Coiled-Tubing Technology (1995-1998) DEA-67 Phase I1 PROJECT TO DEVELOP AND EVALUATE COILED-TUBING AND SLIM-HOLE TECHNOLOGY MAURER ENGINEERING INC. 2916 West T.C. Jester Boulevard Houston, TX 77018-7098 Telephone: (713) 683-8227 Facsimile: (713) 683-6418 Internet: http://www.maureng.com E-Mail: firstname.lastname@example.org TR98-10 April 1998 The copyrighted 1998 confidential report is for the use of Participants on the Drilling Engineering Association DEA-67 PHASE II project to Develop and Evaluate Coiled-Tubing and Slim-Hole Technology and their affiliates, and is not to be disclosed to other parties. Participants and theirF aff~liates free to make copies of this report for their own use. are
1. Artificial Lift 1.1 CENTRALIFT AND SHELL EXPRO (CT-DEPLOYED ESP) Centralift and Shell Expro UK (Watkins and Stewart, 1996) described planning and implementing a successful CT-deployed electric submersible pump (ESP) offshore in the Auk field (North Sea). Several new tools and procedures were developed for this installation. Various methods were analyzed in the search for alternate techniques for deploying ESPs in the field. The first CT-deployed pump was working well one year after installation, and a utilization rate of 96% was reported. The conventional method of artificial lift in the Auk field was wireline-retrievable hydraulic jet pumps installed with a rig. Limited capacity in the hydraulic supply system permitted only three wells to be lifted simultaneously. Shell therefore sought alternate systems for artificial lift. After Shell settled on ESPs, potential deployment methods were investigated. Changing the conventional deployment method would allow a savings of 20% on future workovers, a 50% reduction in installation times, and a savings of 100 man-days in bedding. Deployment methods considered were: 1) hydraulic workover rig, 2) cable suspension, and 3) coiled tubing.,- Cable deployment was not suitable due to the wells 74" inclination at depth. CT was determined to be more economic and better suited to operational experience in the field than a hydraulic workover system. New equipment was developed, including high-strength CT connectors to join reels of 2%-in. tubing and to connect completion subassemblies (SSSV etc.). A new packer was designed that could be set and released hydraulically. The tubing spool was modified to permit the power cable to exit the wellhead at a right angle (Figure 1-1). This provided amajor cost savings by maintaining the origmal flow-line height. OMaurer Engineering Inc.
Figure 1-1. Modified Tubing Spool (Stewart et al., 1996)The ESP downhole assembly (Figure 1-2) included a 280-HP motor. OMaurer Engineering Inc.
Sump p r u r a-bh Figure 1-2. ESP Assembly for Auk Field (Watkins and Stewart, 1996) Platform height restrictions required the fabrication of a special tower frame for supporting thegooseneck and extension. Three stack-up tests were performed with the new equipment, including a fulltrial installation in Aberdeen.12 . HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES (CT ARTIFICIAL LIFT) Halliburton Energy Services (Courville and Clark, 1995) summarized the increased potential of CTfor artificial lift applications, particularly with the advent of larger tubing sizes. CT is clearly well suitedfor use in relatively low-pressure wells in non-hostile environments. ESPs can be deployed on CT, andseveral gas-lift methods are being developed and refined. 1-3 OMaurer Engineering Inc.
The well-know advantages of CT for production applications include reduced formation damage(underbalanced installation, no pipe dope), improved wellbore integrity (no joints, no leaks), easieroperations (pressure tested at factory, rapid run-in speeds), and lower costs (competitive tubing cost,rigless operations). Disadvantages for production applications include the general undesirability of on-sitewelding, the need to perform hot work outside the well, and the lack of industry experience with large CTwith respect to life and corrosive environments. CT is particularly well suited for deploying ESPs because of the absence of connections. Threadedconnections slow installation and provide a large number of potential cmsh points for the power cable andleak paths for production. ESPs can be deployed on CT with either side-by-side or concentric methods. For the side-by-sidemethod, the power cable is banded to the CT as it is run in the hole (Figure 1-3). f i s method is morepractical and less complex than the concentric method (power cable inside the tubing), except duringinstallation. An advantage of the concentric method is removal of the need to kill the well during theoperation. CT Reel Cable Wellhead Bands that attach and hold electric power cable to OD of tublng Connector tor attachment of tubing to the pump 1 - Electric Submenlble Pump (ESP) Figure 1-3. CT-Deployed ESP (Coumille and Clark, 1995) 1-4 OMaurer Engineering Inc.
Earlier operations deploying ESPs on small CT required only mechanical support from the tubing,that is, the tubing was not used as a flow line. High friction losses inside the CT (Table 1-1) required thatproduction be routed through the annulus. With larger CT, acceptable flow rates are now attainablethrough the CT TABLE 1-1. Maximum Flow Rates for CT (Courville and Clark, 1995) Measured Maximum Calculated Flow Rates (BID) Depth Tubing Size (in.) - (ft) 1Y 4 1# 1% 2 2% 2h 3%1.3 SCHLUMBERGER DOWELL (UNLOADING WELLS WITH CT) Schlumberger Dowell (Gu, 1995) presented an analysis of transient flow for operations involvingnitrogen injection through CT for unloading wells. Transient behavior is very important for determiningoptimum nitrogen volume, injection time, injection depth etc. for unloading a well. They used a CTsimulator to investigate these interactions. Tubing OD, workover fluid, nitrogen rate and nitrogen volumewere analyzed with respect to sensitivity on job design. Job costs can be minimized by optimizinginjection rate and time (i.e., minimize total nitrogen volume). For wells where reservoir pressure is sufficient to lift produced fluids after heavier fluids areremoved from the wellbore, a short-term lifting process can be used to unload the well and restore 1-5 OMaurer Engineering Inc.
production. The composition of the wellbore fluid changes during the unloading operation; steady-stateconditions are not reached until the well is unloaded and production restored. Schlumberger Dowel1 ran several test cases to investigate the interactions of various parameters onthe success of the unloading operation. One parameter is the composition (i.e., weight) of the fluid in thewellbore. The assumed test conditions included a TD of 12,200 ft, 4-in. casing, no tubing, 4700-psireservoir, and 15,000 ft of 1%-in. CT. Nitrogen is injected at a rate of 300 scfm during run-in. At 12,000ft, injection is increased to 600 scfm for 90 r i . Flow rates for this operation are charted in Figure 1-4. nn Figure 1-4. Nitrogen Injection to Unload Well (Gu, 1995) The operation depicted in Figure 1-4 assumes that the wellbore fluid has an SG of 1.O. For theseparameters, the wellbore will be successfully unloaded and begin producing after injection is stopped.However, if the fluid density is assumed to be SG=1.15, not enough fluid will be unloaded to sustainproduction after injection is halted. More injection time would be needed if a heavier fluid is in thewellbore. Another important variable is the impact of reproduced workover fluids. For this analysis, a TD of9030 f?, 2%-in. production tubing to 8500 ft, 4%-in.casing to TD, 3500-psi reservoir, and 15,000 ft of 1%-in. CT were assumed. Nitrogen is injected at 300 scfm and the CT is parked at 8800 ft. Unloading canbe completed in 150 rnin if workover fluid was not lost to the formation. If 50 bbl of workover fluid needsto be produced from the formation, injection time must be increased to about 240 min (Figure 1-5). 1-6 OMaurer Engineering Inc.
