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Casabe Mature Field Amaya 2010
Casabe Mature Field Amaya 2010
Mauro Amaya At some point in the operational life of an oil field, natural drive dwindles and
Raúl Amaya
Héctor Castaño additional energy is needed to sustain production rates. In the Casabe field water-
Eduardo Lozano flooding has been used to enhance oil recovery. However, a combination of sensitive
Carlos Fernando Rueda
Ecopetrol SA lithology, structural complexity and water channeling caused hardware to fail and
Bogotá, Colombia
wells to collapse, disrupting the waterflood efficiency. New techniques in geologic
Jon Elphick analysis, waterflooding, drilling and production optimization are restoring this
Cambridge, England
once-prolific field to its former glory.
Walter Gambaretto
Leonardo Márquez
Diana Paola Olarte Caro
Old fields have stories to tell. The story of the of the natural drive period, the operator had
Juan Peralta-Vargas
Arévalo José Velásquez Marín Casabe field, 350 km [220 mi] north of Bogotá obtained a primary recovery factor of 13%. By this
Bogotá and situated in the middle Magdalena River time, however, production had declined signifi-
Valley basin (MMVB) of Colombia’s Antioquia cantly to nearly 5,000 bbl/d [800 m3/d]. Seeking
Oilfield Review Spring 2010: 22, no. 1. Department, began with its discovery in 1941. to reverse this trend, Ecopetrol SA (Empresa
Copyright © 2010 Schlumberger.
The field was undersaturated when production Colombiana de Petróleos SA) conducted water-
For help in preparation of this article, thanks to José Isabel
Herberth Ahumada, Marvin Markley, José A. Salas, Hector began in 1945, and during primary recovery the flood tests for several years before establishing
Roberto Saldaño, Sebastian Sierra Martinez and Andreas production mechanisms were natural depletion two major secondary-recovery programs in the
Suter, Bogotá; and Giovanni Landinez, Mexico City.
AIT, CMR-Plus, Petrel, PowerPak XP, PressureXpress,
and a weak aquifer. In the late 1970s, at the end mid to late 1980s.
TDAS and USI are marks of Schlumberger.
Crystal Ball is a mark of Oracle Corp. 25 125
IDCAP, KLA-GARD and KLA-STOP are marks of M-I SWACO.
Water
1. Peralta-Vargas J, Cortes G, Gambaretto W, Martinez Oil
Uribe L, Escobar F, Markley M, Mesa Cardenas A,
Suter A, Marquez L, Dederle M and Lozano E: “Finding 20 100
Waterflood pilot projects
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
4 Oilfield Review
During the secondary-recovery period, struc- In 2004 Ecopetrol SA and Schlumberger A Prolific Yet Complex Region
tural complexities, sensitive shales, heteroge- forged an alliance to revitalize the Casabe field. The middle Magdalena River Valley basin is an
neous sands and viscous oils all conspired to Using updated methods for managing highly elongated depression between the Colombian
undermine the effectiveness of the waterflood. complex reservoirs, the alliance reversed the Central and Oriental cordilleras and represents
And although initially successful at increasing decline in production: From March 2004 to an area of 34,000 km2 [13,000 mi2].2 Oil seeps are
production, injected water broke through prema- February 2010, oil production increased from common features within the basin; their pres-
turely at the production wells, an indicator of 5,200 to more than 16,000 bbl/d [820 to ence was documented by the first western explor-
bypassed oil (previous page). Sand production 2,500 m3/d].1 Also, the estimated ultimate recovery ers in the 16th century. These reservoir indicators
occurred in a high percentage of wells, contribut- factor increased from 16% to 22% of the original oil motivated some of the earliest oil exploration and
ing to borehole collapse and causing failure of in place (OOIP). led to the discovery in 1918 of the giant field
downhole equipment. Water-injection rates were This article describes the complexities of the called La Cira–Infantas, the first field discovered
gradually decreased in an attempt to overcome reservoirs within the Casabe concession and the in Colombia. Since that time, the MMVB has
these issues, and waterflooding became less oil recovery methods employed over the last been heavily explored. Its current oil and gas
effective at enhancing oil recovery; from 1996 70 years, concentrating primarily on the major reserves include more than 1,900 million bbl
onward the production rates declined between reengineering work using updated methods that [302 million m3] of oil and 2.5 Tcf [71 billion m3]
7% and 8% per year. began in 2004. of gas.3
Spring 2010 5
A Barrancabermeja Nuevo Mundo syncline Rio Suarez A’
anticline
Central Casabe La Cira–Infantas Peroles
Cordillera field field field
m
B a rran
0
5,000
caberm
0 10 20 km
10,000
e
nclin
0 5 10 mi
eja fa
15,000
ndo sy
Barrancabermeja
lt u
Galán
Nuevo Mu
fault
A
illera
Casabe
Palestine
Peñas La Cira–
ord
e
ticlin
al C
Formation
rez an
Real
ntr
Rio Sua
Ce
Miocene
0 150 m
0 500 ft La Cira shale
e
on
ra
lt z
Upper sands
le
fau
A1 and A2
il
ip
d
-sl
ke
r
o
i
str
C
W
al
Oligocene
-S
nt
NE
ain
Lower sands
Or
0 50 100 km
C sands
Eocene
0 25 50 mi 5,000 ft Cretaceous
> Casabe structural setting. The Casabe field lies to the west of La Cira–Infantas field in the middle Magdalena River Valley basin (left). The principal
MMVB structures and producing fields are shown in the generalized structural cross section A to A’ (top right). The basin is limited on the east by a thrust
belt, uplifting the oldest rocks. Cretaceous and Paleocene (green), Oligocene (orange) and Miocene (yellow) rocks are shown in the central part of the basin
cross section. The pre–Middle Eocene uplift and erosion have exposed the Central Cordillera on the west (gray). The Casabe field is highly layered, as shown in
the detailed structural cross section (bottom right). (Figure adapted from Barrero et al, reference 3, and Morales et al, reference 6.)
