Altea Energy strengthens its Well Integrity offering

Altea Energy has teamed up with the best Well Integrity experts in the world to offer advisory, engineering and training services on this strategic topic.  

Kishwar M. is part of the Altea Energy’s expert team since 2018 as Well Integrity Engineer consultant. With more than 20 years’ experience in drilling engineering and operations, Kishwar M. has worked on oil & gas sites around the globe in Algeria, Iraq, UAE, Kazakhstan, Pakistan and Ukraine. He is specialized in the engineering, planning and execution of conventional, unconventional, vertical and deviated wells.

Well integrity – a crucial concern for Oil & Gas operators

“Well Integrity is about ensuring that hydrocarbons are properly channelled and contained [in the well] in order to avoid: loss of life, environmental impact, property damage, damage to company reputation, employee morale, emergency response & investigation costs  and production loss,” explains Kishwar M., Well Integrity Engineer at Altea Energy.

Hence, ensuring the integrity at all times of their onshore and offshore wells is fundamental for Oil & Gas operators, as there is a lot at stake: the sustainability and viability of their production, the health and safety of their staff, the value of their assets and, last but not least, the company reputation.

Over the past decades, major oil spills disasters have shown that the impact of well integrity management failure can be dramatic. ”The integrity of a well cannot be compromised, otherwise it can destroy the environment as a whole,” continues Kishwar M.

As Well Integrity Engineer, Kishwar M.’s responsibility is crucial as he ensures the day-to-day integrity of the well, on all phases of a project. “Well Integrity is the full life cycle of a well, starting from well design, drilling, completion, production, workover and permanent plug & abandonment”, explains Kishwar M.

Well Integrity – driven by global standards, local regulations and new technologies

To ensure consistency and guide Oil & Gas companies in the management of Well Integrity, international standards have been set for the industry. “The main standards followed globally for Well Integrity are API-92 and NORSOK – D-010,” explains Kishwar M. Their objective is to define technical, operational and organizational processes to maintain well integrity throughout the well life cycle.

As the oil & gas production is a major economic asset for producing countries, governments are also getting involved by defining local well integrity regulations to protect their own interests: their country’s environment, the sustainability of their economy and the trust from their population and communities.

In Algeria, where Altea Energy operates, the ARH (Autorité de Régulation des Hydrocarbures) has introduced new local regulations regarding Well Integrity: “The ARH is providing the authorisations for wells to be put in production or to close wells from production. [It] is also responsible to approve the Temporary and Permanent Plug and Abandonment (P&A) programs “, comments Kishwar M. “In the coming months, the ARH will introduce the new law for Well Integrity. All the oil & gas producers will have to follow more strictly the Well Integrity of their wells.”

New technologies and services have also arisen in the industry to provide technical well integrity solutions. “Today, many companies are offering different services and technologies to solve Well Integrity challenges, such as RESIN, circulation with heavy brine, squeeze cement, etc.“ continues Kishwar M.

At the end, “the reduction of risks thanks to the management of the integrity of a well, means a safer environment, less spending costs, more production, good company reputation and a long life well”, concludes Kishwar M.

Altea Energy – technical experts to support Oil & Gas operators on their Well Integrity issues

To accompany its Oil & Gas clients on these complex issues, Altea Energy has further strengthened its Well Integrity offering in 2020, proposing advisory, engineering and training services dedicated to Well Integrity.

“Our concern for the safety of our clients and our people operating wells has inherently directed us to well integrity”, explains Paul Piedras, Vice President Sales & Operations at Altea Energy. “We have teamed up with the best well integrity experts in the Oil & Gas industry to provide intervention and preventive solutions to our clients’ well integrity issues”.

Since 2015, Altea Energy Well Integrity experts have serviced 5 Exploration & Production companies, studied the integrity of 200+ wells from which 90% have recovered their full integrity.