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API Bull E3 Wellbore Plugging and Abandonment Practices, Second Edition
standard by American Petroleum Institute, 04/01/2018
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API BULLETIN E3
SECOND EDITION, APRIL 2018
API publications necessarily address problems of a general nature. With respect to particular circumstances, local, state, and federal laws and regulations should be reviewed.
Neither API nor any of API’s employees, subcontractors, consultants, committees, or other assignees make any warranty or representation, either express or implied, with respect to the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of the information contained herein, or assume any liability or responsibility for any use, or the results of such use, of any information or process disclosed in this publication. Neither API nor any of API’s employees, subcontractors, consultants, or other assignees represent that use of this publication would not infringe upon privately owned rights.
API publications may be used by anyone desiring to do so. Every effort has been made by the Institute to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data contained in them; however, the Institute makes no representation, warranty, or guarantee in connection with this publication and hereby expressly disclaims any liability or responsibility for loss or damage resulting from its use or for the violation of any authorities having jurisdiction with which this publication may conflict.
API publications are published to facilitate the broad availability of proven, sound engineering and operating practices. These publications are not intended to obviate the need for applying sound engineering judgment regarding when and where these publications should be utilized. The formulation and publication of API publications is not intended in any way to inhibit anyone from using any other practices.
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All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced, translated, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission from the publisher. Contact the Publisher, API Publishing Services, 1220 L Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005.
Copyright © 2018 American Petroleum Institute
This document, prepared by the API Subcommittee on Well Cements (SC10) provides guidance on environmentally sound practices for wellbores drilled for oil and gas exploration and production (E&P) operations. Guidance is provided to accomplish the following:
permanently abandon wells;
place wells on inactive status (temporary abandonment).
Permanent abandonment is performed when there is no further utility for a wellbore by sealing the wellbore against fluid migration.
Inactive well practices may be performed when a wellbore has future utility, such as for enhanced oil recovery projects or conversion to a disposal or storage well. This permits the operator to hold the well in a condition that facilitates restoring its utility.
The purpose of this document is to address wellbore plugging and abandonment practices. The primary goals are protection of usable quality ground water, and isolation of hydrocarbon bearing, or water injection intervals. Topics discussed include, cementing practices, cement plug placement and the use of mechanical barriers. This document does not address regulatory requirements.
Nothing contained in any API publication is to be construed as granting any right, by implication or otherwise, for the manufacture, sale, or use of any method, apparatus, or product covered by letters patent. Neither should anything contained in the publication be construed as insuring anyone against liability for infringement of letters patent.
This document was produced under API standardization procedures that ensure appropriate notification and participation in the developmental process and is designated as an API Recommended Practice. Questions concerning the interpretation of the content of this publication or comments and questions concerning the procedures under which this publication was developed should be directed in writing to the Director of Standards, American Petroleum Institute, 1220 L Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005. Requests for permission to reproduce or translate all or any part of the material published herein should also be addressed to the director.
Suggested revisions are invited and should be submitted to the Standards Department, API, 1220 L Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005, standards@api.org.
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Wellbore Plugging and Abandonment Practices
This document provides guidance for the design, placement, and verification of cement plugs in wells that are to be temporarily or permanently abandoned. Wells that are temporarily abandoned have intent to re-enter in the future. The placement of barriers vary depending on whether the well is to be temporarily or permanently abandoned.
The information in this document is general in nature. Wellbore plugging and abandonment practices will vary with regulation, well type, and purpose. Sound engineering and operational practices should be applied to each plugging operation. Plug lengths are not considered in this document. Local regulations must be considered in the design as they may dictate the length of cement to be placed below or above specific intervals, or both.
This document assumes that generally accepted well construction practices were followed during the installation of the cemented casings.
As specified in API 65-2, properly designed casing strings cemented in place provide multiple barriers during well operations. An example abandoned wellbore can be seen in Figure 1.
Abandonment barriers installed during wellbore plugging and abandonment operations may include:
plug set across any exposed casing/liner shoe;
plugs set in open hole;
cement or mechanical plugs, or both, set above perforated intervals in cased hole;
plugs set at points where casing has been removed;
plugs set across liner tops;
plugs set above and below usable quality water;
plugs set above or below hydrocarbon bearing zones or other potential flow zones;
plugs set at the surface or mudline.
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
API Standard 65-2, Isolating Potential Flow Zones During Well Construction
1
2 API BULLETIN E3
Aquifer
Plug #5
Casing
Plug #4
Disposal Zone
Plug #3
Mud
Casing Stub
Plug #2
Cement
Plug #1
Hydrocarbon Zone
Hydrocarbon Zone
NOTE 1 Plug #1 may cover all open hole length in several cases. NOTE 2 Plug #3 is commonly called a casing stub plug.
NOTE 3 Plug #5 is commonly called surface plug.