The abundance of hydrocarbon resources in The Colorado, Mugrosa and La Paz forma- the Casabe field in the Galán field. A high-angle
the basin attests to the prolific petroleum system tions that make up the Casabe field were depos- NE-SW strike-slip fault closes the western side of
active in this region. A thick, organic-rich lime- ited during the Paleogene Period. These are the trap. Associated faults perpendicular to the
stone and shale succession was deposited in an found at depths of 670 to 1,700 m [2,200 to main fault compartmentalize the field into eight
extensive pericratonic trough along the north- 5,600 ft]. The reservoir sands in the field are blocks. Drilling is typically restricted to vertical
west margin of the Guyana shield during the classified in three main groups: A, B and C, or deviated wells within each block because of
Cretaceous Period.4 These underlying source which are subdivided into operational units heavy faulting and compartmentalization.
rocks are separated from the primary reservoirs (above). Sands are typically isolated by imper- Throughout the history of the field, develop-
by an Eocene unconformity. Major fluid-migra- meable claystone seals and have grain sizes that ment planners have avoided placing wells in the
tion mechanisms to fields within the MMVB con- vary from silty to sandy to pebbly. area close to the western fault. This is because
sist of direct vertical migration where La Luna Structurally the Casabe field is an 8-km reservoir models generated from sparse 2D seis-
Formation subcrops the Eocene unconformity, [5-mi] long anticline with a three-way closure, mic data, acquired first around 1940 and later in
lateral migration along the Eocene sandstone well-defined eastern flank and a southern plunge. the 1970s and 1980s, failed to adequately identify
carrier and vertical migration through faults. The northern plunge is found outside the area of the exact location of major faults including the
ORSPR10—Michael Moody—Figure 02
4. Pericratonic is a term used to describe the area around a Jones SH, Barker MHS, O’Donoghue J, Mohler CE, paper SPE 122868, presented at the SPE Latin American
stable plate of the Earth’s crust (craton). Dubois EP, Jacobs C and Goss CR: “General Geology and and Caribbean Petroleum Engineering Conference,
5. Although the exact fault locations were not well-defined, Oil Occurrences of Middle Magdalena Valley, Colombia,” Cartagena, Colombia, May 31–June 3, 2009.
by conservatively locating the wells away from the in Weeks LG (ed): Habitat of Oil. Tulsa: The American 8. Peñas Blancas field, discovered in 1957, is located 7 km
fault zones the waterflood planners ensured wells Association of Petroleum Geologists, AAPG Special [4 mi] to the southwest of the Casabe field. Both fields
remained within the correct block and inside the Publication 18 (1958): 641–695. have the same operator. The area between the fields was
western fault closure. 7. For more on undeveloped areas in the Casabe field: surveyed because oil indicators were found.
6. For more on historical structural maps from the Casabe Gambaretto W, Peralta J, Cortes G, Suter A, Dederle M
field: Morales LG, Podesta DJ, Hatfield WC, Tanner H, and Lozano Guarnizo E: “A 3D Seismic Cube: What For?,”
6 Oilfield Review
main strike-slip fault. The lack of a more accu- and washouts, and completion challenges such as looked. To improve structural understanding and
rate structural model caused two main problems: poor cementing and casing collapse. Tackling help increase reserves, Ecopetrol SA commis-
Reservoir engineers underestimated OOIP and each of these elements involved close collabora- sioned a high-resolution 3D seismic survey.
