HPHT RESERVOIRS OVERVIEW

Rica Sofonea
Reservoir Engineering Projects Coordinator
September 16th, 2019
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Agenda
◼ HPHT Environments
◼ HPHT Challenges
– HPHT Well Design – Casing Design,
Drilling Fluids, Cementing, Material
Selection
◼ Overpressured Reservoirs
◼ Reservoir Fluids Characterization

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HPHT
RESERVOIRS
What is HPHT Environments?
Definition/Classification, Characteristics,
Occurrence
What is High Pressure High Temperature
Environment (HPHT)?
HPHT Reservoirs - Definitions
▪ API Guideline defines
• Requirement of Pressure Equipment (PE) or Well Control Equipment (WCE)
greater than 15,000 psi (1035 bar)
• Or Maximum Anticipated Surface Pressure greater than 15,000 psi (1035 bar)
• Flowing temperature greater than 350 °F (175 0C)

▪ Health & Safety Executive (UK) defines

• Non-disturbed bottom-hole temperature (BHT) > 300 °F (150 0C)
• Pore pressure gradient > 0.8 psi/feet (0.18 bar/m)
• Pressure control equipment > 10,000 psi (> 690 bar)
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Generalized Depth Plot of Subsurface Pressure
Regimes
▪ Generally, define HPHT subsurface environments as those
>1.4 times hydrostatic pressure gradients (>1.4 g/cm3
specific gravity (SG) equivalent gradients or ~> 12ppg -
pounds per gallon drilling mud weights), and >120°C

▪ These values are based on the analysis of reservoir

pressure and temperature probability statistics from the
Gulf of Mexico (Ehrenberg et al., 2008)

▪ The petroleum industry typically uses the higher values

of 150°C (300°F) and ~15 ppg or 1.7 g/cm3 SG pressure
gradients, to define HPHT drilling environments
Example: Res. depth=5000m, pi=850 bar, T=1500C
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Schematic Pressure vs. Depth plot
▪ Pressure-Depth plot indicating different overpressure
phases, gradients and stresses:
• The blue line represents a ‘normal’ hydrostatic
gradient (the cumulative weight of the overlying
water column)
• The black gradient shows an interpolated pore
pressure gradient through direct pore pressure
measurements (yellow stars)
• The red gradient shows a fracture pressure
• Green a lithostatic gradient

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Composite Thermal Zonation Model for
Sedimentary Basins

Buller et al. (2005) and Nadeau (2011) have

identified the following thermal zones in
sedimentary basins:
a) the compaction zone < 60oC,
b) the accumulation zone from 60oC and
120oC also known as the “Golden
Zone” – US Gulf of Mexico Basin
c) the expulsion zone from 120oC and
200oC, and

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Hydrocarbon Generation Process vs.
Depth/Temperature
▪ Kerogen bearing in source rocks can be converted
into hydrocarbons when it is exposed to proper
thermal conditions for certain geological time. Thus,
temperature is always considered to be one of the
most important parameters in petroleum geology

▪ It is the driving force for petroleum generation and

many other chemical and transport processes. In
sufficient heating of buried organic matter gives
insignificant oil and gas production, whereas,
overheating of buried organic matter results in
breakdown of primary hydrocarbon products into
gases and heavy residues which will consequently
lower the economic value of the field exploiting
Modified after Bahlburg and Breitkreuz (2004)

