005 IWC-De-Introduction To Well Completions

Introduction to Well Completion
Drilling Essential
SCHLUMBERGER LEARNING
Schlumberger-Private
Objectives
At the end of this session, you should be able to:
• Describe what a completion is and what it has to achieve
• Describe the basic means of communicating between the wellbore and reservoir
• Describe the basic types of production strings
• Explain the most basic artificial lift systems
• Explain the primary flow control components in a completion
Topics
• Requirements of a Completion and some definitions
• Classification
• Functional requirements
• Completion Components
• Sand Control
• Horizontal and Multilateral Completions
Well Completion Definitions
Completion
The methodology and technology required to produce recoverable reserves (from the reservoir to
the surface) safely and efficiently
Well Completions Operations

Series of operations aimed to provide the means of communication between the Reservoir and
the Surface
Well Completions
A completion system must provide a means for the production of oil or gas that is:
• Safe
 Well integrity for assets, personnel and environment
• Efficient
 Meet production objectives and be designed for well life span
• Economic
 Cost efficient equipment design, installation and operations
Typical Well State Prior to Completion
Completion Goal
Provide an optimum path for hydrocarbon
production to reach the surface in a safe and
environmentally sound manner. (jcl)
OUTFLOW
INFLOW
Major Elements of a Completion
• Upper Completion
 Well integrity
 Monitoring and control
 Chemical injection
 Fluid containment
 Artificial Lift
• Lower (Sandface) Completion

 Zonal isolation
 Stimulation
 Sand control
 Fluid loss control
In practice a Completion is…
• The design, selection and installation of tubular, tools and equipment, in the wellbore, for the purpose of
conveying, pumping or controlling production (or injection)
Basic Functions of a completion

 Let reservoir fluids into the well, then flow or be pumped to the surface.
 Keep over or underlying water out of the well.
 Keep the formation out of the well.
Completion Classification
Completions are categorized in several ways, common criteria are:
Position - Functionality
Wellbore
• Upper Completion
• Vertical
• Lower Completion
• Deviated
• Horizontal
Production Method
• Multilateral
• Natural flowing
• Artificially lift
Wellbore-Reservoir interface
• Open hole Producing Zones
• Cased hole & perforated
• Single or multiple zones
• Screenless, Stand alone
• Selective, commingled
screens, gravel pack, frac pack
production
Wellbore - Vertical Wellbore Profile
• May cone water or gas due to higher drawdown
compared to a horizontal or high angle well
• Preferred for fracturing when cement behind casing is

