In the present paper, an a priori corrosion damage distribution assessment methodology is implemented to study the production casing failures observed in oilwells operating within a mature oilfield (Oritupano A, Venezuela). The methodology developed aims at the assessment of corrosion damage and subsequent probability of failure. The study approach is based on the mechanistic modelling of CO2 corrosion coupled with a stochastical simulation for the associated corrosion damage distribution

The stochastical model developed for the assessment of the corrosion related damage distribution was based on the simulation of the CO2 corrosion mechanisms. The results obtained from the evaluation of the model proposed shows that it can quantitatively indicate the transition from uniform damage distribution to localized forms of CO2 corrosion attack.

The modelling methodology proposed was used to calculate the survival probability curves for the production casing, exposed to the produced fluids from the Oritupano A field, in both vertical and deviated wells. The results obtained indicate that the deviated wells can experience a casing failure event every 6 years of service time; in contrast, the vertical wells show a much higher failure time interval. These results were validated with the actual workover information from the field.

Subject
Corrosion failures, Corrosion rate, Slug flow, Inspection, Probability, Liquids, Corrosion attacks, Corrosion scales, Penetration, Defects, Corrosion modeling, Well casings, Types of corrosion
Keywords:
CO2 corrosion, stochastical models, localized corrosion failure, reliability prediction
© 2008 Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of AMPP. Positions and opinions advanced in this work are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of AMPP. Responsibility for the content of the work lies solely with the author(s).
2008
Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP)
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