Greater Plutonio Openhole Gravel-Pack Completions: Fluid Design and Field
Applications

Whaley, Kevin J.; Price-Smith, C.; Twynam, Allan; Jackson, Phillip

doi:10.2523/107297-ms

Cited by 13 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 13 publications

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“…In addition, excessive leakoff or improper selection of gravel concentration and/or pump rates could lead to formation of sand bridges in the wellbore/screen annulus, thus resulting in incomplete gravel placement. In nearly two decades, alternate flow path technology has been utilized successfully (Jones et al 1991;Bryant and Jones 1995;Tibbles et al 2000;Dickerson et al 2003;Whaley et al 2007) in gravel packing operations to bypass sand bridges formed in the wellbore/screen annulus. Alternative flow paths for slurry flow are provided by either perforated secondary piping (also called shunt tubes) usually attached to the screen assembly on the outside or perforated concentric pipe creating an annular secondary conduit for slurry flow (Dickerson et al 2003).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Flow Simulator for the Design of Extreme-Length Gravel Packs Utilizing Alternate-Path Technology

Rao¹,

Amin²

2010

SPE International Symposium and Exhibition on Formation Damage Control

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A transient flow simulator has been developed for the design of extreme length (5000 ft or longer), horizontal gravel pack operations. The flow simulator incorporates alternate path technology concepts which include shunt tube hydraulics to bypass bridges/barriers in the well/screen annulus.Alternate path technology has been successfully utilized for sand control in deep water wells and, over the past decade, this technology has been applied in gravel pack intervals up to about 3000 ft. Very recent works (Barry et al. 2007; Yeh et al. 2008) have reviewed the development of alternate path technology and presented the mechanics of slurry diversion in a revised design of the multiple-shunt manifold system for extending gravel pack operations to extreme lengths of 5000 ft or greater.In this paper, the revised design of the multiple-shunt manifold system (Barry et al. 2007; Yeh et al. 2008) is incorporated in the development of the transient gravel pack flow simulator. The shunt tube hydraulics for various slurry front locations in the well/screen annulus during gravel packing is depicted in example simulations. Results from the simulations are discussed from both steady-state and transient view points. Steady-state results include the variation of pressure and shunt tube flow rates with measured depth. Transient results are presented as variations of pump pressure, crossover tool pressure, and slurry front location with elapsed time. These simulations provide some insight into the shunt tube hydraulics and associated packing mechanism as well as key pressures during gravel packing.The flow simulator can be utilized to plan and design horizontal gravel pack operations in extremely long intervals in combination with emerging technologies such as openhole gravel packing with zonal isolation or selectively gravel packing targeted intervals using alternate path technology.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Flow Simulator for the Design of Extreme-Length Gravel Packs Utilizing Alternate-Path Technology

Rao¹,

Amin²

2010

SPE International Symposium and Exhibition on Formation Damage Control

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Gravel Packing Long Openhole Intervals with Viscous Fluids Utilizing High Gravel Concentrations: Toe-to-Heel Packing without the Need for Alternate Flow Paths

