New, Simple Completion Methods for Horizontal Wells Improve Production Performance in High-Permeability Thin Oil Zones

Brekke, Kristian; Lien, S.C.

doi:10.2118/24762-pa

Cited by 63 publications

(32 citation statements)

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“…In order to evaluate the consistency of the methodology proposed by this work, data from Troll field (Brekke & Lien 1994) were used with the method described in Ozkan et al (1999), and data from a generic field, based on the characteristics of Troll field, were used in the simulation methodology proposed by Sansoni et al (2007). Most of the properties from the proposed generic field were based on the Troll field while the rest were designated to evaluate the infinite and finite conductivity assumption.…”

Section: Presentation Of Data and Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Study of the Horizontal Wellbore and Reservoir Coupling

Oliveira

2011

All Days

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Over the last two decades, directional and horizontal wells have become the most usual design in Brazilian offshore scenarios. The increasing use of these types of wells relies upon new drilling and completion techniques being developed at the same time so as to achieve the full benefits of this practice. The main usages of horizontal wells are: to increase the drainage area; to improve the ability to exploit thin reservoirs; for exploration of natural fractured formations; for water/gas conning reduction; and to increase the efficiency of Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) methods. The aim of this work is to present case studies involving horizontal wells simulations using computational fluid dynamics techniques. In order to predict the total flow rate and flow distribution along the extended reach horizontal wells, the three-dimensional CFD model was built comprising of the well geometry and its drainage radius over the reservoir. This methodology makes it possible for well engineers to determine, for specific scenario, the optimum configuration for a horizontal well design. The predicted flow fields obtained from the CFD simulations were in agreement not only with results found in literature (Troll Field -Ozkan et al. 1999), that were used to validate the model, but also with production data from some Petrobras oilfields (Sansoni et al. 2007). Using this CFD tool, it was possible to identify situations where the infinite conductivity approach is valid, and the cases where this assumption results in great errors in the production forecast.

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Section: Presentation Of Data and Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Study of the Horizontal Wellbore and Reservoir Coupling

Oliveira

2011

All Days

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“…Heel-to-Toe Effect Fig.1 shows typical pressure and influx profile along a conventionally completed horizontal well as a result of Heel-to-toe effect (Kristian et al, 1994). Heel-to-toe effect refers to uneven inflow from the reservoir to the wellbore caused by frictional pressure drop along the wellbore.…”

Section: Challenges Of Horizontal Wells In a Water Drive Reservoirmentioning

confidence: 99%

Inflow Control Device in Thin-Layer Bottom Water Drive Reservoir Enhances Oil Recovery in China South Sea

2013

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Horizontal wells can increase a reservoir's drainage area and hydrocarbon recovery, but they pose challenges such as early water breakthrough, high water cut and low oil recovery. Water production continues to increase until the economic limit of the well is reached. In a thin-layer water drive reservoir, in particular, the key factors are controlling water coning, extending the water-free production period and controlling water production post breakthrough.This paper details the challenges faced working in horizontal wells, an optimized reservoir Passive Inflow Control Devices (PICDs, called ICD in this paper) mechanism to address such challenges and reservoir simulation analysis in the application of ICDs in China South Sea.Two dynamic reservoir models were built with the same reservoir property inputs but with two well completion types: standalone screen (SAS) completion and ICDs completion. Through the daily oil and water production, cumulative oil and water production, 3D water movement, the performance of an ICD completion were evaluated. The simulation results demonstrate the added value of the ICD completion system compared to a standalone screen completion production and increased oil in a thin-layer bottom water driver reservoir. IntroductionIn a well producing from a bottom water drive reservoir, oil production is promoted by water production. As a primary reservoir drive mechanism, water moves into the pores spaces originally occupied by oil, displacing it to the producing well. Oil withdrawn from the reservoir is replaced volume for volume by encroaching water. In such a scenario, the reservoir pressure remains stable or gradually declines during production. In addition to providing drive energy and displacing oil, an active aquifer poses severe coning issue, typically for vertical wells.A horizontal well is generally more productive than a vertical well and drilling horizontal wells has become an established method of improving recovery of oil and gas. More contact yields a larger reservoir drainage area and less drawdown required to produce the same amount of fluid. Reducing drawdown is a typical technique for a thin-layered water drive reservoir and maximum production rates are limited as a result of coning problems. Although, factors such as heel-to-toe effect, formation heterogeneity, unfavorable oil/water mobility ratio, high reservoir pressure contrast and fractures accelerate early water production, they result in unbalanced oil contributions from the well and low oil recovery.The reservoir formation mentioned in this paper is sandstone with an anticline structure, and immature faults overriding a large aquifer. The production layer is approximately 30ft, which poses difficulties for controlling water breakthrough and high water cut. Furthermore, this thin pay zone is highly heterogeneous and unforable mobility ratio under the reservoir condition. All factors pose challenges for oil recovery.Data from offset wells in this block experienced early water breakthrough and rapid growth of water cu...

