SPE 90836
Well-Completion Techniques and Methodologies for Maintaining Underbalanced
Conditions Throughout Initial and Subsequent Well Interventions
Travis W. Cavender and Henry L. Restarick, Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
Copyright 2004, Society of Petroleum Engineers Inc.
This paper was prepared for presentation at the SPE Annual Technical Conference and
Exhibition held in Houston, Texas, U.S.A., 26–29 September 2004.
This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE Program Committee following review of
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presented, have not been reviewed by the Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject to
correction by the author(s). The material, as presented, does not necessarily reflect any
position of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, its officers, or members. Papers presented at
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Abstract
Underbalanced drilling (UBD) is undoubtedly one of the
“hottest” topics in the oilfield today. Although not a new
concept, UBD has just recently come of age, as the benefits it
offers to the oil and gas industry have been noted only within
the last few years. Underbalanced drilling offers many notable
advantages, which include:
1. Reducing formation damage
2. Increasing the rate of penetration (ROP) and bit life.
3. Allowing the reservoir to be tested and evaluated
while drilling.
4. Reducing the number of trips into the hole
5. Minimizing differential sticking of pipe
6. Limiting lost circulation
7. Facilitating early production while drilling
8. Accessing depleted or low-pressure reservoirs
9. Selecting TD from inflow performance.
The benefits of the above are obvious; therefore, they will
not be discussed in depth in this paper.
While UBD technology has come a long way since the
early wells that were brought in via gushers that rose above
―
the wooden derricks, underbalanced drilling can only supply
part of the solution once drilling procedures are concluded,
and the completion phase begins; the primary operational
drivers change. Rather than focusing on such activities as
drilling performance and formation evaluation while drilling,
the completion drivers target the reduction of fluid loss and the
elimination of formation damage. Thus, attaining a total
solution requires that underbalanced conditions not only are
maintained during the completion and for the life of the well,
but also throughout any future well interventions.
Unfortunately, the advances in underbalanced completion
technology have lagged behind those seen in underbalanced
drilling.
This paper will explore the strategies, techniques and tool
systems required 1) to maintain an underbalanced condition
throughout the initial well completion phase and during all
future remedial operations, and 2), to create a cost-effective
solution that will enhance and accelerate maximum reservoir
drainage.
To this end, if underbalanced technology is approached as
a production enhancement technique that starts at the initial
stage of drilling the well and continues throughout the life of
the well, the end result will be that the value of the reservoir
will be increased, and will be collected within in a shorter
period of time.
Introduction
The major problems created by drilling and completing oil and
gas wells in overbalanced conditions have been due to fluid
loss to the formation and include:
(1) formation damage caused by swelling of clay minerals
within the formation
(2) formation damage due to particle invasion into the
formation
(3) formation damage due to dissolution of matrix
cementation promoting migration of fines within the
formation
(4) flow channel blockage by precipitates caused by ionic
interaction between well servicing fluids, drilling fluids
and formation fluids
(5) interaction between well servicing fluids and formation
fluids causing emulsion blocks, water block, or changes in
wetability of a producing sand
(6) flow-channel blockage due to viscous fluids creating a
barrier in the near well bore region.
Although minimizing formation damage from fluid loss in
itself is a major reason to consider drilling and completing
underbalanced, there are other significant advantages that can
be derived from applying this concept. Since underbalanced
techniques can control or eliminate the problems listed above,
more efficient wells can be planned, and the number of wells
needed to meet production requirements in a field
development program can be reduced.1,2
The economic benefits of increasing production from a
reduced number of wells will not be covered in depth in this
paper. Instead, the discussion will focus on the equipment and
systems that are needed to maintain these conditions
throughout the life of the well.
2 SPE 90836
Underbalanced Completions Using a Well-Control
Valve
The need for a multiple-use tool for isolation of the reservoir
during underbalanced operations was identified early in the
process of determining the primary needs of the technology,
both to ease the complexity of operations and also to address
the need for enhanced safety. A solution to this problem has
been pursued for some time with varying degrees of success.
Initially, subsurface safety valves were pressed into the service
and worked well in spite of the limited setting depth of the
hydraulic activating system these valves use. The benefit of
using the subsurface safety valve was that it was reusable, and
therefore, helped in the tripping and drilling stages of well
construction. In addition, it was not restricted to a liner
deployment system. However, the setting-depth limitation
became the restricting factor in lateral length when
underbalanced horizontal wells were being planned, and it was
