Final Gravel Pack

Summary

This script discusses the critical aspects of drilling and completing horizontal wells, emphasizing the importance of understanding the process to mitigate risks. It highlights Dowell's tailored drilling fluids for minimal formation damage and the challenges of screen completions. The script introduces high-rate water packing and alternate path technologies for effective gravel packing in horizontal wells, which can prevent well failures and enhance production, ensuring a stable and long-lasting well performance.

Takeaways

• 🛠️ Comprehensive understanding of drilling and completing processes is crucial for horizontal wells due to high stakes and risks involved.
• 💧 Dowell offers tailored reservoir drilling fluids designed to minimize formation damage and suit specific well conditions.
• 🔍 Formation characteristics and completion techniques dictate the requirements for reservoir drilling fluids, emphasizing the importance of customization.
• 🚀 Excellent cuttings transport properties of Dowell's drilling fluids are vital for maintaining clean hole conditions before screen installation.
• 📊 Proper screen selection and sizing are critical to minimize problems in standalone screen completions, especially in formations with variable particle size distribution.
• 🔄 Thinned filter cakes should be easily removable to prevent hindrance to production after the well hole is conditioned.
• 🚫 Evidence suggests that hole collapse isn't always occurring in many wells, which can affect screen performance and production stability.
• 💡 High rate water packing is a method to eliminate well failures in horizontal wells, requiring a wellbore seal for successful gravel transport and settling.
• 🔄 The packing process involves an alpha wave that propagates towards the well's toe and a beta wave that completes the packing from toe to heel.
• 🛑 Incomplete packs due to high velocities or shale layer encounters can lead to water coning, premature water breakthrough, and loss of hydrocarbon reserves.
• 🔄 Alternate path technology, adapted for horizontal wells, uses viscosity instead of velocity for gravel packing, allowing for bypassing of bridges and complete interval packing.

Q & A

What is the significance of having a comprehensive understanding of the drilling and completing process when drilling a horizontal well?

A comprehensive understanding of the drilling and completing process is crucial due to the high stakes and risks involved in drilling a horizontal well. It ensures that every event that occurs from the initial encounter with the formation can be managed properly to avoid altering the production and life of the well negatively.

What role do Dowell's reservoir drilling fluids play in the drilling process?

Dowell's reservoir drilling fluids are tailored to suit specific well conditions and demonstrate minimal formation damage. They have excellent cuttings transport properties, which are essential for maintaining well integrity and ensuring the well's production efficiency.

Why is it important to leave the hole as clean as possible prior to running the screens?

Leaving the hole as clean as possible before running the screens helps to minimize problems associated with standalone screen completions. Thinned filter cakes that are fully acidizable can be produced back through the sand screen, contributing to a more stable production rate with less risk of screen failure.

What are the challenges faced with standalone screen completions when the wellbore collapses onto a properly sized screen?

While a stable production rate is usually observed when the wellbore collapses onto a properly sized screen, there is evidence that in many wells, the hole does not collapse as expected. This can lead to issues with screen plugging, excessive pressure drop, increased localized velocities, and erosion of the screen, potentially resulting in failure.

How does gravel packing of horizontal wells help in eliminating costly well failures?

Gravel packing of horizontal wells provides an opportunity to create a stable and uniform filter cake that supports the wellbore and prevents sand production. This can eliminate the need for costly workovers and ensure the well's longevity and production efficiency.

What is a high rate water pack and why is it used for gravel packing a horizontal well?

A high rate water pack is a completion method for gravel packing a horizontal well where gravel is added at low concentrations and transported with a high velocity. This method is used to quickly form a settled bed and propagate an alpha wave towards the toe of the well, ensuring a successful pack and preventing the formation of bridges that could lead to incomplete packing.

How does the use of sand cage software benefit the gravel packing process?

Sand cage software can model the packing process, providing insights into how gravel will settle and how the alpha and beta waves will propagate. This helps in optimizing the gravel packing process and ensuring a complete and uniform pack throughout the well interval.

What are the common issues faced after a successful high rate water pack that may hinder production?

