As the number of aging wells grows in the oil and gas industry, there is a recurrent need for monitoring the health of these wells over their productive life and providing assurance of the integrity of the well barriers that isolate them from uncontrolled formation pressure and fluids. Tubing and casing condition evaluation is a crucial aspect of this evaluation. The industry utilizes a number of conventional technologies for evaluation of tubing and casing integrity, such as internal mechanical calipers, electromagnetic and ultrasonic thickness (UT) tools, which are generally quite satisfactory for the evaluation of the inner casing but are often affected by internal tubular diameters in terms of their application. Most conventional tubular evaluation tools are unable to evaluate multiple concentric barriers. When combined with the low diameter production tubing completions the options for evaluating the production and outer casings become very limited, necessitating the need to pull the inner casing by performing a workover at a considerable expense and inspect the outer casing with conventional technology. A new electromagnetic casing corrosion evaluation technology was applied in a group of critical wells completed with small diameter tubing. The technology utilizes electromagnetic pulsed transient eddy currents to simultaneously inspect tubing and the casing behind it and provide quantifiably segregated measurements of thickness in the tubing and the first concentric casing as well as qualitatively characterized by a third casing string. This slim tool with a diameter of 1-11/16" allows measurements through slim production tubing. The objective of the study was to assess the integrity of a group of mature wells completed with small diameter restrictions, near populated areas and associated with high H 2 S environment. This study includes the candidate generation, field application, results evaluation and general recommendations for the well integrity program. The results exhibited that the data obtained from the tool is reliable. A quantifiable assessment of the metal loss of casing behind the tubing could be made, which made a mitigation strategy possible to prevent casing leaks, which in these wells are critical due to their population sensitive location.
Coiled tubing (CT) fill cleanouts have been in existence for over four decades and today account for approximately 30% of the services performed. Both CT and conventional jointed pipe offer a forward or reverse circulation mode to remove solids; however, using conventional water-based fluids, a sand cleanout method may apply excess hydrostatic pressure to the formation, resulting in some lost circulation to a sub-hydrostatic reservoir. Nitrogen (N 2 ) can be used to reduce hydrostatics, but this requires a very precise job design and execution. Moreover, N 2 use can have adverse logistical and economic implications -large amounts of N 2 may be needed, especially in larger diameter wellbores and in horizontal wells.Several cleanout methods have been utilized in the past, employing a variety of different approaches. CT historically has incorporated limited circulation rates, exotic/costly fluids and reversing circulation to remove solids. The use of CT to remove sand from wellbores was one of its earliest applications and continues to be an important service today. This paper will discuss cost-effective solutions in Saudi Arabia, highlighting field cases and job optimization. The selection of the most appropriate sand cleanout method has to be based on both logistical and technical issues. This paper shows how to select the most cost-effective fills cleanout method for these wells. A few field cases are discussed to demonstrate the proper operational procedure, challenges and lessons learned. The combination of how to utilize the sophisticated solids transport software, downhole switchable nozzle, and proper operational procedure with the frequent evaluation of downhole conditions on site is essential to insure the fills cleanout is executed 100% successfully.
Nowadays, with the advanced technology, there is a large quantity of real time data that flows from the equipment in the field to the engineers’ desktop. The quality of data is, in most cases, questionable. A high quality data is required to be utilized in production workflows and technical studies. Failure to acquire reliable data will affect the calculations of production parameters, hence impacting the overall understanding of well performance. Therefore, monitoring data reliability and quality is essential. A project was initiated to tackle all various reliability issues for eight fields where a focus team was formulated. The team assessed the current data reliability and facilitated developing the action plans with the use of Lean Six Sigma concept which follows five phases; define, measure, analyze, improve and control. Multiple tools such as fishbone diagram and 5-WHY were used to identify the root causes for having reliability issues along with a correspondent solution (s) which aided developing a detailed implementation plan. The project goal is targeting an increase in overall data reliability in a six-month period. An anticipated increase of 5% to overall data reliability is to be achieved post to the tags deletion and re-mapping campaign. It is worth mentioning that the utilization of production workflows through effective monitoring of wells rate compliance and ESP is associated with remarkable cost saving. Securing high data reliability from various equipment will enable engineers to track the wells’ rates and status at their desktops. Moreover, effective monitoring of ESP performance will help preventing the occurrence of trips and optimize ESP operations in the field. Last but not least, effective data monitoring will ensure the upkeep of the Intelligent Field equipment.