good
• Cheaper and may be most cost effective than horizontal

or high angle wells for land locations where drilling
costs are relatively small
Wellbore - Deviated Wellbore Profile
• Extends reach within reservoir, increasing the
productivity - especially in thin reservoirs - due to
increase reservoir contact.
Wellbore - Horizontal Wellbore Profile
• Potential increase in productivity
• Reduced penetration/deviation skin
• Reduced influence on coning
• Costly drilling and completion
• Higher operational risks
• Placement can be difficult
Wellbore - Multilateral Well bore Profile
Technical Advantages
• Increased reservoir exposure and connectivity reduces water, gas coning, and
sanding.
• Efficient exploitation of complex reservoirs
Economic Advantages
• Saving on pilot well and surface equipment
• No need for additional slot on an offshore platform
• Increase in recoverable reserves
Concerns
• Complex, costly and risky
• In land field, higher conventional wells are cost-efficient
Lower Completion - Open Hole (Barefoot)
• Advantages
 Eliminate Casing and Perforating costs
 Maximum wellbore diameter opposite production interval
 Easy to deepen if required
 Easily converted to screen or perforated line completion
 Open hole provides a large inflow area
• Disadvantages
 Requires a well consolidated formation.
 Lack of selectivity (unless swellable/inflatable packers) limits
Open Hole
stimulation and control of excessive water/gas.
 May require frequent clean-out
Lower Completions – Screen/Slotted Liner
• Advantages
 Relatively cheap because of casing cost savings
 Eliminate Perforating costs
 Screens can be sized for sand control
 Applicable in formation with enough bore-hole stability but potential
sand production.
 “Manage” bore-hole stability in certain situations
• Disadvantages
 Lack of selectivity to control excessive water/gas or for selective
stimulation
Screen/Slotted
Liner  Mud cake very difficult to remove – can result in damage
 Reduced diameter across producing interval reduces productivity and
limits completion size
 Production logging meaningless
Lower Completions – Perforated Casing
• Advantages
 Better zonal isolation
 Excessive water and gas easily controlled
 Selective stimulation possible
 Well can be easily deepened
 Adaptable to sand control techniques
 Adaptable to multiple completions
 Production Logging easy to run
 Productivity may be improved over OH completion with deep
Cased hole penetration if formation is not damaged
cemented • Disadvantages
perforated casing
 Reduced wellbore diameter reduces productivity and limits
completion size (compared to OH).
 Requires efficient perforation to reach beyond invaded zone and to
reduce additional perforation skin.
SCHLUMBERGER LEARNING  Perforating cost can be significant
Lower Completions – Liner
• Advantages
 Excessive water and gas easily controlled
 Selective stimulation possible
 Relatively cheaper than Perforated Casing configuration
 Adaptable to sand control techniques
 Adaptable to multiple completions
 Production Logging easy to run
• Disadvantages
 Well bore diameter restricted
 Perforating cost
 Some danger of productivity impairment from completion skins
depending upon how well was drilled and completed
 Liner cementation not as easy or generally as good as primary
cementation
Components of Completion
• Packers
• SSSV
• Landing Nipple and Locking Mandrel
• Sliding Sleeve
• Side Pocket Mandrel (SPM)
• Flow Coupling
• Blast Joint
Completion Functional Requirements
Functional requirement 1
Simple Natural Flowing
To provide Reservoir to Wellbore

Casing connection
• Perforations
• Open-hole
Perforations
Simple Natural Flowing
Casing
Tubing
To enable
• Optimum flow rates
• Optimum tubing size
Perforations
Single Completion: Natural Flowing
Casing
To protect the casing and wellhead from reservoir
Tubing
fluids and from reservoir pressure by creating
Casing-Tubing annulus
• Packer
Packer
Perforations
Packers
Tubing
Tuning- Casing Annulus
Casing
Packer
Packers – Why run them?
• Isolate annulus from pressure: Protect casing and wellhead from formation pressure
• Corrosion protection of annulus
• Isolate wellhead from high pressure
• Protect (along with SSSV) if tree damage
• Allow multiple zones to be produced/stimulated independently: Zonal isolation
• Support weight of the tubing
Typical Packer Casing wall
Internal slips
Slips
Cone
Sealing element
Classification - Permanent Packers
• High Pressure/High Temperature
• Hostile Environment
• Suitable for Production, Injection, TCP, High Pressure Stimulations, Testing & Sandface
Applications Subsea/Deep Applications
• It is often used “One –Trip” Multi-Zone, Single & Dual String Completions
• High Volume Production – Larger Bores
• High Reliability
• Suitable for High Tension & Compression Loading
• Connect/Disconnect/Reconnect Utility
• Expansion Joints
• Multiple Seal Assembly Configurations
• Deviated/Horizontal Applications
• Wireline or Tubing set
• Mill to Remove
Classification – Retrievable Packer
• Medium-High Pressure/Medium-High Temperature
• Suitable for some hostile environment
• Suitable for Production, Injection, TCP, Stimulations, Testing & Sandface Applications
• Subsea/Deep Applications
• Often used in multizone, Single & Dual String Completions
• High Volume Production – Samller Bores
• Suitable for Tension & Compression Loading
• Suitable for shallow and deep installations
• Hydraulic Set & Wireline Set versions
• Accurate Setting Position w/Wireline setting assembly
• Highly-Deviated/Horizontal Wells w/Hydraulic Set version
• Intervention required to be retrieved.
Setting Mechanisms
Mechanical setting
Typically it requires rotation (1/2 turn at tool) and tubing set down.
The string weight maintains the seal and anchor.
Hydraulic setting
The rotation is not required. Pressure through the string has to be applied (+/- 3500 psi).
Compression & tension setting

