Overview of Field Results Using TTBP as Effective Water Shut-Off Treatment in 
Open- hole Well Completions in Saudi Arabia

Mohammed, M. A.; Al-Mubarak, M. A.; Al-Mulhim, Abdulrahman K.; Al-Mubarak, Saeed Mohammed; Al-Safi, A. A.

doi:10.2523/39616-ms

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…Due to various factors related to geological complexity, rock properties, and short remaining oil column, the well lasts for few months to 18 months on production before it ceases to flow. 6,9 In case of horizontal wells, more sophisticated methods using coiled tubing (CT) are used to shut off water production. The CT is used to deploy mechanical tools and chemical treatment fluids.…”

Section: Rigless Water Shutoffsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Advancements in Well Conformance Technologies Used in a Major Field in Saudi Arabia: Case Histories

Al-Zain

Al-Atwi

Al-Jandal

et al. 2016

Day 1 Tue, January 26, 2016

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Water management practices are an integral part of effective well and reservoir management to avoid various water production problems. Water production problems are major challenges in the oil and gas industry. Many strategies have been used in the industry to control water production problems both in producers and injectors. There are many water control methods available in the industry, including mechanical and chemical methods; sometimes a combination of both methods is used.With the advent of horizontal drilling technology, unique opportunities have been captured to enable efficient and effective water management. More complex wells of various types and shapes have been drilled and completed. The benefits of drilling these wells not only include reduction in development and operating costs because of the lower number of wells but also improvement in the reservoir performance and management of fluid movements. These complex wells are drilled for various and many objectives, which may include but are not limited to increased production, enhanced reservoir characterization, improved sweep, maximized recovery, and efficient reservoir management.Water management practices implemented for effective water control, and to sustain oil production on two different areas in a major field are presented in this paper. One area exemplifies water management practices in a conventionally developed field, and the second area represents drilling conformance technology, utilizing smart MRC wells.

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Section: Rigless Water Shutoffsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Advancements in Well Conformance Technologies Used in a Major Field in Saudi Arabia: Case Histories

Al-Zain

Al-Atwi

Al-Jandal

et al. 2016

Day 1 Tue, January 26, 2016

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Rigless Water Shut-off Experience in Offshore Saudi Arabia

Al-Zubail

Al-Nasser

Al-Umran

et al. 2003

Middle East Oil Show

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As the offshore Saudi Arabia fields mature, more wells are becoming wet and consequently more wells are dying due to water encroachment. These dead wells and associated facilities are valuable assets that need to be effectively utilized throughout the producing life of the fields. Therefore, remedial actions to revive dead wells are vital strategies to maximize revenues. Rigless water shut-off techniques in conventional wells have been successful due to relatively simple wireline interventions. However, water shut-off jobs in horizontal wells are more complicated and are more challenging tasks for oil companies, including Saudi Aramco, due to their associated high cost and cement placement uncertainties. This paper is a study of six years of rigless water shut-off efforts to revive dead wells in Saudi Aramco's Northern Area offshore fields to extend the producing life of the wells and enhance oil recovery. During the study period, 46 rigless water shut-off jobs were executed with a 91% success rate. Of the 46 water shut-off jobs, three jobs were successfully implemented on dead horizontal cased hole wells using coiled tubing (CT). The job success is attributed to proper problem diagnosis, job design and execution, resulting in a significant production gain and workover cost avoidance.

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Assessment of Rigless Water Shutoff Using through-Tubing Bridge Plug in a Large Onshore Oil Field in Saudi Arabia

Al-Ghasham

2005

SPE Middle East Oil and Gas Show and Conference

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A large onshore oil field in Saudi Arabia is supported by peripheral water injection that started 40 years ago. Parts of the field are becoming mature with increasing water production. This poses a challenge as well production is declining and/or, in some cases, ceasing to flow as water cut increases, leaving in-place oil potential that needs to be recovered. Increased water production has another side effect of increasing operating cost to handle and recycle unwanted additional produced water. To reduce water production and reactivate the dead wells, several options were implemented, including facilities operational changes, workovers, and rig-less chemical and mechanical techniques. One of the easiest and most cost-effective techniques that has been used in the field to reduce water production is the application of the rig-less Through-Tubing Bridge Plugs (TTBP). This paper presents 15 years' experience of the application of TTBP in vertical open and cased holes as well as slightly deviated wells. Data were reviewed for more than 130 wells that had water shutoff jobs using TTBP. The paper discusses results and factors, and reservoir as well as completion parameters that contribute to the success of this rig-less water shutoff technique. These factors include permeability thickness and productivity index, well completion, very high permeability intervals, reservoir pressure, tight porosity intervals, and the flowing wellhead pressure. Discussion of the economics of the application is also presented. Introduction An onshore oil field, produced initially in 1951, is supported by peripheral water injection that started in 1965. Increased water cut causes well production to decline and/or in some cases cease to flow, resulting in leaving oil unrecovered. Figure-1 shows an actual example of a well's production rate decline due to increased water production. Increased water production also increases the handling operating cost. Vertical wells in this field cease to flow due to increase in water cut ranging between 30–80% depending on the reservoir characteristics and due to system back pressure. The oil handling facilities in this field were operating at 150 psi and, in an attempt to revive dead wells, some of the facilities had their operating pressure successfully reduced to 120 psi and could not be lowered further. The facilities' gas capacities were limited to handle the increased evolved gas rate. At present, economics does not support expenditures to handle excess gas rate from the oil wells. Many rig-less technologies are available to shut-off or reduce unwanted water production using cement, marble chips, bridge plugs or polymer gel, etc. One of the easiest and most cost effective techniques being used as a routine method in this field to reduce water production is the application of Through-Tubing Bridge Plugs (TTBP). Field Description This onshore oil field is 280 km long and 26 km wide and is supported by peripheral water injection. The pay zone is approximately 250' thick and of carbonate formation with some dolomite sequences. The pay zone is subdivided into 4 zones with the best productivity in Zone-2. Although sweep is irregular in some parts of the field, in general, the sweep is uniform and from bottom up vertically. A normal flow meter profile is shown in Fig. 2. Most wells were drilled vertically penetrating the whole pay zone with 6–1/2" open holes or 4–1/2" perforated cased holes. With the advancement in horizontal drilling technology, the current practice is to complete all producers highly deviated or horizontal with one or multi-laterals. High permeability streaks, or as called Super-K layers, are common in the field and concentrate mainly in the dolomitic facies. These layers may cause irregular water flood movement especially if they are connected to faults or fractures.

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Overview of Field Results Using TTBP as Effective Water Shut-Off Treatment in Open- hole Well Completions in Saudi Arabia

Cited by 3 publications

References 0 publications

Advancements in Well Conformance Technologies Used in a Major Field in Saudi Arabia: Case Histories

Advancements in Well Conformance Technologies Used in a Major Field in Saudi Arabia: Case Histories

Rigless Water Shut-off Experience in Offshore Saudi Arabia

Assessment of Rigless Water Shutoff Using through-Tubing Bridge Plug in a Large Onshore Oil Field in Saudi Arabia

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