WELL COMPLETION OBJECTIVES AND DESIGN

Lecture #1

Learning Objectives
Define completion objectives and constraints Identify key data requirements Define functional capabilities of well Create completion sketch and identify key components

Agenda
Completion objectives Discussion of key design decisions Conceptual well design Bottomhole completion Selection of production/injection conduit Well functionality definition Preliminary location of components

Well performance consideration

Generic completion review Interface between Drilling and Completion

Review example completions

Completion Objectives
Effective reservoir exploitation Control fluid entry/exit, rates & recovery Manage pressure depletion Control zonal contributions Minimize total cost over the life of the well Ensure safe operation/well control Incorporate flexibility to adapt to changing conditions

Facilitate intended workover strategy

Document strategies/decisions/experiences

Economic drivers for Design

Optimal combination of Initial capital investment Operating Costs Intervention Costs Abandonment Costs Life of well/field? Can be a significant driver

Normally intended as 12-30 years in the first

instance, but it varies from <1 to >50 years!

Constraints on Design/Completion
Data usually incomplete and of variable quality Logistics Location/environment/topology access issues Procurement Delivery/supply dates Inventory availability & stock control Bulk discounts

Preferred vendor?
Availability of service centre support Contractual obligations with vendor

The Design Process evolves over the life of well

INTEGRATION OF THE WELL COMPLETION PHASES Establish Design Criteria

Preparation of Production Zone Update Design Criteria

The mechanical Completion Design and installation of completion String

Production Initiation and Remedial Measures

Monitoring Well and Completion Performance

Workover

Phased development of completion strategy

Design Phase Objectives/use
Budget Costing Internal AFE approval Partner Approvals Regulatory approvals

Key outputs
Lift decisions Flowrates / nominal tubing size(s) Bottomhole completion Tubing/casing/annular flow Identify operational ricks

Constraints
Limited well data Understanding of heterogeneity? Resource constraints

Conceptual Design

Final Design

Continuous validation, enhancement and modification

Rigorous and optimised design Optimised - technically and economically Offload and cleanup procedures Well integrity assurance Safety case(s) Running procedures Test and verification Contingencies

Equipment procurement specifications & sourcing Running procedures and programme Fluids and additives Contingencies Documentation and testing requirements

Data limitations quantity and reliability Future forecasts Vendor performance Alternative investments? Oil price uncertainties? Equipment longevity and reliability

Conceptual design influential issues and decisions

Conceptual Design Considerations

Context of well
Geographical location Land or offshore based Fluid type & contaminants Artificial lift requirements Well trajectory or orientation Geo-political risks, accesses, services

Specification of Design
Bottomhole completion Openhole Uncemented liner Cemented Casing Casing flow, tubing and/ or annular flow IPR & TPR Initial tubing size recommendation Retrievability, Monitoring Circulation Well closure capability Backups Number of barriers

Physical access, subsea or platform

GOR/LGR H2S/CO2 content Timing Gas/power availability Reliability Flow capacity/stability Reservoir management Intervention Relative depletion Crossflow Complexity/cost

Production conduit

Preliminary flow capacity Completion functionality

No. / thickness of zones

Barrier and Integrity requirements

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Open Hole Barefoot completion

Advantages Low cost Faster getting well online Easily deepened retrospectively PI? maximum rw Disadvantages Wellbore stability? Reservoir management? Poor isolation of water and gas Minimal production/injection

selectivity

Applications Low cost area High well count Naturally Fractured reservoirs Geometrically complex wells

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Uncemented Liner/Screen completion

Advantages Lower cost Supports borehole stability Sand exclusion either with a

standalone screen or gravel pack

Disadvantages Non-selective hydraulic access to

reservoir Remedial options Reservoir management? Limited due to complications created by annulus behind screen

Applications Unstable wellbores Sand Production? Can use swell packers or ESPs to

improve selectivity/operability of completion

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Cased and Perforated Completion

Advantages Borehole stability? Selectivity Improved Reservoir Management Can be more easily fracced or

frackpacked
Disadvantages Cost (increased by +5-50%) Time to complete Data requirements Complexity Permanent

Applications Lower well count Complex reservoir structure and flow

properties Drive mechanism? Longer life/higher cost wells

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Production Conduit Options

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Casing Flow (Tubingless / no tubing)

Advantages Low cost Shorter completion accelerated production Large wellbore minimum friction

Disadvantages
Casing integrity? Corrosion Erosion Pressures Backup or retention? Slippage leading to slugging/loading stable

production over the life of the well?

