Well Completion Project Design

KWAME NKRUMAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND

TECHNOLOGY
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT OF PETROLEUM ENGINEERING

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING (PE 357)

LECTURER: DR. KOFI SARKODIE

COMPLETION DESIGN PROJECT REPORT

GROUP 1
JANUARY 2024.
Well Completion Project Design

Group Members

1.7062621
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9. 7053021
10. 2935320
11. 7059421
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13. 7062721
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17. 7054021

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Well Completion Project Design

Table of Contents
Group Members ........................................................................................................................ i
Table of Figures ........................................................................................................................ii
1.0 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1
2.0 Task 1 ............................................................................................................................. 3
2.1 Bottom Hole Completion ............................................................................................... 4
2.2 Upper Hole Completion ................................................................................................. 4
2.3 Accessories....................................................................................................................... 4
3.0 Task 2 ............................................................................................................................. 6
4.0 Task 3 ............................................................................................................................. 8
5.0 References .................................................................................................................... 10

Table of Figures
Figure 1 - Oil Zone per given field data .................................................................................... 1
Figure 2 - Bottom and upper hole completion sketch ................................................................ 3
Figure 3 - Accessories ................................................................................................................ 5
Figure 4 - New Field Design I ................................................................................................... 6
Figure 5 - New Field Design II .................................................................................................. 6
Figure 6 - Water Injection Design .............................................................................................. 9

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Well Completion Project Design

1.0 Introduction

Figure 1 - Oil Zone per given field data

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Well Completion Project Design

Preferred Zones of Production

1. Zone 1
2. Zone 2

Reasons for choosing these Zones

From the fluid data given, we chose zones 1 and 2 for two major reasons: permeability and
the thickness of reservoir zones with the assumption that the three zones have the same cross-
sectional area and average porosity.
Zone 1 was selected due to its substantial reservoir zone thickness, indicating a significant
volume of producible hydrocarbons. Additionally, it was chosen over zone 3 because of its
higher permeability. This higher permeability is a positive indication of efficient fluid
movement within the reservoir, which is crucial for successful oil and gas recovery
operations.
Similarly, zone 2 was chosen because it boasts the highest permeability among the three
zones. In the context of oil and gas reservoirs, permeability refers to the rock's ability to
allow fluids (such as oil, gas, or water) to flow through its pore spaces. A higher permeability
signifies a more favorable fluid flow through the reservoir rocks. This enhanced permeability
facilitates the extraction and production of hydrocarbons, as fluids can move more easily
through the reservoir.
The success of subsequent water injection for enhanced hydrocarbon recovery in the
anticipated depletion drive reservoirs will heavily rely on the permeability of the formation or
zone. The higher permeabilities observed in zones 1 and 2 will enable a more efficient sweep
during water injection, improving the displacement of oil within the reservoir.
The consideration of API gravity for the three zones was not given much weight in the
decision-making process. This is because the zone with the highest API gravity exhibits very
poor permeability, making it necessary to employ additional methods such as hydraulic
fracturing to recover its reserves. These additional techniques come with increased costs, and
accessing zone 3 would require drilling to greater depths.

Well Type and its Advantages

To optimize productivity and minimize surface footprint, three multilateral wells will be
drilled into the two zones. These wells specifically target the high productivity zones within
the reservoirs. By accessing multiple zones with a single well, the multilateral wells
effectively reduce the need for additional wells. Additionally, the multilateral wells provide a
larger drainage area in the reservoirs, resulting in increased flow rates. This approach is
particularly advantageous as it eliminates the need for drilling six individual producing wells
into the zones, which would be costly, especially considering the relatively small quantity of
crude in zone two. The decision to utilize three wells instead of four or five is based on the
small size of the field. By avoiding overlap in the drainage areas of individual wells, the risk
of a bottleneck is minimized.

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2.0 Task 1

Figure 2 - Bottom and upper hole completion sketch

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2.1 Bottom Hole Completion

The proposed bottomhole completion strategy involves installing a production liner, followed
by cementing and subsequent perforation. This approach is motivated by various factors,
including the presence of friable sediments that may deteriorate during well startup due to
drawdown.

This method is preferred over the use of casing due to its cost and time efficiency. It is also
preferred over the use of a sand screen, as sediments could potentially enter the screen and
impede flow. Additionally, it is chosen over an open hole completion due to its ability to
retain sediments and provide higher well integrity.

This completion technique enables selective production from different zones, thereby
preventing undesirable formations from contributing to overall production.
2.2 Upper Hole Completion
Due to the elevated offshore drilling costs and spatial constraints limiting the option of
drilling two separate wells for each formation, a multilateral well is drilled into the zone
(multi-zone completion) with multiple tubing strings. This strategy allows for the
simultaneous production of hydrocarbons from two formations without commingling, as each
formation possesses distinct characteristics in terms of API gravity and acidic content.

