Use of New Wireline Conveyance Technologies on an Offshore Abu Dhabi Well Saves Significant Rig Time and Results in Improved Sonic and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Data Quality

Abstract

Drill Pipe conveyance (TLC/PCL) of wireline logging tools or Logging While Drilling (LWD) is usually required for high deviation / high differential sticking risk logging scenarios. These are costly in terms of rig time and service company costs. This paper details how a full suite of high-quality open hole log data was obtained on wireline in a high angle 16,500ft wellbore utilizing a new conveyance system and a polymer-locked high strength cable. The new conveyance system, utilizing wheeled carriages and a holefinder with nose angled upwards, takes a holistic approach to tool conveyance, reducing drag while ensuring both correct tool orientation and optimum contact and standoff for each logging service. Management of tool centers of gravity relative to the wheel axes ensures correct orientation. The reduction in friction due to wheeled carriages vs weight and cable load is modelled before the operation in order to ensure successful runs, both into and out of the wellbore. Polymer-locked high strength cable significantly increases maximum safe pull capability and enhanced data transmission technology allows faster logging speeds, greater rig time efficiency and reduced sticking risk. The wheeled carriage system enabled conventional logging in a high angle well, minimized stick-slip and reduced differential sticking risk. The unique holefinder prevented tool hold up during descent. The Vertical Seismic Profile (VSP) run (the only run not able to utilize the system due to tool size and design) was held up on a ledge above the lowest reservoir of interest. The high strength cable allowed safe retrieval of tools (over-pull > 6000lbs) in one particularly sticky zone. In a world first, an array sonic tool was centralized through management of weighted and eccentralized tool sections using bespoke wheels. This eliminated the drag inherent to traditional methods of sonic centralization (centralization using powered calipers and/or spring centralizers), resulting in excellent data quality. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance logs were obtained by orienting the tool sensor with wheels which utilized tool weight to provide sensor application force. This removed the need for additional centralizers, resulting in data devoid of stick-slip artefacts (an issue in previous wells). The formation fluid sampling run was conveyed on drill pipe, taking 6 days of rig time. There are further significant efficiency gains to be had on future operations by using the new conveyance system on sampling tools (operators have already moved in this direction in the Gulf of Mexico).