Advanced multilateral well drilling & completion requires the application of innovative technologies while drilling to place the well in sweet spots by managing all the geological uncertainties. The smart level-4 multilateral well with dual stacked lateral was drilled by integrating advanced Real-Time geo-steering formation characterization along with geochemical, advanced gas analysis and seismic data interpretation.The Burgan reservoir consists of vertically stacked channelsands associated with geological heterogeneities along with series of fault networks connected to the aquifer at the bottom. The reservoir contains ultra-high water mobility with down hole oil viscosity of about 40cp enhances water breakthrough and requires customized ICD and ICV completions to enhance dry oil production and maximize oil recovery. Real-time geo-steering performed on Multi-lateral well by utilizing advanced technologies including High resolution Geochemical Analysis has been utilized in Real-Time to identify "geochemical proxies" and allow geochemical steering, distance to boundary tool using 4 resistivity curves with deep spacing Geosignal, At-bit measurements and density image to correct well positioning and locating faulted areas. The pre job planning had two components such as: (i) building a geosteering model based on offset well logs, geological and geophysical information and (ii) preparation of geochemical model based on XRF analysis of core chips from offset wells. The later model was calibrated through logs and utilized further to predict key rock attributes such as: (a) detailed lithological variations generally beyond the resolution of LWD logs, (b) detailed mineralogy to determine the diagenetic overprint and (c) depositional environment of different Burgan sand facies. Continuous interpretation and integration of XRF and petrophysical analysis supported by LWD data was a key factor for real-time geosteering operation. Such integrated approach also resulted in successful placing the wells with maximum reservoir contact and also was very instrumental for (i) isolation of potential trouble zones, (ii) segmentation of horizontal sections and (iii) optimization of nozzle sizes of the ICDs and hence planning of smart completion designs.
This paper presents a methodology which allows performing a real time characterization of the conductive natural fractures permeability intercepted by the bit while drilling. Such fractures are detected by monitoring continuously flowing from the wellbore into surrounding formations and the mud losses at the rig-site using flow-meters measuring both the ingoing and the outgoing mud flow. Moreover, when drilling naturally fractured reservoirs, mud loss data provide one of the most effective means to assess the existence of conductive fractures intercepting the wellbore and therefore to identify potentially producing intervals. The patterns in the variations of these volumes are analyzed to identify open fractures. The advanced Flowmeter has increased the resolution of the mud flow measurements. It has enabled the authors to assess the flow quantitatively and relate mud flow anomalies with the presence of open fractures down hole in the trial exploratory well. The mud flow anomalies were validated with surface drilling parameters and gas indications. It was observed that the open fractures were associated with increase in torque and gas indication. The mud flow anomalies also provide crucial information for early kick or losses detection in high pressure gas wells because a better accuracy and a quicker response in detecting kicks and losses can be achieved by monitoring the changes of the mud flow rate by using flow meters measuring the inflow and the outflow mud rate, respectively. Method and Theory The most commonly used techniques to detect the mud losses consist in monitoring the level of the mud pits with acoustic, floating sensors and/or using paddles set inside the flow line that measure the return mud flow rate with a small degree of accuracy. The traditional Flowmeter provides a simple qualitative fluctuation in mud flow. In contrast this advanced Flowmeter works on the principle of converting mudflow out in to an analog signal which represents the volume of mud.
Development, delineation and appraisal wells drilled in high pressured, naturally fractured Jurassic reservoirs of West Kuwait are exposed to the risk of "well kicks" and "mud-losses". The risk becomes greater due to differential reservoir pressures, presence of naturally open fractures, and narrow pressure window between formation-and fracture-pressures. In many instances, "alternate loss & gain scenario" ensues and the well control options become limited, occasionally, further drilling becomes impossible leading to temporary suspension or even termination of the wells. This causes safety issues and large loss of rig time and money.
The directional drilling companies in oil industry usually provide well placement services using proprietary geosteering software that utilize conventional Logging-While-Drilling (LWD) data. Usually online access to the recorded logs is available to end users, but often very limited capability exists within the oil companies to test geosteering interpretations and advise. Present paper shares the case studies of some wells in which Gas-While-Drilling (GWD) data was used in conjunction with the LWD data for well placement. Furthermore, the Geosteering Module of a third party 3D Geological modeling software was used independently within the West Kuwait Fields Development group of KOC for well placement. Well D-08 was drilled as vertical producer in a West Kuwait Marrat carbonate reservoir, produced economic quantities of oil during initial testing, but it started cutting high amount of water due to the effect of a fault. Therefore, the well was re-entered and sidetracked at a high angle, away from the fault. Similarly, the U-73 vertical well which encountered poor reservoir facies on flank of the field, was re-entered for productivity enhancement into a thin porous reservoir layer as horizontal sidetrack towards the crest. Both these wells were monitored and geosteered in near real-time using a geosteering software module which combines the overall structural framework provided by 3D geological model, along with the well log responses characteristics from offset wells, to produce a detailed pre-drill model for Geosteering. This is achieved by forward modeling to predict changes in log characters along the planned wellbore profile. The results are displayed both in vertical and measured depth domains along a 2D curtain section with formation tops parallel to the planned well azimuth. In addition to the conventional LWD logs, the GWD logs generated from advanced gas analysis of the drilling mud were used for geosteering during drilling well D-08 and U-73 re-entry sidetrack wells. The LWD and GWD based geosteering were done independent of each other to test the efficacy of GWD method. Geosteering software and advanced mud gas data have been paired for high angle and horizontal well placement for the first time in Kuwait which successfully guided the well trajectory while drilling.
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