Purging Fluids From Coiled

Tubing

Table of Contents
Displacing Fluid From Coiled Tubing With Nitrogen...............................................................................
Procedure...................................................................................................................................................

1 Best Practices Series

Halliburton
© 2020, Halliburton Company
 Purging Fluids From Coiled Tubing

Displacing Fluid From Coiled Tubing With Nitrogen

Displacement of fluids from a coil tubing reel after a job is critical to the life of the pipe
and the safe operation of the unit. In general displacement with nitrogen takes two steps.
The first is to blow out the free water. This is accomplished by pumping nitrogen at a
high rate to mobilize and remove all free water. The second step is to dry the film of
fluid that remains. Drying works best at low pressure. This means pumping as slow as
possible to keep the friction pressure down.
Volume of nitrogen required is a function of tubing volume. Each barrel of tubing
volume requires 1000 scf of nitrogen to displace and dry the pipe. An example would be
displacing a reel that has 10 bbls of fluid. Volume of nitrogen required would be 10 x
1000 = 10,000 scf. Initial rate would be 400 to 1000 scf/min. When nitrogen breaks
through decrease the rate to 100 to 400 scf/min. larger size tubing will require the higher
range of rates while smaller tubing will require the lower rate.

Procedure

This procedure should be performed at the wellsite while the coiled tubing unit is still
connected to the wellhead and return equipment. If the operation is to be done off site or
at the services center, provisions must be made to safely collect and contain all fluids for
disposal. Flow lines connecting the end of the coiled tubing to disposal tanks or pits
should be properly secured and should not contain rubber hoses.
Customers are responsible for properly disposing of hazardous materials pumped through
the coiled tubing. This includes any material left in the tubing after operations are
complete. Halliburton supervisors/operators should confirm that the customer has the
proper fluid or gas on location to purge the coiled tubing before moving off site. If
hazardous fluids are to be disposed of off site, all requirements for containment,
manifesting and placards should be met as required by the Department of Transport or
other regulatory agencies.
1. Displace the coiled tubing with the best availible water source. Treat the coiled
tubing at this time to prevent corrosion. (see Best Practices Series “Coiled
Tubing and Corrosion”)
2. Start pumping nitrogen at higher suggusted rates listed (Table 1). Do not exceed
3000 psi.(21.0 mPa / 210 bar) pump pressure.
3. When nitrogen breaks out at the end of the tubing, reduce the nitrogen rate to the
lower suggested rate and pump the remaining volume ( Table 2)

2 Best Practices Series

Halliburton
© 2020, Halliburton Company
 Purging Fluids From Coiled Tubing

Table 1 - Suggested Nitrogen Rates

Specified Specified Specified Specified Nitrogen Nitrogen Nitrogen Nitrogen
Outside Outside Wall Wall Requirements Requirements Requirements Requirements
Diameter Diameter Thickness Thickness Purge Dry Purge Dry
High Rate Low Rate High Rate Low Rate
in mm in mm scf/min. scf/min. scm/min. scm/min.
1.000 25.4 0.080 2.0 371 111 11 3
1.000 25.4 0.087 2.2 359 108 10 3
1.000 25.4 0.095 2.4 345 104 10 3
1.000 25.4 0.102 2.6 333 100 9 3
1.000 25.4 0.109 2.8 322 97 9 3
1.250 31.8 0.080 2.0 625 187 18 5
1.250 31.8 0.087 2.2 609 183 17 5
1.250 31.8 0.095 2.4 591 177 17 5
1.250 31.8 0.102 2.6 576 173 16 5
1.250 31.8 0.109 2.8 560 168 16 5
1.250 31.8 0.125 3.2 526 158 15 4
1.250 31.8 0.134 3.4 507 152 14 4
1.250 31.8 0.156 4.0 463 139 13 4
1.500 38.1 0.095 2.4 903 271 26 8
1.500 38.1 0.102 2.6 884 265 25 8
1.500 38.1 0.109 2.8 865 259 24 7
1.500 38.1 0.125 3.2 822 247 23 7
1.500 38.1 0.134 3.4 798 240 23 7
1.500 38.1 0.156 4.0 742 223 21 6
1.500 38.1 0.175 4.4 696 209 20 6
1.750 44.5 0.109 2.8 1235 370 35 10
1.750 44.5 0.125 3.2 1184 355 34 10
1.750 44.5 0.134 3.4 1155 347 33 10
1.750 44.5 0.156 4.0 1088 326 31 9
1.750 44.5 0.175 4.4 1031 309 29 9
1.750 44.5 0.188 4.8 993 298 28 8
2.000 50.8 0.109 2.8 1670 501 47 14
2.000 50.8 0.125 3.2 1611 483 46 14
2.000 50.8 0.134 3.4 1578 473 45 13
2.000 50.8 0.156 4.0 1499 450 42 13
2.000 50.8 0.175 4.4 1432 430 41 12
2.000 50.8 0.188 4.8 1387 416 39 12
2.000 50.8 0.203 5.2 1337 401 38 11
2.375 60.3 0.109 2.8 2447 734 69 21
2.375 60.3 0.125 3.2 2375 713 67 20
2.375 60.3 0.134 3.4 2335 701 66 20
2.375 60.3 0.156 4.0 2239 672 63 19
2.375 60.3 0.175 4.4 2157 647 61 18
2.375 60.3 0.188 4.8 2102 631 60 18
2.375 60.3 0.203 5.2 2039 612 58 17
2.875 73.0 0.125 3.2 3625 1087 103 31
2.875 73.0 0.134 3.4 3575 1073 101 30
2.875 73.0 0.156 4.0 3455 1037 98 29
2.875 73.0 0.175 4.4 3354 1006 95 28
2.875 73.0 0.188 4.8 3285 985 93 28
2.875 73.0 0.203 5.2 3207 962 91 27
3.500 88.9 0.134 3.4 5495 1648 156 47
3.500 88.9 0.156 4.0 5346 1604 151 45
3.500 88.9 0.175 4.4 5219 1566 148 44
3.500 88.9 0.188 4.8 5134 1540 145 44
3.500 88.9 0.203 5.2 5035 1511 143 43

