Results From a Field Trial Using New Additives for Fracture Conductivity 
Enhancement in a High-Gas Screenless Completion in the Jauf Reservoir, Saudi 
Arabia

Al-Ghurairi, Fadel; Solares, Jose Ricardo; Bartko, Kirk; Sierra, Leopoldo

doi:10.2523/98088-ms

Cited by 7 publications

(8 citation statements)

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“…The unique reservoir characteristics, low permeability and high degree of formation unconsolidation required a balanced approach in which a combination of techniques are applied to achieve several contrasting objectives: sand control, proppant flowback control, and fracture optimization for optimum well deliverability, all in a cost effective way 1,12,13 . The unique reservoir characteristics, low permeability and high degree of formation unconsolidation required a balanced approach in which a combination of techniques are applied to achieve several contrasting objectives: sand control, proppant flowback control, and fracture optimization for optimum well deliverability, all in a cost effective way 1,12,13 .…”

Section: Fracturing Stimulation Strategymentioning

confidence: 99%

Long Term Evaluation of a New Liquid Resin Additives used for Fracture Conductivity Enhancement in a Gas Producer Screenless Completion, Jauf Reservoir, Saudi Arabia

Leal

Solares

Al-Ghurairi

et al. 2009

SPE Saudi Arabia Section Technical Symposium

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TX 75083-3836, U.S.A., fax 01-972-952-9435. AbstractJauf is a high pressure/high temperature gas producer sandstone reservoir, which exhibits a high sanding tendency in some zones throughout the reservoir. To combat the sanding tendency, Saudi Aramco has implemented two screenless sand control strategies by performing the indirect proppant fracturing process. The first or older strategy combines a number of techniques such as, indirect fracturing from oriented perforated thin consolidated zones, tip screenout design, use of a combination of resin coated proppant with fibers, forced closure, and a carefully controlled flowback procedure. The second strategy combines the indirect fracturing from oriented, perforated-thin consolidated zones, tip screenout design and the use of the new liquid resin additives.Although a solids-free high rate gas production has been achieved in the majority of wells for which the first strategy was implemented, a high reduction in fracture conductivity in the form of positive skin has been detected from pressure buildup tests conducted in a number of fractured wells. Al-Ghurairi et Al (SPE 98088) explained the reasons for the positive skin and it was associated with partial penetration, given that the interval from which a fracture is initiated is usually perforated in high Young's Modulus rock and limited to 30-40 feet; thus the fracture is initiated away from the high sanding tendency zones and extended vertically into such zones. The other main component for the positive skin was attributed to the fibers used for proppant flow back control purposes, since it is well known through extensive industry testing, that the combination of proppant and fibers can reduce fracture conductivity in treated wells.Supported by extensive lab testing showing that the combination of the two new resin additives, mixed with proppant, could provide effective solids and proppant flowback control without reducing fracture conductivity; the second strategy was implemented in the field, in December 2004. The initial outstanding results of this first pilot application were documented in the paper 1 SPE 98088. After the initial evaluation the well was closed, up to the second quarter of 2006, to finish the surface production facilities. This paper is a continuation of paper SPE 98088 and it discusses the long-term evaluation results and benefits of the new liquid additives used to improve and sustain the fracture conductivity.

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Section: Fracturing Stimulation Strategymentioning

confidence: 99%

Long Term Evaluation of a New Liquid Resin Additives used for Fracture Conductivity Enhancement in a Gas Producer Screenless Completion, Jauf Reservoir, Saudi Arabia

Leal

Solares

Al-Ghurairi

et al. 2009

SPE Saudi Arabia Section Technical Symposium

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“…17,18,28,4,29,30,31,9,21 New LCR o date, more than 3,500 hydraulic fracturing nts using LCR systems were performed worldwide. 26,32,33,34,35,36,37,21,38 static mixer to form a homogeneous mixture just before injecting downhole by means of coiled tubing (CT) or jointed pipe before being placed into the perforated interval.…”

Section: Formation Consolidationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Each well selected was compared to several active offset wells completed in the same reservoir in about the same time summary of locations and characteristics of wells selected from the 11 fields. The production-rate data and cumulativeproduction results of wells in Fields 2,5,8,9,and 11 in this study are presented graphically in Figs. 20-24.…”

Section: Sma and Lcr Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Controlling Solids Flowback to Maintain Production of Hydrocarbons: A Review of Successful Chemical Technologies in the Last Decade