Figure 1-5. Unloading with Production of Workover Fluid (Gu, 1995) An assessment of the volume of workover fluid to be produced back from the formation has to be estimated based on previous experience in the field. Upper and lower bounds should be used to design the unloading operation.- Optimizing injection rate is another important aspect ofjob design. As injection rate is increased, frictional losses in the annulus increase. The drawdown imposed on the formation is a combination of hydrostatic and fiction pressure at the formation. It is desired to minimize nitrogen volume and injection time to minimize job costs. For this analysis, job conditions included a TD of 1 1,050 ft, 27h-in. production tubing to 10,500 ft, 4%-in. casing to TD, 2800-psi reservoir, and 13,000 ft of 1 %-in. CT. A constant total volume of 91,500 scf was injected. Several nitrogen injection rates were used. At higher rates, friction pressure lowers drawdown pressure at the formation, and unloading is not successful (Table 1-2). TABLE 1-2. Effect of injection Rate (Gu, 1995) Unloading Results for Different Nitrogen Rates I (CTOD = 1.5 in., N, Volume = 91.500 scf) I I1 N, Rate (scfml 300 1 Stop Time (minl 350 1 Unloading Outcome Successful 1 1 600 1 230 1 Successful I 1 900 1 190 1 ~nsuccess~u~ I unsuccessfu~ I 1-7 OMaurer Engineering Inc.
CT size also impacts job success. For the case in Table 1-2, an injection rate of 900 scfin would besuccessful if CT diameter were decreased to 1% inches. Depth of injection is another important parameter. The model well for this analysis had a TD of 10,000 ft, 2h-in. tubing to TD, a productivity index of 0.5 BPDIpsi, and 15,000 ft of 1%-in. CT. Liquid return rate for a range of injection rates is shown in Figure 1-6. For 300 scfin, the liquid rate increases only slightly for injection depths greater than 4000 ft. A maximum practical depth can be estimated for any injection rate. Figure 1-6. Return Rate with 1%-in. CT (Gu, 1995) Running the CT deeper than this may not provide any added benefits. This depth analysis is of course impacted by CT OD (and annulus size). For smaller CT (1 % in.) inlarger tubing (5-in casing), fiction losses are less important. Higher injection rates can increase unloadingrates without creating significant friction losses (Figure 1-7). Y- ._.-.-.. .--._.----- .. ............. ....................... ..#. 0.0 I r________-_____----- __------- I I., --- lDlk .....-& 0. l D D D a o - - - - - 51-(11 Figure 1-7. Return Rate with 1%-in. CT (Gu, 1995) 1-8 OMaurer Engineering Inc.
-. 1.4 SHELL WESTERN E&P (CT CO, GAS LIFT) Shell Western E&P (Sorrell and Miller, 1997) described the design and evaluation of two CO, gas lift installations in the Denver Unit, a mature field in West Texas. The field is now under tertiary recovery with CO, water-alternating-gas (WAG) injection. Costs of the CT applications ranged between $65,000 and $75,000 (Figure 1-8). Figure 1-8. Costs for CO, CT Gas Lift (Sorrel1 and Miller, 1997)?- - More information is presented in Production Strings. 1.5 TEXACO, McMURRY-MACCO LIFT SYSTEMS, AND DOWELL (CT GAS LIFT) Texaco E&P, McMurry-Macco Lift Systems, and Dowell (Tran et al., 1997) described several successful installations of CT gas lift. On-location make up of the gas-lift assembly reduced costs. The completion method has been mechanically and economically successful, and will be applied in other fields. The gas-lift mandrels were installed on-site by cutting the CT as the completion is run in (Figure 1- 9). The crew can perform a tensile test for checking connector and string integrity and a pressure test for the valves and connections. OMaurer Engineering Inc.
Figure 1-9. Work Window for Installing G s Lift (Tran et al., 1997) a In one field installation, a 10,000-ft string of 1%-in. CT was run in the Brookeland Field. Bottom-hole pressure was too low for conventional gas lift. CT gas lift improved daily production (Figure 1-10)and reduced the initial annual decline from 97% to 20%. Installation cost was $60,000. OMaurer Engineering Inc.
- TEXACO FEE UNIT I O O l H BAOOKELAND 1 :oooo TEXACO AUSTIN CHALK BBOC I I Figure 1-1 0. Production of CT Gas-Lifted Well (Tran et al., 1997) Project members found that injection gas requirements were about half that used in conventional gaslift for the same produchon. The cost of the field-fabricated string was less than a manufactured spoolablestnng.16 . TRICO INDUSTRIES (JETPUMPS) Trico Industries (Tait, 1995) enumerated the advantages of jet pumps run on CT for artificial-liftapplications in horizontal and vertical wells. A primary advantage is the lack of moving parts in theassembly. Energy is provided to the jet pump by pumping power fluid from the surface (Figure 1-1 1). Thepower fluid may be produced oil or water, treated sea water, diesel , or other fluids. The primaryadvantages of jet pumps are a wide range of flow rates, deep lifting capacity, and the ability to handle fluidsthat have high sand concentrations, are corrosive, are at high temperatures or have significant free gas. OMaurer Engineering Inc.
- ADJUSTABLE CHOKE d TO SYSTEM FACILITIES €2 CONNECT & OISCDNIECT 1 JET P U N ! TUBING FACER I i Figure 1-1 1. Jet Pump for Unloading Wells (Tait, 1995) Lifting action is provided by energy transfer between the power fluid and the wellbore fluid Highpotential energy in the pressunzed power fluid is converted to kinetic energy as the fluid passes througha n o d e (Figure 1-12). A low-pressure zone is created in the throat, and the wellbore fluid is drawn intothe power stream. POmR FLUID PRESSURE POWER FLUID VELOCITY ------ NO=€ THROAT DIFFUSER Figure 1-12 Jet Pump Operahonal Pnnc~ple (Tart, 1995) 1-12 OMaurer Engineering Inc.
h Jet pumps have been used since the 1970s for long-term artificial-lift applications around the globe. These can be sized for production rates ranging from 50 to 15,000 BPD at depths exceeding 15,000 ft. Trico Industries described the use of a jet pump run on CT for production testing of horizontal wells. The pump can be run as a free pump (Figure 1-13), circulated into and retrieved from the well via the power fluid. This system can be used along with downhole pressure recorders to obtain inflow performance data in a production rate step-test procedure. Figure 1-13. Free Jet Pump for Horizontal Production Testing (Tait, 1995) 1.7 UNOCAL AND SCHLUMBERGER DOWELL (CT J E T PUMP RECOMPLETION) UNOCAL and Schlumberger Dowel1 (Hrachovy et al., 1996) described the design process, installation, and results of a CT recompletion of two wells in Alaskas Cook Inlet fields. Several remedial options were compared for these wells. The most economic approach was to run a ]%-in. jet pump at the bonom of a string of 1%-in. CT. Produced fluids and exhausted power fluids were produced through the annulus between the CT and 3 %-in. production tubing. Total costs for the first two wells were $220,000 and $120,000, significantly lower than other options considered. The most common existing completion in this area of Cook Inlet includes a piston pump in a 3-in. cavity hung from dual 3%-in. production strings inside 96/e-in. casing (Figure 1-14). Piston pumps are generally preferred due to higher efficiencies. Two wells, one on the Anna platform and one on the Baker, had been shut in due to problems with downhole hydraulic power fluid equipment. High costs for conventional workovers made shut-in necessary. OMaurer Engineering Inc.