Even after a successful high rate water pack, there may be issues with filter cake cleanup, which can hinder production. Operators often opt for post-acidizing treatments to enhance production, but the major problem is contacting the filter cake, which can lead to incomplete intervals being packed.

What is the alternate path technology and how does it differ from traditional gravel packing methods?

The alternate path technology is an adaptation of gravel packing methods to meet the needs of horizontal applications. Unlike traditional methods that rely on velocity, alternate path technology uses viscosity to pack the annulus, allowing for bypassing of bridges and ensuring a complete pack even in the presence of varying downhole conditions.

How does the use of inflatable packers with the alternate path technology benefit long horizontal wells?

Inflatable packers used with the alternate path technology allow for selective interval packing, which can be particularly useful in the later life of a well when water coning is present. This enables the isolation of the coning interval and continued production from other intervals, maximizing production and reserves.

What are the benefits of using the all pack system with the alternate path technology in long horizontal wells?

The all pack system with alternate path technology ensures a tight gravel pack over the entire screen length, resulting in minimum drawdown and contributing to a long-lasting completion. It eliminates the potential for water coning, leading to higher production rates and more reserves being recovered.

Outlines

00:00

🚧 Horizontal Well Completion Techniques

This paragraph discusses the critical nature of horizontal well drilling and completion, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive understanding of the process to mitigate risks. Dow offers tailored reservoir drilling fluids designed to minimize formation damage. It also covers the importance of hole cleanliness before screen placement and the challenges associated with standalone screen completions, including well bore collapse and screen deformation. The paragraph further explores the benefits and methods of gravel packing in horizontal wells, including high rate water packing and the use of sand cage software to model the packing process. It also touches on the issues that can arise from incomplete gravel packs and the consequences of premature water breakthrough on hydrocarbon reserves.

05:00

🛠 Innovative Gravel Packing with Alternate Path Technology

The second paragraph introduces an innovative gravel packing technique for horizontal wells, known as Alternate Path Technology. This method uses viscosity instead of velocity to pack the annulus, allowing for bypassing of bridges and ensuring a complete pack even in challenging downhole conditions. The technology involves the use of shunt tubes attached to screens, which facilitate fluid flow around high leak-off areas, promoting a complete gravel pack. The benefits include minimized potential for water coning, higher production rates, and the ability to isolate water coning intervals for continued production from other zones. The paragraph also mentions the use of inflatable packers for selective interval packing and the advantages of a tight gravel pack for maximum production and longevity of the well completion.

Keywords

💡Drilling

Drilling refers to the process of creating a hole in the ground to access sub-surface resources, such as oil or natural gas. In the context of the video, drilling is critical for the successful completion of a horizontal well, where the process must be meticulously managed to avoid risks and ensure optimal well production.

💡Horizontal Well

A horizontal well is a type of well that deviates from the vertical and follows a horizontal path within a geological formation. The script emphasizes the high stakes involved in drilling and completing such wells, highlighting the need for a comprehensive understanding of the process to maximize production and well life.

💡Drilling Fluids

Drilling fluids, also known as 'mud' in the industry, are essential in drilling operations to cool and lubricate the drill bit, remove cuttings, and maintain wellbore stability. The script mentions that Dow offers tailored drilling fluids that demonstrate minimal formation damage, indicating their importance in optimizing well conditions.

💡Formation Damage

Formation damage refers to any reduction in the permeability of a reservoir due to drilling or completion activities. The video script discusses how Dow's drilling fluids can be tailored to minimize this damage, which is crucial for maintaining the well's production capacity.

💡Cutting Transport

Cutting transport is the process of moving the rock fragments, or cuttings, created by the drilling process out of the wellbore. The script notes that Dow's reservoir drilling fluids have excellent cuttings transport properties, which is vital for keeping the hole clean before running screens.

💡Filter Cake

A filter cake is a layer of solid particles, usually formed by the drilling fluid, that can build up on the wellbore walls. The script discusses the importance of thinning filter cakes to ensure they can be produced back through the sand screen, which is crucial for wellbore cleanliness and subsequent operations.