not always possible to set these tools deeper than the pipe light
depth; thus, they did not provide a satisfactory solution.
The second-generation system used a packer deployment
system in which a retrievable packer/bridge plug was set at the
required depth in the casing to act as a downhole lubricator.
The packer would then be retrieved by the liner and run to
bottom. This system had the advantage of versatility in setting
depth but was solely a liner-deployment tool and did not
eliminate the requirement to snub on trips. There was also the
risk that the liner could not be run to depth if the packer
became stuck in the openhole section.
More recently, industry efforts have been directed toward
designing a built-for-purpose working valve that can satisfy
the requirements of drilling and completing underbalanced
rather than meeting the standards set for hydraulically
controlled subsurface safety valves. This change in
philosophy enables the designers to build working valves that
will perform effectively in traditional hole and casing sizes.
Today, the industry has a number of different types of
casing well-control valves that support underbalanced drilling
operations. These valves include flapper and ball-type
closures with mechanical and hydraulic actuation. All have
unique advantages, and the appropriate choice will depend on
the operator’s requirements.
The hydraulic type is actuated from the surface via a
control line, and the mechanical type is actuated by the drilling
or completion bottomhole assembly (BHA). The mechanical
type eliminates the need for specially designed wellheads as
well as the time, cost and problems often experienced with
running control lines. Also, the mechanical type can be run
below a liner hanger to any depth. The placement or depth
and type of the casing well-control valve must consider the
following factors:
• Setting depth
• Pressure rating
• Drillstring buckling
• Casing wear
• Pipe-light conditions
• Completion length
• Distance of valve from casing shoe and float equipment
• Liner hanger position
• Cementing operations
• OD/ID requirements for either casing size and/or
openhole size
• Bit-size requirements for drilling through the well-control
valve
• Whether the installation is permanent or temporary.
Underbalanced Completions in Retrospect
Over the years, many wells have been completed using
underbalanced or “live well” completion techniques. Many of
these wells were drilled conventionally using overbalanced
drilling methods; however, the completion strategies required
an underbalanced completion technique to minimize or
eliminate formation damage. This technique was a common
approach in completing live wells that required high-rate
stimulation treatments. Due to the stimulation-rate
requirements, these treatments were pumped down casing to
minimize friction pressure. Once treated, the well was
unloaded, which meant that the production assembly would
have to be installed without killing the well.
A common approach that did not require snubbing was to
deploy a production packer assembly using electric line. The
production packer assembly would typically include a wireline
re-entry guide and pup joints, which straddled a landing
nipple. Prior to deployment, a wireline plug would be set in
the landing nipple profile and pressure tested. Once set, the
pressure would be bled off the casing, which would permit
loading the well with packer fluid and conventional
deployment of the production tubing. Then, the wireline plug
would be retrieved and the well turned on for production.
Running production packers in this manner called for a
pressure-tested lubricator assembly and a wireline grease
injector. Since the packer assembly and setting tool had to be
housed inside the lubricator assembly, the assembly length
was kept to a minimum.
Numerous through-tubing completion techniques have also
been used to maintain underbalanced conditions during
production assembly deployments. In an offshore
environment, the sub-surface safety valve was also used as a
lubricator device. While this practice is still used today, there
are obvious limitations that include severe flow restrictions.
Also, this type of through-tubing completion strategy must be
planned during design of the initial production tubing and
completion setting.
Types of Underbalanced Completion Systems
Presently Available
A. Slotted-Liner and Screen-Only Completion Systems
Slotted-liner and screen-only completions are usually run on a
work string. This method allows a washpipe assembly to be
run through the liner assembly, which in turn, allows
circulation ahead of the liner if low-side debris should be a
problem while running the completion through the openhole
section. The setting tool will have an isolation sleeve across
the hydraulic setting port to eliminate the possibility of
hydraulically pre-setting the packer should circulation be
required. The packer setting ball will move the isolation
sleeve down and allow the packer to be set. This system also
allows an openhole cleaning procedure to be performed before
setting the packer or while pulling the washpipe out of the
SPE 90836
hole through the liner section. The system has a double-valve
liner float shoe and washpipe pump-through check valves that
allow work-string connection make-up while going in the hole
underbalanced. After running the completion to depth and
setting and testing the completion packer, the wash pipe check
valves allow the work string to be pulled out of the hole until a
completion well-control valve, located below the completion
packer, is shifted to the closed position. A shifting tool
located just above the wash pipe seal assembly is used to close
the valve. Figs. 1 through 13 show the steps of completing a