KB -105 MSL 20 CSG @ 622 I3-90. CSG g 2022 L 1 Long String: 3-112" ~ u t t Shon Stvlng: 3-112" Butt - 8.41 0-7838 9.3 101627 - Collad Tubing :OD 10 1.532" QT-700 1.76" CowTIMnp- 2.20 Triw Jel Pump Csvity WI 1.0s Je( Halliburlon 3-112TBG Packer H.Yurtn 1C S d Ba Ennlla r *I* s b G~ l l r X I.IIC XO 0 7 The 3 KOBE 8 L-285 Pump Cavity 7 Liner Top @ 8004 O-5WCSGO W Pans: 8ZlU186 Pd.: UQrdYI PYh:M61T47*( M c 807S.PXII PMc w-lO.LYS PBTO. 10.310 Figure 1-14. Anna 26 Completion~Recompletion (Hrachovy et al., 1996) Inflow performance ratio (IPR)curves were prepared (Figure 1-15) to evaluate the performance ofvarious recompletion options to bring the wells back on line. OMaurer Engineering Inc.
0 100 YW ,m 4W 5m 000 0 BOPD Figure 1-1 5. Anna 26 IPR Curves (Hrachocy et al., 1996) Three completion options were considered: 1) a conventional workover including pulling the completion with a rig or jaclung unit and running a new dual completion, 2) pull the completion and runF a single 4%in. production string with a concentric 2h-in. CT string, or 3) run 1%-in. string of CT inside one of the existing 3%-in. production stnngs. The h t option (anew dual completion) was not pursued due to hlgh estimated costs ($850,000) and lack of availability of a suitable rig. The second option (a new concentric production string) was technically the best because the pump could be placed deeper and improve the drawdown. Cost estimates were even higher for option 2 ($925,000) and the same scheduling problems were pertinent. The thnd option was deemed the best compromise. A jet pump could be run on CT and production taken up the CT by production tubing annulus. The incremental production from options 1 or 2 was not sufficient to ovemde higher costs and greater installation risks. Future workovers with option 3 could also be accomplished with a CT rig, thereby improving overall economics. Costs to recomplete the two wells are summarized in Table 1-3. The pre-job cost estimate was $184,500 for the Baker 20 and $175,000 for the Anna 26. Several problems during field installation increased the cost of the Baker 20. Lessons learned on the first lead to cost savings on the Anna 26 ($54,500 below budget). OMaurer Engineering Inc.
TABLE 1-3. Recompletion Costs (Hrachovy et al., 1996) 1 Item 1 Baker20 1 Anna 26 1 1 Coiled-Tubing Unit Rental $75,000 $40,000 1 1%-in. Tubing Purchase 10.000 10,000 Wellhead 45,000 3 1,000 1 Packers I 26,000 1 13,000 1 1 Perforating I Wireline I 23,000 1 6,100 1 Logistics I Misc. 22,000 16,200 1 Supervision 14,000 4,200 1 Total $215,000 1 $120,500 1 Production performance of the Anna 26 is shown in Table 1-4. UNOCAL believes that thedifference in production from predicted rates is due to incorrect assumptions in deriving the IPR curve. TABLE 1-4. Recompletion Performance (Hrachovy et al., 1996) I I I I 1 Item ( Anna26 Anna 2 6 1 1 1 Predicted 1 Actual 1 Power Oil Consumed, BOPD 1250 Power Oil Pressure, PSlG 2450 , 3500 1 Produced Oil, BOPD I 240 1 120 1 I 1 Produced Water Cut, % I 40 1 7 1 Gross Fluid Production, BFPD 400 400 Pump Intake Pressure, PSlG 795 4901.8 XL TECHNOLOGY (CT DEPLOYED ESPs) XL Technology Ltd. (Tovar and Head, 1995) described the development and benefits of a new CT-deployed ESP system. This effort represents a joint-industry project ("Thennie") funded by the EuropeanCommission and several operators, service companies and manufacturers. The primary innovation is thatthe power cable is placed inside the CT, allowing rapid installation and deployment in live wells. Twofield tests were conducted to demonstrate the efficiency of thls method. Total estimated cost savings withthis approach are over 40%, including a 20% reduction in equipment costs and 3 to 4 fewer days on site. 1-16 OMaurer Engineering Inc.
Basic equipment configuration of the ESP with internal power cable is shown in Figure 1-16.Downhole components include the CTIcable assembly, subs for pressure insolation and circulation, andSSSVs. The number of electrical connections is reduced from four with an external cable to two with aninternal power cable. Additionally, the power cable is isolated from pressurization/depressunLation cycles. 51 U n n a m r C I I POW r m a CT Un-r Obmrgl U d 8nlI )urn@ )urn@ mmp Ymml Figure 1-16. ESP Design (Tovar and Head, 1995) Procedures for deploying the system in a live well are illustrated in Figure 1-17. Complete live-welldeployment was simulated in the field tests. OMaurer Engineering Inc.
Figure 1-17 . Live ESP Deployment (Tovar and Head, 1995) The &st field ma1 (Table 1-5) was onshore in Southern England in the Stockbridge Field to a depthof 3200 ft and deviation of 40". The second well test was to 2900 f and 50" deviation. Based on these tsuccessful operations, it is estimated that deployment speeds of greater than 50 ftimin are achievable TABLE 1-5. ESP Test Summary (Tovar and Head, 1995) , Information Well No. 10 1 well NO. 5 1 Date of the test Pressure deployment BHA length 79 feet 79 feet Riser length 90 feet N/A BHA deployed with Wireline Crane I Operational time ( 33 hours 1 14 hours 1 Run in speed 24 f t per min 29 f t per min 1-18 OMaurer Engineering Inc.
Four primary options were identified for deploying ESPs (Table 1-6): conventional tubingdeployment, running on CT with external power cable, cable-deployed pumping systems, and running onCT with internal power cable. Costs are compared based on a deployment depth of 5000 ft TABLE 1-6. Options for ESPs in North Sea (Tovar and Head, 1995) FeatureISystem Conventional CT Cable Deployed CT Tubing External Cable Pumping S y s t e m Internal Cable Depth L i m ~ t s None None None None Deviation Limits None None 59 degrees No.ne Max Tubina Size 7.0" 3% N /A N /A I- Min. C a Z S i z e ~ 1 1 N/A NIA I 7.0" 7 4%" I Flow Path Internal Tbg. Internal CT Internal C s g f l b g Internal C s g f l b g I I I ate Limitation 1 NO 1 Yes 1 No 1 No 1 1 Well Control Capacity None None I None I Yes I 1 Cable Protection I None None I None 1 Yes I Special Pump Reqd. No No Yes No Reservoir Monitoring Y es Yes No Yes Corrosive Fluids Yes Limited No Limited 1 C o m ~ r e s s i o n ~ D e c o m ~ .1 Yes 1 Yes 1 Yes 1 No I L a b ~ splicing e 1 yes 1 yes I Yes I Y es I I No. Cable Connections 1 4 I 4 I 2 i 2 I Well Intervention Y es Y es No Yes Equipment Required Rig CT Unit Special Unit CT Unit 1-19 OMaurer Engineering Inc.
