Validation of a Completion Digital Twin Applied to Packer Setting

Abstract

Open hole packers setting usually is performed running in hole the completion equipment and afterwards running a wireline operation to precisely check the packer position and make the needed adjustments to set it in accordance with the geological targets. The current digital twin software incorporates comprehensive models and it receives surface data in real time to analyze the current operation status, by comparing real and calculated (expected) data, with quantitative criteria. It allows the user to follow up the completion column running in hole, to make real time editions if any item needs to be replaced during operation (impact damage, measurement update, etc.). Torque and drag models allow to infer the completion column elongation and verify the real elements position within the well and based on integrity assessment the work window is calculated real time. The target depths are defined during drilling operations using logging data, then drill string elongation calculated with the drilling digital twin software was used to align the real reference depth in both scenarios, drilling and completion. With the real position of the packer in hole it was possible to define the stick up needed to adjust its position to the target depth before setting it. A validation was performed using three offshore real cases, where the packer position considering completion column elongation and the wireline results for packer position considering the pipe tag position detection were compared. In both approaches, a measurement for stick up was obtained to define the correct depth for packer setting and considered to be in good agreement. The novelty is the usage of numerical simulation to optimize the time spent to conclude the packer setting by avoiding an extra operation at the rig site, saving time, costs and operational risks.