slotted-liner completion underbalanced, starting with the
deployment of the well-control valve (Fig. 1) to the
production stage (Fig. 13).
There are a number of different types of completion well-
control valves. They include both ball and flapper types that
hold pressure both from below only or from either direction.
Some completion well-control valves are remotely operated
from the surface via pressure cycles to lock them open, or they
can be shifted to the open position by the production seal
assembly. In most cases, these valves can be re-used if the
production tubing has to be pulled out of the hole.
B. Sand-Control Alternatives
To date, most of the underbalanced well candidates have been
drilled in competent reservoirs that do not require the
deployment of sand control completions. However, as
underbalanced drilling evolves to other types of reservoirs, so
will the downhole completion requirements that will require
such capabilities as controlling formation solids during the
producing life of the well. Various sand-control techniques
can be considered and successfully installed while maintaining
underbalanced conditions throughout the deployment process.
Conventional sand-control options such as slotted liners or
“stand alone” screens can be used, and expandable screens
(Fig. 14), and gravel packing are also viable alternatives.
An expandable screen assembly can also be configured to
permit underbalanced deployment. The expandable assembly
would be deployed in the openhole section and hung-off in the
casing below the casing well-control valve. Once the screen
assembly is expanded, the casing well-control valve is closed
as the expansion assembly service tool is removed from the
wellbore. In a separate trip into the wellbore, a tie-back
completion packer assembly is tied back into the top of the
expandable assembly and set above the casing well-control
valve. The tie-back assembly will have a completion well-
control valve that will provide well control during the
production tubing deployment.
An underbalanced gravel-packing deployment process
would be similar to the conventional and expandable screen
process. The gravel-pack assembly would be lubricated into
the well using the casing well-control valve. Once the gravel-
pack assembly is deployed into the openhole section, the
gravel-pack packer can be positioned either above or below
the casing well-control valve. Once the gravel-pack packer is
set and tested, the gravel placement process begins using a
predetermined underbalanced fluid system ranging from foam
to a conventional lighter completion-fluid system. As with the
“stand-alone screen application, the underbalanced gravel-
pack completion system includes a completion well-control
3
valve that provides well control during the production tubing
deployment.
C. One Trip Completions Run on the Production Tubing
One-trip completions can be run on the production tubing if
the openhole section is competent, and circulating ahead of the
completion assembly is not required to place the liner setting
on bottom. This type of completion can set the packer above
or below the casing well-control valve (Fig. 15).
Other one-trip completion systems include packer-only
barefoot completions (Fig. 16). A pump-through pump-out
plug, which holds pressure from below, is used to allow the
production tubing connection make-up when the completion is
run in the underbalanced situation. If a mechanical casing
well-control valve is used in this application, the lock-open
sleeve is part of the pump-through plug assembly. A ball is
dropped to remove the plug from the end of the completion. If
the packer should be pulled for any reason, the well-control
valve will be shifted to the closed position.
D. Low-Reservoir-Pressure Electric-Submersible-Pump
(ESP) Completions
Underbalanced completion applications include drilling in
low-pressure reservoirs that are characterized by many fragile
microfractures. If these fractures are damaged due to any
overbalance in pressure, the production potential of these
reservoirs will be lost for the producing life of the well. An
overbalance may occur during production if a column of fluid
in the production tubing reaches a height greater than the
reservoir pressure. In this case, the fluid-loss-control device
must be closed in order to isolate and protect the reservoir.
When the well is flowing, the well flow lifts a poppet off seat
and allows fluid to be produced. When the flow is stopped,
the tool will close and prevent the fluid in the tubing from
flowing back into the formation.
The device is designed as part of the underbalanced
completion, which in many cases, is located below the ESP.
For this application, the fluid-loss-control device will function
without well intervention and is designed to operate in a solids
environment. If a situation develops that requires the fluid-
loss device to be retrieved from the well, a production sleeve
located below the packer will shift to the closed position to
maintain the isolation of the underbalanced reservoir.
The fluid loss device is run on tubing and is locked in
place using a ratch-latch locator that does not require rotation
for installation. The ratch-latch is disengaged by either
rotation or straight pull. It may also be pulled with the ESP
pump completion string provided the retrieving tool is run
below the ESP. If through-tubing zone intervention is
required, a plug below the isolation packer is retrieved, and
this action will allow access across the formation. This device
enables the well to maintain an underbalanced condition for
the life of the well.
E. Fiber-Optic-Sensor Completion Systems
Fiber-optic installations can also be used in underbalanced
completions and can be run either above or below the
