Expandable Screens: Optimized Horizontal Gas Production Through Collaboration

Abstract

A total system analysis approach was applied to achieve the desired results for a National Oil Company (NOC). The Service Company and NOC worked very closely together to optimize production from a gas well in the General Field near Reynosa, Mexico.The horizontal gas well, General 16H, was drilled and completed in February 2007. Once the well was placed on line, it initially produced up to 40 MMscf/day (1.132 MMcm/day) before settling at a rate of 18 MMscf/day. Average daily production from other wells in this area is 4 to 5 MMscf/day. Production optimization included determining via nodal analysis how system pressure losses affected total production. The system was analyzed from three points of view: from the reservoir to the surface, near the sand face, and at the surface. The team used an analytical model to determine the drawdown effect, establishing the loss of pressure in the reservoir as a function of rock properties, well and reservoir geometry, well position within the reservoir, and reservoir fluid properties.Without a joint effort and understanding between the NOC and the Service Company, the results would have never been achieved. Working diligently together enabled both parties to understand what was required to meet the initial objective of production optimization. The solution presented itself in the form of expandable screens, which provided a much greater inflow area than other methods available.

Design and Development for the Self-Expandable Packer Test-Bed

“…In recent years, the number of horizontal wells has increased [1]. Owing to such drawbacks of expanding cement packer of open hole as loss, low replacement ratio, channeling, and tiny clearance of ring and so on, they frequently lead to problems of safety, environmental pollution, property loss or even useless oil and gas wells.…”