SPE-186936-MS

Shallow Light Architecture: A Viable and Cost-Effective Solution for

Marginal Reserves in Tunu Shallow Development

A. I. Handoko, P. Bimastianto, M. D. Maulana, C. Agriawan, R. A. Brahmantio, I. Abidiy, and T. Setiawan, Total E&P
Indonesie

Copyright 2017, Society of Petroleum Engineers

This paper was prepared for presentation at the SPE/IATMI Asia Pacific Oil & Gas Conference and Exhibition held in Jakarta, Indonesia, 17-19 October 2017.

This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE program committee following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents
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Abstract
The current development of Tunu field level has reached a mature level. Finding target for new wells with
adequate reserves to pass the economic cut-off limit has been a challenging task. In addition, with the recent
low gas price environment, completing these marginal wells using currently proven Gravel Pack (GP) well
design makes these wells uneconomical.
Answering the challenge, and with alignment to cost culture program, Total E&P Indonesie launched
a collaborative project aiming for cost-effective wells against well reserves. Shallow Light Architecture
(SLA) well design was introduced as the outcome of well architecture simplification process. For sand
control, a successful period of trials of chemically-enhanced sand consolidation has boosted the confidence
to implement sand consolidation on the industrialization phase as primary sand control in SLA wells.
This paper aims to describe a brief development of the technology, implementation, and results for the
operator.

Introduction
Switching to Shallow and Unconsolidated Reservoirs
Tunu is a gas condensate field situated in the swamp environment at the edge of Mahakam Delta, East
Kalimantan, Indonesia. Hydrocarbons are accumulated in multi-layer reservoirs deposited within a deltaic
environment. The field can be divided into two intervals:
1. Tunu Shallow Zone (TSZ), between 700 – 1,500 m SS depth, unconsolidated sand with strong aquifer
support
2. Tunu Main Zone (TMZ), between 2,200 – 5,000 m SS depth, consolidated sand
Since the field’s start up in 1990, Tunu has delivered > 9 Tcf of gas production. At the initial development
scheme, most of the production came from TMZ reservoirs that were considered as the primary objective,
while TSZ reservoirs were considered as drilling hazards. After years of extensive drilling and production
of TMZ, the first TSZ development phase was launched in 2009 to sustain the field’s production. The
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development consists of new seismic acquisitions and drilling of the shallow wells. Today, more than 190
TSZ wells have been drilled and the zone currently contributes 40% to the overall Tunu production. The
proportion of TSZ development drilling has increased in the last 3 years, with regards to the decreasing
trend of oil price (Figure-1).

Figure 1—Tunu Development Drilling vs. Oil Price Evolution

The Pliocene sand layers in TSZ are scattered across Tunu. With individual size varies between 0.1 –
0.5 km2 and 6 m average thickness. Given this minimum burial and compaction, the reservoir sands have
high porosity and are mostly unconsolidated, thus prone to be produced alongside the gas. Downhole sand
control mechanism is a necessity, not only to optimize the production, but also to filter out sand particles
that can erode the pipelines and surface facilities.
For years, GP completion has been the main sand control for TSZ. Although considered as the most
robust option today, the cost of this completion type is relatively high. From end-2015 onward, looking
forward to the next Tunu Shallow well candidates at that time, several wells were deemed uneconomic to
be completed with GP (Figure 2). A cheaper alternative of sand control is deemed compulsory to unlock
these smaller resources and to ensure the continuity of the development drilling campaign.

Figure 2—Stakes per well vs. economic cut-off for Gravel Pack
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Development
New Sand Control Approach
Sand Consolidation is an in-situ sand control technique through epoxy resin mixture (resin and hardener)
injection to near-wellbore sand reservoir (Figure-3). The treatment is conveyed through coiled tubing with
isolation packer to ensure flow conformance through perforation and eliminating circulation path to the
tubing. The resin mixture will then be squeezed into reservoir matrix, and followed by over flush to regain
reservoir’s permeability. This mixture will be internally catalyzed with the reservoir temperature. 15-30
days shut-in time is required to allow the resin’s compressive strength to fully develop on the reservoir
matrix before well clean up.