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HPHT Fields Spread

Reference - Oilfield Review, 2008

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HPHT Reservoirs - Examples

▪ 42 deep HPHT gas fields

developed using formate
brines, 1995-2011
(published data),
SPE 165151

▪ More HPHT fields in India, Kuwait, and Malaysia discovered after 2012-2013

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HPHT Reservoirs in India - Examples
ONGC-COD has reported 8 HPHT fields in South India: out of which 5 discovered in Krishna
Godavari Basin & 3 in Cauvery Basin
Sedimentary Basin Fields Properties
Krishna Godavari Basin Kottalanka High Pressure, Ultra-High Temperature, Tight Reservoir
Bantumilli High Pressure, High Temperature
Bhimanapalli High Pressure, High Temperature
Nagaylanka High Pressure, Tight Reservoir
Yanam Shallow Water, High Pressure
Cauvery Basin Bhuvanagiri High Pressure, Tight Reservoir
Periyakudi High Pressure, High Temperature, Tight Reservoir
Pallivaramangalam High Pressure
Krishna Godavari Basin
Depth (m) Temperature Pressure Permeability (mD) CO2 content
0
4800-5400 400-470 F 12400-13500 psi 3-5 Max. 21%
0
200-245 C 850-925 bar Ave. 8-10%
Cauvery Basin
4800-5000 305-310 12500 0.01-0.05 -
~850 bar
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Formate Brines
Sodium Potassium Cesium
formate formate formate
42 deep HPHT gas fields
developed using formate
brines, 1995-2011 (published
data), SPE 165151

Solubility 47 %wt 77 %wt 83 %wt

Density 1.33 g/cm3 1.59 g/cm3 2.30 g/cm3

11.1 lb/gal 13.2 lb/gal 19.2 lb/gal

▪ Formates are also soluble in some non-aqueous solvents

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What is cesium formate brine?
◼ Cesium formate brine is simply cesium formate dissolved in water. The result is
heavy brine with densities that increase with the level of cesium formate in
solution. It's part of the formate brine family, together with sodium and potassium
formate brines, and is manufactured in highly pure 80% w/w aqueous solution with
density of 2.20 g/cm3/18.36 lb/gal
◼ In pure form, it's highly compatible with reservoirs as it only contains monovalent
ions and is incapable of forming scales. Anti-oxidant and water-structuring
properties help protect polymers against thermal degradation at high
temperatures, which facilitates its use as a HPHT drilling fluid
◼ With a natural pH of 10 – 10.5, it’s highly compatible with metals and elastomers
and has full compatibility with water-soluble polymers, such as xanthan.
Additionally, it's easy to handle and is the safest environmental choice of all high-
density brines
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 Periodic Table of the Elements

Cesium

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WIRELINE

HPHT
CHALLENGES
Drilling, Completion, Stimulation, Data
Acquisition, HPHT Standards
HPHT Challenges
▪ Drilling
• 30% NPT (non-productive time) due to frequent hole problems
• Unsuitability of conventional tubulars
• Limitation on current wellhead technology up to 350 0F (175 0C) & 15000 psi
(1035 bar)
• Frequent well integrity issues due improper cementing technology
▪ Completion
• Current limit of completion fluids up to 20 ppg (2.4 SG) (1 ppg=SG*8.33)
• Compatibility of completion fluids above 500 0F (260 0C)
• Current seal limitations up to 400 0F (205 0C) in dynamic conditions
• Limited high pressure retrievable packers. Use of permanent packers again
limited by availability milling tools
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HPHT Challenges (cont.)
▪ Testing & Stimulation
• Currently used proppant limited to 500 0F (260 0C)
• Pressure equipment limitation to 20000 psi (1380 bar)
• Elastomers sensitivity at higher temperatures
• High rates of memory gauge failures due to high temperatures
▪ Data acquisition
• Poor data quality in seismic due to deeper reservoirs
• Real time data acquisition (MWD-LWD) above 365 0F (185 0C) very rare
• Logging tools working limit up to 425 0F (220 0C)
• MWD battery working limit only up to 400 0F (205 0C)

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HPHT Standards (API)
▪ Protocol for verification and validation of HPHT equipment (API TR 1PER 15K March
2013)
▪ HPHT guidelines (API 17TR Feb 2015)
▪ Specification for subsurface safety valve equipment (API 14A Jan2015)
▪ Packers and bridge plug (API 11D1 April 2015)
▪ Riser system for floating production facilities (APT STD 2RD, 2013)
▪ Christmas tree and wellheads (API 6A/6X, 2014)
▪ Subsea wellheads and trees (API Spec 17D, 2011)
▪ Drill through equipment (BOP) (API Spec 16A, 2015)
▪ Subsea completion & work-over intervention (API 17G)
▪ Tubular threaded connectors (API 5C2, 2015)

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ISO Standards for use in the oil & gas industry

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HPHT Well Design – Casing Design
▪ Effect of high pressure
• Use of thick tubulars in design Mechanical
• Unsuitability conventional casing sizes considerations

