The objective of this work is to describe a comprehensive approach integrating static and dynamic data along with rock mechanical properties to optimize well production and avoiding premature sanding problems. The proposed procedure was used to estimate the production potential of a slanted well in the Napo M1 Sandstone which presents a high sanding potential. Starting with a detailed petrophysical analysis along with advanced sonic scanner data processing, a Mechanical Earth Model (MEM) was built. In addition to the MEM an advanced perforating design and a grain size laboratory test were finally used to develop a Sanding Model Analysis that was used to predict and measure severity of sanding problems under specific static and dynamic conditions. This holistic approach was used to determine the critical drawdown at which sanding problems could occur. A tailored critical drawdown was determined based on grain size; it was determined that small grains will start moving with drawdown of around 790 psi, while larger grain sizes will move at a drawdown close to 1790 psi. The grain size distribution per sample was then used to determine the level of severity and safe and non-safe drawdown ranges. Finally a safe bottom hole flowing pressure of ~1100 psi or drawdown of ~1190 psi with a 90% safety of no sanding problems was selected as the optimum dynamic condition for producing the well with minimum sanding risk. The well was put into production using the recommended critical drawdown. No sand production was observed at the surface. After five months of production (from 30-Aug-2014 to 4-Jan-2015), the well had accumulated 9 bbls of sand (equivalent weight: 3650 kg), lower than expected (not showing on surface) and average production was 1126 bbls of fluid per day (1075 bbls of Oil per day, 4.53% water cut), significantly higher than neighbor wells. This methodology accurately predicted the critical drawdown at which a well with potential sanding problems must be produced. It also provided highly valuable information for a better completions design and decision making on whether to use a sand control equipment or not, representing cost savings and optimizing production.
Petroamazonas EP is the national oil company in Ecuador. It holds most of the oil concessions Onshore and Offshore in the country. The oil and gas production targets require implementing advanced analysis that provides effective results on production. In order to analyze and predict the well Productivity, it is necessary to perform an appropriate perforating analysis; this can be achieved integrating Petrophysics, Geomechanics, Reservoir and Production Domains. For an advanced Perforating design a clear understanding of rock characteristic, depth of damaged zone and reservoir behavior is used in the Perforating simulation. This enhances the right selection of charges and ensures they will overpass the altered zone. Step by step procedure is described: Petrophysical evaluation and rock strength of the formation of interest. Quantification of alteration depth. Display the penetration profile. All this previous steps are used in order to obtain a detailed Flow Profile. To identify and select with the Flow Profile the better zones to produce. A sensitivity analysis is performed to select the best scenario for a technical and economic decision. This methodology was implemented in two of the key Petroamazonas EP assets, which are Amistad Offshore Gas Field, and Apaika Onshore Oilfiled. This helped to optimize and predict the productivity of the wells. The following conclusions were obtained once the wells were on production: Selection of the better intervals to produce Low Uncertainty of well productivity prediction Confirmed effective communication between borehole and reservoir Skin reduction due to a better perforating selection and design Optimized completion design Making proper decisions when analyzing project cost versus production.
The development of the Ishpingo-Tiputini-Tambococha (ITT) project was extremely important to increase the Ecuadorian oil production curve at least 10%, and to have a low cost per barrel of oil produced, considering Ecuador's oil industry as the primary income source in the national economy. This work presents the experiences, learnings, and results acquired on the first 100 wells drilled for ITT, becoming the integrated project of reference for performance drilling and optimization for the Ecuadorian oilfield industry. The first approach to comply with the reduced budget planned per well was based on dedicated integrated project management to maximize overall efficiency, using basic drilling technology such as downhole motors together with wire-line logs after drilling to acquire a comprehensive formation evaluation data. However, the complexity of the wells would be increased along the project, and basic technology would not be longer effective. Multidisciplinary engineering, based on a cost-benefit analysis, was fundamental to determine the fit-for-purpose advanced drilling and logging-while-drilling technologies and the proper drilling practices to optimize drilling performance. These optimizations enabled delivering wells in a shorter time and with a lower budget than planned. The ITT project started in March 2016. By January 2019 the first 100 wells (3 vertical wells, 7 water injection wells, 71 J type wells, 19 horizontal wells) were finished successfully at an average of 3 wells per month with outstanding results that exceed the proposed objectives. The first 100 wells were delivered in the equivalent time of 80 wells planned time. That outstanding achievement has its main stone on the engineering developed by the integrated drilling services and the operator during the planning and execution phases. Now, the ITT project is recognized as a real example of integrated drilling optimization in Ecuador. It was the second-highest producing oil field with 70,000 barrels produced per day up to April 2019, and with more than 80,000 barrels produced per day up to September 2019, it became the highest producing oil field in Ecuador. This represents around 18% of the total Ecuadorian oil production. That level of production has been reached in less than four years, several years less than the time it took to develop other oil fields in the country. The optimization done has other excellent results, such as creating the lowest cost per barrel of oil produced in Ecuador and having zero environmental impact without affecting the ecosystem of the ecological reserve where the oil fields are located. The latest drilling, measuring, and logging-while-drilling technologies are more expensive than basic technology. However, when the right solutions are properly applied, it's possible to create a correct drilling solution that optimizes the cost-benefit for the project and results in a win-win relationship between operators and drilling service providers. The achievements of the ITT project are documented in this paper as reference for true performance drilling in the Ecuadorian oilfield industry and any environmentally sensitive area around the world.
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