I Avg. Equipment Cost 66.8 Slft 1 70.0 Slft 1 91.0 Slft 50.0 Slft 1 I Avg. Service Cost 1 45.5 S l f t 1 20.5 Slft 31.3 Slft 1 14.2 S l f t 1 Average Workover Time 8 days 6 days 4 days 4 days I I I I I Subsea Application 1 No 1 NO 1 No I Yes I HSE Approved Yes Yes No Yes Time requirements for a CT deployment with internal power cable are 3 to 4 days less thanconventional and 2 days less than CT with external cable. Total estimated job costs are compared inFigure 1-18. Figure 1-1 8. ESP Costs in North Sea (Tovar and Head, 1995) XL Technology Ltd. believes that the new ESP deployment system shows great promise. Anotherarea where this technology might be applied is running electric drills. This drilling technique is wellestablished in the FSU, but relatively unknown in the West. Additional study is undeway to investigatethe feasibility of this application. 1-20 OMaurer Engineering Inc.
/C4 1.9 XL TECHNOLOGY (FIELD EXPERIENCE WITH C T ESPs) XL Technology (Cooper and Head, 1997) presented an update of their work with CT-deployed electric submersible pumps (ESPs). These installations are proving to be well suited for installation in remote areas including offshore and areas with minimum facilities. The system was originally conceived to allow rigless completions that include ESPs. Several months of production experience have shown that the system is a viable completion option. Additional improvements might be added to the system, and it is foreseen that the installation time could be reduced to 14 hrlwell Three components comprise the complete system: the ESP assembly (Figure 1-19), the CT string with power cable inside, and the tubing hanger. Production is through the CT by production tubing annulus. The power cable is preinstalled in the CT and supported by a Coiled tubing series of anchors at regular intervals. During installation, it was discovered that aligning the CT to motor Bunt disc connection was more difficult than anticipated A more versatile connector was designed (Figure 1-20) to allow quick connection on the CoikdNbing to motor connector rig floor. Motor section M o l n section Discharge head Figure 1-19. ESP Assembly (Cooper and Head, 1997) OMaurer Engineering Inc.
Figure 1-20. Quick Connect for CT to Motor (Cooper and Head, 1997)1.10 REFERENCES Cooper, R and Head, P., 1997: "Coiled Tubing Deployed ESPs Utilizing Internally Installed PowerCable - A Project Update," SPE 38406, presented at 2"*North American Coiled Tubing Roundtable,Montgomery, Texas, April 1-3. Courville, Perry W., and Clark, Thomas R, 1995: "Coiled Tubing Completions: An EconomicDiscussion of Procedures," SPE 29781, presented at the Middle East Oil Technical Conference andExhibition, Bahrain, March 1 1-1 4. Gq H., 1995: "Transient Aspects of Unloading Oil and Gas Wells With Coiled Tubing," SPE 29541,presented at the Production Operations Symposium held in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, April 2-4. 1-22 OMaurer Engineering Inc.
P. Hrachovy, M. J., et al., 1996: "Case History of Successf~~l Coiled Tubing Conveyed Jet Pump Recompletions Through Existing Completions," SPE 35586, presented at the SPE Western Region Meeting held in Anchorage, Alaska, May 22-24 Sorrell, Dean, and Miller, Ron, 1997: "Coiled Tubing CO, Gas Lift Evaluated in West Texas," World Oil, January. Tait, Howard, 1995: "Coiled Tubing Jet Pump for Extended Reach Horizontal Well Cleanups," presented at the Third Annual Conference on Emerging Technology - CT-Horizontal, Aberdeen, Scotland, May 31 - June 2. Tovar, Juan J., and Head Philip F., 1995: Technical and Economic Considerations for CT Deployed ESP Completions," presented at the Third h u a l Conference on Emerging Technology - CT-Horizontal, Aberdeen, Scotland, May 31 - June 2. Tran, T.B. et al., 1997: "Field Installed Coiled Tubing Gas Lift Completions," SPE 38404, presented at 2 " d N ~ r tAmerican Coiled Tubing Roundtable, Montgomery, Texas, April 1-3. h Watkins, Paul, and Stewart, David, 1996: "Coiled Tubing Deployed ESP Works Well for Shell in North Sea Field," World Oil, June.e OMaurer Engineering Inc.
2. Buckling2.1 BJ SERVICES (FEASIBILITY O F TITANIUM CT) BJ Services (Christie and Gavin, 1997) analyzed the feasibility of using titanium CT for routineapplications offshore in the North Sea. The driving force behind the study is potential weight savings thatmight offset increasingly downrated deck and crane capacities on North Sea platforms. BJ Senicesperformed a series of modeling simulations to analyze the capability of titanium strings to maintainsdticient WOB to push heavy BHAs downhole. Data from actual jobs performed with steel CT were usedas the basis for the simulations. Results showed that titanium may have difficulty in these applications dueto a lower Youngs modulus. In one horizontal well, the surface weight indication would be significantly less for titanium than wasmeasured for steel (Figure 2-1). Less surface weight means a lower hanging weight and less weightavailable to push the BHA into the horizontal section. Compounding the problem is the higher hctioncoefficient obse~ved titanium on steel as compared to steel on steel. fcr 1 ~~~~ - jmo lorn Zm o aw woo am 7mo s m woo imoc t q a a ~moc ium lam1 I Depth (feet) I - - - -Comm4#orulCT rtanlum CT -+- 81an1m Frict~onLock ---Conl.em~ofel Fncllon Lock Figure 2-1. Modeled Surface Weights for Steel and Titanium CT (Christie and Gavin, 1997) More discussion on this comparison is presented in Coiled Tubing.2.2 CONOCO AND ARCO (DRAG REDUCER FOR HYDROCARBON FLUIDS) Conoco Specialty Products and ARCO Alaska (Robberechts and Blount, 1997) reported thedevelopment and testing of a new drag-reducing additive for hydrocarbon-based CT applications. Highpressures in CT pump operations to achieve high flow rates have the dual disadvantages of exceeding thecapacity of surface pumping equipment and of reducing CT fatigue life. Drag reducers for water-base 2-1 OMaurer Engineering Inc.
operations have proven very successful at the North Slope. Prior to this work, a drag reducer for additionto hydrocarbons was not available. A new dispersed-polymer drag reducer was formulated and tested withsuccess. Tests were conducted of a variety of drag reducers (Figure 2-2). 7 to Triplrr Purp in CTU Figure 2-2. Drag Reducer Test Equipment (Robberechts and Blount, 1997) The new Aqueous Suspension Drag Reducing Additive (AS DRA) has been found to be effectivein batch-mixed operations (Figure 2-3). The additive is also available in low freeze-point suspensions forharsh areas such as the North Slope. OMaurer Engineering Inc.
