Final Gravel Pack
Summary
TLDRThis 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
- π οΈ Comprehensive understanding of drilling and completing processes is crucial for horizontal wells due to high stakes and risks involved.
- π§ Dowell offers tailored reservoir drilling fluids designed to minimize formation damage and suit specific well conditions.
- π Formation characteristics and completion techniques dictate the requirements for reservoir drilling fluids, emphasizing the importance of customization.
- π Excellent cuttings transport properties of Dowell's drilling fluids are vital for maintaining clean hole conditions before screen installation.
- π Proper screen selection and sizing are critical to minimize problems in standalone screen completions, especially in formations with variable particle size distribution.
- π Thinned filter cakes should be easily removable to prevent hindrance to production after the well hole is conditioned.
- π« Evidence suggests that hole collapse isn't always occurring in many wells, which can affect screen performance and production stability.
- π‘ High rate water packing is a method to eliminate well failures in horizontal wells, requiring a wellbore seal for successful gravel transport and settling.
- π 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.
- π Incomplete packs due to high velocities or shale layer encounters can lead to water coning, premature water breakthrough, and loss of hydrocarbon reserves.
- π 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
π§ 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.
π 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.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Drilling
π‘Horizontal Well
π‘Drilling Fluids
π‘Formation Damage
π‘Cutting Transport
π‘Filter Cake
π‘Gravel Packing
π‘High Rate Water Pack
π‘Sand Cage Software
π‘Alternate Path Technology
π‘Water Coning
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
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