Metallurgical Metallurgical
▪ Effect of high temperature considerations issues
• Yield strength reduction Corrosion
resistance
• Tubular expansion
• Buckling of unsupported casing section
• Casing collapse due to annular pressure buildup

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HPHT Well Design-Thermal Stress Analysis (TSA)
▪ TSA is useful to estimate thermal forces generated in casings, prevention of buckling
of unsupported section of casing, selection of cement tops and wellhead growth

▪ Input required for thermal stress analysis:

▪ Wellhead undisturbed static temperature
▪ Seabed static temperature (Only for offshore)
▪ Bottom hole undisturbed static temperature
▪ Operational conditions at surface
▪ Casing program
▪ Heat transfer coefficient of formation fluids, tubing, annular fluid, casing &
formation

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HPHT Well Design – Drilling Fluids
▪ Selection of HPHT mud system:
• Compatibility of drilling fluid with bottomhole tools
▪ Pressure profile measurement:
• Use of compositional model for accurate measurement of density of with respect
to pressure and temperature
▪ Temperature modeling:
• Prediction of flow line temperatures (FLT) & bottomhole circulating temperature
(BHCT)
• Generally flow line temperature should be restricted to 200 0F & 350 0F (95 0C &
175 0C)
▪ Rheology Model Selection:
• Power law model, Robertson-Stiff model & Herscel-Buckley model more accurate
at higher temperatures than Bingham plastic & Cason Model
• Rheology Selection model most accurate above 180 0F (80 0C)
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 HPHT Well Design – Drilling Fluids
Advanced drilling systems for HPHT systems:
Mud System Stability Characteristics
Chrome-Lignite & Chrome - solid tolerant
Up to 176 0C
Lignosulphonate - highly stable
- shale inhibition
KCl-K-Lignite system Up to 176 0C
- solid tolerant
PHPA (Partially hydrolysed Poly - encapsulates the cuttings & coat borehole walls
-
acrylamide) by polymer
- clouding of shale by manipulating clouding
Polyol system -
polyol at required BHT with salt
- can be weighted up to 19.5 ppg (2.35 SG) with
Invert emulsion fluids Up to 260 0C
barite emulsion

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HPHT Well Design – Cementing Issues
General Cementing Issues in HPHT:
▪ Well cementing is sensitive to temperature (temperature accelerates the hydration process of
cement affecting maneuverability the slurry in the well), making every job unique and the
subject of careful engineering and laboratory testing => retarders
▪ High mud density, demands high-density cement slurries/ECD Management (ECD - Equivalent
Circulating Density)
▪ Lower-than-desired pumping rates due to limited Equivalent Circulating Density (ECD);
It’s common in HPHT wells to have a narrow margin between fracture and pore pressure
limiting the allowable displacement rates and ECD, not to exceed the fracture gradient
(induced losses); API Fluid Loss < 50 ml/30min (gas wells)
▪ Lower pumping rates prevent in most cases achieving proper density and rheology
hierarchy, thus making more difficult mud removal
▪ High-density cement slurries are more difficult to mix at surface and they have high
solid content, which favour settling (stability issues) and/or gelling (high rheology).
These chemical processes are temperature-dependent

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HPHT Well Design – Cement additives
HPHT Cementing additives:
HPHT Cementing additives Characteristics
Retarders - Lignosulphonate or synthetic retarder
- more retarder => gas migration issues
Weighing agent - Above 16.5 ppg (2 SG) required weighing agent
- Barite weighted slurries (up to 19 ppg-2.3 SG)
- Hematite weighted slurries (up to 22 ppg-2.6 SG)

Extenders - Fly ash, Bentonite & Perlite

- Below 12.5 ppg (1.5 SG), microsphere extension or foamed cements
0 0
Expanding additives -MgO up to 550 F (300 C)
- Expands with increase in temperature, improves shear bond strength

Fluid loss additives - Must be restricted to 200 ml/30 min for oil wells & 50 ml/30 min for
gas wells
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HPHT Well Design – Material Selection
▪ 13 % Cr is applicable up to 145 psia (10 bar) partial pressure of CO2 with 250 gm/lit
at 260 0F (125 0C)
▪ 22 & 25 % Duplex steels can be used up to 490 0F (255 0C). There is no limit of
partial pressure of CO2