Measured pressure drop versus AS DRA concentration w s analyzed (Figure 2-4). Field experience ashowed that batch-mixed fluids can provide significantly more drag reduction than if treated downstreamof the centrifugal pump. These AS DRA additives have proven to be highly cost-effective for CT operations with hydrocarbonfluids. OMaurer Engineering Inc.
2.3 NOWSCO UK AND STATOIL (DEPLOYMENT OF LONG BHA) Nowsco UK Ltd and Statoil (Engel and Sehnal, 1996) developed and implemented a tool-stringdeployment system for running 140 m (459 ft) of perforating guns along a horizontal section. The well (B-15) was located in the Nonvegan sector of the North Sea. A recompletion was planned to isolate a lowerproducing interval (due to high GOR) and perforate a higher interval. Rathole for dropping the guns wasnot available. Drag was a si@cant concern in the well, and friction was reduced by adding rollers to theBHA and using friction reducers. Field operations, including deploying, running and recovering theperforating guns, were completed successfully in 5% days. The deployment system included male and female connectors (Figure 2-5) for quick connectionwithin the surface lubricator. OD is 2.5 inches. Make-up length of the assembly is 972 mrn. Gate valvesprovide double-barrier isolation. Figure 2-5. Deployment System Connectors (Engel and Sehnal, 1996) The surface equipment for deploying long BHAs includes the deployment BOP and isolation gatevalves. A secondary annular BOP was required below the deployment rams (Figure 2-6). QMaurer Engineering Inc.
4 1116 to 7 3 11S xever 4 " quick connect 4 1116"to 7 1116" xevar Blind 1 shear ram Plpe ram Slip rnrn Pump in tee 4 1/16" to 7 1116" x-over Upper Gate valve Lower Gate valve s 118 to 4 1116" xever 4 1116 t~ 5 118- xsvcr " Guide 1 rack rams No Q O 1 lock rams pip- ram Pipe 1 slip tarns 4 1116" to 7 1116" x-over Safely haad 8 x 1 56 to RX 46 x-over Figure 2-6. Surface Equipment for Deploying Long BHAs (Engel and Sehnal, 1996) Extensive modeling of drag was conducted prior to the job. The hanging weight of the BHA wasover 2500 kg; 2-in. CT was specified. Rollers were to be added at each joint of the guns. These had beenfound to reduce required pushmg forces by 50%. A drag reducer was also planned to ensure that targetdepth was reached. Drag predictions and results are compared in Figure 2-7. Nowsco stated that the difference betweenpredictedlmeasured POOH weights is explained by gun debris or by low gun weights used in the model. OMaurer Engineering Inc.
Figure 2-7. Weight Indication During Operation (Engel and Sehnal, 1996) Nowsco advised that deployment systems similar to the one described are viable options when morethan three separate trips are required to achieve the same objective with conventional deployment methods. Additional information is presented in Tools2.4 PEI (CT STRAIGHTENER) Petroleum Englneer Internat~onal (PEI St&, 1996) presented a description and some early resultsacheved by Schlumberger Dowel1 using a new straightener for CT. The deslgn is based on a three-pointbendlng fixture that is mounted between the gooseneck and injector. In one field well, the string locked up at 13,400 ft MD. The same string was then run with astraightener installed. A sleeve at 13,750 was reached and shifted without problem.2.5 SCHLUMBERGER DOWELL (EXTENDING CT REACH (PART 1)) Schlumberger Dowel1 (Bhalla, 1996) presented an analysis of the benefits of various methods toincrease the reach of CT in horizontal and deviated wells. Methods to reduce CT buckling includeincreasing buoyancy of the CT, pumping friction reducers, optimum taper designs, larger OD of CT,removing residual bending, using downhole tractors, pumping fluid, and pump-down systems. Thesemethods, either singly or in combination, can be used to substantially increase reach when appliedappropriately. Extended-reach technology has seen rapid development in the UK and Norwegian sectors of theNorth Sea. Some wells (Gullfaks and Statfjord) cannot be serviced with standard CT operations. Newtechniques and procedures have been refmed for these applications. 2-6 OMaurer Engineering Inc.
r- Schlumberger Dowel1 simulated the impact of a variety of techniques to reduce buckling and increase penetration in these wells. The example well used in the simulations is shown in Figure 2-8. Figure 2-8. Example Well used for Buckling Simulation (Bhalla, 1996) One technique used at Wytch Farm is pumping friction reducer. Reductions in friction coefficient of up to 15% have been achieved. The impact of friction reducers on surface loads for R H is shown in I Figure 2-9. Lock-up of the CT is expected at a depth of 10,849 ft. An additional reach of 200 ft is predicted for a 5% reduction in friction factor. Over 2000 additional feet of penetration can be achieved by reducing friction factor by 35%. 2-7 OMaurer Engineering Inc.
M u u d Dcph o Tool Smn; f - ft Figure 2-9. Impact of Friction Reduction (Bhalla, 1996) Tapered CT strings can be used for extending penetration. Thicker pipe is placed in areas ofmaximum compression forces. Taper design 3 (based on 1%-in. tubing) in the example well allows apenetration to 11,600 ft (Figure 2-10). Taper 4 (based on 2%-in. tubing) reaches to 13,800 ft. 1 Measured Depth of Top of Tool String - tfl Figure 2-10. Penetration with Tapered Strings (Bhalla, 1996) Residual bends in CT have an adverse impact on penetration limits. The injector constrains CT tobe straight while in the chains, but does not completely unbend the tubing. Schlurnberger Dowel1 measuredresidual bending radii on new 1W-in. 70-ksi tubing (Table 2-1). The reel radius was 58 in.; gooseneckrahus was 72 inches. 2-8 OMaurer Engineering Inc.
TABLE 2-1. Residual Bends in 1%-in. CT (Bhalla, 1996) Residual Bend Radius Reel t o Gooseneck 227.9" (1 8.9f t l Gooseneck t o Injector 102.8"18.6f t l After Injector 252.5"(21.0t ) f These tests demonstrated that CT enters the well with a bend radius of 21 ft. Since this bend willhasten the onset of helical buckling, removing this bend will increase penetration limits. Calculations forthe example well (Figure 2-1 1) show that reach will be increased from 10,849 ft out an additional 2153ft with straightened CT. Figure 2-1 1. Surface Weight with Straight CT (Bhalla, 1996) The disadvantage of using a straightener to increase CT reach is an increase in fatigue. Theadditional bending reduces cycle life (Table 2-2). To enjoy the predicted additional reach of 2153 ft, areduction in cycle life of 15 to 23% for the coil will be forfeited. Thus, an economic decision is requiredwith respect to the use of a straightener. OMaurer Engineering Inc.
