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This paper discusses the successful deployment of Multi-stage Fracturing (MSF) completions, composed of novel expandable steel packers, in high pressure, high temperature (HP/HT) horizontal gas wells. The 5-7/8" horizontal sections of these wells were drilled in high pressure, high temperature gas bearing formations. There were also washed-outs & high "dog-legs" along their wellbores, due to constant geo-steering required to keep the laterals within the hydrocarbon bearing zones. These factors introduced challenges to deploying the conventional MSF completion in these laterals. Due to the delicate nature of their packer elastomers and their susceptibility to degradation at high temperature, these conventional MSF completions could not be run in such hostile down-hole conditions without the risk of damage or getting stuck off-bottom. This paper describes the deployment of a novel expandable steel packer MSF completion in these tough down-hole conditions. These expandable steel packers could overcome the challenges mentioned above due to the following unique features: High temperature durability. Enhanced ruggedness which gave them the ability to be rotated & reciprocated during without risk of damage. Reduced packer outer diameter (OD) of 5.500" as compared to the 5.625" OD of conventional elastomer MSF packers. Enhanced flexibility which enabled them to be deployed in wellbores with high dog-leg severity (DLS). With the ability to rotate & reciprocate them while running-in-hole (RIH), coupled with their higher annular clearance & tolerance of high temperature, the expandable steel packers were key to overcoming the risk of damaging or getting stuck with the MSF completion while RIH. Also, due to the higher setting pressure of the expandable steel packers when compared to conventional elastomer packers, there was a reduced risk of prematurely setting the packers if high circulating pressure were encountered during deployment. Another notable advantage of these expandable packers is that they provided an optimization opportunity to reduce the number of packers required in the MSF completion. In a conventional MSF completion, two elastomer packers are usually required to ensure optimum zonal isolation between each MSF stage. However, due to their superior sealing capability, only one expandable steel packer is required to ensure good inter-stage isolation. This greatly reduces the number of packers required in the MSF completion, thereby reducing its stiffness & ultimately reducing the probability of getting stuck while RIH. The results of using these expandable steel packers is the successful deployment of the MSF completions in these harsh down-hole conditions, elimination of non-productive time associated with stuck or damaged MSF completion as well as the safe & cost-effective completion in these critical horizontal gas wells.
This paper discusses the successful deployment of Multi-stage Fracturing (MSF) completions, composed of novel expandable steel packers, in high pressure, high temperature (HP/HT) horizontal gas wells. The 5-7/8" horizontal sections of these wells were drilled in high pressure, high temperature gas bearing formations. There were also washed-outs & high "dog-legs" along their wellbores, due to constant geo-steering required to keep the laterals within the hydrocarbon bearing zones. These factors introduced challenges to deploying the conventional MSF completion in these laterals. Due to the delicate nature of their packer elastomers and their susceptibility to degradation at high temperature, these conventional MSF completions could not be run in such hostile down-hole conditions without the risk of damage or getting stuck off-bottom. This paper describes the deployment of a novel expandable steel packer MSF completion in these tough down-hole conditions. These expandable steel packers could overcome the challenges mentioned above due to the following unique features: High temperature durability. Enhanced ruggedness which gave them the ability to be rotated & reciprocated during without risk of damage. Reduced packer outer diameter (OD) of 5.500" as compared to the 5.625" OD of conventional elastomer MSF packers. Enhanced flexibility which enabled them to be deployed in wellbores with high dog-leg severity (DLS). With the ability to rotate & reciprocate them while running-in-hole (RIH), coupled with their higher annular clearance & tolerance of high temperature, the expandable steel packers were key to overcoming the risk of damaging or getting stuck with the MSF completion while RIH. Also, due to the higher setting pressure of the expandable steel packers when compared to conventional elastomer packers, there was a reduced risk of prematurely setting the packers if high circulating pressure were encountered during deployment. Another notable advantage of these expandable packers is that they provided an optimization opportunity to reduce the number of packers required in the MSF completion. In a conventional MSF completion, two elastomer packers are usually required to ensure optimum zonal isolation between each MSF stage. However, due to their superior sealing capability, only one expandable steel packer is required to ensure good inter-stage isolation. This greatly reduces the number of packers required in the MSF completion, thereby reducing its stiffness & ultimately reducing the probability of getting stuck while RIH. The results of using these expandable steel packers is the successful deployment of the MSF completions in these harsh down-hole conditions, elimination of non-productive time associated with stuck or damaged MSF completion as well as the safe & cost-effective completion in these critical horizontal gas wells.
