Using Down-Hole Control Valves to Sustain Oil Production from the First Maximum Reservoir Contact, Multilateral and Smart Well in Ghawar Field: Case Study

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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“…Fluid mechanism in this specific area is highly influenced by the presence of fracture corridors and strata form super permeability. 1,2,3 …”

Section: Geological Settingmentioning

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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“…1,2 Well-A was drilled and completed as a tri-lateral open hole oil producer. Benefits of drilling these wells include reduction in development and operating costs, and improvement in reservoir performance and management.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Smart Combination of Technology Tools Resulted in Successful Rigless Stimulation on a Tri-Lateral Well, Case Study

2011

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TX 75083-3836, U.S.A., fax 01-972-952-9435. AbstractDrilling horizontal wells has become the more commonplace in many Saudi Aramco fields. Recent advances in drilling and completion practices enable the drilling of more complex wells with various types and shapes such as extended reach wells, bi-laterals and multi-laterals for providing maximum reservoir contact. These complex wells impose great challenges with respect to rigless well interventions. One of the initial well interventions, which follow drilling completion, is acid stimulation to remove formation damage. The challenges raised because of well complexity include accessing the laterals, reaching the end of each lateral and properly distributing treatment fluids over entire horizontal sections.Effective rigless interventions in these challenging wells have limitations and technologies are still evolving. Deployment of tools and fluids downhole is no more possible through conventional coiled tubing applications. New techniques have been developed to assist coiled tubing (CT) to access laterals and extend their reach. In addition, recent advancement of CT bottom-hole assembly (BHA) allows combining services of more than one function such as deploying tools and fluids and at the same time acquiring vital downhole data.

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“…Production optimization efforts have been the subject of a number of studies in the past within Aramco (Al-Bani et al 2007;Arnaout et al 2008;Mubarak et al 2007Mubarak et al , 2008. The current work builds on the previous work the subject of which was the performance evaluation of a permanent downhole monitoring system (PDMS).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolution in Optical Downhole Multiphase Flow Measurement: Experience Translates into Enhanced Design

2010

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Innovative technology and measurement methods along with intelligent production optimization processes are important enablers with regards to intelligent fields and real-time reservoir management. Downhole multiphase flow measurement technologies play a major role in monitoring and optimizing well performance especially wells equipped with advanced well completions such as downhole inflow control devices (ICD) or inflow control valves (ICV). This paper builds on a pilot installation and comprehensive assessment of the world's first installation of downhole multiphase flowmeters and optical pressure and temperature sensors in a maximum reservoir contact (MRC) well in Saudi Arabia. One of the major findings from the initial study was that while the optical flowmeter operated successfully at most downhole choke valve settings, it was unable to make sensible readings at specific settings due to excessive acoustic noise. The results from the assessment were instrumental in improving the design of the flowmeter to tolerate higher acoustic noise levels. The initial appraisal and acceptance of this completion technology was closed by having the improved flowmeter manufactured and successfully flow tested under various laboratory conditions. The lessons learned from this experience have provided insights into downhole multiphase flowmeter sensing technologies, its capabilities and limitations. Furthermore, it demonstrates how open collaboration between operator and equipment manufacturer can yield reliable and fit for purpose equipment, a model that can be used to improve other technologies pertaining to intelligent fields and real-time reservoir management. BackgroundProduction optimization efforts have been the subject of a number of studies in the past within Aramco (Al-Bani et al. 2007;Arnaout et al. 2008;Mubarak et al. 2007Mubarak et al. , 2008. The current work builds on the previous work the subject of which was the performance evaluation of a permanent downhole monitoring system (PDMS).The PDMS was installed in world's first MRC and trilateral smart well in 2006. The three laterals were equipped with ICVs and PDMS comprising three 2-phase optical flowmeters integrated with pressure and temperature (P/T) gauges. The well was completed with 7" tubing and a deepset downhole sub-surface safety valve (SSSV) to accommodate future tubing electric submersible pump (ESP) installation. The ICVs, optical flowmeters and P/T gauges were located slightly up-hole from each lateral as shown in Fig.1.The PDMS has been designed with the philosophy of having low complexity and passive components downhole while keeping active electronic equipment on the surface to ensure high reliability and measurement accuracy. The 2-phase flowmeter and optical P/T gauge were built as a single integrated assembly (Fig. 2). The meter is full bore, non-intrusive, has no exposed sensors, moving parts or downhole electronics and has high resilience to erosion and corrosion. The PDMS system provides the production parameters required to determine the o...

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Using Down-Hole Control Valves to Sustain Oil Production from the First Maximum Reservoir Contact, Multilateral and Smart Well in Ghawar Field: Case Study

Cited by 5 publications

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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

Smart Combination of Technology Tools Resulted in Successful Rigless Stimulation on a Tri-Lateral Well, Case Study

Evolution in Optical Downhole Multiphase Flow Measurement: Experience Translates into Enhanced Design

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