Deep Learning for Sand Production Analysis and Optimum Workflow in the Greater Burgan Field

Abstract

Meeting 2040 KPC Strategic plan objectives and KOC production targets will require adoption of new cost-effective technologies and methods in Kuwait fields, resulting in incremental oil production and extended life of the fields. Long-term oil production through artificial lift application can lead to pressure depletion and water cut incremental in mature fields, which can cause obvious wellbore impairments, particularly in medium to week formations such as Wara and Upper Burgan formations. One of the critical parameters that will have great influence on maturing this strategy is sand management-field development. Recently some of high producing wells perforated in Wara sandstone Formation in the Greater Burgan field in Kuwait have been plugged due to sand production issues. Understanding the causes of this critical challenge will definitely help KOC in finding the optimum sand management work flow and select the right sand control technologies to maximize the oil production in Wara formation. Several sand characterization tests were conducted on core plugs and produced samples collected downhole, ESP wellbore data was linked with well logs analysis and production data for understanding the sand production phenomena within the intervals and help establish a sand collapse model. Based on the lab work, modeling and ESP real time data, a screening benchmark was developed for sand management and control for Wara formation. The unique customized screening criteria will support South East Kuwait (SEK) field development to identify/avoid the potential sanding intervals and sustain oil production at safe drawdown pressure, which definitely will prevent ESP failures and extend the ESP lifetime. The risk assessment for potential sanding intervals has been established to predict sand production in most new Wara wells. Some Wara wells targeting shallower or weaker sands would normally be sand control candidates, by taking into account the completion design, optimizing surface sand management workflow, managing safe drawdown and BHFP levels, and taking advantage of favorable stress vectors through oriented perforation can encompass the sand free well operating envelopes over life of well production and depletion conditions.