with a cast-iron bridge plug set inside 7-5/8” casing, the operator decided to mill a window section across the 7-5/8” and 9-5/8” casing strings to gain direct access across multiple annuli to set inside the 13-3/8” casing with an inflatable bridge plug, effectively sealing off the path of gas migration. An additional challenge was the requirement to seal inside irregular borehole geometry due to the presence of multiple spherical grooves across the internal walls of the sealing area created during milling activities.
Prior to contacting Offshore Technical Solutions (OTS), IPI’s authorized distributor in the GoM and offshore California, seven consecutive unsuccessful attempts to set a typical oilfield slat reinforced inflatable bridge plug had been performed by another service provider; each of these attempts resulted in tool failure causing the operator to extend offshore abandonment activities by 30 additional days of non-productive time.
OTS dispatched a technician, a control cabin, and a transport basket with two 6.30” OD Permanent Inflatable Bridge Plugs configured with a Deflate Option (PIBP-DO) within a two-hour call-out notice. Immediately upon arrival on site, the first PIBP-DO was successfully deployed and set at the required depth. A successful bubble test was performed, and a 10ft-cement column was spotted on top of the first PIBP-DO. A second PIBP-DO was set 25ft above the top of cement at the client’s request, and a 250psi differential pressure test was performed against the second bridge plug followed by an additional cement column which was spotted on top of the second PIBP-DO.
Both inflatable bridge-plugs were set as planned without operational or safety incidents, allowing the operator to efficiently perform stringent bubble testing activities over the course of two days to ensure compliance with local environmental regulations.
The operator was granted government approval to finalize decommissioning of the offshore platform, which had not been possible prior to OTS’ involvement and the utilization of IPI’s technology. As a result of this case history, a new level of confidence was established in the vendor-operator relationship, allowing OTS to establish itself as a key player in the decommissioning market across the GoM as well as in other global regions.
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Stuart recently joined IPI as the Director of Oil and Gas, bringing with him 15 years of diverse experience in the industry, with a strong focus on inflatable packers. His extensive background encompasses a variety of roles, including field engineering, operations management, sales, and business development. This breadth of expertise, coupled with his international experience in markets across North America, Europe, Australia, and the Middle East, positions Stuart to effectively lead and expand IPI’s oil and gas operations on a global scale. Stuart holds a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Aberdeen and a Master’s degree in Finance from City University of London. His robust technical foundation and financial acumen uniquely empower him to drive strategic initiatives and foster growth within the company.
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