Drilling and Well Completion Well completion Well completion Well completion : The activities and methods used to prepard a well for the production of oil or gas. * open hole completion + cased and perforated completion + liner completion + tubingless completion + tubing and packer completionOpen hole completion : casing is set only Well completion) to the top of or slightly into the completion interval (Pay Zone ) Open-hole completion relies on the strength of the rock itself to support the wall of the hole, it has greater application in carbonate type formations, + Casing at the top of the pay zone + Full hole diameter available + No perforation is required + Can be converted to liner completion. + High productivity maintained when gravel packed + Facilitates ultrashort radius multiple radial completion. Well completion (v beac Open hole completion Limitations (1) No way to regulate fluid flow from or into wellbore. (2) Cannot control gas or water production effectively. No selective gas or water shut off job is possible. (3) Casing is set "in the dark”. (4) Difficult to selectively ‘Fig, 20.1 Oper ole completion stimulate producingWell completion Cased and perforated completion : casing js set into or through thel producing formation aud cemented, The casing is dren perforated] to provide communication between the wellbore and formation Well completion ‘Cased and perforated completion : casing js set into or through the producing formation and cemented. The casing is then perforated| to provide communication between the wellbore and formation Fig 202 Cases and potomied completo (A) witout 9 Cee ah odieWell completion Cased and perforated completion : casing js set into or through the producing formation and cemented. ‘The casing is then perforated to provide communication between the wellbore and formation * Selective completion and workover operation in the producing intervals. * Control on gas and water production, fluid production. + Permits multiple completions and stimulation Well completion imitations Cased and perforated completio (J) Long interval perforation can be expensive (2) Effective wellbore diameter and productivity may be reduced (3) Good cement job through production intervals is required (4) More expensive than open holeWell completion Liner completion : casing run is upto the top of the pay zone and a liner ie | set across the producing formation. The liner may be or may not be cemented. The cemented liner is perforated whereas uncemented liner is slowed. This type of completion is primarily applied to sand control, but could be used to control a sloughing formation. Well completion TUBINGLESS CUMPLELIUN fo) The wbingless completion imettiod does not use tubing Simple tubular arrangement and may be used in high-rate ol or gas wells where pressures and corrosive fluids are not detrimental to the casing. Used for developing fields lubingless completions. involve cementing several strings of tubing in asingle borehole | (ip. 604 Tung eensWell completion TUBINGLESS COMPLETION | The tubingless completion method does not use tubing Simple tbular arrangement and may he used in high-rate oil or gas wells whee pressures and conosive Muids are not detrimental to the casing Used for developing fields Tubingless completions. involve sutiny several suimgs of tubing it a single borehole Well completion YUBING AND PACKER, COMPLETION Wells completed with a tubing and packer permit a number ot tubing and casing configurations. BetTUBING AND PACKER COMPLETION Wells completed with a thing and packer permit a number of tubing and casing configurations.CHAPTER 20 WELL COMPLETION AND TESTING by R. Rai, A. Walla, A.K. Aggarwal, S.K.Singh Saktavat COMPLETION METHODS OPEN HOLE COMPLETION In the open-hole type of completion, casing is sat only to the top of or slightly into the completion ‘Advantages of the open-hole completion are : (1) Casing set at the top of the pay zone allows for special aniling techniques which minimize formation damage. (2) Full-hole diameter available to flow. (3) No perforation is reauired (open-hole perforating is sometimes used in cases of severe wellbore damage). (4) Hole is easily deepened or converted toa liner completion. (8) High productivity maintained when gravel packed for sand control. (6) Facilitates ultra short radius multiple radial ‘completion, Disadvantages of the open-hole completion are: (1) No way to regulate fluid flow from or into wellbore. (2) Cannot control gas or water production effectively. No selective gas or water shut off jab is possible. (3) Casing is set “in the dark". Formation top is generally picked from dril cuttings (4) Difficult to selectively stimulate producing intervals (however, open-hole packers available are used sometimes). Producing formationDRILLING OPERATION MANUAL 424 (5) Wellbore may require periodic cleanout. Formation collapse is more common. (6) Requires more drilling rig time when completed. (7) Subsequent cased completion will restrict wellbore and completion string diameter, Because the open-hole completion relies on the strength of the rock itself to support the walll of the hole, it has greater application in carbonate and basement formations. 