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“…This technology was first proposed by Brekke and Lien (1994), who pointed out that an extended production tubing (or stinger) inserted into the horizontal section of the well could obtain higher plateau rates or extend the plateau period in high-permeability thin oil zones. Permadi et al (1997) built a large Hele-Shaw cell to investigate the effects on the optimal length of the stinger by varying stinger length, oil viscosity, and initial thickness of the oil column; they found the optimal stinger length is approximately 0.3 of the length of the horizontal-wellbore section, regardless of the initial thickness of the oil column and the water/oil mobility ratio.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, the high price and the complex stinger structures restrict the application of SSC and ISP in horizontal wells with low production or with complicated wellbore structures; the common stinger completion (Brekke and Lien 1994) and the stinger completion with an inflow point (Jansen 2003) are normally applied in homogeneous reservoirs and can insufficiently deal with the multipoint waterflooding caused by fractures or permeability contrast in heterogeneous bottomwater reservoirs. ISC is a new stinger completion with simple structure and low cost, which considers the impacts of well trajectory, permeability distribution, permeability damage caused by drilling, and well completion and is specific to heterogeneous bottomwater reservoirs to increase oil production and control water cut and is, consequently, the new design method.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Semianalytical Model for Horizontal Wells With Improved Stinger Completion in Heterogeneous Bottomwater Reservoirs

Jiang

Wang

et al. 2014

Journal of Canadian Petroleum Technology

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Stinger-completion technology is simple to operate and low cost, which can achieve good results in stable oil production by controlling water cut in a bottomwater reservoir. However, most previous studies of stinger completions took place in homogeneous reservoirs and are not equipped to deal with the multipoint watercresting breakthrough caused by fractures or permeability contrast in a heterogeneous bottomwater reservoir. A new improvedstinger-completion (ISC) semianalytical coupled model of reservoir and wellbore flow is established in this article, which considers the impacts of well trajectory, permeability distribution, formation damage caused by drilling and completion, and variable mass flow in a horizontal wellbore. By discrete numerical calculation of the new model, pressure, inflow, and water-cresting profiles can be acquired, and consequently, a design method of ISC is also proposed to be used successfully in a heterogeneous bottomwater reservoir for stable oil production by water-cut control and by optimizing the structure, length, and diameter of the stinger. The successful field application of ISC in the LU-X horizontal well also confirms the feasibility and effectiveness of ISC. Reservoir Flow Model of a Horizontal Well in a BottomwaterReservoir. In order to facilitate the derivation of the model, we need to assume the following.

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New, Simple Completion Methods for Horizontal Wells Improve Production Performance in High-Permeability Thin Oil Zones

Cited by 63 publications

References 1 publication

Study of the Horizontal Wellbore and Reservoir Coupling

Study of the Horizontal Wellbore and Reservoir Coupling

Inflow Control Device in Thin-Layer Bottom Water Drive Reservoir Enhances Oil Recovery in China South Sea

A Semianalytical Model for Horizontal Wells With Improved Stinger Completion in Heterogeneous Bottomwater Reservoirs

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