Tolan

Tibbles

Alexander

et al. 2009

Asia Pacific Oil and Gas Conference &Amp; Exhibition

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Openhole gravel packing is one of the most popular completion techniques, due to its high reliability along with the ability to deliver high-productivity wells. Currently, there are two techniques used for gravel placement, one utilizing low-viscosity carrier fluids and low gravel concentration. In this technique the gravel is placed in two waves commonly called Alpha/Beta packing. The second method utilizes a viscous carrier fluid and high concentrations of gravel in conjunction with alternative path screens which mitigate problems caused by unpredicted downhole events. In this paper we present a new approach for gravel packing long high angle openhole intervals without the need for alternative flow path screens but retaining the advantages of high gravel concentration slurries. This is supported by 2 field case histories from a field in India, where two gas wells were drilled with an oil-based drill-in fluid and gravel packed with a viscous water-based fluid. The packing mechanisms and efficiencies in these applications have been verified with downhole gauge analysis as well as mass balance calculations. Both wells are producing sand free with hydrocarbon production that met or exceeded operator expectations, with zero mechanical and extremely low rate dependent skins. Introduction Openhole gravel packing is one of the most popular completion techniques, particularly in deepwater developments with high transmissibility, due to its ability to deliver reliable, high productivity wells.1,2 Current techniques used for gravel packing horizontal wells include Alpha/Beta,3 Alpha/Alpha4 and Alternate Path packing.5 The first two techniques use a low viscosity carrier fluid (typically brine) with a low gravel concentration (typically 1.0 ppa). In both techniques, initial packing takes place in the lower part of the horizontal well until the bottom is packed all the way to the toe (called the Alpha Wave), if circulation can be maintained. This part is dominated by settling of the gravel up to an equilibrium height which is controlled by the circulation rate, with higher rates leading to lower bed heights. In the Alpha/Beta technique, the circulation rate is kept constant, and the packing proceeds from toe-to-heel, covering the upper part of the horizontal well (called the Beta Wave), once the Alpha Wave reaches the toe. For typical Alpha Wave height designs used in these treatments (barely covering the screens), pressure increase during the Alpha Wave is negligible, although the pressure rise during Beta Wave can be substantial. This is because of the narrow annulus between the screen base pipe and the wash pipe, through which the carrier fluid must travel and reach to the entry point into the wash pipe for returns to surface. Such pressure rise can be problematic in cases where the operating window between downhole circulation pressure and the fracturing pressure is narrow. Various hardware and chemistry solutions exist to overcome this problem, including diverter valves that are activated sequentially creating a new entry point upstream into the wash pipe,6 light weight gravel which allows lower pump rates for the same alpha-wave dune height as in conventional gravel7 and drag reducing additives that can be used in the carrier fluid either throughout the treatment or during the Beta Wave.8

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The Evolution of Sand Control Completion Practices for the Enfield Deep Water Development

McCarthy

Mickelburgh

2010

SPE International Symposium and Exhibition on Formation Damage Control

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The Enfield development was the first oil field to be put into production in the Greater Enfield Area. These fields lie in deep water off the North West Cape area of Western Australia. Operated by Woodside on behalf of the Enfield Joint Venture, this was the first oil field development for Woodside requiring horizontal open hole completions with sand control. The challenge for this project was to deliver early oil production from a low well count with wells producing from an unconsolidated and faulted formation containing shale. The remote location posed an additional challenge for the development. SPE 127394A key feature of Enfield is the presence of faults in the reservoir that act as flow barriers during production and injection. Due to lack of aquifer connectivity, the development concept for Enfield uses a line drive type water injection pattern, with a row of injectors near the oil-water contact and another row of injectors up-dip near the gasoil contact. Seawater is used for water injection, and this has been combined with produced water after breakthrough in the oil producers. Produced gas is compressed and injected into the gas cap, excluding fuel gas for power generation. (Ali et al. 2008, Hamp et al 2008 Geology and Formation DescriptionAt Enfield, the Macedon sandstone can be divided into upper and lower reservoir units, based on seismic architecture and sedimentology. The upper unit, which extends across the field and varies in thickness between 10 to 20 m, is characterised by very friable, fine to medium grained sandstones. They are generally massive, clean and homogeneous with rare bedding features and occasional shale intra-beds. The lower unit is more confined and can be up to 50 m thick consisting of stacked packages of very fine to fine grained relatively clean sandstones. They have more internal sedimentary structures (e.g. laminations and cross-bedding) with shale interbeds locally preserved between the cleaning-upward packages.The sandstones are interpreted to have been deposited from a series of high-density, rapidly deposited, sandy turbidity currents (submarine sand avalanches), initially infilling the existing seabed topography before becoming more unconfined and expanding areally. The intra-reservoir shale beds represent background deposition between the turbidite flows.

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Greater Plutonio Openhole Gravel-Pack Completions: Fluid Design and Field Applications

Cited by 13 publications

References 13 publications

A Flow Simulator for the Design of Extreme-Length Gravel Packs Utilizing Alternate-Path Technology

A Flow Simulator for the Design of Extreme-Length Gravel Packs Utilizing Alternate-Path Technology

Gravel Packing Long Openhole Intervals with Viscous Fluids Utilizing High Gravel Concentrations: Toe-to-Heel Packing without the Need for Alternate Flow Paths

The Evolution of Sand Control Completion Practices for the Enfield Deep Water Development

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