20.1.2 CASED AND PERFORATED COMPLETION In the cased and perforated completion, casin set into or through the producing formation and cemented. The casing is then perforated to provide ‘communication between the wellbore and formation (fig 20.2) ‘Advantages of the cased and perforated completion include: (1) Ease of selective completion and workover operation in the producing intervals, (2) Canetfectively control gas and water production by selectively perforating andisolating. Fig. 20.2 Cased and perforated eonttion (A) without tubing (8) wath production tubing (3) Can effectively contro! and monitor zonal fluid production, (4) Permits multiple completions (5) Can stimulate selectively. (6) DSTs, logs and formation samples provide information on casing setting depth. (7) Can deepen, but with smaller hole. (®) Can he adopted to sand control, both as pre-pack gravel pack or conventional gravel pack. Disadvantages of the cased and perforated completion are : (1) Long interval perforation can be expensive (2) Effective wellbore diameter and productivity may be reduced. (3) Good cement job through production intervals is required. (4) More expensive than open hole 20.1.3 LINER COMPLETION In a liner completion, casing run is upto the top of the pay zone and a liner is set across the producing formation. Features of this type of compietion are : (1) The liner may be or may not be cemented as shown in Fig 20.3. The cemented liner is perforated whereas uncemented ineris slotted. (2) This type of completion is primarily applied to sand control, but could be used to control a sloughing formation, (8) Completions using cemented liners to reduce ‘casing costs are essentially considered cased and perforated completions. (4) The advantages and disadvantages of the uncemented liner completion are the same as the open-hole completion, 20.1.4 TUBINGLESS COMPLETION The tubingless completion method does not use tubing except possibly to workover the well (Fig.20.4) This is the most simple tubular arrangement and may be used in high-rate oil orones cen a a Fig. 20.4 Tubingless completion WELL COMPLETION ANDTESTING — 425 Fig. 20.5 Triple tubingless completion gas wells where pressures and corrosive fluids are Rot detrimental to the casing. Often tubingless completions involve cementing several strings of tubing (2% or 3 14") ina single borehole (fig 20 5) This application is used for developing fields with several reservoirs and is not limited to developing ‘marginal producing properties. Advantages of tubingless completions ar (1) Simplest completion operation (2) Individual zone control and completion are separately done (8) Well workover operations do not require shut in of other producing intervals (4) No need for large casing through producing intervals426 DRILLING OPERATION MANUAL Tubingless completions have the following disadvantages: (1) Casing is subjected to pressure & temperature fluctuations resultingin frequent tress changes (2) Excellent cement job required (3) Diticuit & expensive perforating procedures: (gun orientation) (4) CTU required for killing and circulation during workover (8) Possibility of losing entire production from one Zone in light of repeated workover operations (6) Reduced flow capacity due to smaller casing/ tubing (7) Reduced production rates when put on artificial litt (8) Paratfin and corrosive fluids are serious problems 20.1.5 CASING WITH SUSPENDED TUBING COMPLETION Conventionally, wells are often produced with the tubing freely suspended in the well-bore. The completion with tubing is needed to : (1) Permit workover kill fluid circulation. (2) Prevent casing being subjected to paraffin and ‘orroaive fluids. (3) Provide controlled flow path for producing / injection fluid. (4) Application of artificial litt becomes feasible. 20.1.6 TUBING AND PACKER COMPLETION ‘Wells completed with a tubing and packer permit a umber of tubing and casing configurations. Use of a packer increases completion costs. adds complexity to the system and decreases reliability. Packers are usually run for the following reasons: (1) To isolate the casing from corrosive fluids and/or high pressure (extra safety in the completion). (a) Tostabilize and control flow trom pay zones. (b) In conjunction with an artificial lift system (isolation and control). {c) To selectively produce multiple zones (isolation). (@) Most flexible for well control using packer and subsurface safety valve. (e) Selective stimulation becomes feasible. () Wireline and Downhole operations become feasible. Atypical single zone completion utilizing tubing and packer is shown in fig 20.6. (2) A vanety of single zone completions are possible to meet many production Fequirenents The putting the well on pump, gs lift, chemical injection etc. (8) For multiple zone completions, numerous configurations are possible utilizing single or multiple strings of tubing, (A) Single String-Single Packer ‘One pay zones flowed through tubing and the other ay zone through