Oilfield Bulletin

Schlumberger multilateral technology is used to reduce drilling and completion costs, increase production from existing fields, and even revive old wells.
Multilateral technology revives old wells in Southeast Asia
Production was waning from a commercially successful field in the Beihei Bay. Pressure had slowly depleted, and electrical submersible pumps were being installed in production wells. As oil production declined, continued use of these pumps raised the drawdown pressure and increased the volume of water produced from the field. Because the low oil-to-water production rate for a number of wells made them economically unviable, they were marked for temporary abandonment, and drilling new wells was considered. Schlumberger multilateral technology offered a solution that would make these wells more productive. A workover program and assessment of the reservoir began after the selection of a candidate well. First, the lower uneconomical production zones were isolated. A directional pilot well was drilled through the reservoir and into the lower water-contact zone. The pilot well was logged and evaluated, providing valuable information on the current water-contact level in the field and within the producing reservoir. Then the pilot well was isolated with cement. A directional plan was formulated to allow the drilling of a long horizontal lateral in the reservoir above the watercontact level. The lateral motor assembly was controlled and directed 900 m with a logging-while-drilling and measurementwhile-drilling package. The production lateral was completed with screens and isolated by a long external casing packer. The RapidConnect multilateral completion system was employed to tie the producing lateral to the main wellbore, and it provided additional reinforcement at the junction against overburden pressure from the formation. The well continues to produce significantly above its initial production rate. The RapidConnect system will enable reentry to the lateral and main wellbore for future operations and isolation of the lateral whenever required.

Technology focus on multilateral wells

(a)

Reservoir drainage

(b)

Well production tripled by worlds first multilateral with expandable sand screens
In a debut that exceeded all productivity and efficiency expectations, an operator combined the Schlumberger RapidConnect multilateral completion system, which provides selective drainhole access and connectivity, with expandable sand screens in a well in the Java Sea, offshore Indonesia. A team of five different service companies collaborated on this project, with Schlumberger acting as the main service provider under project management during the planning, drilling, and completion phases. Following careful study of reservoir data, well placement was optimized using the Bima, a Schlumberger multipurpose service vessel, to drill two sacrificial vertical wells. This refinement of target location helped exploit a net oil pay zone that was much thicker than expected. The use of a synthetic oil-base mud in combination with VISION* formation
Junction in shale formation and lateral in pay zone

(c)

Junction and lateral in pay zone

The placement of the RapidConnect junction is based on a reservoir drainage model (a). The junction can be placed either above the reservoir (b) or in the reservoir (c).

Worlds first intelligent Level 6 multilateral completion saves the costs of an additional platform and horizontal well
In collaboration with China National Offshore Operating Company (CNOOC), Schlumberger designed, drilled, and installed the worlds first TAML Level 6 intelligent completion. A Level 6 completion, which provides full mechanical and pressure integrity in each lateral, is the highest rating for a multilateral well in the Technology Advancement for Multilaterals (TAML) rating system. The NE Intan A-24 well, a two-leg multilateral, was drilled from the NE Intan A platform in the south Java Sea offshore Indonesia in approximately 75 ft of water. Now the RapidSeal* multilateral completion system is enabling dual laterals to drain the reservoir by providing selective drainhole access and connectivity with a pressure-sealed connection. Production efficiency is increased because the RapidSeal system enables control of separation distance and prevents communication between the laterals. The resulting ability to influence near-wellbore flow patterns improves control of water coning and gas migration. CNOOC retains the flexibility to produce through either isolated tubing string with different pressure regimes or configure production using one string as an injector and the other as a producer. The installation includes hydraulic flowcontrol valves and sensors that measure pressure, temperature, and flow rate for each well branch and a RedaPump* electrical submersible pump system with a variable-speed drive. Phoenix* permanent downhole sensors and gauges are integrated with surface data collection and metering facilities and a remote control system to allow real-time monitoring and control of production from the multiple zones of the reservoir. By saving the costs of an additional platform and horizontal well, the A-24 completion brought on new production at lower capital expense and with reduced operating costs for CNOOC. The intelligent multilateral completion is expected to improve production and ultimate reserves recovery, helping to maximize net present value.

RapidConnect connector 5-in. tieback seals

Landing tool
The high-strength RapidConnect junction is designed for multilateral sandface completions.

evaluation and imaging services and PowerPak* steerable motors allowed technicians to mill a window in less than 2 1 2 hr and drill the two laterals. The RapidConnect system provided optimal mechanical protection of the junction between the two lateral wellbores with the least amount of flow restriction. Shaker screens helped minimize formation damage by optimizing particle size for mudcake and flowback. During the completion, the drill-in fluid was allowed to flow back through the screens. The use of expandable sand screens, rather than a more conventional type of completion, is believed to have had a significant effect in reducing skin and delivering a much improved productivity index. Since the startup of production, this multilateral well has surpassed all previous field productivity levels, with a stabilized rate of 5500 BOPD and 4.5 MMcf/D of gas. These rates are three to four times the net oil production of the fields next best well. From spud to electrical submersible pump startup, the job was completed in 36 days, 2 days ahead of schedule.

0 500 1000

Lateral 1 True vertical depth (ft) 1000 133 8-in. casing 2000 958-in. RapidSeal junction 3000 Lateral 1 500 1000 1000 500 East-West departure (ft) 0

Lateral 2

1500

Hydraulic flow-control valve FloWatcher* sensor 9 5 8 -in. RapidSeal junction RapidSeal deflector RapidSeal liner-hanger packers

Lateral 2 0

Horizontal departure (ft)

A RapidSeal multilateral completion systemcombined with a RedaPump ESP, a Phoenix artificial lift monitoring system, and a variable-speed drivemade the NE Intan A-24 the first intelligent TAML Level 6 multilateral completion.

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Schlumberger *Mark of Schlumberger

North-South departure (ft)

Electrical submersible pump

133 8-in. casing 958-in. RapidSeal junction

500