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DRILLING
AND COMPLETION TECHNOLOGY
Horizontal
well completions often show uneven production along their length
due to fractures and heterogeneous permeability and saturation.
Once the problem areas were identified by production logging,
the novel use of inflow control devices and flow equalizers
resulted in substantial improvement in recovery. This new completion
technology lowered water production and improved ultimate recovery
in two wells in the United Arab Emirates, as told by authors
from ADCO and Baker Oil Tools.
Hydraulic
horsepower is very important in conventional drilling, helping
bits perform at optimal levels. The energy can be put to more
efficient use by accelerating high-density particles
through the nozzles of the drill bit, using particle impact drilling
as the primary cutting mechanism. Authors from Particle Drilling
Technologies explain how it is done and update us on recent
developments.
While
drilling an extended reach well in the North Sea, the operator
needed to build angle from 52 to 75 degrees while drilling
near 6,000 ft to over 20,000 ft through sticky formations.
The operator chose to use a casing-while-drilling system. Authors
from Weatherford explain how casing-while-drilling
saved seven days of NPT, usually required for running casing on wells in
this field.
Poor
long-term performance of fibers, especially at elevated temperatures,
is still a problem. This issue is critically important using
Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) in Steam-Assisted
Gravity Drainage (SAGD) applications, where wells operate at very high
temperatures, often exceeding 250°C, high pressures and
a hydrogen-rich environment. Authors from WellDynamics and
Japan Canada Oil Sands Limited (JACOS) present results from
the first full-scale field trial of a new single-mode DTS system
designed for long-term reliability in these harsh conditions.
Swellable
rubber. It’s been known for many decades that rubber
tends to swell when exposed to oil and gas. Nearly 10 years
ago, two companies began working on commercial aspects that
exploit this property. Now that the rubber types are known,
and testing concluded, the technology is moving into the marketplace.
Shell Global Solutions’ version, called Swellfix, has
completed many jobs using the technology for isolation with
packers, zones and other uses. Examples tell the story.
Shallow
gas-charged sands present a significant drilling risk in
the Erha field offshore Nigeria. ExxonMobil evaluated the potential
for subsea gas blowouts in its drilling plan through the riserless-conductor
hole interval. This method, which resulted from modeling shallow-gas
flows, includes dynamic kill operations to prevent and mitigate
these flows.
Authors
from Saudi Aramco and Halliburton discuss the effectiveness
of a new slickline-deployed electro-mechanical tubing
punch that resolved problems arising from the use
of conventional mechanical perforating tools. Field studies
of the new tool’s application in the operator’s
wells demonstrated operational advantages and a significant
impact on safety and economics. |
ENHANCED
OIL RECOVERY
Microbiological
enhanced oil production. Authors from the Russian
Academy of Sciences, Dangang Oilfield Co., Yangtze University
and Petrochina Co. Ltd. discuss microbiological technology
for EOR based on the activation of the stratal microflora
that was tested in the high-temperature horizons of the Kongdian
bed (60°C) of the Dagang oil field, China. This biotechnology
consists of pumping a water-air mixture, and nitrogen
and phosphorus salts into the oil stratum through injection
wells to stimulate the activity of the stratal microflora,
which produce oil-releasing metabolites. Watercut decreased
and the oil content increased, recovering more than 98,000
barrels of additional oil over 3.5 years. |
PRODUCED
WATER REPORT
Downhole
sand protection. Field tests in southwestern Saskatchewan,
Canada, demonstrated the effectiveness of a downhole desander
to protect electric submersible pumps from failure. Husky
Energy Inc. wanted to reduce operating costs, 24% being attributed
to well workovers and related servicing costs. The downhole
desander, supplied by Enerscope Systems Inc., employs centrifugal
action to separate the heavier-than-water particles from
the water stream. The tool has no moving parts, no screens
or filter elements to clean or replace, and requires no backwashing.
It allowed the ESP to have a significantly longer run time
and better overall efficiency than any previous pump placed
in that particular well. Also, fluid pumping rates were higher
than expected. |
EXPLORATION
Wide,
wider, and in between, what does WAZ, MAZ, RAZ all mean? And
what are the cost issues involved with these seismic acquisition
methods? When is it justified to use one of these methods?
Will all subsalt plays end up using one of them? And what
else, besides subsalt, are these seismic acquisition methods
best used for? These and many other questions are answered
in this important report from World Oil.
Seismic
characterization of giant sand injectites in the North Sea
and West of Shetland: Reservoirs, conduits and drilling hazards.
Author from the University of Aberdeen discusses
the properties of sand injectites and their potential to
provide highly permeable reservoirs and pathways for fluid
migration through otherwise poorly permeable shale intervals.
The author also argues that sand injectites may constitute
drilling hazards when using high-pressure/heavy muds to drill
through polygonal-faulted mudstones. |
DRILLING,
COMPLETION AND WORKOVER FLUIDS
World
Oil’s ever-popular, exclusive annual reference
comprises about 25 pages that show trade names, generic descriptions,
recommended usage and suppliers of nearly 2,400 fluid systems/additives
for drilling, completion and workover. |
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The June 2008 issue closes for advertising
on May 1, 2007. |
For
information contact: |
Ron Higgins, Publisher |
Mailing
Address:
World Oil
PO Box 2608
Houston, TX 77252 USA |
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Street
Address:
World Oil
2 Greenway Plaza, Suite 1020
Houston, Texas 77046 USA |
Phone: (713) 529-4301; Fax: (713) 520-4433 |
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