Well P&A presently requires the use of mobile drilling rigs to create windows to safely establish rock-to-rock barriers. It is complex, costly and leaves a considerable environmental impact.
Electro-Chemical Metal Removal (ECMR) is a disruptive and innovative way to remove metal downhole by creating windows in tubing or casing using a controlled electrochemical reaction to gradually dissolve metal without any force, vibration, rotation or explosives. This approach represents a clear departure from traditional tubing and casing window opening methods.
Deployed on wireline, operations can be carried out offline in a more controlled, predictable and swarfless manner. The elimination of drilling rigs significantly reduces the cost of abandoning wells. In addition, it improves safety and field economics while reducing operational risk and CO₂ emissions.
The ECMR platform has tools which can dissolve tubings and casings from 4 ½” to 20”.
Beyond its initial application in P&A, ECMR introduces a new capability for downhole metal removal that opens additional value potential across well construction and intervention activities.