Lower Completion - Juan Tovar PDF

MSc Drilling & Well Engineering
Well Design, Drilling & Completions

Lower Completion
Well Completion Design
Univation/Innovative Knowledge Ltd

Lower Completion
DEFINITION
Well Completion Design is the process of converting a drilled

wellbore into a safe and efficient production/injection system
Can be divided into:
Lower(reservoir) section and

Upper completion

Lower Completion
CONTENTS
Introduction
Open Hole Wells
Cased & Perforated Wells
Sand Control Options
Casing / Tubing Configurations
Perforation Design
Expandables

Lower Completion
INTRODUCTION
The lower completion must consider
Equipment requirements for open and cased and perforated wells
Methods of preventing or reducing the ingress of sand
Equipment configurations with regards to both the well design and the
properties of the fluids to be produced
In cased wells, careful consideration should be given to the design of

perforations to maximise production rates
The use of new technologies (such as expandables) to reduce rig time and
improve production economics

Lower Completion
There are two basic well configurations for oil and gas wells:
Open Hole
The reservoir rock across the producing interval is left exposed to the wellbore.
Fluid are produced directly through the reservoir rock along the wellbore and
into the well.
Cased & Perforated
Casing is set across the producing interval, and perforated (where required).
Hydrocarbons are then produced through the perforation tunnels and into the
cased wellbore.

Lower Completion
OPEN HOLE
The lowest casing string or liner is set above the reservoir - the lower section of the
wellbore is uncased
Generally only be in a consolidated formation
It is the simplest and cheapest because no equipment has to be installed
HOWEVER:
No selectivity of the reservoir zones (for production or injection)
Water or gas break-through cannot be controlled in producers
Permeability variations will result in fluid preferentially entering the most permeable
zone preventing an effective reservoir sweep in injectors

Lower Completion
OPEN HOLE WELLS
The main features and limitations of the open hole completion are:
Advantages Lower equipment and operating costs

Maximum well productivity and minimum
formation damage
Preferred option for horizontal wells
Limitations Should only be used in consolidated

formations
No zone selectivity or flow control of gas
or water production
Wellbore may require periodic cleaning
and maintenance
Lower Completion
CASED & PERFORATED WELLS
Casing or liner string is run and cemented across the production

interval, and perforated in selected zones
This is a more complicated method, hence time consuming and

expensive
It offers good zonal isolation and wellbore integrity with flow control
of produced water or gas

Lower Completion
CASED & PERFORATED WELLS
The main features and limitations are:
Advantages Better zonal isolation and flow

control
Reduced productivity
Limitations Time consuming and expensive

Greater potential for formation
damage and impaired productivity

Lower Completion
SAND CONTROL OPTIONS
There are several ways in which sand production can be mitigated in oil and gas
wells:
Slotted Liners
Stand Alone Screens
Frac Pack
Gravel Pack
Expandable Sand Screens
Chemical Consolidation

Lower Completion
SLOTTED LINERS
The most basic mechanical sand control methods is the slotted liner.
Tubing sections with a series of slots cut through the tubing wall
The slot width is designed to initiate inter-particle bridging
Originally considered it should be twice the diameter of the D10.
More conservative present view is they should be about the same size as D10
The main limitation of slotted liners is their flow area an average of 3%
The flow area, it can be calculated using the following equation:

Lower Completion
SLOTTED LINERS
There are two types of slot available - keystone and straight.
Keystone slots are considered better due

to their self cleaning ability
They are generally twice as expensive as

straight cuts
Slotted liners are only slightly cheaper

than wire-wrap and often more expensive
They are considered to be stronger -

improved handling
They have much less open flow area than

wire wrapped screens

Lower Completion
STAND ALONE SCREENS
There are three main types of stand-alone screens:
WIRE WRAPPED PREMIUM PRE-PACKED

Lower Completion
STAND ALONE SCREENS WIRE WRAPPED
Perforated
Wire wrapped screens are made from API Based
Pipe
triangular shaped wrap wire.
Rectangular wires may result in jamming

Rib Wires
of grains plugging the screen and
reducing the flow area.
Wrap Wire
The triangular shape of the wrap wire
reduces the chance of sand grains from
getting trapped in the slots and hence
plugging the screen.

