WELL COMPLETION The Challenge of Completing and Stimulating Horizontal Wells Exie Brown Arthur Milne Ron Thomas. Paris, France Flouston, Texas, USA Although drilling horizontal wells has become almost routine, co include securing zonal isolation, taken for granted in a conventional Vertical well technology took over half aif the borehole dis in and out ofthe target century to: progress from barefoot openhole reservoir because of insufficient geological completions to the range of cased-hole knowledge or poor directional cont Completions available today. Driven by the When horizontal boreholes ae dilled to Same need 10 selectively produce and treat tie in tothe natural fractures o a igh forma: individual zones, completion engineers are tion, such as in the Austin chalk feds of pushing horizontal wel technology along, south Texas and the Rospo Mare field of ‘he same road in less than a tenth the time.’ shore Italy, zonal isolation is being seen as ‘Avis sight, zonal isolation might not mandatory (ef). Initial presure in naturally Seem as important in 3 horizontal well as in fractured formations may vay from one frac a vertical well The horizontal well should tre to the nex as may the hydrocarbon ideally tap one formation and produce from gravity and likelihood of coning, Allowing the entire horizontal interval. Experience them to produce together permits crosslow drilling and producing horizontal wells, between fractures and a single fracture with however, shows that reservoirs are often erly water breakthrough, which jeopardizes horizontally heterogeneous. With sufficient the entre wel’s production. subsurface knovledge, oil companies can ntl, horizanal wells were completed exploit heterogeneity by'drecting horizontal with uncemented slotted liner unless the borcholes through natural facture systems; formation was stong-enough for an open © or through facies and faults tapping several hole completion. Both methods make it cif “separate producing formations. This requires ficult to determine producing zones and, il | zonal isolation, Isolation may also be needed _ problems develop, practically impossible to | ae sl Fer onubitions hi aril, thanks alot: Tar aba per eon Vera a rameraer man ienaea ts "6 “apna acne cymere niente lagi es ane aah i sa" "" awn egunttyotal "amet a ‘Acker 0, Boeiel M, Marszalek 7, Clavier C, Godde 62 Banta a sone Loa Se Wigtanee | Sieh ; amy 19th 23| and stimulation techniques for the new environment are and understanding the role of hydraulic fracturing. in intensive development. The goal selectively teat the right zone, Today, zonal isolation is achieved using either external casing. packers (ECP!) on slotted or perfo- rated liner or by conventional cementing and perforating (see “Which Completion?” ‘page 58). In this fast-moving technological area, oil companies choose which method to use depending on their experience and the producing conditions. tn the long run, conventional cementing and perforating offer the most reliable iso fast becoming the favored technique in most fields outside the USA and is mandatory if the wel isto be hydraulically fractured ECPs are mostly used in naturally frac- tured formations such as the Austin? and Rospo Mare chalks. Atached to the outside of the liner, ECPS are reinforced, inflatable rubber diaphragms that are inflated with ~ ‘mud or cement to make a seal against the formation (right). Since ECPs inflate radially, © they, work less well in oval holes than in cir "cular holes. “2 GastoeHoszonia Dating volving mn Ato enc,” Oi & Cas ural 87 70.30 uy 24, 2 196913 © 2. ECR radomark of taker Hughes ncopnaed 5 Maas RCand StolteyCO- “Dili and Competing | 2 sFesent win acne Cats Wet (09,9. 4 Weber 19892 39-45.WELL COMPLETION Emie Brown Ron Thomas Houston, Texas, USA Vertical well technology took over half a Century to progress from barefoot openhole completions to the range of cased-hole Completions available today. Driven by the same need to selectively produce and teat individual zones, completion engineers are pushing horizontal well technology along «the same road in less than a tenth the time? AL fist sight, zonal isolation might not Seom as important ina horizontal well asin 2 vertical well. The horizontal well should ideally tp one formation and produce from the entire horizontal interval. Experience Grilling and producing horizontal well, however, shows that reservoirs are often horizontally heterogeneous, With suficient subsurface knowledge, oil companies can © exploit heterogeneity by directing horizontal ‘boreholes through natural fracture. systems) s ils tapping several The Challenge of Completing and Stimulating Horizontal Wells ‘Acthur Milne Pais, France ifthe borehole dis in aed ot ofthe target. reservoir because of insufficient geological knowledge or poor directional contol. ‘When horzonal boreholes are dled to te ino the natural facuts fail forma Aion, such asin the Austin chalk fels of south Texas and the Rospo Mare field oft shore italy, zonal isolation is beng seen as ‘mandatory (efit pees in naturally fractured formations may vary fom one ac- ture o the next as may the hydrocarbon sravily and ikellhood of coning. Allowing them to produce togsther permits cosslow betveen atures and a shale fracture with early water breakthough, which jeopardizes ‘ells produalon, ly, horizontal well with une oo Toa Although drilling horizontal wells has become almost routine, completion and stimulation techniques for the new environment are still in intensive development. The goals include securing zonal isolation, taken for granted in a conventional well, and understanding the role of hydraulic fracturing, selectively eat the right zone. Today, zonal isolation 1s achieved using elthor exernal Caring packers (ECPs!) on sted or ptf rated liner or by conventional cementing di perforating (eee “Which Completion?” page’ 5), In ths fast-moving technologtcal area, oi! companies choose which method to use depending on their experience and the producing conditions. In the long run, conventional cementing and perforating offer the most reliable isolation. I is fst becoming the favored technique in most folds outside the USA and is mandatory the well is to be hydraulically fractured, ECPs are mostly used in naturally ra: tured formations such as the Austin? and Rospo Mare challs. Altace tothe ouside of the liner, ECPs are reinforced, inflatable tuber diaphragms that are inflated with “imud or cement to make a seal agains the formation righ). ince EPs inflate rally, they work less well in oval holes than in ci "cular holes. s.0:"Hodzol Dring song rom Ato Fence," Oi & Gas ural 87,9030 hy 24 7 a schalat erasnra sf ey CO. Orgad cog 1/7 [Hgeora Wellin Foci Carbonate” Worl 0.4 October 1989) 39.45,