waterflood planners found it difficult to locate tion between the operator’s professionals and Geophysicists designed the survey to encom-
injector-producer pairs within the same reservoir technical experts from the service company. The pass both the Casabe and Peñas Blancas fields
and, to a lesser extent, within the same fault first stage of the project involved a thorough field- and also the area in between.8 WesternGeco per-
block.5 These uncertainties led the managers and wide analysis based on existing data and the gath- formed the survey during the first half of 2007,
experts of the 2004 Casaba alliance to build a ering of new data using the latest technologies, acquiring more than 100 km2 [38 mi2] of high-
multicomponent redevelopment plan. such as 3D seismic surveys and 3D inversion. resolution 3D seismic data; data interpretation
Ecopetrol SA has long-standing experience in followed later that year. The new data enabled
and knowledge of the field and the measures Undeveloped Areas and Attic Oil creation of a more precise and reliable structural
undertaken to keep it producing decade after Forty years ago it was common to create struc- model than one obtained from formation tops,
decade. Schlumberger provides new oilfield tech- tural maps by identifying formation tops from with the added advantage of covering almost the
nologies to the operator, including seismic sur- well data. With hundreds of evenly distributed entire Casabe concession (below).
veying, downhole measurements, data analysis wells this task was quite straightforward over In addition to accurately defining the struc-
and specialized drilling, as well as domain exper- most of the Casabe concession.6 However, a large ture of the subsurface, seismic data can also give
tise to decipher the challenges faced. With these undeveloped area near the main NE-SW strike- reservoir engineers early indications of oil-
capabilities the alliance was confident it could slip fault encompassed over 20 km2 [7.7 mi2]. bearing zones. In some cases oil-rich formations
obtain results within a year. Smaller undeveloped locations also existed.7 appear as seismic amplitude anomalies, called
The key goals of the redevelopment plan were A lack of well log data in these undeveloped bright spots. However, these bright spots do not
to increase reserves, manage the waterflood pro- areas meant that formation tops were not avail- guarantee the presence of oil, and many opera-
grams more efficiently and address drilling- able to create structural maps for several key tors have hit dry holes when drilling on the basis
related problems such as reactive lithology, areas of operator interest. As a result, significant of amplitude data alone.
tripping problems, low ROP, borehole collapse potential oil reserves were possibly being over-
Depth, ft Depth, ft
3,300 3,300
N N
Structural Sketch
with Well Locations
0 1,000 2,000 m
4,050 4,900
0 3,000 6,000 ft
N
4,800 6,500
Area not
drained
or drilled
Well location
0 6,000 ft 0 6,000 ft
> Casabe structural maps and model. Structural maps of the field were of structural maps (Seismic Data). These maps indicate additional faults in
generated using formation tops from well logs (Formation Tops). But the field and adjusted positions of existing faults compared to the formation
operators avoided drilling along the main strike-slip fault for fear of exiting top maps. Calibration of the new maps from existing well logs further
the trap; hence, tops were unavailable (Structural Sketch, red-shaded area). improved their accuracy. Geophysicists input the maps into Petrel software
This poorly defined and undeveloped area represented significant potential to form a 3D structural model of the subsurface (inset, right). (Figure
reserves. High-resolution 3D seismic data were used to create a refined set adapted from Peralta-Vargas et al, reference 1.)
Spring 2010 7
Typical amplitude signature properties.10 Geophysicists calibrated these esti-
Bright spots
mates using data acquired by a suite of new-
generation logging tools (see “New Wells and
Results,” page 15) in approximately 150 wells.
Offset Using these calibrated rock types, geologists
created a facies distribution map, which they
AVO anomaly
combined with the structural model to create a
model of reservoir architecture.
The architectural model highlighted more
Offset
than 15 reservoirs with an average thickness of
3 m [10 ft] each. Reservoir engineers analyzed
10 of these reservoirs and discovered an addi-
Uncorrected common tional 5 million bbl [800,000 m3] of estimated
midpoint gather
reserves.11 The geologic model was then used dur-
AVO-corrected ing the waterflood redevelopment process to help
amplitude map
improve both areal and vertical sweep efficiency.
Effective Waterflooding
When the Casabe field was switched from natural
drive to waterflood in the late 1970s, the operator
chose to use a typical five-spot pattern with
approximately 500 injector and producer pairs.
To sweep the upper and lower sections of Sands A
and B, up to four wells were drilled per injection
location (next page, bottom). During the initial
waterflood period, injection rates peaked in 1986
Amplitude anomaly and 1991. These dates correspond to the first and
second year after the beginning of the two water-
flood programs for the northern and southern
areas of the Casabe field.
Two to three years after each peak there was
a noticeable drop in the water-injection rates.