3 Best Practices Series

Halliburton
© 2020, Halliburton Company
 Purging Fluids From Coiled Tubing

Table 2 - Nitrogen Volumes for Various Tubing Sizes

Specified Specified Specified Specified Inside Inside Nitrogen Nitrogen
Outside Outside Wall Wall Diameter Diameter Requirements Requirements
Diameter Diameter Thickness Thickness To Purge To Purge
Fluid Fluid
in mm in mm in mm scf/ft scm/m
1.000 25.4 0.080 2.0 0.840 21.3 0.69 0.064
1.000 25.4 0.087 2.2 0.826 21.0 0.66 0.062
1.000 25.4 0.095 2.4 0.810 20.6 0.64 0.059
1.000 25.4 0.102 2.6 0.796 20.2 0.62 0.057
1.000 25.4 0.109 2.8 0.782 19.9 0.59 0.055
1.250 31.8 0.080 2.0 1.090 27.7 1.15 0.107
1.250 31.8 0.087 2.2 1.076 27.3 1.12 0.104
1.250 31.8 0.095 2.4 1.060 26.9 1.09 0.101
1.250 31.8 0.102 2.6 1.046 26.6 1.06 0.099
1.250 31.8 0.109 2.8 1.032 26.2 1.03 0.096
1.250 31.8 0.125 3.2 1.000 25.4 0.97 0.090
1.250 31.8 0.134 3.4 0.982 24.9 0.94 0.087
1.250 31.8 0.156 4.0 0.938 23.8 0.85 0.079
1.500 38.1 0.095 2.4 1.310 33.3 1.67 0.155
1.500 38.1 0.102 2.6 1.296 32.9 1.63 0.152
1.500 38.1 0.109 2.8 1.282 32.6 1.60 0.148
1.500 38.1 0.125 3.2 1.250 31.8 1.52 0.141
1.500 38.1 0.134 3.4 1.232 31.3 1.47 0.137
1.500 38.1 0.156 4.0 1.188 30.2 1.37 0.127
1.500 38.1 0.175 4.4 1.150 29.2 1.28 0.119
1.750 44.5 0.109 2.8 1.532 38.9 2.28 0.212
1.750 44.5 0.125 3.2 1.500 38.1 2.19 0.203
1.750 44.5 0.134 3.4 1.482 37.6 2.13 0.198
1.750 44.5 0.156 4.0 1.438 36.5 2.01 0.187
1.750 44.5 0.175 4.4 1.400 35.6 1.90 0.177
1.750 44.5 0.188 4.8 1.374 34.9 1.83 0.170
2.000 50.8 0.109 2.8 1.782 45.3 3.08 0.287
2.000 50.8 0.125 3.2 1.750 44.5 2.97 0.276
2.000 50.8 0.134 3.4 1.732 44.0 2.91 0.271
2.000 50.8 0.156 4.0 1.688 42.9 2.77 0.257
2.000 50.8 0.175 4.4 1.650 41.9 2.64 0.246
2.000 50.8 0.188 4.8 1.624 41.2 2.56 0.238
2.000 50.8 0.203 5.2 1.594 40.5 2.47 0.229
2.375 60.3 0.109 2.8 2.157 54.8 4.52 0.420
2.375 60.3 0.125 3.2 2.125 54.0 4.39 0.407
2.375 60.3 0.134 3.4 2.107 53.5 4.31 0.401
2.375 60.3 0.156 4.0 2.063 52.4 4.13 0.384
2.375 60.3 0.175 4.4 2.025 51.4 3.98 0.370
2.375 60.3 0.188 4.8 1.999 50.8 3.88 0.361
2.375 60.3 0.203 5.2 1.969 50.0 3.77 0.350
2.875 73.0 0.125 3.2 2.625 66.7 6.69 0.622
2.875 73.0 0.134 3.4 2.607 66.2 6.60 0.613
2.875 73.0 0.156 4.0 2.563 65.1 6.38 0.593
2.875 73.0 0.175 4.4 2.525 64.1 6.19 0.575
2.875 73.0 0.188 4.8 2.499 63.5 6.07 0.563
2.875 73.0 0.203 5.2 2.469 62.7 5.92 0.550
3.500 88.9 0.134 3.4 3.232 82.1 10.15 0.943
3.500 88.9 0.156 4.0 3.188 81.0 9.87 0.917
3.500 88.9 0.175 4.4 3.150 80.0 9.64 0.895
3.500 88.9 0.188 4.8 3.124 79.3 9.48 0.881
3.500 88.9 0.203 5.2 3.094 78.6 9.30 0.864
CT Capacities are Calculated Using Specified (Nominal) OD and Wall Thickness

4 Best Practices Series

Halliburton
© 2020, Halliburton Company