Figure 3—Sand Consolidation Resin Component

This method was first introduced in TEPI on 2009. During this stage, the treatment objective is to
implement sand control mechanism on wells with sand risk which did not have initial sand control equipment
(V. Chaloupka, L. Riyanto, et al 2010). Since then, several zones on existing wells were completed with
sand consolidation through well intervention operation. These are upper sections of TMZ wells produced
with a bottoms-up perforation strategy. Encouraging treatment results confirmed this method as a viable
sand control option.
The next step is to apply this treatment on the unconsolidated and low reservoir temperature of TSZ.
A low-temperature consolidation fluid version is utilized to accommodate sand consolidation treatment
on TSZ. On 2010-2011, five treatments on shallow zones show an acceptable performance envelope (V.
Chaloupka, R. Descapria et al 2012). This result further ensured that sand consolidation is the next step for
sand control. Nevertheless, sand consolidation remained only as either remedial or secondary sand control
option.
Since oil price collapse on 2014, sand consolidation was challenged to be the main option as primary
sand control mechanism for shallow wells to replace the more expensive GP completion. Another trial
campaign on 2015 was dedicated to challenge the already established envelope to the maximum level with
satisfactory result.
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Adapting the Architecture Portfolio

The pursuit of well cost reduction has come to well architecture simplification. Main advantage of Sand
Consolidation completion is no requirement for large downhole equipment, hence allowing further reduction
of well size. One approach is to adapt from the already established Light Architecture. Light Architecture
is initially designed to drill TMZ wells with optimum cost (Ph. Jeannet et al 2008). This architecture is
then applied to TSZ as Shallow Light Architecture (SLA) replacing standard design that is normally used to
accommodate GP completion. Chemically-enhanced sand consolidation is injected to the wells post drilling
operations using well intervention’s barges (rig less operations)
SLA, along with Stand-Alone Screen (SAS) Architecture is already envisioned as a potential alternative
architecture for TSZ (S. Oumer et al 2010). They are designed to have a reduced well cost compared to GP
Completion. As the name implies, SAS Architecture utilizes a sand screen in open hole configuration as the
primary sand control. On the other hand, SLA is envisaged to accommodate sand consolidation treatment
for the sand control. Both SLA and SAS have smaller well size compared to GP.
Initially, SAS Architecture serves as the first alternative of GP for low reserves wells. With an average
of 14% lower well cost, several well candidates are deemed more economic with SAS rather than GP.
However, SAS itself has its own challenging technical requirements; high-inclination trajectory, WBM
usage on reservoir section, and sand screen equipment limitation. Along the TSZ campaign on 2012-2015, a
SAS performance envelope has been formulated, which mainly driven by the technical requirements above.
Unfortunately, this performance envelope limits future SAS well candidate, despite the attractive well cost.
Moreover, sand production and production recovery issues further push for new sand control approach.
SLA finally came into the picture as the SAS deemed too challenging, and the performance envelope of
sand consolidation reached a comparable level. With a lack of downhole equipment and requirements for
WBM, SLA allows a wider performance envelope compared to SAS.

Figure 4—GP Architecture vs. SLA

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Other benefit of adapting from current architecture portfolio is that no additional contract or procurement
needed. As explained above, Tunu development shifts from TMZ to TSZ. This may leave all equipments
already procured for TMZ architecture unused. Fortunately, as SLA uses the same equipments as LA, a
TMZ architecture, these equipments can then be consumed.