completion packer and set above or below the completion
well-control valve. The unique advantages offered by the
4 SPE 90836
Fiber-Optic-Sensors include Distributed Temperature Sensing
(DTS), which enables temperature to be measured at any point
along the fiber. Often run in conjunction with DTS, the
Pressure Transmission System (PTS) uses a capillary tube
attached to a pressure chamber within the completion string.
The PTS is capable of measuring minute fluctuations in
pressure. Fig. 17 shows 2 options in fiber optic completions.
Future Concepts in Underbalanced Completions
With the current risks and significant costs that can be
associated with drilling and completion systems, it is not
surprising that the industry feels compelled to pursue any new
concept that shows promise of eliminating the problems that
can be encountered during the construction process. Many
ideas for linking other types of completion systems with
underbalanced technology have been considered. These ideas
include underbalanced horizontals, multilaterals3,4,5,6,7, and
intelligent well systems.
The following discussion provides an example of an
underbalanced concept that promises to combine all the
―
advantages of underbalanced technology with those of the
completion technique in this case, a multilateral well.
The underbalanced multilateral completion system
(presently in the conception stage) will have capability to
reduce the level of complexity in the well design and increase
the probability of success of the multilateral completion. The
design will focus on minimizing the number of trips into the
hole, which will limit the exposure to potential borehole
stability problems. With the system currently under
consideration, several critical trips have been eliminated.
These concern retrieval of the whipstock packer and washing
over the liner top. Also, the system will eliminate the risk of
lateral misalignment and junction collapse due to reservoir
depletion conditions that might occur during well life. The
number of special downhole tools required has been
minimized because standard liner hangers, whipstock packers,
completion systems, and liner types can be used with this
system. Also, intelligent completions and expandable
technology as well as expandable casing and expandable
screens are compatible. The completion will be a TAML
(Technology Advancement for Multi-Lateral) Level 5 junction
(Fig. 18).
Design Basis
The following criteria were considered necessary for the
completion design:
• Minimization of operational risks
• Simplicity of installation operations
• Optimization of production capabilities
• Minimization of installation time and the number of trips
• Elimination of any lateral liner misalignment with the
primary bore
• Provision for sand control/gravel pack compatibilities
• Provision for expandable casing or expandable screen
compatibilities
• Elimination of retrieving whip stocks and washing over
liner tops
• Reduction of cost (Equipment development and purchase
cost)
To affect the desirable criteria, the design must be capable
of providing:
1. Sand Control options to prevent partial or catastrophic
sand-control failure and its subsequent damage to the
downhole safety systems and surface facilities. The junction
must be designed to allow many sand control options,
including screen only, slotted liner, and expandable screens
completions. If the underbalanced reservoir would
accommodate some type of pumping or circulating treatment,
the design must allow other possible options such as alternate-
flow-path screens and foam sand-control methods. If reservoir
formation requirements differ, each lateral section must be
capable of incorporating different sand-control methods.8,9
2. High Collapse Pressure Rating of the Junction and
all multilateral equipment would exceed the absolute pressure
differential. This would ensure integrity of the well for the
expected drawdown and pressure depletion conditions
throughout well life.
3. Selective Access to All Legs during the entire life of
the well (well construction, completion and further well-
operation stages) should be possible.10 The design also should
allow all the drilling, completion, well intervention, and
production logging tools to pass through the junction into each
leg as needed. Finally, each lateral should have isolation
capability so that selective production, well testing, and
reservoir management can be achieved.
Design Principle
The underbalanced multilateral system will allow the main or
parent wellbore section to be drilled and cased using
conventional overbalanced methods. The lateral sections to
the offset reservoirs will be drilled underbalanced. If an
unwanted zone, such as a water zone or a shale zone, is
encountered while drilling to the target reservoir, that section
can be isolated using expandable casing that is tied back and
linked to the parent wellbore casing at the junction. The
junction can be isolated above and below by design and is
isolated from any other junction drilled below it. The
underbalanced lateral sections being drilled use the casing
well control valve. Upon casing the unwanted section, drilling
the underbalanced section to the reservoir is continued. If
other unwanted formations are encountered, expandable
casing can be set again, thus forming a monobore lateral
section.
This MLT design will allow underbalanced drilling to
various reservoirs with different pressures from the same
parent wellbore and will allow these reservoirs to be produced
in spite of differing pressures.
Intelligent well technology will also allow production
control as the reservoir pressures change in the various lateral
sections during the life of the well.
Safety
This paper would not be complete without mentioning the
risks of drilling underbalanced. Obviously, careful planning