Lower Completion
STAND ALONE SCREENS WIRE WRAPPED
Sand bridges restrict passage of other

grains
Formation of this structure critical to

controlling the sand
The fine particles are able to pass Gap
If the fines were stopped they would plug

smaller pores reducing the system
permeability.
If sand grain size varies considerably, the

filter cake has a reduced permeability
hence little control poorly sorted sands
In general terms, wire-wrap screens are

used behind gravel packs,
Lower Completion
STAND ALONE SCREENS PRE-PACKED
The pre-pack gravel is the main filtration medium

and the wire-wrap jackets are designed to retain
the proppant in place
The pre-packed screens provide insurance

against voids in the gravel pack
Pre-pack screens are used in horizontal wells or

marginal wells where the use of a gravel pack
would be uneconomic
Slimmer pre-pack screens are primarily used

behind frac packs or high rate water packs in
horizontal wells

Lower Completion
STAND ALONE SCREENS PRE-PACKED
A concern for operators is the difference

between cured and uncured resins and its
affect on screen permeability
The less precise sorting and non-sphericity Resin Coated Gravel

of sand results in t a tighter and less porous
pack
Cured resin was thought to blind off some

pore throats reducing permeability
Ceramic proppants this is not an issue as,

the difference is not significant at normal
Resin Coated Proppant
levels

Lower Completion
STAND ALONE SCREENS PREMIUM
All metal design, with metal mesh filtration and

protective outer metal shroud
Filter media is metal weave, metal fibres or

powder particles embedded within square mesh
Apertures vary from 60 micron to 300 micron
Mesh prevents larger particles passing but allows

formation fines to pass
Run in long horizontals, behind gravel packs
Similar sand control properties to pre-pack screens
Improved plugging resistance and ability to flow

back drilling muds through the screens
Lower Completion
FRAC PACK
The objective of frac packs is to improve productivity by creating a

short, wide fracture close to the wellbore
A proppant is placed inside the fracture to hold open the fracture and
control sand production
In frac packing the fracture widths can be 1 inch or larger and lengths
usually in the region of 20 to 50 feet
Cross-linked gels are used for optimum fracture size
The majority of wells have a conventional gravel pack in the central

wellbore area in addition to the frac pack
A more recent development is to have a resin coated frac pack along

with a screenless completion in the wellbore

Lower Completion
FRAC PACK
Fracture filled with

gravel /proppant
wellbore packed
with screen in
wellbore
Fracture filled with

resin coated gravel
/proppant Wellbore free
of equipment
FRAC-PAC WITH SCREEN FRAC-PAC WITHOUT SCREEN

Lower Completion
FRAC PACK
The well performance benefits of frac packing, below, shows the typical skin
behaviour of a frac pack.
In terms of sand control this improved well performance will limit the drawdown
required to obtain a particular rate and as the flow comes from a larger area
the rates will be lower thus, reducing the fluid drag

Lower Completion
FRAC PACK
The major advantages of frac packs are that
They bypass near wellbore damage
They offer a larger effective wellbore radius
They can connect multiple thin layers

Lower Completion
GRAVEL PACK
Gravel Packs (GP) are useful for completing sand prone reservoirs in a
wide variety of reservoir sand types and completions.
GP systems have been in common use for many years, and on their
application exists a wealth of experience and knowledge
Gravel packing in open-hole (EGP External Gravel Pack) is useful for

preventing annular flow and controlling sand in heterogeneous
formations.
Gravel packing in cased-holes (IGP Internal Gravel Pack) is useful for

protecting the sand screens from erosional flow.

