Sample Career Episode

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Introduction
CE3.1This career episode is about my work as Petroleum Engineer Intern in
the Drill Stem Testing carried out on Sajjal-1 well after the completion
of drilling in Sujawal Block. The block boundary straddles on Thatta and
Badin districts in Sindh Province. The well is located in the eastern part
of Sujawal Block and is operated by Mari Petroleum Company Limited.

Background
CE3.2Halini well started its production naturally after which it was developed
in different stages.In the initial phase, it produced at a rate of 700 BBL
oil /day and 0.7 MMSCFD gas which declined to 450 BBL oil /day and
0.4 MMSCFD gas during phase 2 and 3. The decline trend continued
until it reached 400 BBL oil /day and 0.3 MMSCFD gas. As per
continuous monitoring of wells decline trend , a study was carried out
through a consultancy firm M/s. Improved Petroleum RecoveryGroup of
Companies (IPR) in order to select an optimum artificial lift method for
increasing thewell production.
CE3.3The artificial lift methods considered in this study were jet pump
method, gas lift method, electrical submersible pump method and
sucker rod pump method. Out of these methods gas lift system was
selected on the basis of techno-commercial evaluation. The presence
of gas in reservoir supported the economic and technical feasibility of
the method.
CE3.4The objective of the project was:
To pull out the existing completion assembly from the well.
To do additional perforations in the already producing zones.
To run in a new completion assembly and install gas lift system in it.
To bring the well back on production after completion of work-over.
CE3.5As a petroleum engineer my responsibilities comprised of:
Supervision and daily reporting of work-overoperation progress
To remove any problems, delaying the project progress.
Material inventory management for work over operation at the field.
To ensure that the service companiesexecute all jobs as per HSE policy
of the company.

The organizational chart of Halini Oil Field at the time of the project is
as given below:

Personal Engineering Activity

CE3.6The work-over operation at Halini well was of prime importance to the
company due to the presence of risk and involvement of large amount
of expense. Since it was one of the major sources of revenue for the
company, successful completion of project was necessarydue to low
probability of success in such operations.
CE3.7The execution of the project was a difficult task, the well was alive at
the bottom and the existing completion assembly was to be pulled out
without killing the well (in an underbalanced condition)in order to have
minimum damage to the reservoir.
CE3.8During the project execution, I followed the following standards:
1) American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure
Vessel Code, Sections VIII related to pressure vessels.
2) American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure
Vessel Code, Sections IX related to welding jobs.
CE3.9Before starting the project, I went through the work-over operation
program manual provided by the head office and carried out a meeting
with the field in-charge, supervisors of all service companies at site,
driller and the rig tool-pusher. As a result of the discussion in the
meeting I made a Gantt chart of the project on Microsoft Project
Software to indicate all the jobs as per their estimated duration for

tracking the project progress. In the start of execution phase I

instructed the slick line team of M/s. Eastern Testing Services to
mobilize and install the slick line equipment on top of the Christmas
tree. Since the well was still alive so it was necessary to install a plug
in the tail assembly of the completion string at 4754 mto shut the well
at the bottom and then pull out the existing completion string. I
supervised the job by running the plug into the hole using 0.125 in size
slick line wire.
CE3.10
In the initial attempt the plug was not getting fixed into the tail
assembly nipple. So , I got the plug pulled up 100 m above its point of
installation and instructed the slick line supervisor to run in the plug
with a speed of 50 m / min and then do jarring on it. After two attempts
the plug was set.I calculated the weight of the stem bars to make the
plug get inside against the well pressure by using the formula:
P=F/A
Weight per foot = (OD2x8)/3
CE3.11
After the installation of plug, I guided the mechanical technicians
to remove the Christmas tree from the wellhead and then therig was
assembled with installation of Blow out Preventer (BOP) on top of the
well head.The pulling out of existing completion assembly was carried
out in two stages.
CE3.12
Firstly,I guided the driller to pull out the top assembly of the
completion comprising of 07 joints of 4 in tubing, 486 joints of 3 in
tubing,a Sub-Surface Safety valve and alocator seal assemblyusing top
drive system of the rig. The tubing joints were pulled out in stands(3
tubing joints / stand) and then I guided the rig crew to place the tubing
single by single on the racks.
CE3.13
The pulling out of the tail assembly of the completion string
(packer, mill out extension, nipples, perforated pub joint and tubing
pub joint) was a difficult job since the plug was installed in it and on
retrieving the tail assembly would made the well alive again.So, to
overcome this I instructed managed pressure drilling team of M/s.
Weatherford to mobilize their equipment so that pressure in the well
can be controlled by injecting nitrogen gas into the well fluid to
decrease their density and keep the well pressure in control. I
instructed the team to installthe managed pressure drilling unit
comprising of Rotary Control Device(RCD) on top of the Blow out