TABLE 2-2. CT Life with Straightener (Bhalla, 1996) Pressure (psi) ) Cycles Without Cycles With 1 Straightener Straightener Well tractors are another approach for increasing penetration (see Welltec Section 2.9). The benefitof a tractor was modeled by applylug a range of loads to the BHA. Predicted surface weights are comparedin Figure 2-12. A tractor force of 100 lb on the BHA will increase reach by 201 ft. A pull of 2000 Ib willincrease reach by 455 1 ft. Figure 2-12. Increased Reach with Tractor (Bhalla, 1996) Flow in the annulus can push or pull the CT due to hydraulic friction forces. Calculations showedthat a additional 200 ft of reach can be attained by pumping water down the annulus in the example well. nReach is decreased by 100 ft if water is pumped up the annulus. Generally, the benefits from pumping aresmall (Figure 2-1 3), but may be important in certain critical situations. OMaurer Engineering Inc.
mcm I Figure 2-13. Impact of Flow on Reach (Bhalla, 1996) A combination of these types of techniques can be used to maximize penetration limits for CT reach. An additional 15,000 ft of reach can be attained by increasing buoyancy, reducing friction, optimizing taperF design and straightening the tubing (Figure 2-14). - M e U d Deplh d Tad Suing 11 Figure 2-14. Combined Techniques for Extending Reach (Bhalla, 1996) The additional reach with these combinations is summarized in Table 2-3. It should be noted that the effects of each individual technique are not linearly additive. 2-1 1 OMaurer Engineering Inc.
TABLE 2-3. Reach with Combined Techniques (Bhalla, 1996) Well 1 Lockup (ft) Well 1 Additional Reach (ft) 1 No Technique 10,849 Buoyancy Reduction & Friction Reducer 13,102 2.253 Buoyancy Reduction, Friction Reducer 20,101 6,999 & Optimal Taper Buoyancy Reduction. Friction Reducer, 25.000 4,899 Optimal Taper & Straightening2.6 SCHLUMBERGER DOWELL (EXTENDING CT REACH (PART 2)) Schlumberger Dowell, Amoco EPTG, and Techad (Lelsmg et al., 1997) continued thelr analysis ofthe potential of various techmques for extending the reach of CT in extended-reach wells. A variety oftechmques were considered (Table 2-1) wth respect to problems, costs, risks, and potential benefits. - Table 2-1. Techniques to Extend CT Reach (Leising et a]., 1997) Technique Field Proven Cost Potential - - Larger CT or smaller liner yes rned. high M u d lubricant yes med. low Tubing straightener yes low low 1 Hole optimization I yes I low I rned. I Underbalanced drilling yes high rned. Bumper sub yes low rned. I Equalizer I yes I low 1 rned. 1 1 Tractorllocomotive 1 no I high I high 1 Slant well yes low low Abrasivelwater jet drilling no med. Med. Rotator no high high Composite CT no high low I I I Counter rotating bit no high high A bumper sub (Figure 2-15) provides a WOB that is proportional to differential pressure across thetool. The disadvantages of this type of tool are that 1) WOB is increased as the motor starts to stall, thereby 2-12 OMaurer Engineering Inc.
aggravating the stall (that is, a positive feedback loop) and 2) open area in the tool and differential pressuremust be matched to achieve the desired WOB. Figure 2-15. Bumper Sub Thruster (Leising et al., 1997) Schlumberger Dowel1 developed and tested a weight-on-bit (WOB) equahzer. It is designed toprovide a constant WOB regardless of friction (Figure 2-1 6). OMaurer Engineering Inc.
Figure 2-1 6. WOB Equalizer Response (Leising et al., 1997) The tool (Figure 2-17) is not designed to reduce shock, but rather to provide a constant WOBregardless of sticklslip and variations in motor pressure. The primary disadvantage noted by Dowel1 issimply the additional length added to the BHA. OMaurer Engineering Inc.
Figure 2-1 9. WOB Equalizer (Leising et al., 1997) The WOB equalizer assembly is essentially a shock sub with a low spring constant. A chamberwithin the sub is precharged with nitrogen to provide the desired weight. Of the best techniques to increase CT reach (larger CT, smaller liner, thin CT in the horizontalsection, mud lubricants, underbalanced drilling, WOB equalizer, and a rotator), the highest ROPperformance was obtained with the WOB equalizer. It was also the easiest system to drill with, and 2-15 OMaurer Engineering Inc.
required very little intervention from the surface. While the sub does not in itself extend drilling reach, itincreased ROP and resulted in more efficient penetration.27 . SCHLUMBERGER DOWELL (FLUID FLOW AND CT REACH) Schlumberger Dowell (Bhalla and Walton, 1996) analyzed fluid flow inside CT and the annulus topredict its effect on penetration limits. Their analytical model showed that 1) fluid flow doun (or up) theCT itself had no impact on achievable reach, 2) upward flow in the annulus decreases reach, and 3)downward flow in the annulus (i.e., reverse circulation) increases reach. Theory for accounting for fluid hydraulics and shear stresses (Figure 2-18) was developed andincorporated into their tubing forces model. Any fluid rheology can be evaluated in the assumed concentricannulus. Figure 2-18. Shear Stress from Fluid Flow (Bhalla and Walton, 1996) In one example case, a commercial well profile was evaluated (Figure 2-19). The ratio of MD toTVD is 2.28. The completion included 4%-in. production tubing. The modeled CT string was 1%- by0,109-in. wall. 2-16 OMaurer Engineering Inc.
Figure 2-19. Example Well Profile (Bhalla and Walton, 1996) Results for the example well showed that lock-up is expected at a depth of 10,850 ft (Figure 2-20). If water is pumped down the annulus at 2 bpm, an additional 500 ft (4.6%) of reach is expected. If water is pumped up the annulus, reach is decreased by about 400 ft (3.8%). Bhalla and Walton noted that these results are based on the assumption of an concentric annulus (centered CT). Tubing will most likely bem eccentric, leading to a decrease in friction pressure. These results should thus be considered a worst-case prediction. Figure 2-20. Penetration in Example Well (Bhalla and Walton, 1996) 2-1 7 OMaurer Engineering Inc.
Fluid rheology can be designed for specific field applications to increase CT reach, or to minimizethe impact on reach.2.8 UNIVERSITY OF TULSA, NIPER-BDM AND PETROBRAS (BUCKLING MODEL) The University of Tulsa, NIPER-BDM, and Petrobras (Miska et al., 1996) described an improvedb u c h g model for transmitting axial force through CT in straight inclined wellbores. They considered thestable sinusoidal region above the critical buckling load. Case studies and experimental verificationdemonstrated the usefulness and limitations of the model. Their anal@cal model is summarized in Table 2-4. They defined a region of unstable sinusoidalbuckling immediately prior to the initialization of helical buckling. TABLE 2-4. Critical Forces for CT Buckling (Miska et al., 1996) Axial Compressive Force Coiled Tubing Configuration EIw sin a Straight F<2 I (Ref. 3) 2T d 3,7ZIT s < Sinusoidal -/ 3.75 a <4 Unstable sinu- soidal 2EIw sin a Helical 4 6F (Ref 9) A variety of numerical case studies were performed to gauge the impact of pipe size, wellborecondition, drilling fluid, CT size, wellbore size, etc. One interesting result was found when considering theimpact of increased axial force in an inclined well. As seen in Figure 2-21, force transmitted down sectionsgreater than 6000 ft is not impacted by the pushing force. No more than 6200 Ib will be transmitted to thebit. OMaurer Engineering Inc.
I Figure 2-21. Transmitted Force in a 30" Wellbore (Miska et al., 1996) Scale tests were also conducted for comparing with the model. The test fixture is shown in Figure2-22. Figure 2-22. Buckling Test Facility (Miska et al., 1996) In one series of tests, the importance of considering the impact of residual bending was clearlydemonstrated. The difference between Test 1 , 2, and 3 in Figure 2-23 is that Test 1 began with newstraight pipe. This pipe was more difficult to buckle and gave a higher load transfer. Effective frictionfactors were calculated for these tests. The straight pipe produced a friction factor of 0.275. The othertwo residually bent pipes produced friction factors of 0.365. 2-19 OMaurer Engineering Inc.