💡Gravel Packing

Gravel packing is a completion technique used to prevent sand production by placing a layer of gravel behind a perforated casing or screen in a well. The script explains the benefits of gravel packing in horizontal wells, such as eliminating costly well failures and enhancing production.

💡High Rate Water Pack

High rate water pack is a specific gravel packing technique that involves adding gravel at low concentrations and transporting it with high velocity. The script details the process of this technique, emphasizing its ability to form a settled bed and propagate an alpha wave towards the well's toe, leading to a successful pack.

💡Sand Cage Software

Sand Cage Software is a tool mentioned in the script for modeling the gravel packing process. It helps in visualizing and understanding how the packing process works, which is essential for optimizing well completion strategies.

💡Alternate Path Technology

Alternate Path Technology is an innovative method adapted for gravel packing in horizontal wells, as discussed in the script. It involves using shunt tubes to bypass bridges and ensure a complete pack, even in challenging downhole conditions. This technology is highlighted for its ability to avoid premature bridging and achieve a tight gravel pack over the entire screen length.

💡Water Coning

Water coning is a phenomenon where water migrates towards the production wellbore, which can lead to premature water breakthrough and reduced hydrocarbon recovery. The script discusses how certain gravel packing techniques can minimize the potential for water coning, thus maintaining higher production rates and preserving reserves.

Highlights

The importance of a comprehensive understanding of the drilling and completing process for horizontal wells due to high stakes and risks involved.

Dow offers customized reservoir drilling fluids tailored to suit specific well conditions and minimize formation damage.

Drilling fluids with excellent cuttings transport properties to ensure a clean hole prior to running screens.

Minimization of problems associated with standalone screen completions when the well bore collapses onto a properly sized screen.

Evidence suggests that the hole may not be collapsing in many wells, affecting screen performance.

Challenges in proper screen selection for formations with significant variance in particle size distribution.

The process of gravel packing in horizontal wells to eliminate costly failures and enhance production.

High rate water pack as a completion method for horizontal wells, requiring wellbore sealing for successful execution.

The use of sand cage software to model the packing process in horizontal wells.

Post-acid icing treatments to enhance production by removing filter cake that may hinder it.

Problems with acidizing long intervals due to the difficulty in contacting the filter cake uniformly.

Incomplete gravel packs caused by areas of high cough or encountering shale layers during the packing process.

The development of alternate path technologies to meet the needs of horizontal applications in gravel packing.

The use of viscosity instead of velocity in the alternate path technology for effective gravel packing.

The ability of alternate path technology to bypass bridges and ensure a complete pack in horizontal wells.

The advantage of filter cake removal during the packing process with alternate path technology.

The use of inflatable Packers for selective interval packing in the later life of the well to combat water coning.

Long horizontal sections can be successfully gravel packed with alternate path technology, ensuring maximum production and no sand influx.

Contact Dowell representatives for more information on innovative gravel pack techniques for horizontal wells.

