Innovative Dual Completion Application to Overcome High Oil Viscosity Challenges - Case Study from Pañacocha Field, Ecuador

Abstract

The Pañacocha field, located on the Northeast part of Ecuador, is part of the Block 12 from Petroamazonas EP in an ecologically sensitive area of the Amazon rainforest. Heavy oil (less than 14°API) producers Ml and M2 formations in Pañacocha field are not being fully developed due to challenges of handling fluids with viscosities that increase exponentially as their temperature decrease. This paper shows how the design, planning and installation of an inverted concentric dual completion string combined with the gravel pack technique for sand control and forced convection to minimize fluid heat transfer through the tubing, allowed to produce high viscosity fluids.