Drilling wells in complex geological structures from offshore platforms, or onshore in areas with land access restrictions often creates complex S-shaped wells. In many such wells, high-angle doglegs cause problems with wireline key-seating, thus restricting reservoir access. When Logging While Drilling (LWD) data acquisition is not an option and Pipe-Conveyed Logging (PCL) is discarded because of its risky and time-consuming nature, many wells could end up without critical Formation evaluation data. To overcome reservoir access challenges in the Sirikit Field in Thailand, a Through-Drill pipe Logging (TDL) technique has recently been introduced to complete formation evaluation. This method safely and effectively overcomes the complex well trajectories and associated wireline conveyance problems, such as key-seating. Slim 2.25" OD logging tools including Triple Combo (TC), Quad Combo (QC) and formation pressure tester and fluid sampler are deployed on wireline through open-ended drill pipe into open-hole without difficulties and with full well control maintained at all times. A standard TDL operating procedure has been developed between wireline and drilling crews, allowing for safe and fast operations. The driller is able to have well control, with pipe being reciprocated regularly. Typically the drill pipe is run with a reamer shoe to allow borehole cleanout operations in the same run. The TDL deployement method is now a key component in the standard decision tree for data acquisition strategy in Sirikit Field and it has been successfully introduced in the Sirikit Field in May 2016. Since then, a total of 59 runs have been performed in 31 wells where wireline reservoir access problems were encountered, saving an estimated 1,240 hours of combined rig time not counting any potential wireline fishing jobs that would likely have occurred. A near 100% success rate is maintained, measured by reaching well TD and acquiring all desired wireline data. Petro physicist and geologists are no longer left without the crucial formation evaluation data they require for successful reservoir management. This paper present a case study that clearly demonstrates that the TDL deployment technique can be very effective in providing safe and efficient wireline access to reservoir sections in S-shaped wells with risky wellbore conditions, where high-angle doglegs and key-seating would otherwise have restricted the ability to obtain Formation evaluation log data and fluid samples.
This reference is for an abstract only. A full paper was not submitted for this conference. In Kharir Field (Yemen, Block 10), major hydrocarbon accumulation is hosted in fractured basement. Along drilled basement sections, only restricted intervals account for flow. Accurate identification of open flowing fractures (amid numerous planar features) is crucial to characterize and monitor non-conventional basement reservoir. At well Kharir-XX, relevant logs were acquired in single run (Resistive-Acoustic Borehole Image, Fullwave Cross-dipole Acoustic, Induction and Spectral GR). Logging program was designed to provide maximal time for flowing intervals identification before decision to perform Formation Tester Run. Acoustic image and Cross-dipole full wave data acquired RIH were sent from wellsite, QCed and processed. Interpretation focused on Acoustic Travel Time Image which is a key parameter for flowing fracture recognition. Wellsite Monopole VDL images were used for evaluation of Stoneley Wave Reflectors. High-definition Array Induction Log and Micro-resistivity Borehole Imager data were logged whilst POOH and sent at regular intervals for evaluation. From above logs, fractures that appeared large, continuous and visible on the Acoustic Travel Time (potentially open at borehole wall); with a conductive appearance on micro-resistivity images were located and oriented. These fractures were then ranked taking into account their good match with while-drilling gas shows and increased rate of penetration. From tens of candidate intervals only twelve were selected for testing. Interval Formation Tester was deployed using Dual Inflatable Packer System (1m packer spacing). Borehole images were used to accurately position packers to avoid risking damage or no/lost seal. Formation Tester was run under Aphron mud system (reversible cake). Special clean fluid carriers inflated packers, thus avoiding risk of plugging fluid lines inside the tool with congealing mud. At well Kharir-XX, 80% of selected sampling stations gave reliable formation pressures, pressure transients, fluid gradients, mobilities and representative formation fluid samples.
Water flooding and gas coning are potential problems in the horizontal wells drilled to penetrate the oil column in the channel sands of the Hassi R'Mel field. This field is operated by Sonatrach, the Algerian National Oil Company. High Definition Induction Logging (HDIL) in such environments has been used to build a reliable geological model along the wellbore, identify potential problem intervals, and minimize the risk of perforating and producing gas and/or water. The new generation of induction tools - array induction tools - has an advantage of acquiring unfocused data that can be numerically focused to any part of the formation at the post-acquisition stage. Operating at low frequencies with relatively large transmitter-receiver spacings, the wireline array induction measurements can provide reliable information from geological targets up to a 6-m (20 ft) distance from the borehole, depending on resitivity contrasts. In horizontal wells, the induction data may be influenced by adjacent layers located above or below the reservoir. In such cases, when evaluating the water saturation in the near wellbore region, we must, firstly, correct for the influence of the remote layers. Secondly, after correcting the deep HDIL measurements for the presence of the borehole and invasion, we use them to determine both the distance to and the resistivity of remote beds. To integrate the HDIL results into the geological model, a number of issues must be considered. First of all, in the Hassi R'Mel field remote conductive shoulder beds may be either conductive shales or water-bearing horizons. Therefore, to distinguish between the two, their resistivities must differ and, in the interpretation stage, be compared with that of the remote shoulder bed interpretation. In addition, as the measurements do not have a sense of direction, they cannot distinguish between remote beds above or below. Interpretation of the location of an identified remote layer must therefore be based on the geological model for the field as well as other log data. Finally, although an interface between two resistive layers is more difficult to resolve, remote oil-gas contacts may in some cases be found from the interpretation. Presently, every logging job in Hassi R'mel includes an HDIL tool in a string, and the data are usually processed within 48 hours. Providing the geological model and perforating recommendations prior to well completion improves the economics of the well due to increase in oil production and the reduced cost of well recompletion. Introduction More than seventy years after formation resistivity logs were first recorded to identify the presence of hydrocarbons they have lost none of their importance. A particular challenge we face today is to interpret the response of resistivity instruments in deviated and horizontal wells, where formation layering is at a high relative angle or parallel to the wellbore.1,2 Horizontal and highly deviated wells have significantly increased our ability to efficiently produce hydrocarbons from formations where oil recovery otherwise would not be economical. For example, horizontal wells allow us to access the hydrocarbons in thin stratigraphic intervals or where they are sandwiched between an expanding gas cap and an active aquifer. Interpreting the response of today's modern array resistivity tools in these situations is critical to the drilling and formation evaluation process. In horizontal wells, the response of resistivity tools in even a simple layered formation is complicated and may differ significantly from our vertical well-based intuition. However, forward modeling and inversion techniques, from the simplest to the most sophisticated, can assist us with extracting the required information.
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