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Casing and tubing flow no annular isolation

Advantages

Lower cost
Large wellbore minimum friction 3 optional flow cross sectional areas improved

stability? greater ability to handle slippage Disadvantages Casing integrity? Corrosion Erosion Pressures Backup or retention? Limitations on flow stability/flexibility Annulus heading when annulus not flowing

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Tubing Flow with Annular Isolation

Advantages Annulus/casing protected enhanced wellbore

integrity Hydraulic backup containment Improved well and flow control Disadvantages Higher cost Limitations on wellbore cross-section Requires circulation capability

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Well Control Barrier Policy

What are barriers? Capabilities to hydraulically isolate reservoir from

atmosphere/surface Options Hydraulic column of kill weigh fluid Mechanical valves, plugs etc Recommendation? Minimum of two specified for most operations Prefer minimum of 3 for most situations

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Subsurface Barriers
Surface Barrier

Pressure and flow Containment BOP Stack or Xmass Tree

Emergency

Subsurface Closure SSSV

Annular isolation

Packer
Plug tubing and

protect the reservoir Deep-set nipple

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Well Design Well Functionality/Operability

Well functionality requirements Well isolation barriers? Well control/offload Prefer to circulate rather than bullhead Circulate as deep as possible in order to Minimize kill fluid density Minimize hydrocarbon inventory in well Monitoring How and what is to be monitored? Value of information? Interventions? Strategy/access/costs Maximize reliability? Duplicate critical devices?

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Production System
Production system

for natural flow utilizes the pressure energy of the fluid to meet all the flowing pressure los from the reservoir to surface

Approximately 90%

of total pressure drop occurs across the reservoir & tubing

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IPR for Pwf above the Bubble Point

PI = Straight line IPR Productivity Index (PI also given as J) Pwf = Pr Q/PI or Q = PI * (Pr-Pwf) or PI = Q / (Pr Pwf) PI is given in units of pbd/psi

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Pwf below the Pbubble point : Vogel IPR relationship (1968)

Vogel developed this IPR relationship by best fit from numerous reservoir simulation runs Vogel has a long history of use with good success

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Gas Well inflow: Steady/Semi Steady State

Q = C (Pr2-Pwf2)n
Bureau of Mines IPR, a.k.a., Back Pressure Equation (Rawlings & Schellardt 1936) Exponent ranges from 0.5 to 1.0; should be 0.92 0.95 Exponent derived from multiple rates by plotting (Pr2 - Pwf2) Versus rate and finding n, the inverse of the slope Then, C found by substituting one test point into the formula

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Non-Linear IPR (Gas)

In high rate wells turbulence can occur in the near

wellbore Pres2 Pwf2 = aq + bq2 Where - aq = pressure drop due to laminar (Darcy) flow - bq2 = pressure drop due to turbulent (non-Darcy) flow The constants a and b can be derived from multi-rate well tests or alternatively estimated from known reservoir and gas properties.

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Inflow Performance Relation - IPR

Defines reservoir deliverability IPR = Q vs Pwf for Oil well above PBPT Straight Line IPR
Rate Pressure Draw Down in Reservoir Constant of Proportionality = Productivity Index, J

J=PI=Q/P

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Radial inflow and pressure drop

Radial convergence results in acceleration and rapidly increasing pressure drop as you approach the sandface

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Components of Tubing pressure Loss

dPTBG=dPHHD + dPFRICT + dPKE

dPTBG=Total tubing pressure loss between surface and

bottom of tubing dPHHD=Hydrostatic head pressure loss in tubing (weight of vertical fluid column) dPFRICT=Frictional pressure drop in tubing (interaction/drag with tubing wall) dPKE=Kinetic energy loss (acceleration and deceleration)

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Tubing Multiphase Flow Patterns: Gas-Liquid

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Classic TPR shape for oil and gas system

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Production Optimization
Variables affecting Optimum Production Rate Tubing Head Pressure Water Cut GOR Inflow performance Tubing Size Wellhead / choke performance

IPR-TPR curves assesses sensitivity to the above

variables to predict optimum production rated under various conditions

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Selecting the right tubing size?

Calculations provide an insight not accuracy How valid is the base data? Remember that conditions will change with time Economics driven workover versus deferred production

costs
It is sometimes difficult to decide - rely or judgment

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Effect of changing Tubing Size

Larger tubing more adversely affected by slippage!