This was due mainly to the restrictions imposed
Undeveloped area
on the rates to avoid casing collapse. However,
Offset Hydrocarbons
the reduction in water-injection rates was also
influenced by several other factors. These issues
> Minimizing uncertainty of amplitude anomalies. Bright spots (top left) are high-amplitude features on were identified in the alliance’s redevelopment
seismic data. These features can indicate oil accumulations, although they are no guarantee. One
plan and became a large part of the requirements
technique for understanding bright spots begins with modeling the amplitudes of reflections from
reservoirs containing various fluids (top right). The amplitude at the top of a sand reservoir filled with for reworking the Casabe waterflood programs.
water decreases with offset. The amplitude at the top of a similar reservoir containing gas can
9. For more on AVO analysis: Chiburis E, Franck C,
increase with offset. The results are compared with actual seismic traces containing reflections from a Leaney S, McHugo S and Skidmore C: “Hydrocarbon
sand reservoir (bottom left) to more accurately characterize reservoir fluid. Combined with other Detection with AVO,” Oilfield Review 5, no. 1
information such as seismic inversion data, AVO-corrected amplitude maps (bottom right) can be a (January 1993): 42–50.
useful tool to confirm the presence of oil (light-blue areas). (Figure adapted from Gambaretto et al, 10. For more on inversion: Barclay F, Bruun A,
reference 7.) Rasmussen KB, Camara Alfaro J, Cooke A,
Cooke D, Salter D, Godfrey R, Lowden D, McHugo S,
Özdemir H, Pickering S, Gonzalez Pineda F, Herwanger J,
Several conditions can create misleading faults is uncertain. Interpretation of the Casabe Volterrani S, Murineddu A, Rasmussen A and Roberts R:
“Seismic Inversion: Reading Between the Lines,”
amplitude anomalies, but careful processing and 3D seismic data clarified field corridors where Oilfield Review 20, no. 1 (Spring 2008): 42–63.
interpretation can distinguish them. Analysis of wells had not been planned because of the uncer- 11. Amaya R, Nunez G, Hernandez J, Gambaretto W and
Rubiano R: “3D Seismic Application in Remodeling
amplitude variation with offset (AVO) corrects tainty surrounding the main fault position. Wells Brownfield Waterflooding Pattern,” paper SPE 122932,
data during the common midpoint gathering have since been drilled along these corridors presented at the SPE Latin American and Caribbean
Petroleum Engineering Conference, Cartagena de
process (above).9 Using AVO-corrected amplitude with successful results (next page, top). Indias, Colombia, May 31–June 3, 2009.
ORSPR10—Michael
maps as an additional verification tool, interpret- Moody—Figure 04
A detailed geologic model provided a better 12. For more on understanding high-mobility ratios:
ers were able to confirm both undeveloped and understanding of the subsurface conditions, Elphick JJ, Marquez LJ and Amaya M: “IPI Method:
A Subsurface Approach to Understand and Manage
attic oil accumulations. which helped during the waterflood planning and Unfavorable Mobility Waterfloods,” paper SPE 123087,
Attic oil is an old concept. Operators know drilling processes. Prestack inversion of the 3D presented at the SPE Latin American and Caribbean
Petroleum Engineering Conference, Cartagena,
there can be oil in these higher zones, but identi- survey data yielded fieldwide estimates of rock Colombia, May 31–June 3, 2009.
fying them is difficult if the exact location of
8 Oilfield Review
0 1,000 2,000 m Block VIII
0 6,000 ft
600
New well
Block VI 800
Depth, m
Undeveloped
1,000
Block V
N
Block IV Attic oil
1,200 B sands
Attic oil
Block III C sands
Drilled wells
1,400
Approved locations
Proposed locations
Undeveloped areas
Blocks I and II
1,600
> Attic well. Experts had long predicted a field corridor along the main helped well planners position the well. The trajectory avoided major faults
strike-slip fault, but the lack of accurate seismic data made the risk of and targeted a large undeveloped zone and two attic oil zones in the B and
drilling these zones too high. Interpretation of the 2007 3D seismic survey C sands (right). The wells constructed during the first and second drilling
enabled geophysicists to identify undeveloped drilling locations (red campaigns were vertical; in the third campaign, especially from late 2008
ellipses, left) close to the major fault. A new offset well, approved for Block onward, most of the wells drilled were offset wells in target pay zones close
VIII, was very close to the main strike-slip fault (dashed-green box, left). 3D to faults. (Figure adapted from Amaya et al, reference 11.)
seismic data and structural maps (middle) visualized using Petrel software
A1
gravity in the lower sands) were pushed aside by
the more freely flowing water, and once break-
through occurred the water influx increased.12 3,500
ORSPR10—Michael Moody—Figure
B1 SUP 05
B1 INF
. Casabe field injection and production scheme. 4,500
C
of proximity-induced well collapse. (Figure
adapted from Peralta-Vargas et al, reference 1.)
