This paper describes optimal field development and appraisal in complex reservoirs and challenging environments in field ‘ABC’. Most of the wells are laterals with ICD (lower) completions across heterogeneous carbonate reservoirs. Highly corrosive environments i.e. up to 20% H2S present an added risk, particularly in the event of water encroachment. Optimal development needs a multi-disciplinary surveillance approach involving an integration of input form stakeholders, including geoscience and petroleum engineering, to ensure productivity optimization during the whole life of the field. Field ABC is an offshore field with extremely heterogeneous carbonate reservoirs and acid stimulation is usually done to improve production. The wells in the field are mostly horizontal, oil producers with ICD lower completions. The upper completion uses carbon steel L80 and for corrosion mitigation, inhibitors are injected through chemical injection valves. In this paper, a pilot well is reviewed where a methodical approach was used for evaluation. Baseline production logging and reservoir saturation monitoring were done in the lower completion and a corrosion log was acquired in both the upper and lower completions. Data acquired was integrated and observations show that the measurements correlate well with each other. This case study integrates and correlates downhole zonal contribution, phase holdups, pressure and temperature data from production logging with metal loss data from a high-resolution multi-finger caliper tool. Well trajectory shows a depression across the heel of the well which is incidentally between the EOT and the topmost ICD. Although there is no water production at surface, a static water sump is observed across this depression on the production logs. This static water is possibly completion fluid or unremoved fluid from the acid job. Minor localized corrosion is also observed across the same depression on the corrosion logs, also confirming presence of some water. The H2S production and the presence of water is an added risk to completion integrity as it creates a corrosive environment. Therefore, in such cases it will be necessary to monitor the production and corrosion at regular intervals of time. This case study shows that by applying a multi-disciplinary approach and integrating various measurements, well conditions can be viewed not just as pieces of a puzzle but as a complete picture to improve the understanding of the well behavior. Time-lapse monitoring of production and corrosion along with reservoir saturation is also necessary to prevent surprises and help in making informed decisions towards better field development.

Surveillance in deep water wells is cost prohibitive. There is a need for significant hydrocarbon production or water shutoff incentive to justify the intervention in such wells. The wells straddle multiple stacks of soft sediment reservoirs, being completed with open hole gravel pack. While laterally extensive barriers between various sands units might help the water shutoff / containment, the gravel pack annulus still provides a conduit for water to move upwards and jeopardize the shutoff success. In this campaign a meltable alloy was deployed to plug the flow in both annulus and screens. In deep water subsea wells, water conformance control is often attempted blindly without flow diagnostic surveillance or production logs as a minimum. This can impact the production due to plugging substantial hydrocarbon production or inadequate flow from the remaining zones. Candidate wells or techniques for shut-off require robust diagnostics to improve the success rate and limit loss of oil or gas production. In a recent well work campaign production logs were acquired to optimize the water shut-off. Well access is challenged by limited rigup height (short lubricator) and well deviation. The well trajectory impacts the phase presence, mixing and recirculation. It requires a short array of sensors conveyed on tractor. Logging while tractoring capabilities in surface readout mode is required to minimize the rig time, improve depth control and perform real time data quality assurance. The multiple mini-spinners, electrical and optical probes are all positioned to the well's vertical axis to capture all local changes in the flow regimes. Sensor arrangement is sufficiently compact in this tool to minimize flow disturbance by tool occupancy and movement along the well. Real-time profiling of the complex flow regimes during the acquisition provided better log control and understanding of the downhole phase dynamics. Changing the mindset about subsea deep-water reservoir surveillance paid dividends in water shutoff operations, both for immediate decision make and for longer term well and reservoir performance management. There was a net benefit by deploying a compact axial array production logging string that allowed accurate rate and phase allocation and further identification of zones to be isolated using an innovative plug-back method that significantly reduced the water production.

