High Pressure Coiled Tubing Job Prepares Gulf Coast Well

Morrison, Dan; Reid, Kevin; Kenney, Tom

doi:10.2523/38419-ms

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

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“…11,12 After removing the blowout preventers (BOPs) and installing and pressure testing the wellhead tree, coiled tubing was run into the packer region, and the top of the wireline plug was cleaned. The lower portion of the tubing was displaced back to ZnBr 2 brine to place the wellbore in an estimated underbalance of 1,000 psi.…”

Section: Completion Operationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Completion Design and Implementation in Challenging HP/HT Wells in California

Hahn

Burke

Mackenzie

et al. 2003

SPE Drilling &Amp; Completion

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As producing companies search for significant hydrocarbon resources, it has become necessary to pursue opportunities in frontier geologic horizons and geographic locations. This pursuit frequently results in encountering high-pressure/high-temperature (HP/HT) environments. The petroleum industry defines HP/HT wells as those exceeding 10,000 psi and 300°F.Several companies have drilled into HP/HT horizons in the California San Joaquin basin in the past 30 years, but operations were generally halted because of equipment limitations or limited hydrocarbon indications. In late 1998, a significant gas flow was identified from the Temblor formation at depths lower than 17,100 ft, with geologic information indicating a potential Temblor sand gross thickness of up to 3,600 ft. The pressure design basis for subsequent wells assumed an estimated equivalent pore pressure of 16.9 lbm/gal. This information and other producing conditions indicated a potential bottomhole environment of 425°F and 18,000 psi. Produced fluids also indicated the presence of hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S), which, at these pressures, dictates sour service metallurgical specifications.These potential, extreme well conditions require a very detailed completion engineering design, equipment qualification, rigorous planning, and precise field execution to achieve successful well completions. This paper details and discusses the well completion design basis and issues, equipment/perforating limitations and qualification tests, tubular stress and loading analyses, high-density completion-brine usage, and actual field operational experiences.Numerous contingencies were planned in detail, some of which had to be implemented. The most significant contingency operation was a high-pressure coiled-tubing milling operation to clean out 2,500 ft of formation and perforating debris that plugged the tubing string.

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Section: Completion Operationsmentioning

confidence: 99%