Spring 2010 9
Waterflood Patterns in Block VI Sand production and high-velocity jetting of
sandy water through perforations significantly
eroded casing walls and completion hardware in
1986
the producers. During a critical period of the
3,000 waterflood, numerous wells collapsed and were
abandoned or taken off line. To sustain production
levels the operator chose to convert many injec-
2,400 tion wells to producers, but this drastically
affected the waterflood patterns (left).
Choking back injection rates to mitigate
1,800 well collapses was another factor that caused an
North, ft
10 Oilfield Review
fluids within that zone of the wellbore from invad- Four-zone injector schematic
ing another zone. An injection nozzle is located
within this section and is controlled from the sur-
face. The new selective-string designs have
improved the vertical sweep efficiency by enabling Gamma Ray
the operator to maintain higher injection rates 0 gAPI 150
into layers less affected by waterflood-induced Spontaneous
Potential Resistivity
problems. Conversely, the new designs have miti-
Sand –80 mV 20 0 ohm.m 15
gated issues related to channeling by allowing a A1H
reduction of rates in problematic layers.
Use of a single well designed with packed-off
flow control was also much more cost-effective Packer
than the previous design of up to four wells per A2
injection location. Up to 16 water-flow regulators
have now been installed in injectors in the
Casabe field. This solution also addressed the
possibility that drilling several injectors in close
proximity to one another was one of the likely WFR
causes of casing collapse.
A21
Overcoming Drilling Difficulties
Perforations
From first production in 1945 to the end of 2006,
approximately 45% of the production wells in the
Casabe field had at some point collapsed, with
different levels of severity. As a result, wells were
abandoned, left inactive or reactivated only after
costly workovers. The abandoned and inactive
wells represented millions of dollars in capital A3
investment in the field and in lost revenue due to
> Selective injection design. New injection strings in the Casabe field have up
lower production rates. The majority of casing
to 16 waterflood-flow regulators (WFRs). WFRs and check valves prevent
collapses had occurred in Block VI, which also
backflow and sand production in case of well shutdown. The zone-isolated
has the largest proven reserves. It was therefore injection devices are placed in the highly layered stratigraphic profiles of the
the focus of a casing-collapse study.13 most-prolific producers that commingle fluids from A, B and C sands.
In the first stage of the Block VI study, Production logs are unavailable because of rod pumps, but injection logs are
available: Track 1 describes a typical lithology of A sands (yellow shaded
production engineers gathered casing-collapse areas); spontaneous potential logs (blue curves) are more accurate than
statistics. In 2006 this block contained 310 wells. gamma ray logs (red curve) in the presence of radiation from feldspar, which
A total of 214 showed some degree of collapse. occurs naturally in the field. Track 2 shows resistivity response of the formation
Slightly more producers than injectors collapsed, at two measurement depths (red and blue curves) and water-injection zones
(green shaded area). (Figure adapted from Elphick et al, reference 12.)
but the difference was minor and indicated no
trend. Of the total number of wells with recorded
collapse events, 67 were abandoned and 80 were
inactive, a factor that the operator knew would
severely impact injection and production rates. operation. In the second campaign this figure the production engineers to display both models
The remaining wells had been reactivated after was slightly less, at 68%. This period, however, in the same 3D window. Using modeling tools,
costly workovers. The engineers then looked for corresponded to the waterflood programs; hence they could then tag and clearly see the wellbore
a correlation between the 214 collapses and many more wells had been drilled. During the depths and the locations along the Casabe struc-
when these wells were drilled to identify any study period there were no recorded collapse ture where collapses had been recorded.
drilling practices that were incompatible with events in Block VI for wells constructed in the The engineers discovered that casing collapse
the Casabe field. third drilling campaign. This change was consid- had occurred in all stratigraphic levels. However,
Three main drilling campaigns coincided with ered to be a result of improved drilling practices, collapse distribution did highlight a strong cor-
the primary-recovery, or natural-drive, period which are discussed later in this section.
ORSPR10—Michael relation to the overburden
Moody—Figure 08 and to the water-
(1941 to 1975); the secondary-recovery, or water- To determine a link between casing collapse flooded formations. The analysis of well location
flood, period (1975 to 2003); and finally the and subsurface conditions, the investigators con- 13. Olarte P, Marquez L, Landinez G and Amaya R: “Casing
waterflood period of the Casabe alliance (2004 to sidered the updated stratigraphic and structural Collapse Study on Block VI Wells: Casabe Field,” paper
SPE 122956, presented at the SPE Latin American
present). Of the wells drilled during the first models built from the new 3D seismic data. and Caribbean Petroleum Engineering Conference,
campaign, 78% had casing-collapse events during Petrel seismic-to-simulation software enabled Cartagena, Colombia, May 31–June 3, 2009.
