The current state of oil and gas economics has emphasized focus in managing and optimizing production from mature fields. It is estimated that approximately 70% of the world's oil and gas production are contributed by mature fields. Sand production is common as pressure declines and water breakthrough takes place. Clastic reservoirs with unconsolidated formation sand with moderate and high permeability are prone to produce sand under these conditions. In gas producing environments, conventional sand control can place demands for continued expensive remediation investment through the wells producing life as high gas velocity increases the chances of erosion and failure of downhole equipment. Gas reservoirs have always been an integral part Malaysia's oil and gas business. As the well the portfolio expands to cater for the regional energy demand, focus on fit for purpose sand control in gas wells is crucial in ensuring continuous production delivery to customers. As a current practice, sand production has been handled by standalone metal screens or combined with gravel packing. One of the cheaper options available in the market is the ceramic sand screen that allows for rigless installation while providing durable material which is resistant to erosion caused by high gas velocity for a continuous production as the ceramic material is 10 times harder than steel (Jackson et al., 2015) and it is more resistant to corrosion in comparison to steel (Wheeler et al., 2014). This paper will focus on the revival strategy of a gas well with a currently damaged screen due to erosion. As this is the first through tubing ceramic sand screen deployment in a gas well in Malaysia, a feasibility process was put place to ensure safe operation and deployment success. Depending on the current well completion profiles, the assessment includes selection of sand screen specification, actual installation sequence, methodology in ensuring safe and successful deployment of ceramic sand screen downhole are focused. The study and assessment has provided future reference for superior downhole sand control options in gas well applications.
Many retrograde condensate gas wells in field A, located offshore Malaysia, are underperforming or even idle because of calcium carbonate scale deposition and near-wellbore condensate banking. Previous treatments were performed without any adjustment of fluid placement across the multiple fractured zones due to the lack of technology enabling real-time downhole monitoring. Fluids could, therefore, be lost into depleted or high-water-cut intervals, leading to suboptimal treatment.Distributed temperature sensing (DTS) technology through optical fiber installed inside coiled tubing strings mitigates the risks related to blind acid pumping. The technology makes it possible in real time to monitor and adjust fluid placement and diversion efficiency to squeeze acid into target zones and maximize the treatment success.The first worldwide implementation of sandstone matrix acidizing using the DTS technology was performed on a well completed with four perforated and propped fractured zones. The main treatment fluid was designed to remove both types of formation damage: organic acid would attack the scale and alcohol would eliminate the condensate banking. The first challenge was the cleanout of hard carbonate scale from the wellbore, which was performed with a bottomhole assembly composed of a high-pressure rotating jetting tool and a real-time fiber-optic tension-compression sub enabling the coiled tubing unit operator to maximize the slack-off on scale and facilitate its removal. The second challenge was the depleted upper perforated and propped fracture interval detected by the DTS. If diversion was inefficient, all fluids would get lost into the upper zone. A diverter fluid system formulated with degradable fiber blended into viscoelastic-surfactant-based fluid was optimized based on expected downhole conditions, and two stages were successively squeezed into the highly permeable (130-Darcy) depleted upper interval before getting a good signature on the DTS surveys showing that this zone was temporarily plugged and that the main treatment fluid would be squeezed into the lower target zones.The post-treatment gas production was double what was expected. A memory production logging tool was run after the job. This confirmed the crossflow to the upper depleted zone during shut-in and showed 86% gas production from the two bottom intervals, which demonstrates the effectiveness of both the innovative stimulation process with DTS and the diversion with degradable fiber.
PETRONAS Carigali Iraq BV (PCIHBV) is the Operator for an onshore oil field which is located in a 30 km x 10 km Contract Area at the southern part of the Republic of Iraq. One of the key activities undertaken by PCIHBV during the development and production campaign is well intervention which involves acid stimulation, well clean up and unloading of newly drilled wells. The conventional practice in Iraq for acid stimulation and well clean-up operation for carbonate reservoir is to burn the recovered hydrocarbon at dedicated flare pit area. This is normally followed by Multi Rate Test (MRT), which takes up to 10 hours of continuous flaring operation for each perforated zone. Some of the critical challenges posed by the above approach include managing and ensuring safe operation for personnel working in this rig-less operation. The flaring activity would release unburned oil, gas fumes, noise, heat and black smoke to the environment. Moreover, there had always been interruptions from the nearby communities who were affected by the release of fumes and smokes from the flaring activi ty which had adversely impacted their health and the surroundings. This situation had regrettably resulted in hostile protests by the affected villagers which could be a threat PCIHBV operations. A technical assessment was conducted to devise a safer, secure and environmentally friendly approach to replace the conventional flaring method. At the same time, PCIHBV also envisioned to minimize the duration required from flaring activities. A new approach called "Zero Flaring" was introduced. The concept of Zero Flaring is meant to treat and neutralize the recovered crude during well clean up and divert the flow towards oil processing facilities. This will then rule out the need to burn the recovered crude in the flare pit. To implement the ‘Zero Flaring" only a minimal site modifications were required with few additional equipment such as chemical injection skid, tanks, sampling points and associated connection. This method has totally eliminated the need for flaring while safeguarding the asset integrity of the processing facilities. This innovative approach has been acknowledged by the Host Authority as it has resolved the flaring issues with minimal expenditures required. As of March 2019, PCIHBV has conducted new wells unloading using "Zero Flaring" method in more than 10 wells. PCIHBV is committed to further improve the ‘Zero Flaring’ method to reap its benefits. This new method has showcased PCIHBV's commitment, values and capabilities as a prudent Operator to safely and timely deliver the production targets without neglecting the social wellbeing of the surrounding communities, the protection of the environment and the integrity of the asset. Above all, it has strengthened PCIHBV's presence in this region and further enhanced our reputation as an International Oil Company (IOC) of choice.
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