Nguyen

Jaripatke

2009

All Days

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TX 75083-3836, U.S.A., fax +1-972-952-9435. AbstractBillions of dollars are lost each year as a direct or indirect result of unwanted solids flowback with the production of hydrocarbons. These solids, whether formation sand, fines, or proppant produced from propped fractures, restrict well production by plugging sand screens, perforation plugging or collapse, or wellbore fill. They often cause damages to downhole and surface equipment and storage facilities. Workovers and shutdown time of the well contribute considerably to the frequent and costly cycle in solving, or at least managing, the solids-production problems. Often, the solids production becomes intolerable, especially in offshore environments.Numerous studies have been performed to identify the mechanisms and causes of solids production. Both mechanical and chemical solutions have been applied to limit or to overcome the problems. This paper presents a detailed review of chemical technologies that have been successfully used for controlling solids production in the last decade, either as part of a primary completion or a post-completion treatment solution. It provides insight to the strategies of how these chemical systems were optimized to stabilize and inhibit the movement of the particulates at their sources, either inside formation matrix, in a gravel pack, or in a proppant pack placed during a frac-pack or other fracture-stimulation treatment. Case histories are provided to support the obtained benefits and advantages. A future direction of chemical technologies for solids-flowback control is also discussed. IPTC 13725From treating proppant in frac-pack treatments of soft formations to hydraulic-fracturing treatments in the tight rocks, chemical-coating systems have shown they improve and maintain well production by protecting proppant packs and mitigating migration and/or production of solids. Production of SolidsThe oil and gas industry has been consistently looking for ways to alleviate the problems arising from the flow of solids from the formation or fracture. The solids-production problem can be classified into two main categories:• Proppant flowback.• Formation-sand and fines production. Proppant FlowbackThe production rates of many fracture-stimulated wells in the world today are curtailed because of sustained proppantflowback problems. As proppant produces out of the fractures along with the produced fluids, fracture conductivity diminishes with time and closure stress as the fracture width decreases, thereby creating a choking effect that causes the potential production of the well to decline. If the produced proppant remains in the wellbore, it can cover the perforation interval, limiting the production flow path into the wellbore. This process might require a well cleanup to remove the unwanted proppant from the wellbore to re-establish the production from the entire perforated interval.If the proppant flows back to the surface, it can potentially cause severe damage downhole (e.g., to bottomhole rod pumps or electrical submersible pump...

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“…Evidence has indicated that even with a single, short perforated interval, the first proppant injected into the fractures can also be the first proppant produced back (Al-Ghurairi et al 2006;Smith et al 2001). Because of the relative length of the perforated interval, the proppant involved in these treatments was coated throughout all proppant stages.…”

Section: A Coating Proppant Throughout All Stagesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Screenless Frac-Pack Completions—Case Studies from Jidong Fields, China

Chang¹,

Chen²,

Lubis

et al. 2007

Asia Pacific Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition

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fax 01-972-952-9435. AbstractProductivity of the well often declines rapidly as a result of fracture conductivity loss suffered by proppant flowback and high water cut. In wells with conventional frac-pack completions, sand control screens have often shown signs of damage caused by fines plugging, erosion, and/or corrosion. To combat the proppant and formation sand flowback problems, field trials of an on-the-fly coating curable-resin system were performed to determine whether this resin system is a viable option that can provide an effective means to establish screenless frac-pack completions in this field. This paper presents the results of these field trials involving the screenless frac-pack completions using an on-the-fly curable resin coating system. Detailed descriptions of the completion procedures, the challenges, and lessons learned during the course of these frac-pack treatments are presented.This study has determined that an optimum concentration of resin coating on the proppant is necessary to maximize the bonding between proppant grains and the consolidation strength of the coated proppant pack while minimizing any reduction of its conductivity. Field results indicate that this onthe-fly resin coating treatment effectively stopped the proppant and formation sand from producing back while maintaining the production rates as designed and has drastically decreased the number of workovers compared to the same wells left untreated. The technique provides a very attractive alternative to conventional frac-pack completions in wells with marginal reserves, eliminating the need for sandcontrol screens and providing access to other intervals when needed without wellbore restrictions.

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Results From a Field Trial Using New Additives for Fracture Conductivity Enhancement in a High-Gas Screenless Completion in the Jauf Reservoir, Saudi Arabia

Cited by 7 publications

References 0 publications

Long Term Evaluation of a New Liquid Resin Additives used for Fracture Conductivity Enhancement in a Gas Producer Screenless Completion, Jauf Reservoir, Saudi Arabia

Long Term Evaluation of a New Liquid Resin Additives used for Fracture Conductivity Enhancement in a Gas Producer Screenless Completion, Jauf Reservoir, Saudi Arabia

Controlling Solids Flowback to Maintain Production of Hydrocarbons: A Review of Successful Chemical Technologies in the Last Decade

Screenless Frac-Pack Completions—Case Studies from Jidong Fields, China

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