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Effect of Variation in PI

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Effect of changing water cut

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Generalized Tubing Completion

Xmass Tree

Flow control and Isolation Tubing & Casing, Suspension, Nipple Up, Xmass Tree, Annulus Access Safety Isolation Circulation or Fluid Injection Circulation Accommodate Tubing Movement Annular Isolation Tubing Isolation Flow alternative Entry

Well Head

S.S.S.V. Upper Wellbore Completion

Side Pocket Mandrel Sliding Side Door Seal Assembly

Lower Wellbore Completion

Packer Nipple
Perforated Joint

Nipple W.E.G.

Landing gauges
Wireline Re-entry

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Function of the Wellhead

Suspend casing strings and production tubing as the

well is sequentially constructed

Allow nipple up (physical connection) of upper flow

control / barrier system BOP stack while drilling and during workovers Xmass tree for production / injection phases
Allow hydraulic access to the annulus between the

tubing and casings

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Basic Spooled Wellhead and Tree

Xmass Tree

Adaptor Spool

Wellhead

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Subsurface Safety Systems

Function? Emergency closure of well if primary barrier fails Functional valves types Tubing safety valves Annular safety valves Injection safety valves Operability

Remotely controlled
Directly controlled Retrievability

Tubing, CT or WL retrievable

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Tubing Subsurface Safety Valves

Remotely controlled Failsafe Hydraulically Directly Controlled Subsurface

operated TR-tubing retrievable WL-wireline retrievable Standard methods to test operability

controlled Can be set at any depth Easily replaced Design operating conditions must be routinely reviewed Testing?

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Remotely Controlled SSSV

Surface Controlled Sub Surface Safety Valve flapper is held open by hydraulic pressure valve fails to closed position by spring a tubing retrievable surface controlled sub surface safety valve (SCSSSV) is run in well on production tubing

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Circulation Capability / Devices

Purpose? Tubular Options: Sliding side Door

displacement Kill the well Offload the well Fluid injection Gas lift Chemical injection

SSD Side Pocket Mandrel SPM Ported Nipple Tubing Punch

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Type XO Sliding Side Door

Upper nipple profile Inner sleeve slots Upper

Lower
Outer sleeve ports Packing between

inner and outer sleeves Lower seal bore

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Nipple Lock Mandrel Systems

System allows: Installation and retrieval of devices for: Flow control Flow regulation Flow monitoring Nipple provides location to : Suspend flow control device in well profile

Seal device in tubing seal bore

Lock Mandrel provides: Ability to suspend flow control in nipple profile

Seals on mandrel engage nipple seal bore

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Lock mandrels with corresponding nipple profiles

BOTTOM NoGo LOCKS
used with SEATING NIPPLES

NoGo Base

NoGo Base

* Optional Bottom

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Flow Coupling
Flow Coupling assists in

tolerating internal erosion created by converging or diverging flow

Flow coupling is a short piece

of pipe which has a wall thickness greater than the tubing string. Flow couplings are used to delay erosional failure at points inside a completion string, where turbulent flow is expected to occur
Downstream location more

severe erosion location

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Reasons for using a Packer

It protects the casing from reservoir pressure and

produced fluid
Isolates casing leaks or squeezed off perforations Isolate between multiple producing horizons prevent

crossflow
Eliminate or reduce pressure surging or annulus heading Hold kill fluid in the annulus

Preferred for certain artificial lift methods gas lift

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Packer Systems
Retrievable Packers Easier retrieval Lower pressure rating Permanent Packers More robust and

but still adequate for most applications

May be uni-directional

reliable seal under severe operating conditions

Higher pressure Higher temperature Cyclic production

in terms of differential pressure stresses

Often more expensive

More complex/difficult

retrieval?

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Retrievable Packer
Hydraulic Hold-down Packer seals Lower slip system Slip release system Release section

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Tubing to Packer connection Systems

Function? Accommodates tubing stress Allows disconnection/retrieval of the upper completion

from and without pulling the packer

Options? On-off tools

Anchor/latch
Dynamic seal systems

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Locator, spacer and anchor seals

Spacer Seal Assembly Locator Tubing Seal Assembly Anchor Tubing Seal Assembly Locator Spaces Seal Assembly

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Other Completion Equipment

Pup Joints Blast Joints Perforated Flow joints Bypass Joints Entry Guide (Wireline or Coiled tubing)

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Blast Joints
Prevent external

impact erosion of tubing when it is set across a flow interval

Set from 5-10 ft above

and below interval

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Typical Completion Configuration