Lower Completion
GRAVEL PACK
TUBING
PACKER
Cemented
and
perforated
casing/line
r
SCREEN
Gravel
Squeezed
into
perforations Under-reamed
Open hole
section with
gravel pack
CASED HOLE (INTERNAL) OPEN HOLE (EXTRNAL)

GRAVEL PACK GRAVEL PACK
Lower Completion
GRAVEL PACK
Gravel packing is more complex with increased hole angle and length
In open hole, high permeability streaks / washouts can interfere with uniform
gravel placement
Low net to gross pays can also intermix with the gravel during pumping and
impair the gravel pack permeability and hence productivity
To counteract these problems, the industry has responded by developing

specialised techniques and equipment - alternative path technology
Some systems use shunt tubes on the exterior of the screens and allows the
gravel to by-pass blockages in the well-bore annulus
Alternative approaches are offered by other service companies, which aim

to achieve the same result

Lower Completion
CHEMICAL CONSOLIDATION
Used in formations with little or no cementaceous material
Can also be used as a remedial technique
The principle is to bond the quartz grains together using a liquid resin
This provides artificial cementing material between the grains
A major benefit is that the wellbore is left free of obstructions

Lower Completion
In order for chemical consolidation to be effective the resin must:
Fully coat the grains of the formation
Concentrate the resin at the grains contact points
Leave the majority of pore space available for flow
Grain to Grain
contact points
Resin coated
grain

Lower Completion
Sand grains must be coated with resin to wet the exposed

sand surface to form a good adhesive bond
The resin will concentrate in the grain contact points
Before the resin can harden a non-reactive fluid (usually oil) is

placed in the pore space to partially displace the resin
Typical volume ratios leave 35% of the pore space filled with
resin
The remainder that has been displaced to oil will be open for
flow once the resin has set

Lower Completion
CASING AND TUBING CONFIGURATIONS
For the two basic well configurations (open hole and cased and
perforated) there are a number of lower completion options:
Horizontal
Multi Laterals
Multi Zone
Injectors

Lower Completion
CASING AND TUBING CONFIGURATIONS HORIZONTAL
Horizontal wells have an increased borehole contact area with the formation
This could be as much as 6000 feet or more of completed reservoir zone
Productivity is a function of well length and interval height
Horizontal wells may have the following completion configurations:
Open hole
Cased and perforated
Slotted liner

Lower Completion
CASING AND TUBING CONFIGURATIONS HORIZONTAL
Applications for horizontal wells are predominantly based around more effective
and efficient drainage of the reservoir, while minimising production problems
which may have been encountered had a vertical well been used.
They include:
Intersection of naturally fractured reservoirs
Minimisation of gas and water coning
Low permeability gas wells improved drainage area
High permeability gas well reduce near wellbore velocities

Lower Completion
CASING AND TUBING CONFIGURATIONS MULTI LATERALS
Multilateral technology was developed to increase reservoir exposure

by using complex drainage architecture connecting one or many lateral
wellbores to the main borehole at the multilateral junction
The junction can be designed in a new well application or created in an

existing wellbore for re-entry. The main and lateral bore designs can
be vertical, directional, or horizontal and are based on individual
reservoir requirements
From the lateral bore, additional laterals, branches, or splays can be

added to tie back additional reservoir targets.

Lower Completion
Increase well-bore leverage
Developed to increase reservoir exposure
Reduce surface infrastructure
Obviate requirement for slot recovery
Commingle production from different zones or

reservoirs

Lower Completion
Multi lateral applications include:
Reservoir exposure
Multiple targets
Comingled flow
Auto gas lift
Dump flood
Slot reductions / infrastructure

Lower Completion
Six levels of multilateral completion technology
Multilateral
Completion
Open / Mother Bore Mother Bore Mother Bore

Unsupported Cased & Cemented Cased & Cemented & Lateral
Junction Lateral Open Lateral Cased Cased & Cemented
Pressure Integrity Pressure Integrity at Downhole Splitter

at Junction Junction with Casing
(Not Cement)

Lower Completion

Level 1
Open Unsupported Junction
Consolidated formations
Lateral access limited
Production control limited

Lower Completion

Level 2
Mother Bore Cased & Cemented, Lateral Open
Consolidated formations
Can straddle for production control
Full opening in main bore

Lower Completion

Level 3
Mother Bore Cased & Cemented, Lateral
Cased
Consolidated formation preferred, but

completions made in unconsolidated
formations
Junction is the weak point of completion

(no integrity or control)
Full bore access to main and lateral

Lower Completion

Level 4
Mother Bore & Lateral Cased & Cemented
Mechanically supported junction
No hydraulic integrity
Full bore access to mother bore and lateral

