Shining a light on coiled tubing

Coiled tubing (CT) technology permits tools and materials to be deployed through existing production tubing or casing while the well continues to produce. Benefits of the CT approach include rapid mobilization and rig-up, fewer personnel, small environmental footprint and reductions in time associated with pipe handling while tripping in and out of the hole. A coiled tubing unit (CTU) is the center of any CT surface operation from which a continuous length of flexible steel pipe is spooled. Coiled tubing technology also extends to well perforating operations, and its capacity for circulating fluids make it especially suited for production kickoff, cleanout, cementing and stimulation applications. Using fiber optics and downhole sensors, operators can monitor critical processes, fine tune job parameters and adapt to changing conditions as the job progresses. The popularity, and hence the capabilities, of fiber-optic coiled tubing will continue to grow as this technology expands into a broader range of application.