Using a slip, cone arrangement and drag blocks that engages the casing and holds the slip stationary.
This setting uses weight of the string to expand the packing element.
Animation
SC-SSSV ¼” Hydraulic control line
Single Completion Natural Flowing
Casing
To safe-guard well against uncontrolled flow
Tubing
• SCSSV (Surface control sub-surface safety
valve)
• To ensure safe-guard down-hole against
uncontrolled well flow
Packer
• Install
• Offshore (200 – 300 ft below seabed)
• Land (deepest possible)
Perforations
Downhole Safety Valves
Why Install?
• Protect people, property and the environment in case of blowout from sabotage or human error, collision,
equipment failure, fire or leaks
• Legal requirement in many parts of world (eg offshore)
In many parts of the world, a surface controlled valve (ie hydraulically held open by pressure down a control
line) is mandatory for production wells, particularly offshore
Downhole Safety Valve - Where Installed?
X-mas tree
¼” Hydraulic control line

SC-SSSV
Offshore
Normally installed as deep as possible, below
the deepest collision point and considering
Maximum Fail Safe Depth!!
Tubing
Land
As deep as possible where mandatory
Packer
Types of Downhole Safety Valve
• Tubing conveyed
Run with the completion and forms part of the completion string
• Wireline conveyed
Run on wireline and installed in a nipple profile in the completion string.
Safety Valve – SC Tubing Conveyed
Flapper open Flapper closed
Safety Valves – Wireline Conveyed
Control line
WR SC-SSSV
Seals
Landing nipple Communication port
Valves are held open by hydraulic pressure supplied down a control line run from surface
If control line pressure is lost, the valve automatically fail-safe position is “closed”!!
An alternative to a wireline valve in a producing well is a “velocity valve”
– “normally open”, closed by high flow velocity and a pressure differential (wireline installed)
This valve type is not recommended (requires good knowledge of changing reservoir conditions).
• For water injection wells, a “non return” type of valve. It closes when water injection is shut down (wireline installed)
• Industry studies show that the most reliable is a tubing retrievable, flapper actuated valve
• Tubing valve has integral nipple to allow installation of a wireline retrievable SCSSV
• Large bore on a tubing retrievable valve improves flow capacity versus a wireline retrievable valve
• Tubing Retrievable valve is more costly (just the tool, the wireline retrievable type ends up being more expensive
because it requires slickline drifting and installation for every well intervention).
• Large external diameter may be an issue on dual completions.
¼” Hydraulic control line Single Completion Natural Flowing
SC-SSSV
Casing To enhance Tubing long-life as well as enable

Tubing pressure-testing of conduit
Landing Nipples (and flow couplings if erosion

is an issue).
TIT, packer setting, logging tools, isolation

Packer
tools, standing valves, plugs, valve catchers.
Landing nipple
Perforations
X-mas tree Tools placement.
For measurement, selectivity, testing, well
¼” Hydraulic control line protection.
SC-SSSV
• Landing Nipples
TIT, packer setting, logging tools,

