1.

BOTTOM HOLE COMPLETION TECHNIQUES

1. Open hole completion
2. Pre-drilled / pre-slotted liner or screen completion (uncemented).
3. Casing or liner with annular cementation and subsequent perforation.

1 Open hole completion

The simplest approach to bottom hole completion would be to leave the entire drilled
reservoir section open after drilling, as shown in Fig 1. Such completions are
sometimes referred to as barefoot completions and the technique is widely applied.
Since no equipment requires to be installed there are savings in both costs and time.
However this type of completion does mean that the entire interval is open to
production and hence it often provides no real selective control over fluid production
or injection. It is therefore not recommended for production or injection wells where
distinctive variations in layeral permeability will detrimentally control the sweep
efficiency on zones under water flood or gas injection. Further, in an oil well if water/
gas breakthrough or migration into the wellbore occurs it is difficult to isolate unless
the entry is at the base of the well where isolation with a cement plug may be
successful. The possibility of interzonal cross flow or zonal back pressure dictating
multizone depletion cannot be corrected with this type of completion. This lack of
zonal control for production or injection is a major limitation on the application of this
technique. Open hole completions should only be applied in consolidated formations as the
borehole may become unstable once a drawdown in applied to induce the well to flow.
In such cases either total collapse of the formation or the production of sand may occur.

Fig 1 Open Hole Completion

2 Screen or pre-slotted liner completions

In this technique, once the drilling through completed reservoir section has been
completed, a wire-wrapped screen or steel pipe which has slots or alternative sand
control screen, is installed (Fig 2). The principal purpose of the screen or liner is to
prevent any produced sand from migrating with the produced fluids, into the
production flow string. The success of the completion in controlling sand production
is dependent upon the screen or slot sizes and the sand particle sizes. The screen will
only become 100% effective if it totally restrains sand production which requires that
the slot size be equal to the size of the smallest particles. However, in such cases the
slots may quickly become plugged and impede flow resulting in a loss in productivity.
This system is sometimes used in inclined/high angle angles to prevent major borehole
collapse or facilitate the passage of logging tools.

Fig 2 Well Completed with Wire Wrapped Screen or Slotted Liner

This technique also suffers from the same inability for zonal control of production or
injection as exists in the open hole completion and may only effectively control sand
production over a limited range of conditions. However, it is a low cost technique
since the cost of a screen to cover the reservoir interval is much less than the cost of
a casing string run to surface plus the cost of cementing and perforating. However in the case of using
premium sand exclusion screens, the cost saving will be reduced.
The technique is therefore only of application as an alternative to the open hole
completion in situations where the reservoir rock consists of relatively large and
homogenous sand grains.

3 Cemented and perforated casing/liner

The final choice is to install either a casing string which extends back to surface or a
liner which extends back into the shoe of the previous casing string, which would then
be cemented in place by the displacement of a cement slurry into the annular space
between the outside wall of the casing and the borehole wall (Fig 3). Subsequently,
to provide flow paths for fluid to enter the wellbore from the formation, or vice versa,
the casing and cement sheath will be perforated at selected locations using explosive
charges contained in a perforating gun.

Fig 3 Cemented and Perforated Production Casing or Liner

2. SELECTION OF THE FLOW CONDUIT BETWEEN THE

RESERVOIR AND SURFACE
There are a number of optional methods by which fluid which enters the wellbore will
be allowed to flow to surface in a production well, or to the formation in an injection
well. In the selection of the method, a range of considerations may influence the
choice including: cost, flow stability, ability to control flow and ensure well safety or
isolation; ensuring that the integrity of the well will not be compromised by corrosion
or erosion. In the case of multizone reservoir, the zonal characteristics will determine
to a large extent the flow system selected.

3 Single Zone Completion

However, for a single zone completion, the following alternatives exist:
1. Tubingless casing flow.
2. Casing and tubing flow.
3. Tubing flow without annular isolation.
4. Tubing flow with annular isolation.

