Safeguarding a Blown Out Well

Objective

This was a gas storage well that supplied gas to the German capital, Berlin. A down-hole explosion occurred during regular maintenance, which caused the well to blow out. This explosion caused major damage to the completion, casing and well-head. The primary objective was to safeguard the well by charging out the well-head and gaining access to the reservoir.

Location

The well side is located on the outskirts of Berlin close to residential areas. Therefore maximum precautions had to be taken to ensure the safety of the nearby residents:

• Wells located in "cellar" underneath location
• Special substructure manufactured to ensure no well-head loading
• Deluge system and fire monitors rigged up in case of fire
• Contact with fire brigade on daily basis
• Location set-up so that all planned activities could be carried out
• Rig set up so that all scenarios could be handled safely