annulus. Its disadvantages are: (@) Upper zone can't be produced through tubing unless lower zone is blanked off or commingled or production is reversed. (b) Casing is subjected to pressure, paraffin and corrosion (©) Only one zone can be artificially lifted. (0) Upper zone sand production may stick fubingieause packer unsetting problem (8) Comminaled completion In this multiple completion method, all zones produce through single string, Two zones commingled completion would consist of single tubing string and one or two packers, Lower zone will be below the (ower) packer and upper Zone will be between the two packers or open to annulus (in case of single packer installation). Proration of flows amongst different layers is made. possible by installation of downhole choke devices. Contrast in producing characteristics of different zones renders this simplest method nonviable.Fig. 20.0 Tubiinyrpackor configuration: einglo compotion This type of completion has the following advantages: (a) More than one zone 1s produced or injection done through a single well (b) Insome cases, one zone could help in the lifting of the other zone. (c) Wax deposition problem of one zone’s production may be miftigated\ reduced by mixing itwith other wax-tree zone(s). {(d) Light fluid of one zone could be used to mitigate heavy oil production problem. ‘The disadvantages are: {a) Layerwise production monitoring/accounting difficulty and surface monitoring yields only WELL COMPLETION AND TESTING — 427 commingled stream data, (b) Selective killing, selective stimulation is very difficult. (©) Repertoration of upper zone is not possible without pulling out the string, (6) For routina testing of one zone, other zone(s) has to be closed. {e) Pressure matching of tho zonec at tho commingling point in the tubing string is very dificult due to dynamic change in pressure and flow rates and frequent changes of downhole choke size have to be made. (The deterioration in the performance of one zone adversely affects the performance of other zone(s). (g) Production of sediments from the upper zone may lead to the sticking of packers/string. (h) Cross tlow between the zones Is always & possibilty, (C) Multiple string completions Dual completion (two packers and two tubing strings), and triple completion (two or three packers and three tubing strings) are shown in Figs 20.7 and 20.8 respectively. These have the following advantages : (a) Possible to produce fromiinject into more than ‘one production / Injection zone through a single well, thereby reducing overall development uals. (b) Selective zone well control is possible. (©) Use of natural energy (gas) from one zone to artificially produce another zone, is possible. Disadvantages : (2) The large number of downhole equipment creates problems. (©) Expensive and more complicated completion and workover techniques. (c) Possible loss of production in zone due to mechanical problems and formation damage during workover.Fig. 20.7 Tubing - packer configuration: Dual completion (Two packers and two tubing strings) 12 COMPLETION EQUIPMENT PACKERS ‘There are many packets to choose from, for both conventional and specialized applications. There are many factors to be taken info account for selection of packers for a particular well. ‘The packers can be of single, dual or triple bore and. are mainly classified as : (1) Retrievable (2) Permanent (2) Permanent - retrievable. mon} fp sein ist — “2, bt wy rot a wo seaman Fig. 20.8 Triple completion tree zones cased and perloraied (Two or three packers and tha tubing stnngs) (A) Retrievable Packers ‘They aro run ac an intogral part of the tubing string. They are set either mechanically or hydraulically and canbe released by pulling or rotating the tubing.‘The advantages of retrievable packers are: (1) Tubing can be landed and the Christmas tree installed. (2) The packer does not have to be milled out if it becomes necessary to remove it, thus saving rig time. (8) Packer can be reused in other applications. (4) Mechanical retrievaple packers can be reused inthe same well without redressing. Most of testing and completion packers are retrievable type. ‘The disadvantages of this type of packer are : (1) Pulling may swab the well in if packer is not fully released. (2) They have lower differential pressure rating unless olfierwise called for (3) Equalization of pressure across the packer may be difficult. (4) Sand or other deposits above the packer, may make it difficult to retrieve. Inclusion of a satety joint to counter this, introduces a weak point in the tubing string and an additional possible leak source. Rotational release should be avoided in highly deviated wells, as it can be difficult to get the rotational torque transmitted to the packer and can damage the control line for the SCSSV. While stimulating the well with cold fluids, excessive contraction of the tubing may shear the packer release studs of straight pull release type packers, if the hold down buttons are not holding (when expansion joint has not been provided in the string to take care of tubing length