Spring 2010 11
80
70
Production wells Injection wells
60
Number of collapse events
50
40
30
20
10
0
A1 A2 A3 B1 B2 B3 C
Overburden Colorado Mugrosa La Paz Faults
Stratigraphic formation
> Areal and stratigraphic localization of casing collapse in Block VI. Statistical analysis of casing-collapse events within each stratigraphic section (left)
showed collapses in every formation. However, event frequency in the overburden and in the waterflooded zones (mainly Sands A1, A2, B1 and B2) was
several times higher than in other zones, indicating these intervals are more likely to cause collapse. Using Petrel modeling tools, engineers included Block
VI casing collapses in the structural model. A structural map of one reservoir (right) indicates collapses occurred throughout the block and not in any
specific area. (Figure adapted from Olarte et al, reference 13.)
Casing Liners
within the field and well-collapse distribution
7-in. H40 7-in. J55 7-in. K55 7-in. N80 65/8-in. H40 65/8-in. J55 revealed an evenly spread number of events,
20 lbm/ft 20 lbm/ft 23 lbm/ft 23 lbm/ft 20 lbm/ft 20 lbm/ft
0 which indicated no areal localization (above).
The next stage of the study was a probabilistic
500
analysis to evaluate the frequency of events
1,000 based on two variables: number of casing-
collapse events and operational year. Production
1,500
engineers created probabilistic distributions by
2,000 plotting both variables for each drilling campaign
Fluid level, ft
12 Oilfield Review
time during which collapse frequency was high. 30
Critical collapse period
This period coincided with the most intense rates Second drilling
25
of water injection (right). campaign
1947
1949
1951
1953
1955
1957
1959
1961
1963
1965
1967
1969
1971
1973
1975
1977
1979
1981
1983
1985
1987
1989
1991
1993
1995
1997
1999
2001
cal performance of a casing in two scenarios.
Operational year
First, an initial installed state considers the origi-
nal casing-design specification and downhole con-
ditions such as temperature and pressure. The
105
next scenario includes subsequent operationally Critical collapse period
induced events such as injection and production
Spring 2010 13
Schematic of First Four Sections of the Original BHA with a Concentric Bit Together with the results from the other
major milestones of the field-redevelopment
81/2-in. bit 61/4-in. miscellaneous sub 61/2-in. collar 81/2-in. OD stabilizer plan, the new casing designs enabled the alliance
to begin a new drilling campaign. The third
campaign began in 2004, and by 2007 a total of
37 wells had been drilled. The alliance wanted to
drill as efficiently as possible to improve produc-
tion, but problems were encountered during
drilling. These included stuck pipe caused by dif-
Design Improvements of Bicentric Bits and RWD ferential sticking in depleted reservoirs, prob-
lematic wiper trips resulting from highly reactive
shales and well control issues introduced by
water influx from the waterflooding.
To address the hole-stability and stuck-pipe
problems, the redevelopment team began by
improving the drilling fluid design. Drillers had
been using the KLA-GARD mud additive to pre-
vent clay hydration, but it had little to no
Pilot bit Reamer Pilot bit Reamer success at inhibiting reaction in the troublesome
Casabe shales. Consequently, Schlumberger and
28 cutters 33 cutters 26 cutters 27 cutters M-I SWACO initiated an investigation to find a
5 nozzles 2 nozzles 6 nozzles 2 nozzles
5 blades 4 blades 4 blades 4 blades more effective shale inhibitor.
13.4-mm cutter 13.4-mm cutter 19-mm cutter 19-mm cutter Laboratory analysis of 13 different fluid addi-
tives was conducted to compare their reaction-
Modification: Stabilization
pad and guardian bearing inhibiting capabilities on Casabe lithology.
to drill out Experts deduced, from core and cuttings sam-
ples, that the clays and shales were highly reac-
tive to water; therefore, the optimal drilling fluid
must prevent water from contaminating them.
Washout log
The KLA-STOP mud system was compatible with
the Casabe shales and had the best properties for
inhibiting these reactions: Its fluid composition
includes a quaternary amine that prevents water
from penetrating target formations by depositing
a synthetic coating along the borehole wall.
When the new system was put to use, however,
it did not meet expectations, and the reactive
lithology continued to affect drilling time. Design
iterations continued until 2008; at this point
experts had increased KLA-STOP concentration
to 2% and added 3% to 4% potassium chloride
[KCl]. However, hole problems persisted and
experts concluded that another contaminant
could be affecting the mud system. Using core
samples from a wide range of wells, analysts mea-
sured pore throat sizes and laboratory specialists
performed mineralogical analysis to determine
Before After the causes.
