Don’t Let Water Production Hinder Your Ability to Meet Production Targets - A Comprehensive Wireline Logging Guide to Rejuvenate Fields with High Water Cuts

Abstract

The negative impacts of high water cut in mature fields are well known within the oil & gas industry. Water production preventive & mitigative measures are well established and documented: Wireline or coil tubing conveyed diagnostic and work-over operation(s) is one of such common preventive measures. This paper, through a series of integrated case studies will highlight the best practices for wireline conveyed logging and work-overs with one common goal, i.e. to achieve the water production to a minimum acceptable level in deviated high water cut wells. The prolific XYZ field is located in the Northern North Sea and it produces oil from Jurassic Brent Group. Oil production from the XYZ reservoir started in early 1978, with 43 producing wells and 15 water injection wells targeting the Rannoch, Etive, Ness and Tarbert sands. Oil and gas production peaked in 1982 and since then production has steadily declined for this field. The increasing water cut in the wells of this field is presenting a challenge for the operating companies. Production profiling using advanced Production Logging data, casing/tubing integrity check using Multi-Finger Caliper data and saturation monitoring using cased-hole Reservoir Saturation data was done in these wells to ascertain the water producing zones and do the subsequent well intervention, if required. A strategic diagnostic test was designed to precisely evaluate the flow profile using advance production logging tool consisting of 5 mini-spinners & 6 sets of each electrical and optical probes; Real-time data assessment and analysis was done for different flowing rate surveys to validate the findings. Additionally, casing condition was evaluated using Multi-Finger Caliper to decide Plug or Straddle setting depths. Also, new hydrocarbon bearing zones were identified based on cased-hole saturation tool results. The analysis results boosted the cumulative oil production. This study demonstrates the importance of making real time interpretation decisions at the wellsite and the benefit of developing a good working relationship between wellsite engineers and onshore technical support. The results of this work led to the unequivocal determination of major oil and water producing zones in deviated high water cut (95%+) wellbores which further helped in taking workover decisions to carry out water shut off, utilizing either plug or straddle technology. The findings of caliper data determined the appropriate plug or straddle setting depths. The results were compared and confirmed with the nearby well dynamic pressures and production data. The technical approach and processes applied to wells of XYZ field is a valuable example guide to decide water shut off zones and technique of similar plays. This study consists of three integrated case studies from a mature field where water shut-off zones and technologies were decided based on the findings of production logging and well integrity data. Also, re-perforation jobs were performed based on the cased-hole reservoir saturation data results. These strategic workover operations ultimately led to significant increase in hydrocarbon production.