isolation tools, standing valves,
Tubing
plugs, valve catchers.
Packer
Landing nipple
Landing Nipple
“Sub” built into tubing string to receive flow control devices (eg plugs)
Fishing neck
Recess
Threads for make up to tubing
Locking dogs
Polished
bore Packing
Seating Nipples, No-go Nipples, Selective Nipples
Seating Nipples
• Slightly restricted and polished ID
• Tools locate on shoulder section and held in place by pressure from
above
No-go Nipples
• Typically placed as a single nipple in a string, or as the bottom nipple in
a series with selective nipples
• Positive indication of seating by preventing the tool or device to be set
from passing through the nipple
Seating nipple
• Preferred for the deepest nipple location, providing a no-go barrier
• Have restricted ID and latch profile on which the downhole tools locate
Selective Nipples
• Several may be placed in one string
• Specific nipple located by determining its depth or profile
Selective landing
o Series nipples are run in a specific sequence No-go nipple nipple
o Locating keys on the lock ensure selection of the desired nipple
Landing nipple
Normal No-Go
No-Go
Installed at bottom of tubing
Like the normal Landing Nipple, but

with a reduced bore
Stops tools from falling out from the

tubing
Locking Mandrel
Fishing neck
Flow control or
measuring device can
be installed on bottom
of lock mandrel
Locking dogs
Packing
Connection for plug etc.
PLUGS
Solid Plug Standing valve
Ball
Seat
Flow
SC-SSSV ¼” Hydraulic control line
Single Completion Natural Flowing
Casing To facilitate well-killing through enabling

circulation between Tubing – Annulus
Tubing
• Sliding sleeves / Side pocket mandrels

Sliding Sleeve/SPM
• Additionally, Sliding sleeves provide mean

for selective production
Packer
Landing nipple
Perforations
Sliding Sleeve
• Provides circulating path between the tubing and annulus

- for selectively producing a zone
- fluid circulation (treatment)
- well kill or contingency
• Operated by slickline, using a special shifting tool
• Concern is longer term reliability, particularly with respect to scale, corrosion and long term seal integrity
Sliding Sleeve
• Operated by slickline, using a special shifting tool
• Concern is longer term reliability, particularly with respect to scale, corrosion and long term seal integrity
Side Pocket Mandrels
“Sidepocket”
• Allows communication between tubing and annulus

• Provide an unrestricted flow path within the production string
• Can receive/locate a variety of control devices and equipment
Sidepocket Mandrels
• Used to land/locate
o gas lift valves
o chemical injection valves
o circulating valves
o selective injection
Side Pocket Mandrel – GLV
Gas lift valve running

assembly
Side pocket mandrel
Side Pocket Mandrel – GLV (2)
GLV passing through (by-passing mandrel)
Running tool oriented and

tripped
Side Pocket Mandrel – GLV (3)
GLV latched in valve

pocket
Running assembly
retrieved
Blast Joint
• Installed opposite perforations to withstand
erosion
• Heavy wall joints (20 ft long) which treated

Heavy wall and often covered with resilient material
blast joint
located
across
perforated
interval
Flow Coupling
Tubing
• Installed above and below some components to
protect against erosion damage (6 -8 ft) .
Flow Coupling
Landing Nipple • Made of heavy wall tubulars .

or other
component
• Act to prevent fluid turbulence from eroding
Flow Coupling through the completion string
Tubing
Production Method
• The more you need or want, the more complex, costly (and risky) it becomes..........
• Cost versus benefit / risk analysis should be performed
• Again, in terms of increasing complexity...........
Other Requirements
Dual Completions (Multiple String)
SC-SSSV • To produce multi zones cost-efficiently

Tubing
• To allow independent production from two zones
through a separated production string
Dual Packer Blast joint
• Sliding sleeves / blast joints

Perforations (2)
Single string Packer
Landing nipple
Perforations (1)
Dual Completion
• Optimized drawdown for each zone (MORE PRODUCTION!!)
o If there are two (or more) very good zones present in a
wellbore, economics may indicate a dual completion is
Two independent
better than a single completion. flowlines
• A dual completion consists of two independent completions tied
to surface with individual tubing stings.
• More complex and expensive downhole and surface
equipment, two independent zone treatments, and many more
chances for something to go wrong.
• The deeper of the 2 zones is completed first and is eventually
tied to the surface with what is called the “long string”.
Dual Tree
Other Requirements
¼” Hydraulic control line
Single String, Dual zone (Selective Completions)
SC-SSSV
• To allow independent production from two zones
Tubing through a single completion
• More robust then dual completion

