Challenging Well-Testing Operations in High-Temperature Environments — Worldwide Experiences and Best Practices Learned

Abstract

The oilfield industry classifies wells with bottomhole temperatures in excess of 300°F as high-temperature (HT) wellbores. Because they usually can produce large hydrocarbon volumes, all attempts to develop and produce these areas have been tried, although prospects with HT conditions present more challenging conditions. These challenges affect operational planning, equipment applications, engineering job design, and execution, and proper planning is critical to achieving job objectives. This paper presents lessons learned and equipment applications in HT well testing environments globally, where different reservoir scenarios require modificarions to procedures, equipment configuration, and safety requirements. Each job requires consideration of ambient environmental criteria in addition to the individual operator's testing policies. Therefore, different methods for achieving job goals are needed. The lessons learned will be applicable to current scenarios in many areas and will be discussed to allow the operators to determine proper testing procedures for their HT jobs in similar conditions. Well tests are performed using different downhole tools and procedures. A summary of these topics will include: Operational advantages and efficiency gains New technologies to make well testing operations and evaluations more accurate Collection of downhole samples in (pressure, volume, temperature (PVT) conditions to provide the most appropriate data to be considered during future development of prospect. New technologies are an excellent example of how technical developments and advances in the oil industry (gauges, downhole equipment, samplers, etc.) have been applied to operations in the oilfield to improve the decision-making capabilities in the oil and gas industry as well as increase well-testing evaluation success, even in extreme and challenging environments. These enhancements allow improved economic and operational efficiency as well as better safety conditions, both for the involved personnel and the environment during testing operations.