These options are depicted in Fig 4

Fig 4 Selection of Production Condiut

1 Tubingless casing flow

In this option, once the well has been drilled and the bottom hole completion technique
implemented, eg open hole or perforated casing, the well is induced to flow under
drawdown and fluid is produced up the inside of the casing. This technique is very simple and
minimises costs. However it is not without its disadvantages. Firstly, the
production casing may be of such a diameter that the flow area is so large that the fluid
superficial velocities are low enough for phase separation and slippage to occur,
resulting in unstable flow and increased flowing pressure loss in the casing. To be
effective, this approach is only applicable for high rate wells. Secondly, the fluid is
in direct contact with the casing and this could result in any of the following:
1. Casing corrosion, if H2S or CO2 are present in produced fluids.
2. Casing erosion, if sand is being produced.
3. Potential burst on the casing at the wellhead if the well changed from oil to gas
production.

2 Casing and tubing flow

For highly productive wells where a large cross sectional area for flow is desirable,
an alternative to the tubingless casing flow would be to install a production tubing and
allow flow to occur up the tubing and the tubing- casing annulus. This type of
completion has the very important advantage of providing a circulation capability

deep in the well where reservoir fluids can be displaced to surface by an injected kill fluid of the
required density to provide hydraulic overbalance on the reservoir. Provided no erosive or corrosive
compounds exist in the flow stream, this completion is very useful for high flow rate wells.

3 Tubing flow without annulus isolation

In situations where annular flow in a casing-string completion would result in
excessive phase slippage with consequent increased flowing pressure loss and
potential instability, the consideration could be given to merely closing the annulus
at surface and preventing flow. However, in reservoirs where the flowing bottom hole
pressure is at or below the bubble point, gas as it flows from the formation to the tubing
tailpipe will migrate upwards under buoyancy forces and some gas will accumulate
in the annulus. This will result in an increase in the casing head pressure at surface.
Gas build up in the annulus will continue until the gas fills the annulus and it will offload
as a gas slug into the base of the tubing and be produced. This production
instability will be cyclical and is referred to as annulus heading.
In this type of completion the casing is exposed continuously to produced fluid with
the possibilities of erosion or corrosion. This, coupled with the potential for annular
heading, suggests that unless annular flow is required then the annulus should not be
left open to production, despite its simple design.

4 Tubing flow with annular isolation

For cases where a large cross sectional area for flow is not necessary, then an open
annulus can cause complications. Therefore, in the majority of cases where tubing flow will take
place, the annulus is normally isolated by the installation of a packer. The packer has a rubber element
which when compressed or inflated will expand to fill the annulus between the tubing and the casing.
The packeris normally located as close to the top of the reservoir as possible to minimise the
trapped annular volume beneath the packer and hence the volume of gas which could
accumulate there. However, if the packer is installed, the ability to U-tube or circulate
fluid between the tubing and annulus is removed. If such a circulation capability is
required then it is necessary to install a tubing component which will allow annulus
communication or alternatively rely upon the ability to perforate the tubing which
consequently would necessitate tubing replacement prior to the recommencement of
production. In both cases, the circulation point is normally as deep in the well as
possible, but above the packer.
This completion system is by far the most widely used and offers maximum well
security and control.

4 MULTIPLE ZONE COMPLETION

Multiple zone completions are employed on reservoirs where more than one distinct
reservoir layer is to be intersected by a single well and for which the intention or
requirement is to produce/induce these layers separately. Normally the reservoirs are
sequentially encountered as the depth increases.
The completion of multiple zone reservoirs can be accomplished by one of the
following:(a) Comingling the Flow from Various Zones:
In this approach, more than one zone flows into the tubing string, e.g. two zones
producing up a single tubing string.

(b) Segregated Multi Zone Depletion:

With this approach the concept is to use multiple production conduits within
the same wellbore, where each tubing is utilised for the production of one zone.
The advantages and disadvantages of each of the above techniques is discussed below.