Lower Completion

Level 5
Pressure Integrity at Junction Not Cement
Consolidated or unconsolidated formations
Pressure isolation is provided by mechanical

seal (not cement)
Access preserved for re-entry but may not

be full bore

Lower Completion

Level 6
Pressure Integrity at Junction with Casing
Consolidated or unconsolidated formations
Pressure isolation is provided by

mechanical seal (not cement)
Access preserved for re-entry an is full bore

Lower Completion
CASING AND TUBING CONFIGURATIONS MULTI ZONE
Multi zone completions utilised where more than one distinct reservoir layer
is encountered.
The depletion of multiple zones can be achieved by:
Co-mingled flow from various layers
Segregated but multi-zone completion
Alternate well completion strategy

Lower Completion
Multi zone completion options are based on the number of zones to be

produced and the properties of the reservoir fluids, and the flow path of the
zones.
Dual Zone
Casing / Tubing Upper Zone Lower Zone Dual Tubing

Flow Annular Flow Annular Flow Flow
One zone produces Where the upper zone Where the lower zone Here two tubing
through the tubing fluid is non-corrosive fluid is non-corrosive strings are utilised to
string while the other or abrasive, it can be or abrasive it can be produced each layer
produces through the produced through the produced through the independently
casing annulus annulus annulus
Can also use single string selective completion

can produce from one zone or the other
Lower Completion

Triple Zone
3 Tubing 2 Tubing Strings Single String 2 Strings

Strings and Casing Triple Selective Co-mingled Flow
Completion
Four or More Zones
Triple String Dual String Single String Triple String

with Selective Quad Selective with
Annular Completion Completion Annular
Production Production
Normally never run more than 3 tubing strings

Multi-zones become complex and expensive
Difficult to run, retrieve and susceptible to failure
Lower Completion
CASING AND TUBING CONFIGURATIONS INJECTORS
The use of injection wells to restore or help maintain reservoir

pressure within the field is widely utilised, however the following
considerations should be made:
Identification of layers suitable for water migration
Impact of water production on the rest of the producing system
Associated production problems scaling fines migration etc.
Sand control requirements for injectors
Water shut off options timing and strategy
Thermal Induced Fracturing (TIF)

Lower Completion
PERFORATION DESIGN
The purpose of perforating a well is to create a series of communication tunnels,

known as perforations, between the wellbore and the formation
The characteristics and placement of perforations influences the productivity of a

well
Careful consideration must be given to the design and execution of the perforation
programme and operation
Perforations are the only means by which production fluids enter the wellbore and
they must provide an adequate inflow area
The perforations must be deep enough to penetrate any mud damaged zone
around the well bore as well be free of any debris which would impair productivity

Lower Completion
PERFORATION DESIGN
The following well condition factors should be

considered in the perforation programme: Damage zone
Phase angle Tubing/Casing
Type of completion Crushed zone

Cement
Cement thickness and casing /

formation bond integrity
Type and level of wellbore fluid

Shot
density
Specification (and conditions) of
wellbore tubulars and equipment
Formation permeability, characteristics

Perforation
and type length
Post perforation stimulation and/or

completion programs
Lower Completion
PERFORATION TYPES DEEP PENETRATING
Overburden
Fluid viscous
drag Turbulence
Plastic zone
WOR Cement & Casing

support
Pr

Lower Completion
PERFORATION TYPES BIG HOLE
Wellbore
Damaged
zone
Steel casing
Entrance
Hole
Perforation
cavity
Debris
Cement sheat

Lower Completion
PERFORATION DESIGN
Four main factors must be considered to achieve optimum perforation of a

particular reservoir.
The factors vary in importance depending on the reservoir and completion

type, they are:
Shot Density the number of shots per foot
Perforation Diameter dependant on the gun type
Perforation Phasing the angel of the perforations around the wellbore
Perforation Length dependant on the gun type

Lower Completion
STRESS DISTRIBUTION AROUND THE WELLBORE

Lower Completion
PERFORATION DESIGN UNDERBALANCED PERFORATING
Underbalanced perforation - the wellbore pressure is less than the

formation pressure
Improved well productivities due to flow out of the formation immediately

on perforating
This flow removes crushed materials from the perforations, ensuring

clean perforation tunnels
Well performance is greatly affected by well cleanliness, underbalanced

perforating can give better productivity

Lower Completion
PERFORATION DESIGN UNDERBALANCED PERFORATING
Underbalance Perforation
Damaged formation
Cement Reservior formation
Tubing/Casing Perforation

