Nodal Analysis, Well Problem Analysis, Wax and Sand Control

Sanjay K. Dhiraj Dy. SRE, G&R Deptt.

Objectives

Understand the components of Inflow performance Understand the components of vertical lift performance Understand combining inflow and vertical lift performance Wax problem analysis Sand problem analysis

SURFACE PRESSURE
INJECTION GAS

PRODUCED FLUID

WELL OUTFLOW RELATIONSHIP (VLP)

BOTTOM HOLE PRESSURE AS A FUNCTION OF FLOWRATE

PRODUCTION POTENTIAL AS A FUNCTION OF PRODUCTION RATE

RESERVOIR PRESSURE

SANDFACE PRESSURE BHFP

WELL INFLOW (IPR)

Pressure Losses
Pwh
Surface Choke

Separator

Pdsc
Safety Valve

Psep

Pdsv
Pusv

Bottom Hole Restriction

Pdr Pur

DP1 = Pr - Pwfs DP2 = Pwfs - Pwf DP3 = Pur - Pdr DP4 = Pusv - Pdsv DP5 = Pwh - Pdsc DP6 = Pdsc - Psep

= Loss in Porous Medium = Loss across Completion = Loss across Restriction = Loss across Safety Valve = Loss across Surface Choke = Loss in Flowline

DP7 = Pwf - Pwh = Total Loss in Tubing DP8 = Pwh - Psep = Total Loss in Flowline

Pwf

Pwfs

_ Pr

Pe

Possible Pressure Losses in Complete Production System

Inflow Performance Curve

3500

Inflow (Reservoir) Curve

Flowing bottomhole pressure, psi
3000

2500

2000

1500

1000

500

0 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500

Production rate, STB/D

Tubing Curve
3500 3000

Tubing Curve

Flowing bottomhole pressure, psi

2500

2000

1500

1000

500

0 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500

Production rate, STB/D

System Graph
3500 3000

Inflow (Reservoir) Curve Tubing Curve

Flowing bottomhole pressure, psi

2500

2000

1500

1000

500

0 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500

Production rate, STB/D

INFLOW PERFORMANCE
SEMI (PSEUDO) STEADY STATE INFLOW (using average reservoir pressure)
kh(Pav - Pwf) qo = ----------------------------------141.2 oBo.[ln(re/rw) - 3/4]
where: P = pressure (psi) k = permeability (md) h = height (ft) re = drainage radius (ft) rw = wellbore radius (ft) O = fluid viscosity (cP) Bo = formation volume factor (bbls/stb)

INFLOW PERFORMANCE
PRODUCTIVITY INDEX The relationship between well inflow rate and pressure drawdown can be expressed in the form of a Productivity Index, denoted PI or J, where:
q J = -----------------Pws - Pwf

q = J(Pws - Pwf) or

kh(Pav - Pwf) qo = ----------------------------------141.2 oBo.[ln(re/rw) - 3/4]

WELL & RESERVOIR INFLOW PERFORMANCE

( Successful design depends upon prediction of flow rate)

VOGEL Dimensionless reference curve based on the following equation: Q/Qmax = 1 - 0.2(Pwf/Pws) - 0.8(Pwf/Pws)2
where: drawdown Q = the liquid production rate, stb/d Qmax = the maximum liquid rate for 100% Pwf = bottom hole flowing pressure, psi Pws = the reservoir pressure, psi

FLOW REGIMES

FACTORS EFFECTING VLP

VLP is a function of physical properties not inflow Tubing ID Wall roughness Inclination Liquid / gas density Liquid / gas viscosity Liquid / gas velocity Well depth / line lengths Surface pressure Water cut GOR Liquid surface tension Flowrate

PRESSURE LOSS IN WELLBORE

TOTAL PRESSURE DIFFERENCE GRAVITY TERM FRICTION TERM ACCELERATION TERM

P/Ztotal = g/gccos + fv /2gcd + v/gc[P/Z]

P/Z

Babson (1934) Gilbert (1939 / 1952) Poettmann & Carpenter (1952) Duns & Ros Hagedorn & Brown Orkiszewski Fancher & Brown Beggs &Brill Duckler Flannigan Gray Mechanistic Proprietary

CORRELATIONS

Effect of Tubing Size on Outflow

Inflow (IPR) Outflow
2 3/8

Pressure at Node

2 7/8

3 1/2

4 1/2

Flowrate (stb/d)

Produced Fluids Issues

Flowability

Scale

Corrosion

Erosion

Gas

Water

Solid

Oil

Hydrates

Paraffin/Gel

Emulsions
Asphaltene

The Cholesterol of the Petroleum Industry

Costs the industry billions of dollars annually

Paraffins or Waxes

Wells Productivity Lower production Downtime during wax remedial jobs Expensive wax chemicals

Flowlines Management Extra insulation on flowlines Dual lines to enable round trip pigging Downtime during pigging Cost of chemical program

What are Paraffins or Waxes?

