Importance of Completion Design Considerations for Complex, Hostile, and HPHT Wells in Frontier Areas

Hahn, D.; Pearson, R. W.; Hancock, S. H.

doi:10.2118/59750-ms

Cited by 7 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…This ensured that all operational learning points were incorporated into the planning and programming of each subsequent well. 5,6 The extreme temperatures and pressures and the anticipated operating conditions meant that the selected downhole equipment would be operating at or near the design limits until actual well and pool conditions and/or economics justified the additional costs for more-specialized equipment or tubulars. Therefore, the core team was closely supported throughout the program by technical experts and service companies.…”

Section: General Completion and Testing Philosophymentioning

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: General Completion and Testing Philosophymentioning

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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“…Other completion components also can be subjected to their own scrutiny, and references to the ancillary equipment can be found in the literature (Hahn, et al, 2000;and Zeringue, 2005). Other completion components also can be subjected to their own scrutiny, and references to the ancillary equipment can be found in the literature (Hahn, et al, 2000;and Zeringue, 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Importance of Thermal/Stress Loading Analysis for Tubulars in HPHT Wells

Shahreyar¹,

Finley

2014

All Days

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The upstream oil and gas industry is experiencing increased interest in exploration and production from complex, hostile, and deeper geologic horizons that are classified as high-pressure/high-temperature (HPHT) wells. As a result, well completion planning and design has become increasingly more critical and challenging due to uncertainties that might occur during various operational scenarios in the well's lifecycle that could result from high pressure and temperature changes.The cost of typical tubing completion equipment may represent 15 to 25% of the overall well cost. High operating temperatures and pressures can cause the well to operate with significant pipe movement and high axial loads at the packer and tubing. For wells where design margins can be slim, a detailed and robust stress-loading analysis coupled with the aid of modern thermal/stress analytical software provides the opportunity to balance tubular equipment design versus risk. Proper application of this loading analysis can generate significant savings on tubular costs by optimizing the tubing design so that it will meet a company's design standards without being overdesigned.This paper provides an overview of an engineering design methodology that can be followed for tubular equipment sizing and selection for use in complex wells. A typical list of reservoir and well parameters that is required to set up the well model for thermal and stress-loading analysis is presented. The importance of estimated thermal simulation is highlighted for tubular selection and design. Furthermore, a full well casing and tubing design integrity analysis is performed on a complex, high rate, HPHT example well with various anticipated operating loads that include stimulation, production, and enhanced oil recovery (EOR) flooding during the life of the well. Results showing changes in temperature and pressures during well operating scenarios and impact of resultant temperature changes on tubular stress loading are presented. Sensitivity analysis is then performed with applied landing forces on the completion for further discussion on limitations on well operating conditions during the well life cycle.

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“…The state-of-the-art thermal simulation with stress modeling analyses, which combines the effects of transient temperatures and pressures, is particularly important when associated with the HPHT well-design process (Hahn et al 2000(Hahn et al , 2003. Simulation would initially involve the investigation of the changes in pressure and/or temperature that occur over the life of the planned well and would subsequently include further study how these changes would effect each of the casing stresses, casing buckling, tubing movement, tubing buckling, triaxial stress, and packer loading, whichever is applicable.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

HPHT Well Basis of Design Case Study: Offshore Thailand Advanced Tubular Analyses Experience

2013

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In 2011, a major exploration and production oil company drilled and tested an HPHT well, the Tong Rang 3. This well is located in Bongkot field, Gulf of Thailand, about 722 km from Bangkok. This paper highlights the outcome of a post-drilling review using the Tong Rang 3 as a case study with respect to the well-design models and steps that the company will be taking towards optimizing its higher degree of HPHT development wells, which include future challenging prospects in the Gulf of Thailand.Aside from stress and pressure profiles, a good understanding of the temperature regime and heat transfer in HPHT wellbores is an important aspect of the planning process. The logs and actual well-testing operations in the Tong Rang 3 confirmed that the hydrocarbon produced contains gas condensate with 31.5% CO 2 . The maximum circulating temperature was diagnosed to be around 207°C while drilling to TD with a mud-cooling system in place and bottomhole temperature in excess of 227°C during well testing and a tubing-head temperature of 60°C.To improve the quality of the well design and planning process, the company has realized the importance of a case study to establish a guideline in their well-integrity process, thereby allowing the drilling team to plan similar wells using proper engineering assumptions, including basis of design refinement, based on the company's well engineering policies. The study will not only enable aiding the wellbore and completion optimization, but can be used to improve decision making throughout the field-development campaign, thus avoiding possible underdesign and achieving long-term well integrity and cost optimization. This paper will detail aspects of the well design incorporated in the Tong Rang 3 and provide a discussion and comparison between the plans vs. the actual design throughout the execution of this HPHT well, focusing on advanced tubular design from a temperature simulations aspect. It will also highlight the effect of tubular heat-up through comprehensive sensitivity analyses, while understanding how the currently available technology can be used to support an integrated basis of design model to successfully establish a representative HPHT wellbore configuration, subsequently signifying relevant well-construction parameters to ensure an effective and safe design for future HPHT wells.

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Importance of Completion Design Considerations for Complex, Hostile, and HPHT Wells in Frontier Areas

Cited by 7 publications

References 8 publications

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

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

Importance of Thermal/Stress Loading Analysis for Tubulars in HPHT Wells

HPHT Well Basis of Design Case Study: Offshore Thailand Advanced Tubular Analyses Experience

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