changes). (8) Permanent Packer This type of packer once set, can be regarded as part of the casing and can only be removed destructively by milling. ‘Tubing can be released from, and run back and sealed into, this type of packer. Permanent packers can be set mechanically hydraulically or electrically (wireline or explosive set 429 WELL COMPLETION AND TESTING is required). ‘They are recommended for use where (1) Long term completion (i less) is required. (2) High pressure differential is required. (3) Maximum dependability is required. (4) Large packer bore is required. (®) Exact location ot me packer Is critical arid wireline set is used. Bottom extension below the packer is required to accommodate down hole tools for isolation of the bottom producing formation in case of twping retrieval, wellhead damage or casing leak. The bottom extension should include the following: (1) A landing nipple to land a plug or safety valve. (2) Atlow coupling directly above the landing nipple to safeguard against erosion failure from turbulence caused by the safety valve. (3) Atubing section to enable the tail pipe to be cut off, should a plug become stuck in the landing nipple. (4) A packer miling extension of approximately six {eet to provide space for the catch sleeve of the packer miling tool. The locator tubing seal assembly is designed with external seals which pack off in the polished bore of the permanent packer to seal off the annulus at he packer. Basic seal units include two seal stacks, but any number of sezil units Gant be surswed together to increase the length of the assembly. It is not recommended to uge a long continuous series of seals in a seal bore/seal bore extension because of excessive seal friction and possible concentricity problem of packer bore and seal bore extension. Spacer type scal units should be considered in these cases. When locator spacer seal assemblies are used, itis recommended that a seal bore extension or seal protector be included between the packer and milling extension to confine the seals when tubing movernents occur. ‘The tubing seal assembly does not lock into the packer, because itis free to move. Itdoes not allow the tubing string to be landed in tension except that chang of retrieval is430 DAILLING OPERATION MANUAL of its own weight. As the top collar of the assembly seats on the top of the packer body, the tubing can be landed with setdown weight. Tubing contraction, caused by well shut-in or injection of cold fluids, should be carefully calculated to ensure that with maximum shortening of the tubing, the seals still remain in the packer bore. Tubing expansion above the original design estimate is liable to cause buckling, The anchor tubing seal assembly is latched to the packer, enabling the tubing string to be landed in tension in order to counter expansion during production. This has the advantage of preventing holical buckling if sufficient tension is applied, resulting in easier wireline work. Because there is no movernent between packer and tubing, the risk of leakage is reduced. There are several methods of latching the tubing (collet, rotation, sleeve), but all of them can creat problems in tubing recovery, especially : (1) in deviated holes (2) in corrosive wells (9) in wells where a zone produces above the packer (4) when solids have settled out in an annulus containing weighted fluid Itpacker fluidis to be used with latched tubing, care must be taken to specify a solid-free fluid. ‘There are two main forces acting on a packer : (1) The hydraulic pressure forces that act uirecily on the packer (2) Ihe tubing to packer torces The hydraulic force Is usually in the form of differential pressure acting from above or below. This is determined by the difference between well pressure acting upward and annular pressure acting downward. One of the factors to be taken into account when selecting a packer is the kind of force required and will resist to prevent unseating. Permanent packers can withstand pressure differentials from above or below. The differential pressure rating for retrievable packers depends on whether they are compression, tension or tension/compression types. ‘Compression packers will not become unseated by downward force applied either by tubing weight or annular pressure from above. This type therefore resists a downward pressure differential Tension packersare the reverse of the compression type and cannot be unseated by an upward pressure differential exerted by tubing tension or by pressure from below. Tension/eompreasion packers will not become unseated by pressure from either direction and can withstand a differential fram above or below. To determine whether weight-set or tension-set Packers will bocome unscatcd under given operational conditions, a simple force-balance calculation should be adequate Ina high pressure well, differential pressure across the packer can be reduced by loading the annulus, with fluid of the correct weight. It should be noted that, for design purposes, the tubing to packer forces need to be calculated for the various operating conditions.