Record-Setting Horizontal Pilot Wells Drilled and Completed to Establish Feasibility of Developing Giant Offshore Field from Artificial Islands

Jorden, John D.; Keller, Stuart Ronald; Junaibi, Hamad Saleh Al

doi:10.2118/137554-ms

Cited by 9 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…The mud design called for a water based mud in the top 16Љ diameter hole, an oil based mud in the 12.25Љ hole which traveled through a troublesome shale (Jorden et al 2012) and a water based system in the 8.5Љ diameter horizontal hole. There was concern a stuck in hole event could occur as the rig had not yet drilled a distance of 24,390 ft. before.…”

Section: Spe-171825-msmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Longest Horizontal Well Drilled in The U.A.E., Geosteered in a Thin Calcareous Dolomite Sublayer

Hassan¹,

Nokhatha²,

Farouz³

et al. 2014

Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference

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September 2012, ZADCO drilled the longest well to date in the U.A.E. to test the productivity and injectivity of a low permeability, carbonate reservoir in a giant Middle East oil field. The extended reach well was drilled to a total measured depth of 24,390 ft., with a horizontal length of 11,015 ft.The borehole target zone was a~3.5 ft. thick calcareous dolomite sublayer sandwiched between upper and lower~4 ft. thick limestones. The critical factors for success were: (1) LWD tools capable of differentiating calcareous dolomite from the nearby limestones; and (2) LWD sensors close to the bit as possible to enable prompt geosteering reactions to possible lateral facies changes. Challenges were: (1) the capability of the jackup rig to drill the required distance; (2) minimizing hole undulations; and (3) remain within the 3.5 ft. target zone. Concerns were raised about the use of nuclear chemical source density tools and the risk of a lost nuclear source in hole should the drill pipe become stuck. To address these concerns, the second half of the lateral section was steered without a chemical nuclear source in the downhole tool string.A LWD formation pressure test tool was run post drilling to evaluate formation mobility. The result supported well placement in the higher permeability dolomite layer which was later validated by production and injection results. This paper illustrates good geosteering practices in a challenging long horizontal well with carefully selected LWD program to achieve the target and reduce risks.

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Section: Spe-171825-msmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Longest Horizontal Well Drilled in The U.A.E., Geosteered in a Thin Calcareous Dolomite Sublayer

Hassan¹,

Nokhatha²,

Farouz³

et al. 2014

Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference

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show abstract

“…Multiple, thick stacked reservoirs are accessed by vertical and deviated wells while thinner reservoirs are being exploited with longer and longer maximum reservoir contact (MRC) horizontal wells [1][2][3] . Key examples in the current ExxonMobil portfolio include Sakhalin, Nigeria, Angola, Caspian Sea and Middle East.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Advanced Completion and Stimulation Design Model for Maximum Reservoir Contact Wells

Shuchart

Grubert

2014

Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference

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This paper introduces a novel computational simulator for advanced completion and stimulation design of Maximum Reservoir Contact (MRC) wells. Using innovative computational algorithms, this simulator models numerous challenging physics of acid stimulation and transient injection of multiple fluids through openhole complex completions, e.g. Limited-Entry Liners (LEL) and Inflow Control Devices (ICD) in MRC wells. LEL hole or ICD nozzle diameter, hole distributions, and packers are explicitly modeled as part of the completion. The fast, robust simulator tracks concentrations and models flow of multiple fluids while explicitly accounting for completion and formation pressure drops along the lateral and transient reservoir dynamics. Fluid invasion and stimulation distribution (wormhole and skin) along the lateral are computed by the simulator which is coupled with a dynamic wormhole model.A case history of the model application is presented. The model was used to design a limited-entry liner with 4 mm holes distributed non-uniformly among 12 compartments. The liner enabled successful high-rate bullhead stimulation of an 11,500-ft lateral, resulting in reduced cost, limited risk, and elimination of the need for coiled tubing. Model validation and calibration against the field data is discussed. Detailed evaluation of the well data suggests successful stimulation of the entire lateral and production uplift from every compartment.The paper presents a novel, fast simulator to model transient fluid placement through complex completions in MRC wells. The capability to robustly model a complex completion in long openhole laterals has enabled the design of successful bullhead acid stimulation through a limited entry liner. Apart from acid stimulation design, the simulator also provides capabilities to model various well injection processes in sandstone and carbonate reservoir, such as scale squeezes, solvent treatments, and HF acid treatments.

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“…Multiple, thick stacked reservoirs are accessed by vertical and deviated wells while thinner reservoirs are being exploited with longer and longer horizontal wells [1][2][3] . To keep up with drilling capability, completion technology has advanced considerably in the past few years.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Open-Hole Fluid Displacement for Carbonate Stimulation in Liner Completions

Mayer

Shuchart

2014

All Days

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Today, many wells in heterogeneous carbonate reservoirs throughout the Middle East and Caspian Sea area are being completed with long intervals and complex completion equipment, such as limited entry liners and inflow control devices (ICDs). Accurate modeling and understanding of fluid placement during a stimulation operation through such long complex completions can be quite challenging. In this paper, an integrated approach of modeling, experiments and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations will be presented. A computational tool based on a transient one-dimensional (1D) approach has been developed inhouse to model stimulation through such completions. In order to validate the 1D approach for reliable fluid displacement predictions, annulus fluid displacement experiments in perforated liners supported by CFD simulations have been conducted.The experimental setup consists of an outer Lucite pipe representing the well-bore geometry and an inner aluminum pipe with multiple perforations of variable diameter. The setup mimics the real field application in a 1:1 scale with respect to the pipe and perforation diameters while the test section is limited to 27 ft. The experimental procedure is as follows: (i) fluid is pumped into the annulus through the perforations until the annulus is completely filled, (ii) the fluid tank is switched "on-the-fly" to the tank with the displacing fluid resulting in the displacement of the annulus fluid by the displacing fluid through the perforations.The experiments and the CFD simulations indicate that even with a single open perforation inside the 27-ft test section, the three-dimensional (3D) flow field around the perforation rapidly transitions to uniform annular flow within a few feet uniformly displacing the annulus fluid. The model also provides insight into various well injection processes in sandstone and carbonate formation, such as scale squeezes, solvent treatments, and HF acid treatments.

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Record-Setting Horizontal Pilot Wells Drilled and Completed to Establish Feasibility of Developing Giant Offshore Field from Artificial Islands

Cited by 9 publications

References 5 publications

The Longest Horizontal Well Drilled in The U.A.E., Geosteered in a Thin Calcareous Dolomite Sublayer

The Longest Horizontal Well Drilled in The U.A.E., Geosteered in a Thin Calcareous Dolomite Sublayer

Advanced Completion and Stimulation Design Model for Maximum Reservoir Contact Wells

Open-Hole Fluid Displacement for Carbonate Stimulation in Liner Completions

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