Results
Cost & Performance Culture are continuously implemented in TEPI through 4C&D (Change Culture,
Compete on Cost and Delivery) and DWIP (Drilling & Wells Improvement Process) campaigns. These
campaigns play a critical role in boosting the project’s economy even further by aiming to keep the well
cost as low as possible. They are present during both drilling and intervention phases. Contract negotiations
and Invisible Lost Time (ILT) reduction also contribute in reducing the well cost.
Operationally, a dedicated barge with ability to perform a complete sequence of sand consolidation job
is prepared to support a continuous campaign. Application of lump-sum pricing and elimination of standby
charges following contract negotiation reduce as well the cost of sand consolidation job.
Since October 2015, SLA wells have come live to the operator’s architecture portfolio. Until April 2017,
14 SLA wells have been drilled and completed with sand consolidation successfully with positive outcomes
(Figure 5). In overall, the optimization on both well architecture and completion strategy reduces the average
well cost by 30% and well duration by 50% (7 days) compare to standard GP well.

Figure 5—SLA Performance Evolution

More than 50 reservoirs (including both existing and SLA wells) in Tunu are produced using sand
consolidation with estimated total reserves of 24.1 BCF. At the beginning, the operating envelope of
sand consolidated well in Tunu was limited by drawdown of 20 bar and maximum Qg of 2 MMSCFD,
merely based on empirical approach. After further evaluation, new parameter is used to control the sand
consolidation integrity i.e. in-situ gas velocity across the perforation hole. Maximum Qg is no longer a
limiting parameter. By implementing in-situ gas velocity of 4 m/s & maximum drawdown of 30 bar, recent
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Tunu sand consolidation wells have been produced with higher Qg (> 2.5 MMSCFD) without significant
issues on productivity and sand.
Sand consolidation well is considered as critical sand risk well. Therefore, sand monitoring using portable
sand detection instrument is performed in weekly basis. Manageable sand production on treated wells
indicates successful sand-control performance. Until middle of 2017, 3 out of 14 SLA wells have production
more than 180 days and still flowing, with average gas rate around 3 MMSCFD (Figure 6). Such promising
result opens up 23 reservoir candidates for sand consolidation treatment that are already in place for 2017
and beyond.

Figure 6—Sand Consolidation Durability Monitoring

Conclusion
The lively interaction between drilling and subsurface plays important role during well preparation process,
particularly when selecting well-suited candidates for SLA design as well as optimizing well targets. This
key element is critical for performance delivery assurance of SLA wells.
In conclusion, satisfactory performances of the SLA wells make the well architecture attractive for
marginal reserves of future Tunu Shallow Development, ensuring sustainable drilling operations in Tunu
field. Furthermore, the well productivity shows the effectiveness and reliability of sand consolidation to
maintain acceptable sand control performance. This integrated innovation has been successful in delivering
a robust and lucrative well design. This multi-disciplinary effort to create a synergy has also been the main
highlight on the overall value of the project.

Future Challenges
Although SLA brought new well candidates to maintain a sustainable operation, there are still some
challenges waiting. Current sand consolidation’s operating envelope can still be extended, especially in
maximum production rate and durability/lifetime. With no oil price recovery in sight, and higher difficulty
in finding new reservoir targets, SLA can only maintain the operator’s sustainability for some time. An even
cheaper well architecture will still be needed in near future to ensure continuous Tunu development.
SPE-186936-MS 7

Acknowledgments
The authors wish to acknowledge SKK Migas, TOTAL E&P Indonesie and Inpex for the permission and
providing the reservoir and well data. Additionally, the authors would like to thank all those that provided
technical and operational support throughout the project life.

Nomenclature
4C&D Change Culture, Compete on Cost and Delivery
DWIP Drilling & Wells Improvement Program
GP Gravel Pack
ILT Invisible Lost Time
MMSCFD Million Metric Standard Cubic Feet per Day
TMZ Tunu Main Zone
TSZ Tunu Shallow Zone
SAS Standalone Screen
SLA Shallow Light Architecture
WBM Water-Based Mud

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