> New versus old drilling design. Original drilling designs included a traditional polycrystalline diamond
14. For more on bicenter bits and reaming-while-drilling
compact bit (top), but swelling clays caused problems during tripping. Engineers designed a reaming- technologies: Rasheed W, Trujillo J, van Oel R,
while-drilling (RWD) BHA that incorporated a smaller pilot bit and a reamer (tan box). RWD enabled Anderson M, McDonald S and Shale L:
oversized boreholes, which helped compensate for swelling and achieve target diameters for casing. “Reducing Risk and Cost in Diverse Well Construction
Further optimizations included larger cutters and a backup set of cutters to improve ROP (blue box). A Applications: Eccentric Device Drills Concentric Hole
and Offers a Viable Alternative to Underreamers,”
change in the number of nozzles and in the nozzle diameter dramatically reduced the washouts that
paper SPE 92623, presented at the SPE/IADC
were causing cementing problems (bottom). The decision to redesign the bit was made partly to cope Drilling Conference, Amsterdam, February 23–25, 2005.
with clay reactions. A new mud system has successfully inhibited the clay, and engineers are now
reconsidering a concentric bit to improve drilling efficiency.
ORSPR10—Michael Moody—Figure 14
14 Oilfield Review
The tests indicated that concentrations of CB-1054, was drilled with the new hardware, and New Wells and Results
smectite, previously identified as the swelling tripping times were notably reduced. Engineers The sands in the Casabe field have been exten-
clay, decreased with depth. But the mineralogical used the results from the pilot well to optimize the sively developed, but it is common in mature
analysis also revealed the presence of illite and bit and BHA designs. Experts ran unconfined com- fields to find oil in unexpected places. For exam-
kaolinite, which were not included as part of the pressive-strength tests on core samples taken at ple, some zones in the Casabe field were over-
original mud system investigation. These disper- numerous depths from several wells in the Casabe looked because the presence of low-resistivity
sive clays break off into the mud upon contact field, which returned values from 585 to 845 psi pay is difficult to detect using traditional resis
with water, causing drilling problems such as bit [4.0 to 5.8 MPa]. The results from this analysis tivity tools; alternative tools are discussed later
balling, and also increase the viscosity of the allowed the engineers to optimize the number of in this section. Other zones in the field were inac-
mud, making mud-weight curves less accurate. A primary cutters and to introduce backup cutters cessible because a lack of structural data made
more complete understanding of downhole con- on the drill bit (previous page). the drilling risk too high. Using structural infor-
ditions enabled engineers to design a new mud Since the introduction of new technologies mation acquired by the alliance, the operator is
system with improved KLA-GARD B and IDCAP D and updated practices, the drilling problems now developing the highest section of the Casabe
clay inhibitors. KCl was completely removed from faced in the Casabe field have been resolved. field’s anticline structure in the B sands within
the fluid, helping to reduce environmental Better quality holes have increased the effective- Block V.
impact and cleanup. ness of cementing jobs. Tripping times have been Only one well in this block, the wildcat
The mineralogy study showed why drilling in reduced by more than 22%. Higher ROPs have Casabe-01 located downdip in the flank of the
the waterflooded zones was obviously problem- been achieved with updated cutter configura- anticline, exhibited oil shows in the thin sands
atic. Existing methods to avoid water influx tions and a PowerPak XP extended power steer- within the attic zones, but these zones had never
involved shutting in several injection wells up to able hydraulic motor (below). The majority of been tested. A new well, located updip of the
several weeks before drilling to reduce pressure. new wells in the Casabe field have directional wildcat well, was proposed to develop the A
In one extreme case 40 injectors were taken off S-type boreholes deeper than 5,200 ft [1.6 km] to sands. After reviewing the new 3D seismic data
line to drill just 2 wells, which ultimately reduced avoid collisions with existing and new wells or to and the projected length of the oil leg, geoscien-
production rates. reach reserves in fault zones. tists revised the total depth for this newly pro-
Experts looked into the different ways they posed well and suggested deepening it to reach
could reduce water influx while also limiting any the B sands.
effect on the waterflood programs. Instead of
shutting in injectors they could increase produc-
tion in layers that were drilling targets, even if
this meant producing large volumes of water. In
addition, connected producers that were cur-
rently shut in could be reactivated, and if they 18
Average drilling time
had no pump, there was a possibility that enough for year
pressure had built up for them to flow naturally. 15
Only after these steps were taken and deemed
insufficient would the alliance consider shutting 12
Number of days
in injectors.
