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Well Integrity for Abandoned Well Re-entries

  • 1st Edition - February 27, 2026
  • Latest edition
  • Author: Les Skinner
  • Language: English

Well Integrity for Abandoned Well Re-entries addresses well integrity and operational risks that accompany the benefits of using an old and abandoned wellbore by providing… Read more

Description

Well Integrity for Abandoned Well Re-entries addresses well integrity and operational risks that accompany the benefits of using an old and abandoned wellbore by providing it a second chance to perform. Re-entering an abandoned well provides new life to an old wellbore by reducing the need for drilling new wells. This, in turn, reduces emissions footprint, drilling waste, and costs for some wells. The book covers well integrity basics, abandoned wells, analysis required for re-entry, potential uses for re-entered wells (including applications for EOR, CO2 EOR with sequestration, natural gas storage, geothermal heat recovery, and much more.)

Packed with case studies and tips for practical application, this book provides readers with an understanding of re-entry techniques, pitfalls, and diagnostics to determine well integrity. This novel text digs deep into the process and benefits of re-entering abandoned wells in support of sustainability.

Key features

  • Examines well integrity principles and determination of integrity on a well that cannot be easily diagnosed
  • Evaluates the well integrity necessary to accomplish a successful re-entry of an abandoned well and diagnostics required to determine well integrity
  • Provides practical techniques for re-entering, reclaiming, and reusing abandoned wellbores for future use
  • Reviews risks and economic and environmental benefits to re-entering and recycling an abandoned wellbore which prolongs productivity and facilitates re-purposing wells to support energy transition

Readership

Early career engineers in upstream petroleum industry, engineers in the field dealing with well abandonment, and those working in underground CO2 of H2 storage. Experienced industry professionals with limited exposure to abandonment and re-entry projects, engineers with obligations to re-plug leaking abandoned wells, industry workers with an interest in advancing ESG concepts by recycling old, used wellbores. Students: This book is written and organized in such a way that it can be used as the primary or supplemental text for a college-level course

Table of contents

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Terminology

1.2 Why re-enter an abandoned well?

1.3 Chapter summary

1.4 Chapter quiz

1.5 Bibliography


2 WELL INTEGRITY BASICS

2.1 General remarks

2.2 Terminology

2.3 Well design

2.4 Well construction

2.5 Barrier installation

2.6 Barrier quality control

2.7 Well integrity prior to abandonment

2.8 Well integrity assessment prior to re-entry

2.9 Well integrity required for re-entry

2.10 Chapter summary

2.11 Chapter quiz

2.12 Bibliography


3 THE ABANDONED WELL

3.1 General comments

3.2 Historical abandonment procedures

3.3 Modern abandonment procedures

3.4 Barrier threats

3.5 Typical abandoned well configurations

3.6 Chapter summary

3.7 Chapter quiz

3.8 Bibliography


4 POTENTIAL USES FOR RE-ENTERED WELLS

4.1 Hydrocarbon production

4.2 Non-hydrocarbon uses

4.3 Chapter summary

4.4 Chapter quiz

4.5 Bibliography


5 ABANDONED WELL ANALYSIS FOR RE-ENTRY

5.1 Candidate well selection

5.2 Risk

5.3 Well condition at abandonment

5.4 Original well design

5.5 Chapter summary

5.6 Chapter quiz

5.7 Bibliography


6 ESG CONSIDERATIONS

6.1 General discussion, ESG principles

6.2 Abandoned well leakage

6.3 Resource/cost savings

6.4 Chapter summary

6.5 Chapter quiz

6.6 Bibliography


7 ECONOMICS

7.1 The size of the prize

7.2 Risk impact reduction through CAPEX increases

7.3 Risk ranking and mitigation

7.4 Economic indicators

7.5 Chapter summary

7.6 Chapter quiz

7.7 Bibliography


8 PRELIMINARY SURFACE PROCEDURES

8.1 Introduction

8.2 Sunk costs

8.3 Chapter summary

8.4 Chapter quiz

8.5 Bibliography


9 RE-ENTRY PROCEDURES

9.1 Rig selection

9.2 Blowout prevention system

9.3 Additional equipment

9.4 Drill string

9.5 Drilling fluid

9.6 Blowout prevention system testing

9.7 Bell nipple installation

9.8 Drilling out surface plug

9.9 Cleaning out hole below surface plug

9.10 Exposed surface/intermediate casing condition

9.11 Cleaning out additional plugs

9.12 Attaching to cut-off casing

9.13 Unusual problems

9.14 Chapter summary

9.15 Chapter quiz

9.16 Bibliography


10 INVESTMENT DECISION

10.1 Re-entry advantages and disadvantages

10.2 Well integrity

10.3 Risk re-assessment

10.4 Chapter summary

10.5 Chapter quiz

10.6 Bibliography

APPENDIX
A Acronyms and Abbreviations
B Glossary
C Re-entry Definitions
D Risk Register
E Ranked Risks
F Chapter Quiz Answers and Explanations

Product details

  • Edition: 1
  • Latest edition
  • Published: February 27, 2026
  • Language: English

About the author

LS

Les Skinner

Les Skinner graduated in 1972 with a BS in Chemical Engineering from Texas Tech University. He is a PE who has worked in the petroleum industry for 50 years. Les has written numerous articles for industry publications and authored three full-length books through the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC)’s Technical Publications Committee. These include Coiled Tubing Operations (IADC, 2016), Hydraulic Rig Technology and Operations (Elsevier, 2019), Well Integrity for Workovers and Recompletions (Elsevier, 2021) and Well Integrity for Abandoned Well Re-entries (2024). Les is a member of several professional societies and associations including SPE, ICoTA, AIChE, AADE, IADC and others. He is also a member of multiple industry committees including the API Recommended Practice 1170/1171, RP 90-1 revision committee (which he chaired for five years), and the ISO 16530 revision team. He is currently on the Steering Committee for AADE’s Innovative and Emerging Technology group and ICoTA’s Technical Committee
Affiliations and expertise
Independent Consultant, Houston, Texas, USA

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