Lower Completion
PERFORATION DESIGN TECHNIQUES
Perforating Methods
Through Tubing Tubing / Drill Pipe

/ Casing Conveyed
Wireline Coiled Tubing

Conveyed Conveyed

Lower Completion
Wireline Conveyed Perforating
Economic over short intervals
Multiple runs required for longer intervals
Can pull out immediately after perforating
Suitable for low angle wells only
Limit level of underbalance
Mainly used for re-perforating

Lower Completion
Coiled Tubing Conveyed Perforating
Perforation in high angle wells
Increased underbalance level
Length limited by rig up restrictions
Long intervals require multiple runs

Lower Completion
Tubing / Drill Pipe Conveyed Perforating
Use more rig time to run but can perforate long intervals.
Can be run at same time as part of the completion
Important to ensure that guns can be run to depth and

space out is correct
Can be left in situ once perforating is complete
Can run larger guns increased phasing or higher shot

densities

Lower Completion
PERFORATION DESIGN - GUIDELINES
Consider all parameters and conditions when choosing guns
Check that charge performance is sufficient:
Check performance with rock strength and confining stress

Check quality control of charges
Investigate entire perforating operation before choosing guns:
Removal of perforation debris

Sufficient underbalance
Will TCP guns have to be pulled after killing the well

Lower Completion
Perforate in filtered inhibited brine do not induce formation damage

by perforating in dirty fluids
If more than four wireline runs are required, TCP will be cheaper.
Check QA / QC on shaped charges:
Check origin / source
Check storage
Test fire in lab?

Lower Completion
GUIDELINES
METHOD
Selective Oriented
Applications All sandstones, rock not completely unconsolidated
Typical skins 2 - 10
Strength > 500 psi TWC for gas wells Strength > 300 psi TWC for gas wells
Selection
> 800 psi TWC for oil wells ( isotropic) > 600 psi TWC for oil wells
criteria
Kv/Kh > 0.7 (Anisotropic) > 3000 psi TWC all wells
DP, any orientation (isotropic only) DP, oriented
Perforation
Density [ 4 8 ] spf Density [ 4 10 ] spf
strategy
EH < 0.4 inches, L = 5 longer than skin EH < 0.5 inches, L = maximum
Method Underbalance if possible Pcrit + 100 psi, larger gun size possible

Lower Completion
EXPANDABLES
New / developing technology
Slotted expandables (e.g. ESS) for sand control
Solids expandables (e.g. Metalskin) for other applications
Allow reduced running OD while maximising

production ID
Provide improved inflow performance with

with additional borehole support

Lower Completion
EXPANDABLES - SLOTTED
1 EST Base Pipe 2 Woven Filter Media 3 Outer Shroud
1
2 1
2

Lower Completion
EXPANDABLES - SLOTTED
ESS Screen Expansion

Lower Completion
EXPANDABLES - SOLID
Repair existing casing strings
Suitable for cladding
Operationally simple
Suitable for zonal isolation

(LC or swelling shales)
Reduced mechanical properties

after expansion

Lower Completion
EXPANDABLES - SOLID
Solid Tubular Expansion

Lower Completion
ARTIFICIAL LIFT METHODS
Gas lift
Hydraulic pumps
Sucker rod
Electrical submersible pumps
Progressive cavity pumps
Jet pumps

Lower Completion
GAS LIFT
Gas lift works by reducing the hydrostatic head of the reservoir fluids by adding
gas.
Gas lift will be at its most efficient if injected at the maximum depth
Install/recover gas lift valves at deviations beyond 60 may be troublesome
Lift gas will displace the annular contents down to the deepest injection point
The casing must be designed for higher loads
The lift gas must be dry if corrosion of the tubing / casing is to be avoided.

Lower Completion
GAS LIFT Typical configurations

Lower Completion
HYDRAULIC PUMPS
Turbine type of pumps rotating at high speed
A pump section and a power section(turbine)
Can accommodate very high rates and high GOR
Very sensitive to solids in the power fluid
Fixed pump setting depth
Texaco Mariner, BP forties.

