Caledus, the Aberdeen-headquartered well construction technology oil and gas service sector business is celebrating the first commercial deployment in the Middle East of its evolutionary well construction technology, SlimWELL®.

The 5 ½”(5.3/4”) x 7” version of SlimWELL® was deployed by a major Middle East operator in a complex offshore well after alternative conventional technologies had failed to successfully complete the well.

Prior to deploying SlimWELL®, the operator had run an expandable contingency casing string and a conventional liner but neither had achieved total depth in the well.

At very short notice, Caledus, was commissioned to deploy SlimWELL® - with the desired results achieved first time. As a result of being able to successfully deploy a SlimWELL® liner above the reservoir, the operator was able to drill ahead and TD (total depth) the well.

Paul Howlett, CEO and co founder of Caledus said: “This was our first successful deployment of SlimWELL® in the Middle East and we are delighted that it was able to achieve the desired results for our client after the other technologies had not. This was an extremely complex well situation, and SlimWELL® proved it could meet the demands where expandable technology and conventional liner hanger technology were unable to.

“It is further proof of our conviction that SlimWELL® is an appropriate well construction technology and we expect to build on this success in the Middle East.”

The SlimWELL® well construction system is an evolutionary technique based on a bottom’s up design of close-tolerance, flush-jointed liners. It slims down the well profile, resulting in the optimum or maximised size of pipe across the zone of interest whilst maintaining well integrity without restricting flow or intervention ability.

SlimWELL® achieves the desired size of tubular at the reservoir by incorporating two technologies:

• The MaxBORE™ System which features a high-strength anchor built into the wall of the hanger, allowing full-bore access for the next string
• The DiVERTA™ Shoe, which, as part of the system, helps to eliminate surge, swab and ECD effects during installation and circulating, problems which previously made such close tolerance systems impractical.

SlimWELL® also includes a high-pressure packer at the liner top, a feature previously unavailable in close-clearance systems.

SlimWELL®, which is based on standard API casing sizes not slim hole drilling or expandable technology, has the potential to reduce well construction costs by up to 50 per cent, enhances safety and reduces environmental impact. It is currently available in 11 ¾”(11.7/8”) x 13 3/8”, 5 ½”(5.3/4”) x 7” and 4” x 5 1/2'“ sizes.

Earlier this year Caledus unveiled plans for significant global expansion with forecasts of 250 employees worldwide and turnover of £50 million in 2012. As part of this expansion, it recently established an operation, manufacturing, distribution, service and repair base and sales centre in Dubai with joint ventures in the Middle East and Malaysia. The company also has a successful operation in Perth, Australia, to service the Asia Pacific region.