Blast joint Upper Packer
• More cost effective for selectivity

Perforations (2)
• Can be operate with slickline, no need rig
Sliding Sleeve
(expensive)
Lower Packer • Unable to produce separately in the same time
Landing nipple • Sliding sleeves / blast joints

Perforations (1)
Other Requirements
Multizone Completion Configuration
• Four zone selective production system
• Dual production strings
• Commingled or alternate production controlled by

sliding sleeves
• System contains 28 major downhole components
Requirements and Interfaces
Requirement from Internal Clients:
• Production Engineers
• Subsurface Engineers
• Client
• Drillers
Metallurgy, Artificial Lift, Selectivity, Cost, Skin, Sand Control, Trajectory
Input and Optimization with segments:

• Artificial Lift
• Cement, Fracture
• Sand Control
• Perforation
All process and technologies fit-for-purpose
Artificial Lift
• Rod Pump
• PCP
• Gas Lift
• ESP
Artificial Lift – When Needed - Types
• The total equivalent height that a fluid is to be pumped, taking into account friction losses in the pipe
• Does the well have sufficient bottom hole pressure under producing conditions to “lift” the production to the surface,
through the processing equipment, to the sales point ? (Note that just flowing the fluid up the well bore takes a
considerable amount of pressure to overcome the “head” and the frictional losses.)
Total Dynamic Head - ft.

+ Lift to Surface - ft.
+ Friction Loss - ft.
+ Surface Pressure - ft.
= TDH
• If BHP is less than flowing TDH, or close to it, then artificial lift is needed. As well depletes and BHP decreases,
artificial lift is also required (Planning!)
Artificial Lift – When Needed
Types and Usage of Artificial Lift
Hydraulic Others
Electro Sub. Reciprocating
Pumping
Pumps Pumps
PCP's
Gas Lift
Lifting Systems by Type WW
Artificial Lift – Beam Pumping (Rod Pump)
Advantages
• Most widely used lift method
• Simple application
Rod Pumps combine a cylinder (barrel) • Low intervention cost
and piston (plunger) with valves to
• Economic value less than 1,000 BPD
transfer well fluids into the tubing and
displace the oil to the surface.
Disadvantages
• Restricted flow rates
• Potential wellhead leaks or spills
• Problems with deep producing intervals
• Restrictions in deviated wells
Rod Pumping System
Walking Beam Saddle Bearing
Equalizer
Bearing Horsehead
Samson Post
Bridle
Pitman Arm Ladder
Hanger
Wrist Pin
Prime Crank Arm
Brake Mover
Counterweight
Lever
Brake Polished Rod
Cable Stuffing Box Seal
Flow Line
Rod String
Flow Tee
Base Production Tubing
Production Casing
Downhole Pump
Drawings Courtesy of Lufkin Industries, Inc. Lufkin, Texas
How a Downhole Pump Works
Tubing
Plunger Moving Up
Plunger Moving Down
Traveling valve open
Barrel
Standing valve closed

Seating nipple
Ball & seat
Cage
Artificial Lift - Progressive Cavity Pump (PCP)
Advantages
• Flexible application methods
• Reliable when properly applied
Progressing cavity pumps
are based on rotary fluid • Resistant to abrasives and solids
displacement. • Efficient power usage
This spiral system consists Disadvantages

