The first ever CO2 foam fracturing new technology in Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) history was executed flawlessly in late 2021. Three treatments were executed. Co2 Foam Fracturing proved its significant added value of improving productivity in deep depleted tight carbonate Jurassic reservoirs, enhance flow back, reduce water consumption and carbon emission, and enable early production plus improving operation efficiency and cost saving. The stimulation operation has proven to be a huge success for all multidisciplinary teams involved as preliminary results showed over 50-70% production increase compared to offset wells. The main challenges of acid fracturing stimulation in depleted reservoirs are the need for extended formation cleanup to flow back the injected fluids via prolonging Nitrogen lift that add higher operational costs and intervention operations. Therefore, energetic high foam efficiency frac fluid becomes essential to assist flowback and retrieve pumped frac fluids from reservoir. To tackle these challenges, Carbon Dioxide CO2 is pumped in liquid phase as energetic fluid together with normal frac fluids. Due to CO2 liquid nature, high foam efficiency can be reached (40 – 50%) at much lower friction losses. So, it enables achieving pumping frac at high rates and high foam efficiency. The main benefits of CO2 Foam frac are better fracture cleanup due to expansion of the stored compressed gas in the liquid CO2, fluid loss control that is provided by foam, minimized fracture conductivity damage, and the increase in hydrostatic pressure while pumping that translates to lower surface pressures during injection. The selected pilot well is in depleted deep tight carbonate reservoir area of North Kuwait Jurassic gas fields. The executed acid fracturing operation required close planning starting from Q1-2021. Many challenges faced from logistical issues, lack of infrastructure and CO2 resources for the multi-faceted operation due to COVID-19 pandemic limitations. These challenges were tackled ahead with the integration of technical and operations teams to bridge the knowledge gap and to enable executing the operation safely. The pilot well's net incremental production gain is estimated at 50-70% compared to offset wells, with improved flowback and formation cleanup with less well intervention. The resulting time and cost savings as well as the incremental well productivity and better operation efficiency confirmed high perspectives for the implemented foam acid fracturing approach. Another two CO2 Foam acid fracturing wells were executed with good results too. This paper will demonstrate the value of CO2 foam fracturing in depleted reservoir and KOC experience post first application and its plans to expand CO2 Foam Fracturing application across KOC different fields.

Jurassic Gas Field Development Group (GFDJ) of Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) completed the first ever CO2 foamed acid frac pilot campaign in three Jurassic sour HTHP wells. This innovative technology was utilized first time ever in the KOC history safely and effectively with exemplary well performances. GFDJ had been pursuing the CO2-foamed acid fracturing technology since 2019 with the objective of improving the stimulation and hydraulic fracturing efficiency in the Jurassic Middle Marrat formation. CO2-foamed acid fracs have several advantages over other stimulation techniques:CO2 is a miscible and non-damaging fluid blends in water and also mixes with hydrocarbons.Pumped as a liquid and slightly heavier than water, leading to lower treating pressures due to heavier hydrostatic head.Effective in treating lower-pressured/partially-depleted good KH carbonate reservoirs.Reduces water-based gels and overall frac-load volume by the percentage of CO2 pumped in the frac fluid system (40% by volume is utilized in this pilot).Energizes the frac fluid and stays in solution until it heats up to gas. This property ensures the frac load recovery is achieved throughout the flowback.Eliminates the need to activate the well after the frac with CT/N2 applications potentially saving time and money to KOC.Has potential to lighten up the heavier ends of the hydrocarbons due to its miscible properties, hence may help with better hydrocarbon inflow.Creates stable foam structure with the frac fluid, increasing the frac fluid viscosity hence has the potential to generate better frac geometry and higher "stimulated rock volume" or SRV. A three-well campaign was completed between September 2021 and February 2022. Three different monobore completion wells were fracture-treated using an average of 40% downhole quality CO2-foam pumped at an average rate of 30 bpm. Different service companies and their fluid systems, as well as their operational capabilities were utilized in operations with exemplary clean up and production test results that surpassed the expectations of the asset. Additionally, pumping cryogenic CO2 at high ambient desert temperatures of September in Kuwait, safely, and operationally effectively is a major milestone and achievement in itself. This paper summarizes the design, operational, well clean-up and production performance details of the CO2 campaign. Learnings of the GFDJ asset will be shared in order to benefit from the learning curve that KOC went through in implementing this strategic application. Success of novel CO2 stimulation technique is critical for the GFDJ asset to continue expanding its production capacity in next 2-3 years while maintaining the strong production plateau achieved in 2021. Future plans of the assets will also be discussed to ensure cross-boundary opportunity realization can be possible in the industry for the region.

Jurassic Gas Field Development Group (GFDJ) of Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) completed the first ever CO2 foamed acid frac pilot campaign in four Jurassic sour HTHP wells. This innovative technology was utilized for the first time in KOC's history safely and effectively with exemplary well performance. GFDJ had been pursuing the CO2-foamed acid fracturing technology since 2019 with the objective of improving the stimulation and hydraulic fracturing efficiency in the Jurassic Middle Marrat formation. CO2-foamed acid fracs have several advantages over other stimulation techniques: CO2 is a miscible and non-damaging fluid which blends in water and also mixes with hydrocarbons. Pumped as a liquid and slightly heavier than water, leading to lower treating pressures due to heavier hydrostatic head. Effective in treating lower-pressured/partially-depleted, good K.H (permeability-height function) carbonate reservoirs. Reduces water-based gels and overall frac-load volume by the percentage of CO2 pumped in the frac fluid system (40% by volume is utilized in this pilot). Energizes the frac fluid and stays in solution until it heats up to gas. This property ensures the frac load recovery is achieved throughout the flowback. Eliminates the need to activate the well after the frac with CT/N2 applications potentially saving time and money to KOC. Has potential to lighten up the heavier ends of the hydrocarbons due to its miscible properties, hence may help with better hydrocarbon inflow. Creates stable foam structure with the frac fluid, increasing the frac fluid viscosity hence has the potential to generate better frac geometry and larger stimulated rock volume (SRV). A four-well campaign was completed within 12 months period. Three different monobore completion wells and one 3-1/2″ tubing with 5″ liner completion well were fracture-treated using an average of 40% downhole quality CO2-foam pumped at an average rate of 30 bpm. Different service companies and their fluid systems, as well as their operational capabilities were utilized in operations with exemplary clean up and production test results that surpassed the expectations of the asset. Additionally, pumping cryogenic CO2 at high ambient desert temperatures of September in Kuwait, safely, and operationally effectively is a major milestone and achievement in itself. This paper summarizes the design, operational, well clean-up and production performance details of the CO2 campaign. Learnings of the GFDJ asset will be shared in order to benefit from the learning curve that KOC went through in implementing this strategic application. Success of novel CO2 stimulation technique is critical for the GFDJ asset to continue expanding its production capacity in next 2-3 years while maintaining the strong production plateau achieved in 2021. Future plans of the assets will also be discussed to ensure cross-boundary opportunity realization will be possible in the industry for the region.