Multidiscipline Well Construction Process Integrates Advanced Engineering Design and MSF Technologies to Deliver Arabian Gulf Trilateral Well

Abstract

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.