Top Lord (Ibf) Figure 2-23. Impact of Residual Bending (Miska et al., 1996) Experimental results and model predictions are compared in Figure 2-24. Error bars of 16% capturethe majority of the experimental results. 0 20 40 80 80 100 120 140 180 180 2 Experimental Rerult (Fb, Ibf) Figure 2-24. Comparison of Model and Experiment (Miska et al., 1996) OMaurer Engineering Inc.
F 2.9 WELLTEC (WELL TRACTORS) Welltec (Hallundb~k, 1995) developed a well tractor for use on CT in horizontal and deviated wells. The need for the tool was highhghted within Statoils operations at StatfJord. The system can pull or push CT horizontally beyond 10,000 ft. When the tractor is run on CT, the impact of drag is reduced and lateral reach is increased considerably. Both hydraulic- and electric-drive versions of the tool have been developed. The fluid-driven tool is 4-6 times more p o w e m than the electric version due to power transfer limits with wireline. Fortunately, less power and less pulling capacity are often not a problem for wireline operations (e.g., logging). In offshore applications, drilling technology exists to drill wells to large displacements from the surface location and with long horizontal sections. In some cases, CT cannot be used to senice these wells to TD due to drag, buckling and lock-up limits. Alternatives exist, chiefly drill-pipe conveyance, but these options are usually more expensive. A tractor placed behind a CT BHA will extend that systems capabilities and save costs in extreme reach wells. Another important application for which a tractor will have sigmficant benefit is CT drilling in horizontal holes. Maintaining sufficient weight on bit is often difficult in these operations. An effective tractor would solve this problem.r" Welltec has designed three sizes of tractors: 4%-in. tool for 4.9- to 12-in. tubing or open hole 3%-in. tool for 4.9- to 7-in. tubing or open hole 2/~-in. tool for 2.2- to 4.5-in. tubing The wellbore tractor is modular (Figure 2-25). The number of sections required depends on avadable power and the operation to be performed. The hydraulic version trpically uses five sections; the electric version uses three. Adding sections increases maximum pulling force, but decreases potential running speed. OMaurer Engineering Inc.
~ Tractor Sectlon 1 mw rrmllm Camr Figure 2-25. Tractor Section Schematic (Hallundbrek, 1995) The hydraulically driven tractor (Figure 2-26) can be run on 1- to 2%-in. CT. Conventional fluidsincluding acids can be used to provide power to the tool. An internal positive-displacement motor drivesthe tractor. Fluid Driven Version mrd Figure 2-26. Hydraulic-Drive Tractor Assembly (Hallundbrek, 1995) Tractor pulling capacity as related to flow rate and pumping pressure is plotted in Figure 2-27. Thecontribution of 6000 m (19,700 ft) of both 1%- and 2%-in. CT is included. Running speed is also shownas the numbers above the curves. 2-22 OMaurer Engineering Inc.
Fluld Driven Version Pump pressure at surface [bar] / / 30 F t m g F o r ~ W mm26wlo ) RIH [ M n l , Flow Rate 100 200 300 400 [Vininl - CT: 1 314 . motw she: 3 w - Cr: 2 sh L ~ o i C T dOOOm : n 0 ke/ms o Z c n b o t w I/= Figure 2-27. Hydraulic-Drive Tractor Performance (Hallundbak, 1995)- Tool control is accomplished via an internal wireline. The number of conductors is determined by requirements of tools run in front of the tractor (Table 2-5). The system can be run without wireline for simple operations. This might allow the use of smaller tubing andlor higher flow rates. TABLE 2-5. Hydraulic-Drive Tractor Specifications (Hallundbaek, 1995) Outer diameter 4%" 3%" I Max. Design flow rate 1 6 bbllmin 1 3 bbllmin I Max. Speed 5 4 0 0 ftlhr 5 4 0 0 ftlhr Pulling force 6 0 0 0 Ibs 6 0 0 0 Ibs Min. ID of tubing 4.9" 3.2" I Max. ID of tubing I 12" I 7.1" I Wiring through tool 1 0 wires 1 0 wires I I Fluid channel ID 1" %" Coiled tubing sizes 1 - z7h" 1" -2 7 ~ Wireline inside coiled tubing mono, coax, hepta or none OMaurer Engineering Inc.
The capabilities of the electric-drive tractor (Table 2-6) are less than those of the hydraulic system.The specifications listed in the table are based on the use of heptaconductor wireline. TABLE 2-6. Electric-Drive Tractor Specifications (Hallundbaek, 1995) I Outer diameter I 4%" 1 3%" I 2/a" I Max. Speed In1 3300 ftlhr 3300 ftlhr 3300 ftlhr Pulling force at 1 000 Ibs 1 000 Ibs 1 000 Ibs 3300 ftlhr Pulling force at 500 3300 Ibs 3300 Ibs ftlhr Min. ID of tubing 4.9" 3.2" 2.2" Max. ID of tubing 12" 7.1" 4.5" Wiring through tool 10 wires 10 wires 10 wires The performance of the tools are based on a hepta cable. (Dl Power and control signals from a power supply box designed especially for this purpose. The electric-drive system (Figure 2-28) is designed for cased-hole work only. Uses of the systeminclude running production logs, setting and pulling plugs, running perforation guns, cement bond logging,running video cameras etc. Electric Drlven Version Power SsCttM Figure 2-28. Electric-Drive Tractor Assembly (Hallundbaek, 1995) Welltec noted that these tractors may be used with smaller CT than normal because the influence oftubing stifiess on penetration is no longer a factor. 2-24 OMaurer Engineering Inc.
,P-. Cost savings with the well tractor on CT may be considerable. In a study for Statoil, it was determined that the use of the system for operations that currently require a snubbing unit could save 50- 60% of present costs. 2.10 REFERENCES Bhalla, Kenneth, 1995: "Coiled Tubing Extended Reach Technology," SPE 30404, presented at the SPE Offshore Europe Conference held in Aberdeen, September 5-8. Bhalla, K., and Walton, LC., 1996: The Effect of Fluid Flow on Coiled Tubing Reach," SPE 36464, presented at the 1996 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition held in Denver, Colorado, October 6-9. Christie, Mike and Gavin, Bill, 1997: "Titanium as an Alternative to Conventional Coiled Tubing: A North Sea Case Study," SPE 38416, presented at the 2ndNorth American CT Roundtable, Montgomery, Texas, April 1-3. Engel, Steve, and Sehnal, Zdenek, 1996: "Deploymg and Recovering Long and Heavy BHAs in Live- High Angle Wells," SPE 36330, presented at the In SPE Gulf Coast SectionlICoTA North Anerican Coiled Tubing Roundtable held in Conroe, Texas, February 26-28 Hallundbzk, Jerrgen, 1995: "Reducing Costs With Well Tractors for Horizontal Wells," OTC 7875, presented at the 27h Annual OTC in Houston, Texas, May 1-4. Leising, L.J. et al., 1997: "Extending the Reach of Coiled Tubing Drilling (Thrusters, Equalizers, and Tractors)," SPE 37656, presented at the SPElIADC Drilling Conference, Amsterdam, March 4-6. Miska, Stefan, et al., 1996: "An Improved Analysis of Axial Force Along Coiled Tubing in InclinedMorizontal Wellbores," SPE 37056, presented at the 1996 SPE International Conference on Horizontal Well Technology heId in Calgary, Canada, November 18-20. PEI S t a x 1996: "Straightener Extends CT Reach," Petroleum Engineer International, May. PIauche, Ricky and Koshak, W.E., 1997: "Advances in Sliding Sleeve Technology and Coiled Tubing Performance Enhance Multizone Completion of Abnormally Pressured Gulf of Mexico Horizontal Well," SPE 38403, presented at 2d North American Coiled Tubing Roundtable, Montgomery, Texas, April 1-3. OMaurer Engineering Inc.