The well integrity surveillance program is a mechanism applied to oil, gas and water production/injection wells to ensure the sound quality and healthiness of all their completion components. Currently, there are differences in the well integrity surveillance programs applied by field operators worldwide due to the differences in the causes of well integrity issues that are faced in every field or geographical location. Recognizing such differences, Saudi Aramco formed a Well Integrity Surveillance Guidelines and Best Practices (WISG&BP) team to review and establish a comprehensive well integrity surveillance program that can be applied corporate wide for all well types (oil, water and gas). The developed program not only ensures the identification of well problems at its infancy but also maintains the healthiness and upkeep of Saudi Aramco asset. This surveillance program focuses on the following six primary well integrity surveys: Wellhead valves integrity inspection and greasing.Surface and Subsurface Safety Valves (SSV & SSSV) and Emergency Shut-Down (ESD) System functionality and integrity testing.Annuli survey.Landing base inspection.Temperature survey.Corrosion logging. An application has been developed to streamline and automate the planning, scheduling, execution, data validation and data posting process to ensure compliance with these best practices. This application provides tracking capability of the surveillance program and initiates alert, notification and escalation to the responsible entity at every stage of the surveillance process. The wells with identified integrity issues are flagged on a Well Watch List and closely monitored until their issue is resolved. This surveillance program is reviewed and updated every 2 years to reflect the advancements in surveillance technologies and capture any necessary modifications based on arising field observations. This paper summarizes the well integrity surveillance program applied in Saudi Aramco. It provides a workflow of the well surveillance process and describes the automation application used to capture and track the program implementation. The comprehensive strategy provided in this paper can be used as guidelines for maintaining the well integrity of all well types worldwide.
Field development costs have risen with oil price. A resulting challenge with Arab heavy oil development remains how to generate competitive advantages through deploying efficient technological innovations and making cost-effective solutions a crucial part of a firm's strategy for rigless interventions. With strict commitments to environmental protection, the need for operational excellence and several process improvements necessary to yield dividends in the form of safe project delivery and to overcome several technical difficulties is vital. The scope of the paper is to examine coiled tubing (CT) stimulation and logging technologies used in the timely project execution of one of Saudi Arabia's largest field developments to cost effectively enhance matrix stimulation success. Some of these solutions include technologies for CT reach, CT access for dual laterals, acid placement optimization, and treatment effectiveness monitoring. CT extended reach solutions comprised tapered CT strings designed for ultradeep wells, drag reducers, tractors, and vibrators. Technologies for CT access for dual laterals include a flow activated multilateral tool for CT matrix stimulation employing pressure variation telemetry with bottom hole pressure (BHP) and casing collar locator / gamma ray (CCL/GR) for high success lateral identification. To optimize acid placements, distributed temperature survey and pressure measurements are used to enhance diversion and acid placements. A blend of tools assisted to monitor, analyze, and adjust in real-time the reservoir and stimulation fluids interaction. Viscoelastic diverting acid is designed to viscosify in situ as the fluid spends on the reacted formation for chemical diversion in carbonates. The concentration of the diverter was optimized from 20% HCl to 15% HCl. A unique solution for monitoring treatment effectiveness evolved to include real time production logging using single strings for CT stimulation and real time profiling instead of memory logging. This solution required less equipment mobilization and no wireline unit. Intervention from 99 producers and injectors reveals operational and cost benefits from deploying technological solutions and justifies the degree to which each technology solution fits the overall field development strategy. The implications of deploying these solutions include reduction of well counts from the original estimates in this field development to offer manageable total field development costs.
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.