Tubing carries fluid to surface Subsurface safety valves shut in well

in an emergency
Side Pocket Mandrels Circulation

between annulus and tubing (gas or chemicals)

Circulation Device (SSD)

communication between tubing and annulus

Packers isolate production zones Nipples installation of flow control

capabilities
Flow Couplings protect tubing from

internal erosion

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The Drilling and Completion Interface

Well trajectory and configuration Critical role of casing/liner cementation Avoidance of permanent damage

Critical opportunities for optimisation/enhancing well

value

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Well Configuration
Influential factors Costs Complexity Standardization of equipment Inventories Bulk purchasing Geological uncertainties contingency

requirements Impacts Upper wellbore clearances Tubular sizes versus pressure loss

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Sample of Generalized Casing Schedules

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Casing nomenclature

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Drill-in fluids
Objectives is low damage drilling of the pay zone Wide choice of fluid options Low solids OBM Sized salt Sized carbonate pills HEC pills Water foams

Base oils

- all fresh mixed to drill zone Selection is mostly by operator preference and experience

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Fluid Loss Control Options

Base get fluid Removal by breaker? Particulate additives borehole wall filtercake Calcium carbonate Ground salt Oil soluble particles Resins

Wax beads
etc

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Filter Cake Removal

Controlling factors Thickness and permeability of cake depend on

time and overbalance pressure Ability to apply drawdown? vertical/horizontal/multilateral Avoid flowback through screen if possible Must be specially designed to facilitate cleanup Lift pressures Dependent on fluid Contamination with cuttings Impact of long lateral?

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Function of Cement in Annulus

Fills the annulus between the open hole and the

casing / liner
Prevents crossflow between zones Protects the casing walls from corrosion

Provides radial support / backup to the casing

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Casing Nomenclature and T.O.C.

TOC? Normally preferred as

high as possible Prefer to cement back above previous casing shoe Constrained by: Depth Temperature Pressure Time Formation frac pressures and permeability

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Objectives of Primary Cementing

Complete Cement Sheath without mud or gas

channels
Cement bonded to Formations Cement bonded to Casing

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Single Stage: Two Plug Cement Job

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Critical Features of liner Cement Job

Small Clearances: usually <<3 in. Decentralized and often inclined Smaller Length: 100-500 ft overlap with previous shoe Batch Mix cement to homogenize Potential leak into annulus via liner lap: impact on

barrier policy? Debris potential in top of liner

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Liner Cementation
DP running string Single plug released

by dart/inner plug
Critical to long term

integrity

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Tubing Completion Configurations

Casing completions Conventional packerless tubing Tubing - packer completions Monobore Tubingless

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Basic Natural Flow Completion

Tubing carries fluid to surface Subsurface safety valves shut in well

in an emergency
Side Pocket Mandrels Circulation

between annulus and tubing (gas or chemicals)

Circulation Device (SSD)

communication between tubing and annulus

Packers isolate production zones Nipples installation of flow control

capabilities
Flow Couplings protect tubing from

internal erosion

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Standard Producer permanent packer

Casing

Conventional

SSSV Tubing Nipple WL Operating SSD

single string producer

Upper and lower

Locator Seal Assembly Permanent Packer

completion
Permanent

Millout Extension
Seal Bore Extension Nipple Perforated Flow Tube No-Go Nipple WEG Liner

packer + tailpipe

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Big Bore Producer or Injector

Casing SSSV Tubing

Big bore

producer or injector
Permanent

WL Operated SSD Extralong Tubing Seal assembly Permanent Packer Wireline Set Millout Extension Tailpipe Nipple Perforated flow Tube Landing Nipple Liner

packer in liner
Two section

completion

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Monobore Completion
Casing

Monobore
SSSV Tubing SPM (Side Pocket mandrel)

Facilitates

concentric access
Big bore low

Nipple Polished Bore Receptacle Liner Packer & Hangar Assay

pressure los
Cannot circulate

Liner

below liner hanger without tubing (CT)

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Tubingless Completion
Simple, low
Casing

cost completion
Integrity?

Wireline Isolation Nipple

Direct Controlled SSSV Direct Controlled SSSV

Intervention

options?

Borehole Wall Direct Controlled SSSV Lower Zone Perf Cement

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Summary
Start with basis of Design statement Keep it simple and fit for purpose Consider Uncertainties Costs Operating and workover costs Longevity requirements

Learn from the design process - documentation