It seems that the Russian coiled tubing market started growing in 1998–1999 when the first CT units appeared in the country. In 1999 there were only about 30 rigs whereas in the year 2000 their number increased up to 70 units. Even back then coiled tubing operations became a real competitor to the conventional WO operations; however only a few companies at that time used coiled tubing for complex operations. Most operators confined themselves to simple flushing and elimination of asphalt, resin and paraffin deposits.

Over time the range of operations has increased which is clearly shown by the answers to the question ‘What main operations does your company perform using coiled tubing equipment?’ in questionnaire surveys regularly carried out by our magazine over the years.

In the 2000s acid bottomhole treatment, well development and stimulation came forward. CT-assisted cement squeezing, post-frac proppant flushing and later CT-assisted delivery of geophysical instruments into horizontal holes and fishing emergency operations came into trend.

The present-day development of coiled tubing can be attributed first of all to the growth of hydraulic fracturing share and its increasing complexity. Coiled tubing is used together with completion for multi-stage fraccing which combines hydraulic jet perforation, well clean-up and nitrogen gas lifting or CT milling in case of multistage assemblies.

Proppant flushing and post-frac well development using nitrogen systems are popular and widely spread.

The second significant area of modern application of coiled tubing is the growing market for geophysical well logging services and acquisition of data in horizontal holes.

Along with fraccing operations, drilling of new wells can also be considered to be a driver of the Russian coiled tubing market. The number of wells completed using coiled tubing is increasing. Such an expensive CT operation as underbalanced well completion becomes ever more popular though the growth for now is restrained by the high cost of such operations. Nevertheless, the conversations that took place between our magazine’s staff and the participants of the annual international conferences Coiled Tubing, Hydraulic Fracturing and Well Intervention and the number of questions asked to the specialists who reported on the topic are an eloquent proof of the great interest taken by oilfield service companies in coiled tubing drilling.

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