This paper describes the design, implementation details, and the added value of deploying a 15 kpsi Multi-Stage Fracking (MSF) system with an open hole (OH) metal expandable packer. The system would be an additional enabler for successful OH MSF system deployment, especially for wells with concerns over wellbore stability (pack off and/or washouts), getting stuck while running with the completion string to the deployment depth and in Extended Reach Drilling (ERD) wells. The system used four (4) stages deployed in a 5-7/8″ open hole with a length of 3,000 ft. The completion equipment was successfully deployed. Rigless activities commenced by fully expanding the packers (with 12,400 psi), before the multistage fracturing was conducted successfully. The slim Outer Diameter (OD), the ability of drill pipe rotation, the 15 kpsi fracturing capabilities in hole size up to 6.5 inches and the lack of internal moving parts like sleeves or mandrels; enabled the system to deliver the fracking capabilities required with challenging OH conditions. The system provided reservoir compartmentalization with 15 kpsi capabilities between different stages, 15 kpsi fracturing capabilities in hole size up to 6.5 inches and slim outer diameter to enable the deployment of the completion string into challenging open hole conditions. Furthermore, the system has the ability of drill pipe rotation to enable the deployment of the completion equipment to overcome any obstruction while running in hole and no internal moving parts, which lessen the mechanical failure risks. The 15 kpsi MSF with metal expandable frac packer system has the following novel features in wells with wellbore stability (washouts) concerns, where the 15kpsi fracturing capabilities in hole size up to 6.5 inches, as well as long seal length. As for wells with wellbore stability (pack-off) concerns, the system provides relatively slim OD, for smoother running and, that, can be helpful in wells with differentially stuck concerns. Also, it provides better reliability and robustness, as there are no internal moving parts.
The use of multilateral well designs and architectures have progressed significantly since the introduction nearly three decades ago. It has become the de-facto approach for unlocking incremental production performance and increasing drainage density in sands and limestone reservoirs. The tri-lateral well featured in this paper is a TAML Level-2 design with each 6000 ft lateral geosteered and completed by running open-hole packers equipped with ball-activated frac-ports and sleeves on a non-cemented liner hanger system in the motherbore and drop-off systems in laterals-1 and 2. The pre-drill exercise encompassed technical considerations to determine from ---- reservoir type to well architecture, MSF technology, modelling for fracture stimulation effectiveness and well construction techniques --- to ensure success. Beyond established reservoir development strategies such as Maximum Reservoir Contact (MRC), the robustness and effectiveness of directed stimulation fluid to achieve frac stage deep acid stimulation at design pressures requires open-hole stage isolation technologies and devices that enable confirmation of completion of treatment operation. Additionally, working from bottoms-up, junction construction, debris management, securing well integrity during whipstock installation, window milling and whipstock retrieval are operational phases that pose significant challenge and risk to loss of well. The collaboration between Multilateral equipment design and engineering companies and Operators focus on simplifying junction construction, High frac pressure Open-hole packers as well as affirmative frac port open and close surface indicators. Innovative engineering solutions has produced advanced open-hole isolation and completion hardware and material science developments are offering path clean-up and unobstructed reservoir fluid flow after stage stimulation. The integration of the latest multilateral construction technologies and techniques for ensuring mission-critical objectives leverages a multidiscipline collaboration approach to ensure well delivery and reservoir performance. Critical success factors discussed in this paper are, 1. Tri-lateral wellbore construction and recovery of junction construction devices, 2. Running and setting lower completion string, 3. Operating stage isolation devices and effective stimulation of each stage guided by advanced frac-stimulation modelling analysis and 4. Unrestricted reservoir flow through lower completion flow control devices.
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