Transcripts

the stakes are high when drilling and

completing a horizontal well with the

risks involved a complete comprehensive

understanding of the drilling and

completing process is necessary rely on

Dow well for the completion of your

horizontal well horizontal open-hole

completions begin when the drill bit

first encounters the formation from that

point on every event that occurs can

alter the production and life of the

well dow l offers several reservoir

drilling fluids which meet your

formation needs our drilling fluids can

be specifically tailored to suit your

well conditions and demonstrate minimal

formation damage the formation

characteristics and completion technique

dictate your reservoir drill in fluid

requirements dow l reservoir drilling

fluids have excellent cuttings transport

properties once the hole is drilled it

is common to leave the hole as clean as

possible prior to running the screens

the thinned filter cakes are fully acid

izybelle and can be produced back

through the sand screen after the hole

is properly conditioned the screens are

run into place problems associated with

standalone screen completions are

minimized when the well bore collapses

onto a properly sized screen and

deformation with a uniform civis

tribution after the formation collapses

a stable production rate is usually

observed with very little sign of screen

failure regardless of the screen type

however there exists a growing amount of

evidence that the hole is not collapsing

in many wells in addition proper screen

selection has proven difficult for

formations with considerable variance in

particle size distribution in standalone

completions the initial production is

fairly uniform as the production

continues areas of the screen become

plugged forcing the flow to less damaged

areas of the well bore as plugging

continues the flow is further

concentrated in smaller areas of the

screens these hotspots result in

excessive pressure drop and increased

localized velocities which result in

erosion of the screen and subsequent

failure at best the screen is plugged

resulting in high drawdown pressures and

low production gravel packing of

horizontal wells presents the

opportunity to eliminate costly well

failures while reaping the rewards of

horizontal completion

one completion method for gravel packing

a horizontal will is a high rate water

pack for a successful high rate water

pack the wellbore essentially has to be

sealed such that returns can be taken at

the toe of the weld gravel is added at

low concentrations and is transported

with velocity as the gravel enters the

horizontal annulus it quickly settles

into a low energy environment forming a

settled bed as the size of the settled

bed increases a high energy environment

forms along the top of the wellbore and

sand is transported by turbulence this

process quickly forms an increasing

front at the angle of repose which

propagates the alpha wave towards the

toe of the well the packing process

continues as long as there is enough

open area to pass gravel after the

gravel reaches the toe of the well a

beta wave is initiated the beta wave

packs the remaining open area from the

toe to the heel resulting in a

successful pack this packing process can

be modeled with sand cage software even

after a successful high rate water pack

there is still the task of cleanup of

the filter cake as it may be hindering

production many operators opt for post

acid icing treatments to enhance

production the major problem with acid

izing long intervals is contacting the

filter cake typically the acid will

wormhole the filter cake in one area and

the rest of the treatment flows into

this newly created area of high

permeability all high rate water packs

do not completely pack the entire

interval leading large areas of screens

exposed these incomplete packs can be

caused by areas of highly cough which

create velocities that are below the

critical velocity for gravel transport

this will initiate a premature beta wave

another leading cause of incomplete

packing is when a shale layer is

encountered typically the water

sensitive shales will deteriorate after

only a short time this results in shales

mixing with the gravel creating a lower

productivity area in the well annulus

shortly thereafter the forward movement

halts initiating the beta wave the

combination of ineffective filter cake

removal areas of higher and lower gravel

pack conductivity and incomplete packing

all promote water coning these actions

can result in premature water

breakthrough and lost hydrocarbon

reserves as a result of the problems

that can be associated with high rate

water pack an alternative method for

gravel packing long horizontal wells has

been developed the alternate path

technologies were adapted to meet the

needs of horizontal applications this

packing procedure is used to

successfully gravel pack all wells

regardless of the downhole conditions to

avoid a premature bridging associated

with viscous carrier fluids shunt tubes

attached to the side of the screens

allow an alternate patch which bypasses

the bridges and continues to pack where

voids exist ensuring a complete pack in

horizontal wells the alternate path

technology utilizes viscosity not

velocity to pack the annulus since

viscosity is used the shear rate at the

wall is zero this means that shales can

be bypassed presenting no problems to

the completion bridges or screen out

occurs at areas of high leak off the

flow of fluid then reverts down through

the shunt tubes bypassing the bridges

and completely packing the interval

since the use of shunts bypass bridges

it is no longer necessary for returns at

the toe of the well this allows for

filter cake removal during the packing

process as the filter cake is removed

areas of high leak off occur and the

sand packs off with the gravel actually

acting as a bridging agent forcing all

the fluid flow down through the shunt

tubes this process continues until the

entire well bore is packed as the well

is put on production the potential for

water coning is minimized resulting in

higher production rates and more

reserves being for

with the ability to bypass bridges the

all pack system can utilize inflatable

Packers for complete packing at

selective intervals later in the life of

the well when water Corning is present

the Cohn interval may be isolated and

production continued from other

intervals long horizontal sections can

be successfully gravel packed assuring

maximum production and no sand influx a

tight gravel pack is assured over the

entire screen length resulting in

minimum drawdown and contributes to a

long lasting completion eliminating

costly work overs contact your nearest

Dowell representative for more

information on this innovative gravel

pack technique