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WIRELINE

OVEPRESSURED
RESERVOIRS
Description, Occurrence, Analysis
Methods
Overpressured reservoirs
▪ Dickinson (1953) defined overpressure as
any pressure which significantly exceeds
the expected hydrostatic pressure of a
column of water or formation brine

▪ Lithostatic pressure describes the

conditions where the entire weight of the
overlying sediment package is carried by
the pore fluids through the sediments
(Tissot and Welte, 1984)

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Global Occurrence of overpressured settings

Modified after Law and Spencer, 1998

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Global Occurrence of overpressured settings

Modified after Law and Spencer, 1998

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Overpressured Reservoirs
◼ Analysis methods are the same as normally pressured case
◼ Additional parameters to be aware of
– Formation compressibility
– In-situ water compressibility
– Compaction effects (pressure dependent permeability)
◼ Two models available, depending on required complexity
– p/z* model (constant cf, cw and co in material balance equation)
– Full geomechanical model (cf(pressure) and k(pressure))

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p/z* Model – Corrects Material Balance
▪ Material Balance (P/Z - FMB)

Correction factor

▪ Typecurves (pseudo-time)

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Geomechanical Model – Corrects Well
Productivity
▪ In the standard transient pressure equations, permeability is usually considered to be constant
▪ There are several situations where “permeability is a constant” may not be a valid assumption:
▪ Compaction in overpressured reservoirs
▪ Very low permeability reservoirs in general
▪ Unconsolidated and/or fractured formations
▪ One way to account for a variable permeability over time is to modify the definition of pseudo-
pressure and pseudo-time

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Gas Flow Considerations - Pseudo-Pressure
Darcy’s Law
◼ Pseudo-pressure
– Gas properties vary with pressure
⚫ Z-factor (Pseudo-pressure)
⚫ Viscosity (Pseudo-Pressure & Pseudo-Time)
⚫ Compressibility (Pseudo-Time)
⚫ Pseudo-pressure corrects for changing viscosity and
Z-factor with pressure
⚫ In all equations for liquid, replace pressure (p) with
pseudo-pressure (pp)
For gas

Pseudo-Pressure (pp)

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Gas Flow Considerations – Pseudo-Time
◼ Pseudo-time
– Compressibility represents energy in reservoir
– Gas compressibility is strong function of pressure
(especially at LOW PRESSURES)
– Ignoring compressibility variation can result in significant
error in original gas-in-place (G) calculation Gas Compressibility variation

– Pseudo-time (ta) corrects for changing viscosity and

compressibility with pressure Pseudo-Time

– Pseudo-time calculation is iterative because it depends

on μg and ct at average reservoir pressure, and average
reservoir pressure depends on G (usually known)
Pseudo-time in build-up testing is evaluated at well flowing
pressure not at average pressure

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Compressibility's of Gas and Rock

Cg = ~1/p

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Overpressured Reservoirs - Example

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RESERVOIR FLUIDS
CHARACTERIZATION

Fluid Characteristics, Phase Envelop

Gas Reservoirs – Fluid Characteristics
▪ Dry gas - gas at surface is same as gas in
reservoir
<312 312-570 >570 >2671 >17809
▪ Wet gas - recombined surface gas and Sm3/Sm3

condensate represents gas in reservoir

▪ Retrograde gas - recombined surface gas and
condensate represents the gas in the reservoir
but not the total reservoir fluid (retrograde
condensate stays in reservoir)
Typical composition

7. Tar & bitumen 0

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Gas Reservoirs – Fluid Characteristics

Dew point
▪ Condition at which a gas is in
equilibrium with an infinitesimal
amount of liquid

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Questions?

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Back-up

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HPHT Mechanism
▪ Depositional Effect
▪ Diagenetic Effects
▪ Tectonic Effect
▪ Structural Causes
▪ Thermodynamics Effects

Depositional Effect Fields

Under-compaction of sediments Globally
Deposition of evaporites Pre-salt wells in Santos, Campos & Espirito in Brazil
Salt diapirism Gulf of Mexico

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Phase Envelopes for various fluids

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