Production logging forms an integral part of reservoir monitoring and problem diagnosis during the productive life of a hydrocarbon field. However, conditions in many wells make acquiring logs difficult, if not nearly impossible. An innovative conveyance and acquisition system applied in four nonconventional operations from Mexico has made it possible to acquire logs that would not have been attempted without this technology.The new technique uses coiled tubing equipped with optical fibers to acquire real-time measurements from the downhole logging string. The advantages of this conveyance option include a lighter, more portable coil, compared to traditional coil tubing with logging cable, the capacity to pump fluids through the coil, and no need for a logging unit. This novel technology can be used for production logging in horizontal or high angle wells, especially when a lighter coil is needed to get down, on offshore platforms when space is limited, to lift and log wells that do not flow naturally, and in wells that need cleaning out before logging because the same coil can be used for both purposes.Each of these cases from Mexico illustrates a unique application of the system. The first involves an offshore well, which was cleaned out, lifted with nitrogen and logged to obtain a production profile, with a single coil. The second is a production log for water entry diagnosis in a well with two branches, one horizontal and the other vertical. The third well, a highly deviated barefoot completion, does not flow because of water accumulation in the wellbore, but was cleaned out, lifted and logged with fiber-equipped coil. The fourth is a horizontal shale gas well for which the same coil was used to clean out and then run an advanced production logging string.These selected cases highlight the significant extension in the range of application of production logs and well diagnosis with the introduction of this new system, especially in complicated cases or in wells that need to be lifted to flow. The technology also reduces the amount of resources required on location, improving logistics, saving time, and ultimately lowering costs for operators.

In a green field located in offshore Abu Dhabi, a new well was drilled in an oil-bearing zone and was completed with slotted liner inside a 6-in horizontal drain hole. Abnormally high gas rates were reported during the surface production testing of this well. This paper highlights the unique use of a new pulsed neutron tool combined with an advanced production logging tool for assessment of the well performance and identification of the source of gas breakthrough. This combination of advanced technology tools with measurements from array flowmeters, optical gas holdup sensors, and a new generation pulsed-neutron tool was deployed in the well to provide reliable flow type, borehole, and formation measurements in a gas environment. A multidisciplinary approach involving production engineering, petrophysics, and well integrity was essential in diagnosing this unexpected issue of high gas production. An integration of the various results from production logging, the pulsed neutron measurements, and open-hole and cement log data has helped in confirming the source of the produced gas. The acquired production log (PL) data revealed gas entry from the top of the lower completion and no presence of free gas below that depth. The zonal contributions from the horizontal lateral quantified from the acquired data also helped in assessing the productivity of the reservoir. The pulsed neutron log (PNL) measurements were acquired in the second run, which then helped confirm the borehole fluid properties and to identify and quantify the formation fluids. Combining the PNL and PL data helped identify the gas entry point accurately. Based on the integrated data interpretation, it was confirmed that the gas could not originate from the reservoir being produced through the lower completion and that there must be gas channeling downward through channels in the cement behind the casing from a gas reservoir above the oil reservoir. The unique use of the advanced PNL data and its integration with other log data facilitated the successful identification of the gas source and quantified zonal contributions in a challenging logging environment.

The UHP exploratory well subject of this study faced with myriad challenges, including fishing, side-tracking, and other undesirable incidents with consequences to the 9-7/8" production casing. Torque and drag analysis, preliminary casing wear simulations, and actual drilling parameters pointed towards multiple uncertainties concerning barrier integrity. Consequently, a multi-physics evaluation was conducted including well-integrity logs in a combination of thickness-mode with flexural-mode of the casing. Signals from these independent measurements are then processed to provide robust interpretation of solid-liquid-gas behind casing using acquired flexural attenuation and acoustic impedance data. In addition, casing wear is quantified by thickness changes measured through the resonance frequency of the waveform and represented in the form of a joint-by-joint corrosion summary, reporting the average metal loss. Furthermore, propagation of flexural wave-fronts as it leaks to the third interface is tracked to produce a unique image of the annulus geometry in terms of casing eccentricity and acoustic velocity of the medium. Subsequently, the former, provides a quantifiable, unique in-situ casing standoff measurement to be used for centralization evaluation. Application of the developed data-integrated workflow allowed for comprehensively analyzing well integrity barrier condition. Cement barriers were assessed with confidence by flexural imaging, which were difficult to determine solely with pulse-echo. Additionally, annulus imaging using third interface- echo (TIE) helped in characterizing the potential causes of casing wear and quality of cement behind casing by providing actual in-situ casing standoff. It was observed that casing wear was at the low side of the wellbore where the casing had the least standoff as shown by flexural waveform TIE arrivals. Moreover, high percentage of metal loss was correlated to regions with centralization lower than 40-50%. Integration of these results with casing side forces and remaining casing strength (under worst case scenario) was performed to evaluate casing endurance for future drilling, production, and injection operations.