Preventer (BOP) to provide a pressure sealed system and to control the

fluids going into and coming out of the wellI instructed then to install a
micro flux control system.
CE3.14
After the installation of managed pressure drilling equipment, I
instructed the driller to run packer milling and retrieving tool by
connecting it at the end of drill pipe assembly.On reaching a depth of
4741 m (packer depth), I instructed the driller to first pump some brine
on top of the packer so that any scaling on it can be removed and then
slowly enter the tool into the packer and start milling.On completion of
milling the packer was released and retrieved to the surface. During
milling operation the milling rate was very slow due to deposition of
scales on top of the packer. So, I overcome this problem by increasing
the weight and rotation per min (RPM). On release of the packer the
well became alive and was controlled using micro flux control system.
CE3.15
For the next phase of the work over operation, I instructed the
perforation team of M/s.Eastern Testing Services to prepare the guns
for carrying out the additional perforations in the existing producing
zone of the reservoir.Since the perforation depth was very deep (from
4779 m to 4905 m) and the perforation interval was also greater than
12 m, a tubing conveyed perforation was carried out instead of wireline perforation due to limitation of strength of wire for not able to hold
more than 12 m guns.
CE3.16
I witnessed all the guns during their explosive filling along with
the length measurement of each gun so that perforation can be carried
out at the desired depth at selected intervals. In order to have deeper
penetration in to the formation the guns used by M/s. Eastern Testing
Service were RAZOR guns having a shot density of 5 shots per foot
with 60 degree phasing.
CE3.17
After preparation of guns, I instructed the driller to lower the
guns into the well in co-ordination with the perforation unit supervisor.
The guns were lowered using 3 in tubing joints up to the desired
depth of 4779 m.On reaching the desired depth, I instructed the wireline unit team from M/s. Weatherford to mobilize and install their
equipment in order to run inside the gamma ray tool to carry out the
depth correlation of the guns so that accurate depth of the guns can be
found. The gamma ray tool carried out depth correlation by detecting a

small radioactive source (cesium) in the gun assembly and then

correlating it with the previous gamma ray log of the well.
CE3.18
I crosschecked the logs of the depth correlation and found the
guns to be 3 m below the desired depth due to tension in the string.
Therefore, I instructed the driller to raise the tubing string 3 m up using
top drive system of the rig and after complete satisfaction the guns
were fired by dropping a metal bar inside the tubing to trigger the
mechanical detonator.
CE3.19
While preparations were going on for the perforation job, I also
instructed the tubing inspection team from M/s. International Tubular
Services Ltd(ITS) to inspect the new tubing before running it into the
well along with the new completion assembly.
CE3.20
After the perforation job, I instructed the mechanical technicians
to measure the lengths of all the tubingjoints and number them as per
the tally prepared by me to reach the desired depth of 4739 m (40 m
above the perforations). Then I instructedthe driller to start running in
the new completion assembly with eight gas lift mandrels installed at
different depths within the tubing joints.I installed dummy valves in all
the eight mandrelsso that there is no communication between the
tubing and the annulus (area between the tubing and well).
CE3.21
The new completion assembly comprised of 454 joints of 4 in
tubing, 25 joints of3 in tubing along with completion accessories and
gas lift mandrels. I instructed the driller to run the new assembly in two
parts like the previous pulled out completion: the tail assembly(454
joints of 4 in tubing, 25 joints of 3 in tubing, gas lift valves, subsurface safety valve and locator seal assembly) and the top assembly
(packer, mill out extension, nipples, perforated pub joint and tubing
pub joint).
CE3.22
Then, I instructed the slick line team to again mobilize the slick
line unit and install their equipment so that the dummy valve in the
bottom most mandrel (4258 m) could be replaced with an orifice valve
for continuous injection of gas in to the well.
CE3.23
Before running in the orifice valve, I first inspected it at the
surface so that the holes were open with no obstruction.I supervised

the job and made sure that the orifice valve gets installed in the
bottom most mandrel.While removing dummy valve a communication
got established in between the tubing and the annulus (area between
tubing and well) causing the fluid in the tubing to go into the annulus.
CE3.24
In the end, the well was to be made alive again since there was a
large column of fluid on top of the perforations, not allowing the well to
flow. As per plan provided, the nitrogen gas was to be injected into the
tubing to circulate out the heavy fluid column from the annulus but I
suggested that injecting the nitrogen to the annulus instead of the
tubing will be more feasible because the volume of fluid in the annulus
was approximately 75 BBL where as in tubing it was around 300 BBL,
thereby requiring more pressure and volume of nitrogen to force the
fluid from the well up the annulus.
CE3.25
In this regard I carried out a meeting with the supervisor of
Coiled Tubing Team and the field in charge. After discussion the
suggestion given by me was found to be more suitable option and
nitrogen was injected into the annulus. After pumping nitrogen
equivalent to 75 BBL fluid started to surface out from the well and it
took 12 hours for the well to get completely cleanup.
CE3.26
When all the waste fluid got out and clean oil started to come; I
instructed the technician to shut the well and released the rig for
dismantling. After the completion of the project, the objective of the
project was achieved in the form of more than two times increased oil
and gas production.

Summary:
CE3.27
The project was an essential step for increasing the production
performance of the well. The target of increased revenue generation at
the cost of high investment was overcome by a more than two times
increase in oil and gas production.My suggestions at time of problems
during the project proved my technical prowess to the higher
management. The phenomenal success of the project resulting in more
than two times increase in production made the higher management
announce a bonus amount for all the employees to reward their hard
work.