Expandable Tubulars Facilitate Improved Well Stimulation and Well Production

Abstract

Growing energy demand is leading the industry to re-evaluate resources found in challenging conditions such as unconventional gas formations, re-entry wells, and/or low producing wells. Cost-effective development of these resources depends on strategic application of advancing production solution technologies. To enhance production and improve recovery processes, more efficient perforating and fracturing methods have evolved along with advancements in wellbore production hardware via use of solid expandable tubulars or combinations of solid expandable and conventional tubulars.Expandable technology applied as a completion/production string facilitates increased fracturing rates, resulting in improved conductivity and enhanced hydrocarbon production. Expandable tubulars can be used in re-entry wells to isolate old perforations, allowing for new zones or new sections within zones to be perforated and stimulated. Either a combination tubular cladding system or a solid expandable system can provide an integral component in new wells or re-entry wells where low-permeability reservoirs, such as those characteristic of unconventional gas formations, require isolation and separation for selective or pinpoint hydraulic fracturing or re-fracturing.Although successful stimulation is routinely attained from hydraulic fracturing, ancillary downhole tools such as conventional completion equipment often compromise results by restricting flow and affecting pressure performance. Solid expandable systems can optimize the fracturing parameters by maintaining larger diameters and providing seals for selective multi-zone or zonal isolation purposes. These production systems can consist of either solid expandable tubulars or expandable sealing sections combined with conventional tubulars using premium connections, thus providing a superior completion solution.This paper will explain how solid expandable tubulars can be used to facilitate first-time fracturing, re-fracturing, and multi-zone fracturing, refurbishing older wells, and attaining large-diameter production/reservoir conduits. Integration and system development of this technology will be discussed. Case histories will be cited to illustrate the effectiveness of solid expandable systems in enhanced production and fracturing applications.

Unconventional Shale Play Selective Fracturing Using Multilateral Technology

“…Stimulating a horizontal or multi-zone vertical well to properly distribute and optimize the induced fractures is dependent on interpretation of log data, possible well modeling, and the formation's natural fracture structure. Smaller, discrete, multi-position, controlled-stimulated zones provide a higher-capacity-producing well than that of a larger, single stimulation over the entire length of the wellbore (where there is no interval isolation or mechanical diversion) (Durst et al 2009). …”

“…Tight-gas reservoirs require more effective completion and production strategies to make their development economical. New techniques and technologies have led to systems that create multiple transverse or longitudinal fractures in horizontal wells that are completed in unconventional gas formations (Durst et al 2009). …”

Power of Design: Solid Expandable Installation Sets Multiple New Records in Deepshelf HP/HT Well

“…(Durst 2009) Jet Perforating Fracturing methods that focus on treating intervals individually can result in many hours of NPT mainly as a result of discrete process steps that require trips in and out of the well between treatments while pumping equipment resources remain idle or are required to leave and return to the well site. These discrete steps include trips for perforating, setting or moving tools such as bridge plugs, and wellbore cleanouts.…”

“…(East 2008) A solid expandable system equipped with swellable elastomers and combined with hydrajet perforating and fracturing methods require only a single trip in to install the expandable swellable production conduit and a single trip in to carry out all the perforating, fracturing, and cleanout operations (and if required, the production kickoff). (Durst 2009) Smart Completions Solid expandable liners deployed as enablers in a workover strategy helped convert single lateral wells into multilateral/maximum-reservoir contact wells by providing the platform for installation of downhole flow control systems.…”

Analytical model for stick–slip phenomenon in solid tubular expansion

“…Solid expandable tubular is developed specifically to allow additional casing strings to be run to cover up problem zones to facilitate drilling a well to the ERD target (Wallace and Fritsch, 2009). It aims at cutting down the costs incurred in well drilling and completion by providing smaller casing schemes, cheaper completions, as well as lower-cost work-over and casing repairs (Campo et al, 2003;Contreras et al, 2010;Durst and Ruzic, 2009). Nylund et al (2010) presented a recent case history explaining how these tubular systems have facilitated multiple exploration and development projects in a region with drilling and completion challenges, especially by planning SET into the basis of the design to preserve the well-hole size and reduce non-productive drilling time.…”