1 Co-mingled Flow
Advantages
(1) Since each well provides a drainage point in each reservoir unit, the total
number of wells is less and the capital investment, is therefore minimised.
(2) Since the amount of drilling is minimised, the production plateaux for all the
reservoirs should be reached as quickly as possible. i.e. production should be
accelerated compared to the other optional strategies

Disadvantages
(1) The mixing of produced fluids in the wellbore can be disadvantageous if one
or more fluids have any of the following characteristics:
(a) Corrosive or potentially corrosive materials e.g. acids, H2S, CO2.
(b) Produced sand and a potential erosive effect. The implementation of
sand control procedures may be more complicated.
(c) Fluids having different Hydrocarbon compositions and hence economic
value.
(d) Different WOR and GOR as this would influence the vertical lift
performance of the total well system.
(2) Variation in individual zone pressures and permeability can lead to a back
pressure effect on the less productive or lower pressure reservoirs.
(3) The use of co-mingling removes the capability for continuous control of the
production process, i.e. closure of one individual zone cannot necessarily be
effected unless a relative configuration is used.
(4) Injection of fluids, e.g. stimulation fluids cannot easily be diverted into
individual layers without temporary isolation using sealants (diverters) or
bridge plugs.
(5) A change in the production characteristics of one zone e.g. water coning and a
consequent increase in WOR, will influence the total production from the well
but may be difficult to remedy without closing in the well.

2 Segregated - Multiple Zone Depletion

Advantages
(1) The production rate and duration of flow on each zone can be independently
controlled.
(2) Changes in the production characteristics of one zone will not influence the
others.
(3) Some remedial work on individual zones can be accomplished without always
affecting production on other zones, e.g. cement squeeze, reperforating, perforation washes.
(4) Stimulation on each zone can be applied.
(5) Continuous monitoring of the depletion of each zone can be achieved, which
assists in material balance or reservoir simulation studies for reservoir management.

Disadvantages
(1) Since each zone has a tubing string the amount of production tubing and other

completion equipment required is considerable. This requires additional capital and

installation time.
(2) The mechanical complexity of the completion is increased and hence the
possibility of equipment malfunction is also increased.
(3) The amount of completion equipment is increased and hence the statistical
possibility of component failure is also increased.
(4) The retention of tubing sizes may reduce the total flow capacity of the well

5 MULTIPLE ZONE COMPLETION CONFIGURATIONS

Wells can be completed on any number of zones within the same well by simply
increasing the amount of completion equipment installed to provide isolation and flow
control capability. The benefits of using the same wellbore for multizone production
are significant, but as the number of zones increases, the complexity and potential for
malfunction can negate the inherent advantage of the single wellbore completion.

1 Dual Zone Completion

There are a number of ways in which completions can be designed to produce two
zones. Besides co-mingled flow and individual well/zone completion there are:
(1) Casing/Tubing Flow
In this case a single tubing string is run with a single packer installed to provide
isolation between zones. One zone will produce up the tubing, whilst the other will
produce up the casing-tubing annulus.
The difficulty with this type of completion is that under natural flow conditions it will
have a live annulus perhaps necessitating an annular safety valve. Also the produced
fluid is in contact with the casing and it may thus cause damage by corrosion or
abrasion. In addition, pressure limitations on the annulus with respect to casing burst
may preclude stimulation of the zone which produces via the annulus.

(2) Dual Tubing Flow

In this type of completion a separate tubing string for each zone is provided with two
packers, one to isolate between zones and the other to isolate the upper zone from the
upper casing annulus. Here the depletion of each zone can be accurately monitored
and controlled. In addition, the injection of fluids into each zone is limited only by
the tubing design criteria. Also, the completion is more suited to the effective
production of problem well fluids.

(3) Single String Selective Producer

In this completion, the well is completed over two zones, utilising one tubing string
designed to selectively allow the production of either or both of the zones. The
completion requires two packers, one to isolate between zones and the other to isolate
the annulus. In addition, an entry point for fluid from the upper zone to enter the string
must be provided which can be opened and closed as desired, e.g. a sliding side door.
Finally, when producing the upper zone into the tubing, closure of the lower zone may
be accomplished by setting a plug in a nipple at the base of the tailpipe.

2 Completions for 3 or More Zones

The available options discussed for dual completions can be extended
for wells to be completed on three or more zones with or without some degree of zonal
co-mingling.
(1) Triple Zone Completions
This can be accomplished with either:
(i) A completion utilising separate zonal flow into one of three tubing strings and
having three packers for isolation.
(ii) A two string completion, whereby flow from two zones is co-mingled into one
of the tubing strings.
(iii) Single zone annular flow and two tubing strings producing separately from two
zones.
(iv) Two string completion where either or both of the strings are completed to
allow selectively production from two of the zones. This requires two tubing
strings and three packers.
(v) Single string, triple zone selective completion.