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Revolutionary Downhole Casing and Pipe Cutting System

Designed especially for oil, gas and mining applications, the CenJet 90® cutting system developed by Centura Oil uses Jet Edge equipment to cut up to 300 ft under the surface at any angle: horizontal, vertical and even overhead.

Posted: June 28, 2014

Jet cutting using polymer enhanced circulation aids to carry returns to the surface. (Photo courtesy Centura Oil Inc.)

Four layers of casing were jet cut 6 in below the surface casing at 30.5 ft. After removing this section, the overcoring bit can be reduced, resulting in a successful retrieval of the entire string. (Photo courtesy Centura Oil Inc.)

A very small casing sever and slot, cut at 300 ft deep. (Photo courtesy Centura Oil Inc.)

The hydraulic cylinders on the drill supporting the cutting head bled down while cutting causing this spiral effect. (Photo courtesy Centura Oil Inc.)

Various cutting heads used in the project, ranging from 4 in OD to less than 2 in OD. (Photo courtesy Centura Oil Inc.)

A Jet Edge pump located 2,000 ft below the surface, inside a mine. (Photo courtesy Centura Oil Inc.)

Three layers of casing, cut at 300 ft deep, recovered after overcoring. (Photo courtesy Centura Oil Inc.)

Centura Oil Inc. (Minnetonka, MN), a waterjet service contractor to the oil, gas and mining industries, has developed a unique downhole casing and pipe cutting system that can fit inside pipes as small as 2 in (51 mm) ID and cut multiple layers of grouted casing in a single pass with a 55K psi (3,800 bar) abrasive waterjet from Jet Edge, Inc. (St. Michael, MN).

Operable in hazardous environments, the CenJet 90® casing and pipe cutting system is designed especially for oil, gas and mining applications, including plug and abandon operations. Its cutting process does not exceed 140 F deg (60 C deg), minimizing the chance of ignition.

The CenJet 90 is powered by a 55K psi, 200 hp Jet Edge waterjet intensifier pump and features a modified Jet Edge Permalign abrasivejet cutting head that is coupled to coiled steel tubing or conventional threaded rods. The system, which is capable of cutting 16 in (406 mm) thick steel, is deployed into the pipe or casing and cuts from the inside. It can perform cuts up to 300 ft (91 m) from the surface and can cut at any angle, horizontal, vertical and even overhead.

http://youtu.be/3AMJ8kdzWCg An overview and demonstration of a Jet Edge Permalign® II-B Cutting Head combined with the OmniJet® Cutting Head.

The CenJet 90 uses only four gal (15 L) of water and one pound (.45 kg) of garnet abrasive per minute. Garnet is a natural stone that can normally be disposed of in a landfill. The effluent created by the waterjet cutting process is circulated to the surface using formation water, treated water in strata prone to swelling, or nitrogen for an explosion-proof environment. The returns and cuttings are handled in accordance with industry standards.

Centura Oil originally developed the CenJet 90 as an environmentally friendly downhole waterjet cutting system for stimulating oil and gas well production at depths of 4,000+ ft (1,219 m). It modified the system for casing and pipe cutting for a recently completed project at a uranium mine.

During this 2.5-year project, Centura Oil staff worked 2,100 ft (640 m) underground and successfully cut hundreds of pipes and grouted casings at distances up to 300 ft, many at a 70 deg angle.

Centura Oil’s worldwide services include waterjet well recompletion and production enhancement, well plug and abandonment, and mobile waterjet cutting. The company also sells its CenJet 90 systems under a licensing agreement.

Jet Edge, Inc., 12070 43rd Street N.E. St. Michael, MN 55376-8427, [email protected], www.jetedge.com.