Robberechts, Hilde and Blount, Curtis, 1997: "A New Generation of Drag Reducer AdditivesHydrocarbon Based CT Applications," presented at International Conference on Coiled Tubing andWell Intervention, Houston, February 4-6. OMaurer Engineering Inc.
3. Cementing 3.1 ADAMS CT AND NORCEN EXPLORER (FOAM CEMENT PLUGS) Adarns Coiled Tubing and Norcen Explorer Inc. (Noles et al., 1996) developed an improved method to reduce CT cement job fdures in slim holes. Failures had previously occurred in jobs with small annuli and s m d cement volumes. Cement had been found to cure in tubing or the annulus at the wrong position (Figure 3-1). Methods to overcome these shortcomings were sought and developed. - - - - --- 2 7hin. production tubing New projected X -- X 1 /&in. colled tubing perforations Existing perforations ------ Original PBTD 5 %-in. casing Figure 3-1. Cement Spotting Problems (Noles et al., 1996) Initially, it was assumed that these cement placement problems were caused by improper depth- measurement and tubing placement. This could be addressed by a separate run with a tubing-end locator. Although an extra trip is required, this was considered to be a worthwhile means to avoid placement errors. 3-1 OMaurer Engineering Inc.
Pumping and volumetric control were evaluated through a series of tests. Special small-volumesurface tanks (two 10-bbl compartments per tank) were designed. Pumping tests showed that cementvolume had increased during the pumping operation, with a typical increase of 21 to 30 gallons. Thisobservation suggested that original problems may not have been attributable to cement placement, butrather to cement contamination during pumping. It was found that friction properties distorted flow (Figure3-2). Rush 8.34 ppg Cement slurry 16.5 P P ~ 1 /*in. colled tublng Figure 3-2 Cement Mixing/Contamination (Noles et al., 1996) This problem of contamination was first addressed by attempting to design the origmal slurry andstages at higher densit~es/concentrations compensate for the expected contamination. Tests showed that tothis approach was probably not viable due to vanations in h a 1 fluid composition (that is, final results werenot repeatable). A mechanical foam plug (pig) was then used to prevent mixing and contamination of the cementduring pumping (Figure 3-3). The plugs are 90% compressible, and have an OD twice that of the CT anda length of 6 inches. 1 kin. coiled tubing Figure 3-3. Foam Plugs to Avoid Contamination (Noles et al., 1996) Stable test results were achieved with the foam plugs and several field applications were successfullycompleted placing small cement volumes in slim annuli.32 . BECHTEL AND HALLIBURTON (DEEP, HOT SQUEEZES) Bechtel Petroleum and Halliburton Energy Services (Gamer et al., 1995) reported a successfulsqueeze/reperforation procedure performed in the Elk Nlls field in California Close tolerances in thetubulars and the depth of the well caused concern regarding the feasibility of a through-tubing workoverwith CT. Simulations showed that a circulation rate of 1 bpm would be possible if friction-reducing 3-2 OMaurer Engineering Inc.
- additives were employed. The final result was an economical cement squeeze (about 20% less than the conventional approach) that greatly increased the profitability of this deep, hot well. The cement squeeze was pumped to a depth of 9000 f in 1 %-in. CT. Production increased to 550 t BOPD from 260 BOPD, while gas cut was decreased 75%. Design of the s l u q (Table 3-1) was critical for these conditions. A squeeze pressure of 2500 psi was planned. The slurry was contaminated by biopolymer to prevent it from semng up in the casing or CT. TABLE 3-1. Cement Slurry (Garner et al., 1995) Slurry Composition 3 3 sacks premium cement 40% silica flour 0.5% fluid loss additive 0.4% suspending aid 1.2 gallsack latex 0.05% de-foamer 0.22 gallsack latex stabilizer 8. 0.2 gallsack retarder 9. 4.68 gallsack water Yield: 1.56 cu ftlsack Density: 15.8 Iblgal Thickening time: 12 hours at 250°F; no viscosity build-up after hesitation Fluid Loss: 40 cc130 min Compressive strength: 1,550 psi after 24 hours at 250°F The squeeze procedure (Table 3-2) included a hesitation squeeze pumping schedule. The operation was completed successfully as planned on the first attempt. No underreaming was required prior to reperforating the well. OMaurer Engineering Inc.
T A B L E 3-2. Cement Squeeze Procedure (Gamer e t al., 1995) Job Procedure I 1. Tag sand plug for depth correlation and pull up to 9,240 ft. 2. Kill well by pumping 5 0 bbl water down coiled-tubingltubing annulus. 3. Mix cement slurry (see Table 3-1). 4. Pump at 1 bbllmin: / A. 5 bbl water. II ( B. 9 bbl cement slurry. 1 C. 5 bbl water. I D. 8 bbl polymer water (at 1.5 bbllmin). 15. Lay cement plug by continuing to pump polymer water (7bbl total) while moving CT 1 I upward at 3 0 ftlmin. . Pull CT up and circulate with polymer until returns are clean (about 40 bbl total circulated). 1 . Follow hesitation squeeze schedule to bring pressure up to 2,500 psi. I 18. While holding 1,500 to 2,000 psi back pressure, make contamination run to bottom ( 1I of cement ( 1 bbllmin polymer water, while moving CT downward at 15 ftlmin). 19. Drop ball and make cleanout run to bottom (top of sand plug) 1 I 1 0 . Pull out of hole at 3 0 ftlmin while oumoino ~ o l v m e r water at 1 bbllmin. 11. Shut well in while maintaining 2,000 psi pressure. 12. Re-perforate in new zone I 1 3. Jet well and return to production. 13.3 B P E X P L O R A T I O N A N D A R C 0 (FIBER C E M E N T W O R K O V E R S ) BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc. and Arco Alaska Inc. (Loveland and Bond, 1996) summarized recentinnovative applications o f CT and CT cementing at Prudhoe Bay. As the field declines, the drive todecrease workover costs has become more critical. Fiber cementing has proved a valuable addition tothese operations. Adding fiber to cement has at least three benefits: 1) it provides impact resistance when the plug ismilled through, lessening the potential for cracking, 2) it helps hold the cement plug intact even if cracksdevelop, and 3) the fiber acts as a bridging agent, which is desirable i some cases. The primary n OMaurer Engineering Inc.