Eliminating Bradenhead Pressure Using Novel Biomineralization Technology

An oil well in Colorado had bradenhead pressure of 700 psi on the 9-5/8 in × 5-1/2 in annulus, prompting remediation to get bradenhead pressure below the 200-psi threshold set by the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) to resume production. A biomineralization company was contracted by an operator in Colorado to apply their proprietary biomineralization technology to the well. Cement bond logs were used to identify a micro annulus around 3,050 ft. The well was prepared by setting a bridge plug at 3,062 ft, perforating at 3,056 ft and 3,052 ft, and running tubing to the depth of the bottom perforation. Biomineralizing fluids were then pumped into the well, where they formed crystalline calcium carbonate in the micro annuli. After 36 hours of treatment, the injection rate dropped by several orders of magnitude. Subsequent monitoring by a state regulator determined bradenhead pressure had been eliminated and the well passed a mechanical integrity test without any additional intervention, allowing production to promptly resume.