Successful Application of Innovative Reversible Invert Emulsion Reservoir Drilling Fluid and Improved Filter-cake Cleanup Agent Increased Sustained Well Productivity in Smart Multilateral Wells with Inflow Control Device and Smart Completion in High Mobility Reservoir, West Kuwait

Abstract The present paper describes the results of the formulation of an acid-soluble low ECD organoclay-free invert emulsion drilling fluid formulated with acid soluble manganese tetroxide and a specially designed bridging package. The paper also presents a short summary of field applications to date. The novel, non-damaging fluid has superior rheology resulting in lower ECD, excellent suspension properties for effective hole cleaning and barite-sag resistance while also reducing the risk of stuck pipe in high over balance applications. 95pcf high performance invert emulsion fluid (HPIEF) was formulated using an engineered bridging package comprising of acid-soluble bridging agents and an acid-soluble weighting agent viz. manganese tetroxide. The paper describes the filtration and rheological properties of the HPIEF after hot rolling at 300oF. Different tests such as contamination testing, sag-factor analysis, high temperature-high pressure rheology measurements and filter-cake breaking studies at 300oF were performed on the HPIEF. The 95pcf fluid was also subjected to particle plugging experiments to determine the invasion characteristics and the non-damaging nature of the fluids. The 95pcf HPIEF exhibited optimal filtration properties at high overbalance conditions. The low PV values and rheological profile support low ECDs while drilling. The static aging tests performed on the 95pcf HPIEF resulted in a sag factor of less than 0.53, qualifying the inherent stability for expected downhole conditions. The HPIEF demonstrated resilience to contamination testing with negligible change in properties. Filter-cake breaking experiments performed using a specially designed breaker fluid system gave high filter-cake breaking efficiency. Return permeability studies were performed with the HPIEF against synthetic core material, results of which confirmed the non-damaging design of the fluid. The paper thus demonstrates the superior performance of the HPIEF in achieving the desired lab and field performance.

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Innovative Washpipe Free Circulating ICD Delivers Reduced Well Construction Costs

10.2118/206209-ms ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Zhihua Wang ◽

Daniel Newton ◽

Aqib Qureshi ◽

Yoshito Uchiyama ◽

Georgina Corona ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United Arab Emirates ◽

Drilling Fluid ◽

Aqueous Fluid ◽

Control Device ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

Innovative Technology ◽

Well Performance ◽

Construction Costs ◽

Inflow Control Device ◽

Testing Field

Abstract This Extended Reach Drilling (ERD) field re-development of a giant offshore field in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) requires in most cases extremely long laterals to reach the defined reservoir targets. However, certain areas of the field show permeability and / or pressure variations along the horizontal laterals. This heterogeneity requires an inflow control device (ICD) lower completion liner to deliver the required well performance that will adequately produce and sweep the reservoir. The ICD lower completion along with the extremely long laterals means significant time is spent switching the well from reservoir drilling fluid (RDF) non-aqueous fluid (NAF) to an aqueous completion brine. To reduce the amount of rig time spent on the displacement portion of the completion phase, an innovative technology was developed to enable the ICDs to be run in hole in a closed position and enable circulating through the end of the liner. The technology uses a dissolvable material, which is installed in the ICD to temporarily plug it. The dissolvable material is inert to the RDF NAF while the ICDs are run into hole, and then dissolves in brine after the well is displaced from RDF NAF to completion brine, changing the ICDs from closed to an open position. The ability to circulate through the end of the liner, with the support of the plugged ICDs, when the lower completion is deployed and at total depth (TD), enables switching the well from RDF NAF drilling fluid to an aqueous completion brine without the associated rig time of the original displacement method. The technique eliminates the use of a dedicated inner displacement string and allows for the displacement to be performed with the liner running string, saving 4-5 days per well. An added bonus is that the unique design allowed for this feature to be retrofitted to existing standard ICDs providing improved inventory control. In this paper the authors will demonstrate the technology and system developed to perform this operation, as well as the qualification testing, field installations, and lessons learned that were required to take this solution from concept to successful performance improvement initiative.

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