Saturated component of a crude oil crystallizes upon cooling 0.10 Structure
Mass Distribution
0.08

Crude Oil

Wax Deposit

CH3(CH2)nCH3 n > 20 Petroleum Wax

0.06

0.04

0.02 0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Carbon Number (n+2)

Field Definition
A low melting point soft solid deposit that forms on cold walls of well tubing, flowlines and oil transport pipelines

Lab and Field Observation Fluid Behavior

Paraffin Deposition in Flowlines

Warm Crude oil

Cooled Crude oil

Heat loss to surrounding

Toil @wall

Wax Appearance Temperature

Location from oil wellhead

Current Methods of Paraffin Control

Chemical Inhibition Thermal Insulation Hot Solvent Treatment Mechanical Removal

Chemical Inhibitors for Paraffin Control

Chemical performance is crude specific Need a rigorous laboratory testing program to qualify a chemical Screening of wax inhibitors using cold fingers or flow loops

Paraffin Control for Production Wells

Wax inhibitors, hot solvent / dispersants

Wellhead
4000

Oil Rate (BOPD)

750 ft

3000 2000 1000 0

1 1

2 2

3 3

4 4

5 6 7 8 5 6 7 8 Time (Months)

9 9

10 11 12 10 11 12

Time (Months)

Singh et al., SPE Drilling and Completions, 2007 Coiled tubing access and wire line Heat retention using Vacuum Insulated Tubulars (VIT) Heating cable strap onto tubing string

Warm Reservoir Fluid

Mechanical Methods for Wax Remediation

Pigging Hard pigs, Scraper pigs, By-pass pigs, Multi-diameter

Coiled tubing limited reach

SPE 77573

Improved pig design to lower the stuck pig risk

Sand Control

What is meant by sand production? Production of solids - type? Formation sand grains Formation fines Clay and Silica Compaction/detrital material How much? 1-10 lbs/1000bbls or 1MMSCF In heavy oil, amounts could be very large How much sand is tolerable? Depends on well location offshore/onshore Fluid type - gas or oil Well type - subsea/platform/onshore Facilities for separation/handling/disposal

Causes of Sand Production

Sandstone strength linked to degree of cementation. Cementation increases over time older sediments are more consolidated.

Sand production more common in younger and shallower sediments.

Effects of production (pressure reduction and fluid movement) contribute to formation breakdown due to inertial and viscous forces.

Pressure depletion increases grain to grain forces potential to exceed compressive strength failure.

Causes of Sand Production

Inertial and viscous forces vary depending on the fluid e.g. gas or heavy oil potential to exceed tensile strength failure. There is a critical flow rate (drawdown) below which sand production can be minimized.

Relative permeability effects change the capillary forces within the grain structure (cohesion).
Impact on cementation - chemical attack reduces strength increased risk of sand production.

Problems associated with sand production

Erosion - downhole and surface Plugging ?

Sump and flowlines Perforations Pore space - fines!

Near wellbore compaction

Slumping of casing Subsidence Loss of productivity ( increased apparent skin)

Filling of separators poor efficiency Removal difficulties Disposal of contaminated sand

Effects of Sand Production

Establishing Critical Rate/Drawdown

Well is beaned up progressively and sand production is monitored Concerns? Rock is tested to failure - does this weaken the rock hysteresis? Is the failure affected by fluid type/saturation? Is QMSF an economic rate?

Prediction For a gas well, QMSF depends on (drawdown)0.5 For an oil well, QMSF depends on : drawdown /strength / fluid saturation

Sand Management options

Production Rate Control

Rate control is achieved by gradually beaning up a well and monitoring for sand production. There are two principal values which characterise the technique: Maximum Sand Free Rate (MSFR) Maximum Allowable Sand Rate (MASR) The onset of sand production in a well directly related to increasing production rate implies there is critical rate below which sand production will not occur. This is the MSFR. Establishing the MSFR involves well rate manipulation to the point where sand is noted. This rate is kept constant until equilibrium is reached, at which point the rate is reduced back to a sand free rate. The MASR is the rate at which sand production can be tolerated through the production system without affecting its integrity. Economic decision as the rate which corresponds with the MASR may not be commercially viable (also applies to MSFR).

Rate control has some advantages; Generally lower CAPEX (unless major topsides modifications are required) and flexibility to incorporate workovers if required. Appropriate for situations where rates must be limited for water or gas ingress.

Sand exclusion options

Screenless exclusion
Orientated perforating Sand consolidation Frac packs

Physical exclusion - bridging Standalone Screens

Standard Premium Expandable

Gravel packs

Oriented Perforation

Frac Packing
Tend to use in heterogeneous,
fine grained formations Optimal perforation design is central to success of fracturing treatment. Perforations aligned with maximum stress direction optimize impact of initiation and propagation pressures. Use of resin coated proppant (RCP) may further help stabilize formation

Consolidation
Treat formation in immediate vicinity of wellbore to bond sand grains.

Formation must be treated through all perforations; Consolidated sand mass must remain permeable to well fluids; Consolidation should remain constant over time Two principal types of treatment;
Epoxy resin (3 stage treatment) isopropyl alcohol preflush, then resin is pumped followed by viscous oil to displace resin from the pore space). Limitations - only 20 ft at a time, temperature maximum of 100C, max clay content 20%. Furan, phenolic resins & alkoxysilane have higher temperature range than epoxy but consolidation may experience brittle failure. Difficult chemicals to handle safely.

Screens - Principles
Sand control using installed screens is designed to exclude all but the finest formation particles from being produced into the wellbore. Effective design of screens requires acquisition of core samples for particle size analysis. Seeking to induce particle bridging and dynamic filtration.

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