COMPLETION DESIGN FOR PRODUCTION OF BEARBERRY

ULTA-SOUR GAS

P.J. WILLIAMS M.R. MILLIGAN

this article begins on the next page F

PETROLEUM SOCIETY OF CIM THIS IS A PREPRINT - SUBJECT TO CORRECTION PAPER NO. CIM 92-28 ATMA-16 Completion Design for Production of Bearberry Ulta-Sour Gas By P.J. Williams M.R. Milligan Shell Canada Ltd. PUBLICATION RIGHTS RESERVED THIS PAPER IS TO BE PRESENTED AT THE CiLi 1992 ANNUAL TECHNICAL CONFERENCE IN CALGARY. JUNE 7 -10,1992. DISCUSSION OF THIS PAPER IS INVnm. SUCH DISCUSION MAY BE PRESENTED AT THE TECHNICAL MEENNG AND MLL BE CONSIDERED FOR PUBUCATION IN CIM JOURNALS IF FILED IN WRITING WITH THE TECHNICAL PROGRAM CHAIRMAN PRIOR TO THE CONCLUSION OF THE MEETING. Abstract The
Bearberry ultra-sour reserves contain 90% H2S and up to 100 NU of sulphur. This discretionary source of sulphur was recently brought into production from two wells to a nearby processing plant to demonstrate fts technical viability. At reservoir conditions (37 MPa, 1180C) the 90% H2S contains signff icant dissolved el- emental sulphur which precipitates in the formation and wellbore during production. One well was perforated over a limhed interval to accelerate sulphur precipitation and deposition in the near wellbore region, thus simulat- ing the long term production performance of future
commercial wells. The harsh environment presented many challenges to completion design. Unique equip- ment and production techniques were required. Con- tinuous circulation of a sulphur solvent was required to prevent plugging of tubing and flowlines. Corrosion prevention in the 90% H2S environment containing wet, elemental sulphur was a major challenge. The solvent oil contained a corrosion inhibitor and all components not contacted by the inhibited solvent were made from corrosion resistant alloys. Jet pumps provided artff icial lift for the dense (690 kg/m3) reservoir fluid mixed
with solvent oil. Permanent gauges wfth continuous surface readout measured downhole temperature and pressure, and helped quantify the impact of sulphur deposition on production performance. Background and Introduction Canada ranks third in world production of elemental sulphur and is the wodd Is largest sulphur exporter. In _ recent years (1 986-1990), annual sales from Canada have averaged 6.1 Mt. Alberta is a major producer of elemental sulphur accounting for 88% of Canada's pro- duction." Most of this sulphur is non-discretionary or involuntary production derived from processing sour
(H2S) natural gas produced from deep carbonate reservoirs found in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains (Fig. 1). Over the past decade, shortfalls between de- mand and non-discretionary production have been made up by remeft of sulphur block pad inventories stockpiled adjacent sour gas plants during the 60s and 70s when demand was low. From a peak of 21 Mt in 1978, inventories have declined to 3.5 Mt in 1990.2 In 1969 Shell discovered a sour gas reservoir at 3755 m in the Devonian Leduc reef at Bearberry (Fig. 1) with the drilling c)f the Shell-Canadian Superior 12-21-33-6 W5 28-1