MBD 503

• PLANNED OPS
• OVERVIEW ON ACTUAL STATUS
• LESSONS LEARNED AND WAY FORWARD
 Planned OPS

Fourth Fac port with ball 2.75’’ – 2192 mMD

frac Third Fac port with ball 2.5’’ – 2241 mMD

Second Fac port with ball 2.25’’ – 2256 mMD

frac First Fac port activated Hydraulically: NO BALL –2277.6 mMD

Before to 2° STAGE frac in the upper part, YOU NEED TO LAUNCH

THE 2.25 BALL
 Frac first stage OPS 06/09 successful
MBD 503 (FIRST STAGE)

Total amount of proppant pumped: 129 klbs (97 klbs of Carbolite 20/40 and 32 klbs of RCP).
Total slurry volume 1011 bbls. Treatment was pumped through multistage completion, after opening the first frac port hydraulically
activated (NO BALL).
Maximum concentration was 8 ppg. Rate was 20 bpm.

Underflush volume: 6 bbls

 Attempt Frac second stage OPS 06/09
LAUNCHED 2.25 ‘’ AND 2.5’’ BALL AND STARTED 2° STAGE FRACTURING JOB
OPS SUSPENDED DUE TO NO INJECTIVITY

PLOT OF
SECOND
INJECTIVITY
TEST EXECUTED
07-09-2011
 Attempt Frac second stage OPS 06/09
At beginnign, it was thought that the frac port were opened and the injectivity into
formation was low.

After the test executed, (see plot below), these hypothesis have been rejected
because:
• Low injectivity DOES NOT MEAN NO INJECTIVITY
• It was not possible to pump one drop of brine into the reservoir
• The test are similar to a pressure tst , instead of an injectivity test  CLOSE SYSTEM

PLOT OF
SECOND
INJECTIVITY
TEST EXECUTED
07-09-2011
 Problem investigation 08/09-09-2011:
CT RUNs
After the unsuccessfull attempt to frac the 2° stage a CT run was executed:

THE CT WAS NOT ABLE TO PASS THROUGH 2192 mMD

IT WAS DECIDED TO RUN A Slick Line WITH LEADING IMPRESSION BLOCK

BALL
FOOTPRINT

PROPPANT
TRACES
 WHAT IS GOING ON?

• FACT: no way to inject into formation

• FACT: no way to RIH CT below 2192 mMD
• FACT: ball (or balls?) at 2192 mMD
 Answer !
• The well was underflushed with 6 bbls @ 8
ppg, that gives 2016 lbs of proppant into the
string.
• The string capacity is 0.008 m3/m.
• The bulk density of proppant is 100 lbs/ft3.
• The Top of Proppant expected is 72 m above
the hydraulic frac port.
 Answer !
CT not able to pass 2192-2196 mMD
Expected top of proppant ~ 2200 mMD

Fourth Fac port with ball 2.75’’ – 2192 mMD

frac Third Fac port with ball 2.5’’ – 2241 mMD

Second Fac port with ball 2.25’’ – 2256 mMD

frac First Fac port activated Hydraulically: NO BALL –2277.6 mMD

 QUESTION ?

• How could it be possible to have the proppant

at 2192 if with CT, after 1° stage, it has been
cleaned untill 2287 mMD?
 Answer!
• It was pumped at of 1.3 bpm (0.12 ft3/sec)
V2 = Proppant settling velocity in brine 0.3 ft/s

Frac string ID
3.9 ‘’

V1 = 1.7 ft/s
Annular Section 7 E-2 ft2

CT OD 1.5’’

how is it possible that was not seen any

V1>V2 BUT
proppant at surface?
 Answer!
• It was pumped at of 1.3 bpm (0.12 ft3/sec)

how is it possible that was not seen any

V1>V2 BUT
proppant at surface?

1. The well has a reservoir pressure of 150 bar

2. There’s a fracture  it is an highway!

Big losses expected while cleaning with brine and gel with ~ 50 bar overbalance
 Solution to the problem
• Measure return flow rate from CT. Use tanks and shaker
available on the rig site.
• Use another CT or WASH PIPES
 Higher flow rate instead of the actual 1.8 bpm (max)
Lower annular section  bigger annular flow rate 
bigger carryng capacity
• Increase viscosity of CT cleaning fluid  DONE
• Increase number of bottom up
 Leasson learned and way forward
Conclusion: all the times that it will be cleaned a FRACTURED WELL in
OVERBALANCE CONDITION (low reservoir pressure), it will experienced the same
problem.

Possible solutions
• Reduce underflush volume
• Pump the breaking viscous pill (see next slide) at the end of the frac stage (as
flush), before the CT run. Solution to be developed and designed with Service
Companies.
• Go with CT and lift the proppant, once up to perfs spot a self breaking viscous
pill (see next slide). At this time, with reduced losses, it will be possible to gain
more annular velocity to lift up the proppant.
Products available (not in CONGO now)
1. Clean plug by BJ
2. Protectozone by SLB

• Self breacking gel used

during WO operations on
fractured wells

The original application of this was during frac pack

OPs, to control fluid loss after perforating but before
the completion set.
The trick is to set the plug under balanced
conditions so that there is very little pressure
differential as it sets. Once set, it will stop fluid loss
and so maintain the pressure balance, allowing the
fluid loss to be controlled by a gel, rather than
particulates.