«Oilfield engineering»

Proven experience of successful operation of multi-lateral wells by an open-hole method in weakly consolidated reservoirs to increase the fields development marginality

UDC: 622.276.1/.4:553.98 М.П.
DOI: -

Authors:

¹ PetroGM, Novosibirsk, Russia
² Gazpromneft NTC, Saint-Petersburg, Russia

Keywords: low-margin field, weakly consolidated sediments, horizontal wells, multi-lateral wells, open-hole completion, geo-mechanical modeling, hydrodynamic modeling

Annotation:

Open hole completion of multilateral wells in weakly consolidated rocks to increase the marginality of oil/gas fields is an urgent task. The main problem is degradation and destruction of the borehole walls during operation. The article presents an integrated geo-mechanical approach to determining critical depressions at different periods of bringing the multi-lateral extended reach wells to stable production startup and their operation. The geo-mechanical effects in the near wellbore area are considered. The state of reservoir rocks degradation and destruction over time was assessed on the basis of dynamic 3D modeling (geo-mechanical and hydro-dynamical). It allowed evaluating the critical (in the context of rock destruction) depressions in the open borehole and track their dynamics as well as calculating the optimal parameters of bottom-hole pressure decrease for bringing the well on to stable production and its further control. Stable operation and full contribution of all boreholes into the production was observed in wells where restrictions on the rate of in bottom-hole pressure and drawdowns decrease were fulfilled. On the contrary, these limits exceed when putting some wells into operational mode or in the course of their operation led to some boreholes collapse, thus providing no contribution to production.

The performed study resulted in the possible effective development of low-marginal fields with weakly consolidated reservoir rocks applying multi-lateral open borehole method. It was supported during complex modeling and confirmed as a result of drilling and subsequent operation. This case is one of the first in Russia, and possibly in the world, which demonstrate the experience of successful production in such conditions.

Bibliography:

1. Intelligent multilateral: the next step in the evolution of well construction / J. Oberkircher, T. Cavender, V.J. Nielsen, M. Beleau // Paper OTC 14253 prepared for presentation at the Offshore Technical Conference, Houston, Texas, USA, 6–9 May 2002. – 9 р.

2. K voprosu o zakanchivanii gorizontal’nykh skvazhin s otkrytym zaboem v terrigennykh kollektorakh Zapadnoy Sibiri / D.L. Bakirov, M.M. Fattakhov, D.V. Malyutin, E.V. Babushkin // Geologiya, geofizika i razrabotka neftyanykh i gazovykh mestorozhdeniy. – 2015. – № 9. – S. 56–64.

3. Kompleksnyy podkhod k soprovozhdeniyu bureniya skvazhin v gruppe kompaniy "Gazpromneft’" / A.V. Bilinchuk, A.N. Govzich, A.N. Sitnikov [i dr.] // Neft. khoz-vo. – 2014. – № 12. – S. 48–51.

4. Vakula A.Ya., Bikbulatov R.R. Primenenie gorizontal’nykh tekhnologiy pri razrabotke mestorozhdeniy OAO "Tatneft’" // Burenie i neft’. – 2009. – № 10. – S. 40–42.

5. Torres M., Anteza V., Smirnov N. Uspeshnoe stroitel’stvo pervykh gorizontal’nykh skvazhin na Karabashskom mestorozhdenii // PetroGM.

6. Kernovye issledovaniya na tolstostennom tsilindre s promyvkoy razlichnymi flyuidami: rezul’taty i prakticheskaya tsennost’ / R.K. Nepop, N.Yu. Smirnov, R.V. Molodtsov [i dr.] // SPE-196929-MS. – 2019.

7. Horizontal-wellbore stability and sand production in weakly consolidated sandstones / P.J. Hoek, A.P. Kooijiman, P. Bree [et al.] // SPE Drill & Compl. – 2000. – Vol. 15(4). – P. 274–283. – SPE-65755-PA.

8. Bratli R.K., Risnes R. Stability and failure of sand arches // SPE J. – 1981. – P. 236–248.