and attention to detail are a prerequisite. To be successful,
safety must be a team effort so that the correct skills and
resources will be applied by all involved personnel throughout
SPE 90836
all stages of the process. Health, safety and environmental
management should be a top priority at all times. This
statement can not be over emphasized.
Conclusions
A primary driver for development of any new concept is its
potential to enhance economics by increasing reservoir
production potential and allowing the production to be
accelerated. These facts have been proven by the industry’s
pursuit of such concepts as multilateral wells, intelligent wells,
real-time data acquisition, horizontal technology and the many
other attempts that have been seen to integrate several
technologies to gain the operational benefits of both. Having
realized that underbalanced technology can accomplish
sought-after economic goals as well and provide more cost-
effective solutions for accelerating maximum reservoir
drainage, the industry has sought to combine underbalanced
techniques into all stages of well life as well. Research is now
focusing on maximizing the positive effects of drilling oil and
gas wells by developing underbalanced completion systems so
that underbalanced conditions can be maintained indefinitely.
The technology for completion systems is only in its
infancy, and the industry is just now looking for the keys that
can preserve underbalanced well conditions though out the life
of the well. Casing well-control valves are a major enabling
technology for all aspects of underbalanced operations. Tools
of this nature simplify the process and decrease the risk
involved in all aspects of deploying bottomhole assemblies
during the underbalanced operation. This includes tripping
and deployment of completions.
Completion solutions that have capability to maintain
underbalanced conditions throughout well production,
including subsequent remedial well interventions, are now a
reality for most underbalanced conditions. In some cases,
underbalanced technology has shown that it can rival the
production advantages obtained from stimulation by
minimizing the formation damage that is created during
conventional over-balanced drilling methods.
The advances recently noted in completion technology
were not considered possible 10 years ago. It seems certain
that before too long, the industry will be as comfortable with
integrating underbalanced concepts with all other areas of well
development as it has become with underbalanced drilling and
is presently becoming with underbalanced completion
scenarios. Considering the rapid pace at which new ideas are
being introduced into the oilfield, it is certain that other
concepts such as underbalanced intelligent well technology
will soon be a reality also.
5
Acknowledgments
The authors wish to thank the management of Halliburton
Energy Services, Inc. for their foresight and encouragement in
the development of underbalanced techniques.
References
1. Beveridge, M., Robb, T., Herron, S: “A Novel Underbalanced
Perforating Gun Deployment System Using Production Packer
Technology Successfully Completes HP/HT Offshore
Horizontal Well in a Single Trip,” SPE Paper No. 78313
presented at the 13th European Petroleum Conference held in
Aberdeen, Scotland, U.K. 29-31 October 2002.
2. Williams, M. Lewis, D., Bernard, C.J. “A Safe Approach to
Drilling Underbalanced Starts with Project Management,” SPE
85294 paper presented at the SPE/IADC Middle East Drilling
Technology Conference & Exhibition held in Abu Dhabi, UAE,
20-22 October 2003
3. Stalder, J.L.,York, G.D , Kopper, R. J., Curtis, C. M, Cole, T. L.,
and Copley, J.H.: ”Multilateral-Horizontal Wells Increase Rate
and Lower Cost Per Barrel in the Zuata Field, Faja,” Venezuela,
Paper SPE 69700 presented at the 2001 SPE International
Thermal Operations and Heavy Oil Symposium, Porlamar,
Margarita Island, Venezuela, 12-14 March 2001.
4. Boardman, D.W.: “Design Considerations for a Heavy Oil
Multilateral Well,” Paper SPE 39086 presented at the 5th Latin
American and Caribbean Petroleum Engineering Conference
and Exhibition, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 30 August – 3 September
1997.
5. Brister, R., and Oberkircher, J.: “The Optimum Junction Depth for
Multilateral Wells,” Paper SPE 64699 presented at the SPE
International Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition in China
held in Beijing, China, 7–10 November 2000.
6. DeMong, K., Al-Yami, A., Lambe, S.: “The Application of
Pressure Isolated Multilateral Junction Improves Economics in
Offshore Arabian Gulf,” Paper IADC/SPE77201 presented at
the IADC/SPE Asia Pacific Drilling Technology Conference
held in Jakarta, Indonesia, 9-11 September 2002.
7. Brister, R.: “Screening Variables for Multilateral Technology,”
paper SPE 64698 presented at the SPE International Oil and Gas
Conference and Exhibition in China held in Beijing, China, 7–
10 November 2000.
8. Cavender, T. Roane, T.O., Restarick, H.L: “Concerns and
Solutions for Interfacing Fracturing and Sand Control
Completion Strategies into Multilateral Technology,” Paper
OTC 15132, presented at the 2003 Offshore Technology
Conference, Houston, Texas, 5–8 May 2003.
9. Lougheide, D., Lutchman, K., Anthony, E.; Cavender, T, Flores,
D., Sahadeo, K.: “Trinidad’s First Multilateral Well
Successfully Integrates Horizontal Openhole Gravel Packs,”
OTC 16244 presented at the Offshore Technology Conference
held in Houston, Texas, U.S.A., 3–6 May 2004.
10. Rivenbark, Mark, W., Al-Sowayigh, Mohammed, I. and Al-
Furaidan, Yousef, A.: “A New Selective Lateral Re-Entry
System,” Paper SPE 59209 presented at the IADC/SPE Drilling
Conference in New Orleans, February 23-25, 2000.
6 SPE 90836

