Pioneering the First Stack Cased Hole Gravel Pack Completion in Turkmenistan

Abstract

The Dzheitune (LAM) Field, situated within the Cheleken Contract area on the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea, offshore Turkmenistan, has witnessed the execution of seven Cased Hole Gravel Packs (CH GP) operations to date. All these wells concentrated within the A-sand formation spanning a 100-meter gross interval. Traditional CH GP techniques proved suitable for the initial wells, meeting the demands of high drawdown and narrow frac window constrain. However, as exploration extended into a new reservoir characterized by a thicker pay zone, the need for enhanced technical solutions became apparent. Following detailed equipment evaluations and hydraulic modelling, it was determined that stack CH GP represented the optimal technology to unlock the full potential of the new reservoir within a short timeframe, taking into consideration the available equipment resources. The implementation of Stack CH GP involves a two-stage process, effectively dividing the productive interval into two zones. The lower zone GP is executed using conventional methods, while the upper zone demands special considerations. In response to this, several crucial technical enhancements have been integrated into the completion design. Upper zone cleanout program has been introduced to clean the perforation debris from top of packer before/PBR stabbing into the lower zone. To ensure circulation packing efficiency added ceramic disks, which providing temporary isolation between zones during pumping operation. Importantly, this isolation could be easily disabled after the installation of the production string. To eliminate the potential risks associated with flapper disk parts, during intervention operations including ceramic disk breaking, LBFV was purposefully removed from the Gravel Pack (GP) extension. To date, two Stack CH GP jobs successfully executed. Improved approach enabled to cover a total gross interval of 416 meters, with 210 meters for well A and 206 meters for well B. This advancement has resulted in a substantial increase in production per well unit. This paper promises to offer significant practical insights into Stack CH GP, enriching the existing knowledge repository in related technologies. The outlined approach introduces a streamlined design for Stack CH GP, incorporating the use of a non-viscous carrier fluid. This innovative approach creates fresh opportunities for formations where costly Alternative Path systems (APS) are financially unsustainable.