Lower Completion
SUCKER ROD PUMPS
Positive displacement pump
Moderate to low rate
Pump activated from surface using a metal rod 1/8 5/8 sizes
Good for heavy crudes and tolerant of solids
Require proper design

Lower Completion
ESPs
Centrifugal pumps
All rate ranges up to +60000 bfpd
Pump activated from surface using a metal rod 1/8 5/8 sizes
Good for heavy crudes and tolerant of solids
Require proper design

Lower Completion
TYPICAL CONFIGURATIONS

Lower Completion
ESPs

Lower Completion
ESPs SURFACE SET UP

Lower Completion
ESPs POWER CABLE
Optimum cable selection depends on the current capacity of the cable and the
environment in which the cable will be operating
Cable type can be round or flat
Cable components are : Armour

Jacket
Insulation
Conductor
Insulation material depends on the type of environment
Temperature limits can be as high as ~ 420 o F
Cable ODs, up to 1.8 , conductors are made of cooper or aluminium, solid or

stranded

Lower Completion
ESPs CABLE CLAMPS

Lower Completion
JET PUMPS
Jet pumps are simple devices which use a Venturi to pump fluids from the
reservoir.
The power fluid can be any liquid.
The jet pump creates a low pressure at the suction may generate scale
Likewise mixing of power fluid and reservoir fluid may precipitate scale.
The power fluid flow path creates a potential leak to surface.
The high energy mixing of water and oil in the pump can create emulsions
The power fluid is produced to surface.
The casing rating must be checked if the pump is powered from the annulus
The tubing stress analysis must be checked with a higher external pressure.
There will be a hole angle limitation for wireline installation.

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MSc Drilling & Well Engineering

Well Design, Drilling & Completions

Well Completion Design

Univation/Innovative Knowledge Ltd

Well Completion Design is the process of converting a drilled

Can be divided into:

Lower(reservoir) section and

Univation/Innovative Knowledge Ltd

Open Hole Wells

Cased & Perforated Wells

Sand Control Options

Casing / Tubing Configurations

Univation/Innovative Knowledge Ltd

The lower completion must consider

Equipment requirements for open and cased and perforated wells

Methods of preventing or reducing the ingress of sand

In cased wells, careful consideration should be given to the design of

Univation/Innovative Knowledge Ltd

Cased & Perforated

Univation/Innovative Knowledge Ltd

Generally only be in a consolidated formation

It is the simplest and cheapest because no equipment has to be installed

No selectivity of the reservoir zones (for production or injection)

Water or gas break-through cannot be controlled in producers

Univation/Innovative Knowledge Ltd

OPEN HOLE WELLS

Advantages Lower equipment and operating costs

Limitations Should only be used in consolidated

CASED & PERFORATED WELLS

Casing or liner string is run and cemented across the production

This is a more complicated method, hence time consuming and

Univation/Innovative Knowledge Ltd

CASED & PERFORATED WELLS

The main features and limitations are:

Advantages Better zonal isolation and flow

Limitations Time consuming and expensive

Univation/Innovative Knowledge Ltd

SAND CONTROL OPTIONS

Stand Alone Screens

Expandable Sand Screens

Univation/Innovative Knowledge Ltd

The slot width is designed to initiate inter-particle bridging

Originally considered it should be twice the diameter of the D10.

The main limitation of slotted liners is their flow area an average of 3%

The flow area, it can be calculated using the following equation:

Univation/Innovative Knowledge Ltd

There are two types of slot available - keystone and straight.

Keystone slots are considered better due

They are generally twice as expensive as

Slotted liners are only slightly cheaper

They are considered to be stronger -

They have much less open flow area than

Univation/Innovative Knowledge Ltd

STAND ALONE SCREENS

There are three main types of stand-alone screens:

WIRE WRAPPED PREMIUM PRE-PACKED

Univation/Innovative Knowledge Ltd

STAND ALONE SCREENS WIRE WRAPPED

Rectangular wires may result in jamming

Univation/Innovative Knowledge Ltd

STAND ALONE SCREENS WIRE WRAPPED

Sand bridges restrict passage of other

Formation of this structure critical to