2.3 Accessories
• Well head
• Surface Control Subsurface Safety Valve
• Side Pocket Mandrel
• Seal Assembly
• Packer
• Sliding Sleeve (for selective injection)
• Nipple
• Blast Joint at the bottom hole (protects the tubing from erosive blast)
• Flow couplings
• Landing nipple
• Pressure and temperature gauges
• Mandrel
• Wireline entry guide

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Well Completion Project Design

Figure 3 - Accessories

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Well Completion Project Design

3.0 Task 2

Figure 4 - New Field Design I

Figure 5 - New Field Design II

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Well Completion Project Design

Modification of Design for 3 Subsea Satellite Production Wells:

In the case of developing the field using subsea satellite production wells, the design will be
modified to accommodate subsea equipment and tieback systems.

Each subsea satellite well will have a subsea tree, which includes valves and controls for flow
management and well control.

Subsea flowlines will be installed to connect the subsea wells to a central manifold or
gathering system.

The central manifold or gathering system will gather the production from the satellite wells
and transport it to a subsea tieback or production facility, such as a floating production system
or an onshore processing facility. These are the equipment to be added to the field:
• Subsea Trees
• Subsea Flowlines
• Subsea Manifolds
• Subsea Control Systems
• Subsea Umbilical
• Subsea Tieback Systems

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Well Completion Project Design

4.0 Task 3
If the reservoir is put on water injection, it can impact the design of the oil producers by
changing the flow dynamics and reservoir pressure profiles. In this case, additional
equipment such as water injection wells, injection pumps, and water injection control systems
will be required.
Here are some of the key components that will be required in addition:
1. Water Injection Wells: Water injection wells are dedicated wells used to inject water into
the reservoir to maintain pressure and enhance oil recovery. These wells typically include
completion equipment similar to oil production wells, such as tubing, packers, and downhole
pumps or injectors.
2. Injection Pumps: Injection pumps are used to provide the necessary pressure and flow rate
for injecting water into the reservoir. They can be surface-mounted and connected to the
water injection wells through flowlines and control systems.
3. Water Injection Control Systems: Water injection control systems are responsible for
monitoring and controlling the injection process. They include control valves, flow meters,
and pressure sensors to regulate the injection rates and maintain the desired pressure profile
within the reservoir.
4. Water Treatment Facilities: Water treatment facilities are required to treat the water before
it is injected into the reservoir. This ensures that the injected water meets the required quality
standards and minimizes the potential for reservoir damage or formation plugging. Treatment
processes may include filtration, desalination, and chemical dosing.
5. Water Injection Flowlines: Water injection flowlines are pipelines that transport the treated
water from the treatment facilities to the injection wells. These flowlines are designed to
withstand the corrosive nature of the injected water and typically connect to the water
injection control systems mentioned earlier.
6. Water Injection Control Umbilical: Control umbilical are used to provide power, control
signals, and data communication between the surface facilities and the subsea water injection
wells. They enable the remote operation and monitoring of the injection process and are
typically connected to the injection control systems.
7. Water Injection Wellhead Equipment: Wellhead equipment for water injection wells
includes components such as tubing hangers, casing hangers, and packers that allow for the
secure installation and sealing of the injection wells. These wellhead systems may be similar
to those used for oil production wells but designed specifically for water injection
applications.
8. Water Management and Disposal Systems: Depending on the field's water management
strategy, additional equipment may be required for water disposal or re-injection. This can
include water treatment facilities for produced water, pipelines for water disposal or re-
injection, and associated control systems.

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The completions configuration of the oil producers may need to also be modified to
accommodate the presence of water and ensure proper zonal isolation and control.
For zonal isolation;
• Additional packers may be required and other downhole isolation tools to isolate the
oil producing intervals from the injected water
• Inflow Control devices (ICDs): to manage flowrates and pressure drawdown from the
producing zone
• It may also be necessary to adjust the flow control devices or valves to manage the
water-oil interface within the reservoir and optimize oil production.
• Water and oil interface management -Downhole gauges and additional monitoring
tools to track the water oil interface and optimize production accordingly.
• Surface Facilities and Separation: With the introduction of water injection, surface
facilities and separation systems may need to be modified or enhanced to handle the
increased fluid volumes and manage the separation of oil, water, and gas efficiently.
This can involve adjustments to the processing equipment, such as separators and
water treatment facilities, to handle the produced fluids and ensure effective
separation and treatment.

Figure 6 - Water Injection Design

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5.0 References
• "Petroleum Production Engineering: A Computer-Assisted Approach" by Boyun
Guo and William C. Lyons
• "Petroleum Production Systems" by Economides, Nolte, and Valkó
• "Enhanced Oil Recovery" by Lake, Johnston, and Ross.
• "Applied Petroleum Reservoir Engineering" by Craft, Hawkins, and Terry.
• "Well Completion Design" by Jonathan Bellarby
• Reserves estimation - AAPG Wiki. https://wiki.aapg.org/Reserves_estimation.
• Storage Zones of Reservoir: Learn Meaning and Different Zones.
https://testbook.com/civil-engineering/types-and-storage-zones-of-reservoir.
• Well-completion - AAPG Wiki. https://wiki.aapg.org/Well_completion.
• Gas lift Systems - https://kimray.com/training/gas-lift-how-it-works-why-you-
should-use-it-and-equipment-
required#:~:text=When%20the%20compressed%20gas%20enters,more%20easily
%20with%20less%20pressure.

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