9-5/8-in. Casing 9 5/8 Casing

7-in. Casing
7-in. Casing

Note:
All the 7-in casing and equipment will
be cemented in well bore

Mechanical Casing Well-Control Casing Well-Control Valve

Valve (Run Open)
(Shifted Open)

7-in. Casing (2 Joints)

7-in. Casing (2 Joints)

Float Collar
HAL14410

Casing Joint
HAL14409

Float Shoe
Drilling with a PDC or
Roller Cone Type Bit

Fig. 1 ― Deployment of Well-Control Valve Fig. 2 ― Drilling out float equipment.

SPE 90836 7

9-5/8-in. Casing 9-5/8-in. Casing

Drilling Systems BHA

7-in. Casing
Bit with Shifter (Retrieved)

7-in. Casing
Drilling Systems BHA
Casing Well-Control Valve
(Shifted Closed)
Bit With Shifter

Casing Well-Control Valve

(Reopening)

Float Equipment Successfully

Drilled Out
HAL14411

HAL14412

6-in. Hole 6-in. Hole

Fig. 3 ― Tripping out of hole with drill bit. Fig. 4 ― Tripping in the hole with drill bit to drill underbalanced section.
8 SPE 90836

9-5/8-in. Casing

7-in. Casing

Shifter

Casing Well-Control Trip Valve

(Shifted Open)

Drilling Systems BHA

HAL14791

6-in. Hole Bit

TD

9-5/8-in. Casing

7-in. Casing

Drilling Systems BHA

Fig. 5 ― Drilling the underbalanced section.
Bit with Shifter (Retrieved)

Casing Well-Control Valve

(Shifted Closed)
HAL14413

6-in. Hole

TD

Fig. 6 ― Tripping out of hole after reaching the target zone.

SPE 90836 9

9-5/8-in. Casing

7-in. Casing

Slotted Liner

Polished Sub With Polished Rod

Wash-Down Shoe with Shifter

Casing Well-Control Valve

(About to be Shifted Open)

HAL14414

6-in. Hole

TD

―
9-5/8-in. Casing
Fig. 7 Running in slotted liner
in an underbalanced well.
7-in. Casing

Casing Well-Control Trip Valve

(Shifted Open)

Slotted Liner
HAL14693

Tubing Well-Control Shifter

Polished Sub
Wash Pipe
6-in. Hole Wash Down Shoe

TD

Fig. 8―Circulation and/or rotation while running liner into

openhole section.
10 SPE 90836

9-5/8-in. Casing

Packer Setting Tool

7-in. Casing

Completion Packer (Not Set)

Tubing Well-Control Valve

Casing Well-Control Valve

(Shifted Open)

HAL14694

Tubing Well-Control Shifter Wash Down Shoe

9-5/8-in. Casing
6-in. Hole Slotted Liner Polished Sub
Wash Pipe
Setting Tool
TD

7-in. Casing

Completion Packer
Fig. 9 ―
Circulation flow path
for openhole cleaning.

