Tractoring - A New Era in Horizontal Logging for Ghawar Field, Saudi Arabia

Al-Amer, Abdulhadi; Al-Dossary, Battal; Al-Furaidan, Yousef; Hashem, Mohammed

doi:10.2523/93260-ms

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…Although, the E-line coiled tubing (CT) and wireline tractor tools are the most commonly used methods to deploy the logging tools in horizontal wells, there are still challenges for both oil companies and service providers, especially with extended reach horizontal wells and/or wells with open hole completion. Accordingly, an extensive joint endevor between both parties has resulted in introducing a new technique for utilizing wireline tractor technology that has a better ability to meet the logging requirements and objectives [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] . This paper reviews the successful introduction of an electro-hydraulic tractor with Logging while Tractoring (LwT) technology using the industry standard mono-conductor logging cable technology in Saudi Arabia for extended reach horizontal open hole wells.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhancement of PLT Tool Reach in Horizontal Wells Using Advanced Wireline Tractor

et al. 2010

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The horizontal wells drilled during the last few years are coming to a mature state in different fields and locations. Even the existing vertical wells are being converted to horizontal for better oil sweep and productivity. This has created the requirement to evaluate the production performance of horizontal wells to determine water source for proper monitoring and/or a remedial action.The conventional conveyance methods for the horizontal production logging tool (PLT) are either coiled tubing (CT) or E-line using a tractor. These methods satisfactorily perform in conventional horizontal wells, however, operational limitations and challenges could be encountered when the horizontal section is more complicated due to extended reach, big and inconsistent washouts and high dogleg severity. These types of challenges can prevent the passage of the logging tools to the desired depth. This has an adverse effect on both data quality and accessibility to the well's total depth (TD). Accordingly, a lot of effort is being exerted by oil companies, service providers and vendors to improve the conveying performance of logging tools using wireline tractors.An electro-hydraulic tractor with wheels was introduced and deployed for the first time in the world using mono-cable logging tractor technology into several horizontal open hole wells in a Saudi Arabian field. The wells were drilled in a carbonate formation with long horizontal sections and were producing at high rates. This tool was run as an integral part with the logging tool to help cover the entire horizontal section and reach TD while logging.The logging jobs using this new technique were completed safely and successfully at flowing and shut-in conditions. At flowing condition, the logging tool was successfully conveyed to TD and measurements were made over the entire horizontal section with the help of the tractor. The well was logged at different choke settings while measurements were taken at down passes (while tractoring) and up passes. The tractor was running at a constant speed and was able to pass a long washout of around 9" in diameter. The data analysis showed very acceptable measurements. This paper will describe the case histories, challenges, planning, deployment and advantages/disadvantages of this type of tractor.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhancement of PLT Tool Reach in Horizontal Wells Using Advanced Wireline Tractor

et al. 2010

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Let's Disrupt the Wireline Pressure Testing Practices, Shall We?

Garcia

Dumond

Mishra

et al. 2019

SPE Middle East Oil and Gas Show and Conference

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A concept platform integrating the precise movement of a linear or azimuthal actuator, such as in instrumented wireline intervention tools (IWIT), with fast pressure measurement is presented. This device is intended to accurately move a measurement probe or sampling assembly either in the longitudinal or azimuthal direction in the wellbore to significantly improve data quality and operational efficiency. Precise movement control enables acquiring data at exact intervals to eliminate errors induced by cable stretching, overpulls, or variable cable creep. Monte Carlo simulations of this concept using current IWIT capabilities suggest significant reduction of the pressure gradient uncertainty over common wireline protocols. The operational procedure includes correlation using standard wireline gamma ray logs, anchoring of the platform at the top of the interval to be tested and performing the distributed survey using a combination of tractors and linear actuators for every probe displacement. Removing cable movement significantly reduces an important source of error in distributed pressure measurements. These acquisition errors induce interpretation uncertainties like position of contacts and connectivity between flow units. These have profound impacts in exploration and appraisal decisions and field development plans. This concept platform would enable reducing the time spent on pressure surveys if similar accuracy to current standard practices is acceptable. Because the remaining source of error is mostly due to gauge accuracy, results show that fewer stations are necessary to replicate standard wireline results. Where accuracy is important, as with distributed pressure measurements to quantify reserves using gradient intersection to define fluid contacts or determine compositional gradients, the proposed approach is shown to significantly reduce gradient error using the same number of stations. We use synthetic data sets built from previous work to show the impact of the error reduction in the position of the fluid contact. IWITs currently used in cased hole employ active anchoring to perform intervention tasks. The controlled downhole force available for these operations goes up to 80,000 lbf while the anchoring force could be up to 150,000 lbf. In the proposed concept platform, this pulling force could be instrumental where there is high risk of differential sticking. By anchoring the upper part of the platform in overlying impermeable intervals, the probe could be lowered into the permeable interval to conduct the pressure survey without exposing the full length of the platform to the pressure differential forces for significant risk mitigation. The high pulling capacity of the anchoring module can be used to apply up/down force on the probe in case of differential sticking without applying high tensions to the wireline cable. The proposed architecture for the concept platform innovatively combines several operational concepts used today as separate entities in wireline operations. Their integration, however, generates important efficiency gains, reduces the risk in stationary measurements and operations, improves accuracy, and enables the implementation of unprecedent distributed pressure measurements with azimuthal rotational capabilities using wireline. Azimuthal movements can be used to align the measurement probe away from breakouts, drilling induced fractures, debris or geological features like vugs or fractures that may compromise the sealing ability of the probe.

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Tractoring - A New Era in Horizontal Logging for Ghawar Field, Saudi Arabia

Cited by 2 publications

References 0 publications

Enhancement of PLT Tool Reach in Horizontal Wells Using Advanced Wireline Tractor

Enhancement of PLT Tool Reach in Horizontal Wells Using Advanced Wireline Tractor

Let's Disrupt the Wireline Pressure Testing Practices, Shall We?

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