Optimized wells in 2009, average depth 5,400 ft
Another part of the investigation involved 9
reducing injector shut-in time. To avoid water 2010
inflow, injectors were taken off line 15 days 6
before drilling commenced. However, it was
found that to avoid water delivery from the injec- 3
tor to the drilling location, injectors could be
shut in just before the drill bit penetrated the 0
2004 to 2006
2007
2008
2009
CB 1125D
CB 1127D
CB 1126D
CB 1271D
CB 1140D
CB 1129D
CB 1251
CB 1110D
CB 1147D
CB 1184D
CB 1137D
13.5
12
11.4
10.5
9
6 6.8
Spring 2010 3 15
0
Resistivity Data from this new well included chromatog- LWD tool indicated the compartment was at
Invaded Zone raphy performed on mud from the B sands, original pressure. Interpretation of data from
0.1 ohm.m 1,000
which revealed well-defined oil shows, and log the CMR-Plus combinable magnetic resonance
AIT 90-in. Array
0.1 ohm.m 1,000
interpretation confirmed the oil presence. This logs confirmed movable oil (below). The interval
AIT 60-in. Array oil is due to a lack of drainage from the updip was completed and the well produced 211 bbl/d
0.1 ohm.m 1,000 wells. New data acquired with the PressureXpress [34 m3/d] of oil with no water cut. Historically,
AIT 30-in. Array
0.1 ohm.m 1,000
AIT 20-in. Array New well
0.1 ohm.m 1,000
AIT 10-in. Array Lithology
0.1 ohm.m 1,000 Bulk Density
T2 Distribution Water
3
Permeability 1.65 g/cm 2.65 0 29
Neutron Porosity Oil
Timur-Coates T2 Log Mean
60 % 0 0.3 Sandstone
0.1 mD 1,000 ms 3,000
Schlumberger-Doll Research Small-Pore Porosity T2 Cutoff Bound Water
Depth,
ft 0.1 mD 1,000 Capillary-Bound Fluid 0.3 ms 3,000 Clay 1
4,850
A sands
4,883 to 4,892 ft
MD
B sands
4,900
4,904 to 4,922 ft
MD
4,950
2,000
PressureXpress data Hydrostatic Normal gradient
2,500
3,000
Fault 120 Hydrostatic
5,000 3,500
Depth, ft
Depleted
sands
Fault 130
4,000
4,500
5,000
Original pressure
5,500
0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000 3,500
Pressure, psi
> Discovering the unexpected in Well CSBE 1069. A new well drilled to reach Sand B in Block V (right) reflected a change in previous practices; in this area
the B sands were considered depleted and invaded by water. After interpretation of mud logs indicated oil shows in two locations, Schlumberger acquired
pressure and nuclear magnetic resonance logs in the low-resistivity intervals. Interpretation of the CMR-Plus log (left) confirmed the presence of oil
(green-shaded areas Track 4). Pressure data (inset middle) indicated the bypassed oil zones were at original reservoir pressure (blue box) along the
normal gradient.
5,200
Free water
5,250
5,300
Free oil
5,350
> Log confirmation of low-resistivity pay. Well CSBE 1060 log interpretation indicated shaly sand zones with
salinities exceeding 50,000 ppm NaCl. Identifying oil in the presence of high-salinity formation water may be difficult
because resistivity measurements cannot be used to distinguish the two (red-shaded area in Resistivity track).
Shaly sands have higher water content than sand alone, and an alternative to resistivity measurements is needed.
The CMR-Plus tool, which measures relaxation time of hydrogen molecules to identify oil and water, uncovered the
presence of oil (Free oil, red-shaded area). Based on these results the interval was tested and returned clean oil,
confirming low-resistivity pay in the Casabe field.
experts did not look for oil downdip in the Interpretation of CMR-Plus data suggested the efficiency of the waterflood programs in the
Casabe field because the deeper formation had movable oil corresponding to the oil shows in the field and discovered additional oil reserves using
been flagged as a water zone. mud logs. Based on these results, the operator newly acquired data.
The field provided another surprise during a decided to test the well, which produced The collaboration between Ecopetrol SA and
routine replacement of a retired well. A produc- 130 bbl/d [21 m3/d] of oil with no water cut. After Schlumberger has been notably successful and
ing well had been mechanically damaged as a six months, cumulative production reached the partnership is currently scheduled to con-
result of sand production induced by the water- 11,000 bbl [1,750 m3] with no water cut. These tinue the Casabe story until 2014. Production
flood. A replacement was planned using improved values represent additional reserves where none wells are being added in the newly defined south-
design factors garnered from the casing-collapse were expected. ern Casabe field, enabled by the 2007 3D seismic
investigation. The operator drilled the well into The Casabe field redevelopment project is survey and improved logging methods. The new
the C sands for coring purposes. Before drilling, now in its sixth year, revitalizing the mature oil drilling practices and waterflood technologies are
this zone was considered to be water prone, but field. Figures gathered at the beginning of 2010 expected to achieve commercial production rates
during drilling, mud log interpretation suggested show the Casabe alliance has increased overall for many years to come. —MJM
there might be oil in these deeper sands. Log ORSPR10—Michael
production rates by nearlyMoody—Figure 13
250% since 2004. This
interpretation was inconclusive because of the improvement is due in part to a fast-track study
low resistivity; a new approach was required to that quickly identified the root causes impacting
identify movable oil (above).
Spring 2010 17