of a rotor turning inside a
stationary stator. • Restricted setting depths
• Not compatible with some chemicals
• Limited operating temperatures
• Restricted flow rates
Artificial Lift - Gas Lift Advantages
• Uses energy available in the reservoir
Gas Lift uses additional high • Cover a wide variety of flow rates
pressure gas to supplement • Valves retrieved by slickline or tubing
formation gas. • Handle abrasives and sand
• Unload well
Inject as deep as possible in Disadvantages
wellbore • Must have a gas source
• Freezing and hydrates are problematic
Produced fluids are lifted by • Difficulty depleting low productivity and low
reducing fluid density in pressure wells completely
wellbore to lighted the
hydrostatic column load on
formations.
Artificial Lift – Electrical Submersible Pump (ESP)
Advantages
• Wide performance range and
versatility
Electric submersible systems use
multiple pump stages mounted in • Can operate in high angle and
horizontal wells
series within a housing, mated
closely to a submersible electric • Most efficient and economical lift
motor on the end of tubing and method on a cost-per-barrel basis
connected to surface controls and Disadvantages
electric power by an armor protected • Tubing must be pulled to change or
cable. repair the pump
• Depth and GOR restrict capacity and
operating efficiency
• Large volumes of gas can lock up the
pump
Artificial Lift – Electrical Submersible Pump (ESP)
ESP Centrifugal Pumps
From there, the rotation of the high-speed impeller
throws the liquid into the diffuser.
• The pump is a multistage design with the number

of stages depending on the application
requirement.
• Stages are stacked on top of each other
• Least suitable for high GOR, sand production and
high temperature
• Must be set below liquid level
Plunger Lift
• Uses the natural reservoir energy to lift liquids to surface
• The plunger acts as a mechanical interface between gas
and liquid
• Cycles of build up and gas flow are performed
• Normally limited to 20 bbl/d
Surfactants (Foam Injection)
• Soap sticks
• Continuous injection
• Reduces the interfacial tension between gas and
water
• Foam has a lower density and will reduce the
critical velocity ration

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005 IWC-De-Introduction To Well Completions

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Introduction to Well Completion

Well Completions Operations

• Lower (Sandface) Completion

Basic Functions of a completion

• Preferred for fracturing when cement behind casing is

• Cheaper and may be most cost effective than horizontal

To provide Reservoir to Wellbore

• Optimum flow rates

• Optimum tubing size

Tuning- Casing Annulus

• Corrosion protection of annulus

• Isolate wellhead from high pressure

• Protect (along with SSSV) if tree damage

• Allow multiple zones to be produced/stimulated independently: Zonal isolation

• Support weight of the tubing

Compression & tension setting

¼” Hydraulic control line

Flapper open Flapper closed

Landing nipple Communication port

Casing To enhance Tubing long-life as well as enable

Landing Nipples (and flow couplings if erosion

TIT, packer setting, logging tools, isolation

TIT, packer setting, logging tools,

Installed at bottom of tubing

Like the normal Landing Nipple, but

Stops tools from falling out from the

Casing To facilitate well-killing through enabling

• Sliding sleeves / Side pocket mandrels

• Additionally, Sliding sleeves provide mean

• Provides circulating path between the tubing and annulus

• Allows communication between tubing and annulus

Gas lift valve running

Side pocket mandrel

GLV passing through (by-passing mandrel)

Running tool oriented and

GLV latched in valve

• Heavy wall joints (20 ft long) which treated

Landing Nipple • Made of heavy wall tubulars .

• Cost versus benefit / risk analysis should be performed

• Again, in terms of increasing complexity...........

SC-SSSV • To produce multi zones cost-efficiently

• Sliding sleeves / blast joints

Single string Packer

• More robust then dual completion

• More cost effective for selectivity

Lower Packer • Unable to produce separately in the same time

Landing nipple • Sliding sleeves / blast joints

• Four zone selective production system

• Dual production strings

• Commingled or alternate production controlled by

• System contains 28 major downhole components

Input and Optimization with segments:

Total Dynamic Head - ft.

Plunger Moving Down

Traveling valve open

Standing valve closed

This spiral system consists Disadvantages

• The pump is a multistage design with the number

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