Positive Pressure Tubing

Well-Control Valve

Casing Well-Control Valve

(Shifted Open)
HAL14420

Wash Down Shoe

6-in. Hole
Wash Pipe

TD

Slotted Liner Polished Sub

Well-Control Shifter
Fig. 10 ―Setting packer assembly across the well-
control valve with slotted liner in openhole section.
SPE 90836 11

9-5/8-in. Casing

7-in. Casing

Completion Packer

Tubing Well-Control Shifter

Tubing Well-Control Valve

(Closed)

Casing Well-Control Valve

(Shifted Open)
HAL14769

9-5/8-in. Casing
Wash Down Shoe
6-in.
Hole Slotted Liner
Polished Sub
7-in. Casing
TD

Completion Packer

Fig. 11 ― Retrieving the setting tool and washpipe and

Tubing Well-Control Valve shifting the control valve closed.
(Closed)

Casing Well-Control Valve

(Shifted Open)
HAL14415

Wash Down Shoe

Polished Sub
6-in. Hole Slotted Liner

TD

Fig. 12 ― Setting tool and washpipe are retrieved.

12 SPE 90836

9-5/8-in. Casing

7-in. Casing

Production Seal Assembly

Completion Packer

Tubing Well-Control Valve

(Open)

Casing Well-Control Valve

(Shifted Open)
HAL14416

Wash Down Shoe

6-in. Hole Slotted Liner
Polished Sub

TD

9-5/8-in. Casing

7-in. Casing
Fig. 13 ― Production.
Screen Suspension Tool

Production Seal Assembly

Casing Well-Control
Valve (Shifted Open)
HAL14510

Bull Plug with Well-Control Shifting Device

6-in. hole Expandable Screen

TD

Fig. 14 ― Expandable Screen Completion.

SPE 90836 13

9-5/8-in. Casing

7-in. Casing

Packer with Upper Seal Bore

Production Seal Assembly

Landing Nipple

Landing Nipple

Casing Well-Control Valve

(Shifted Open)

HAL14509

Bull Plug with Well-Control Shifting Device

Slotted Liner
6-in. Hole

TD

9-5/8-in. Casing

7-in. Casing
Fig. 15 ― One-trip liner completion run on production tubing.
Completion Packer

Production Seal Assembly

Landing Nipple

Landing Nipple

Casing Well-Control Valve

(Shifted Open)

Pump Through Pump Out Plug

(Plug Expended)
HAL14422

6-in. Open Hole

TD

Fig. 16 ― Openhole barefoot completion (producing).

14 SPE 90836

Tubing
Control-Line Protector Control-Line Protector
Tubing
Bulkhead Connectors

Capillary Tube Capillary Tube

Fiber-Optic Tube Fiber-Optic Tube

Hydraulic Packer

Pressure Chamber

Bulkhead Connectors
Landing Nipple

Crossover

Hydraulic Packer
Perforated Joint

Tubing

Pressure Chamber
Tubing

Landing Nipple
Turn-A Round Sub
Tubing

Tubing

Casing Well-Control Valve

Casing Well-Control Valve

Casing Well-Control Valve

Shifting Tool
Casing Well-Control Valve
Shifting Tool

Underbalanced Openhole Section

Underbalanced Openhole

Fiber-Optic Installation Above Retrievable Fiber-Optic Installation Below Hydraulic

Packer Packer

Fig. 17 ― Underbalanced Fiber-Optic Sensor Completion Systems

SPE 90836 15

Production Packer

ICV

Shrouded ICV

LRS

Liner Hanger Packer

Alternate ‘D’
Passage for UBA Quick Trip Valve
lower zone
production
and tubing
intervention to
lower zone

Whipstock Packer

Re-entry Guide

UBA Quick Trip Valve

Fig. 18― Underbalanced MLT application with intelligent

alternative passage 2- zone underbalanced completion.