The operational and technical complexity of cementing operations has increased with deepwater exploration entering frontier regions on a global scale. An efficient knowledge management system (KMS) plays a vital role in providing a flow of information, and it helps in applying the findings of one area and to another area. This paper elaborates how a major service company has increased the service quality of deepwater cementing operations by using a KMS.All the knowledge, information, and experience from a cementing operation can be uploaded by field personnel in the form of lessons learned best practices, case studies, and more. Each knowledge-content related to deepwater cementing is reviewed by a dedicated team of subject matter experts (SMEs). After the content is validated by the SME, it can be accessed by the employees in diverse locations to improve their local operations. The information is maintained in the system until it is obsolete, which allows effective knowledge sharing even after the experienced employees have moved on to other assignments or are geographically far from the operating location. Different engineers working around the clock update the KMS and provide support to the field and operational staff.A key advantage of the KMS is that it promotes continuous improvement and standardization of the deepwater operation methodologies, including processes, reports, documentation, and more. The KMS also provides interactive training material such as deepwater cementing manuals, descriptions of special cement systems, and guides for troubleshooting the cement unit. The software application that runs the KMS is intuitive, and easy to use. The paper uses case study to highlight how the KMS has helped in planning for the technical and operational complexity of deepwater cementing operations in different regions around the globe.
The performance and completion efficiency of horizontal multistage hydraulically fractured wells stimulated using the plug-and-perf technique are affected by the uniformity of the multiple perforation cluster treatment. Depending on reservoir heterogeneity, perforation design, and pumping schedule, uneven distribution of fluid and proppant among fractures connected to different perforation clusters can be defined by wellbore proppant transport hydrodynamics, fracture propagation mechanics, or a complex interplay of both. A modeling case study exploring strategies to mitigate nonuniformity of cluster stimulation is presented. Approaches to perforation and treatment optimization are chosen based on consideration of reservoir properties and their heterogeneity. A numerical model coupling a recently developed wellbore flow simulator and an advanced fracture simulator enables comprehensive simulations including both realistic fracture and wellbore modeling for complex perforation designs, treatment schedules, and distributions of reservoir inhomogeneities. The wellbore simulator considers proppant transport and settling, fluid rheology, perforation erosion, rate- and concentration-dependent pressure drop, and variable efficiency of proppant transport to perforations. The fracture simulator models fracture growth, fluid flow, proppant transport inside fractures, and interaction between fracture branches due to stress shadow effect. The interaction between hydraulic and pre-existing natural fractures plays a critical role during fracturing treatments in formations with pre-existing discrete fracture network (DFN). The model considers the effect of formation heterogeneity on fracture propagation, arrest of hydraulic fractures, crossing and opening of natural fractures depending on their properties, fluid viscosity, rate, and stress conditions. Several approaches for optimization of proppant distribution are suggested for cases showing nonperfect proppant transport efficiency caused by high proppant grain inertia. Tapered perforation designs enable achieving more even proppant distribution. However, perforation distribution among clusters providing best stimulation uniformity is sensitive to uncertainties in characterization and heterogeneity of reservoir and discrete fracture network properties. A combination of tapered perforation design and the suppression of inertial effects by increasing carrier fluid viscosity is more robust with respect to reservoir properties variation.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.