E-Line Powered Mechanical Tool Technologies Provide Efficient, Reduced Risk Solutions in Complex Intervention Operations

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ghulam Murtaza Kalwar ◽  
Saad Hamid ◽  
Sharat Kishore ◽  
Abdulrahman A. Aljughayman ◽  
Nahr M. Abulhamayel ◽  
...  

Abstract Latest developments in drilling and wellbore completion technologies lead to even more complex intervention conditions. Conventional techniques using slickline or coiled tubing are ill-suited for many of these conditions due to operational complexity, effectiveness, or efficiency. Powered mechanical intervention with e-line alleviates some of these limitations and opens lower risk intervention applications. This paper details two applications: a fishing operation that could not be performed with slickline or coiled tubing and a completion disk rupturing operation where the operator saved 1.5 days. Powered mechanical intervention is a combination of complementary technologies that enable "intelligently controlled intervention operations." Downhole tractors enable access into complex well trajectories. Surface-controlled, powered anchors coupled with a linear actuator can generate very high axial forces with precise and real-time downhole measurements of forces and displacement. Operating parameters can be monitored in real time to prevent damage to damaged completion components. Uncontrolled tool movement due to high differential pressures is prevented. Such precise control of downhole forces and movements enables complex intervention operations previously done with coiled tubing or a full workover. The first application example details a fishing operation. A retrievable plug along with its setting tool was stuck in the production tubing after prematurely setting. Multiple fishing attempts with heavy-duty slickline jars were unsuccessful. Coiled tubing was not deployed as its lack of force precision could have generated excessive downhole force and sheared the fish. An e-line-conveyed linear actuator tool was used to latch onto the fish with the help of an overshot and was released from the retrievable plugs by application of optimal, highly controlled, linear force to minimize damage. The second case involved rupturing a ceramic disk installed in completion. High differential pressure across the disk restricted the use of slickline which could have been damaged due to the high expected differential pressure. The alternative with coiled tubing milling requires a larger personnel and equipment footprint in addition to the associated HSE exposure and lack of efficiency. An innovative technique using the e-line linear actuator and a pointed chisel was devised and deployed. Real-time feedback from the tool sensors gave confirmation of the rupturing of various components of the ceramic disk, and the anchors eliminated any tool movement during pressure equalization. The operation was completed in 12 hours, resulting in time savings of almost 36 hours. An e-line intervention is a low risk, effective, and efficient solution while having an accurate depth and positioning, coupled with controlled downhole operations. With precise control of operating parameters, operations which were previously possible with coiled tubing or workover can be done on e-line more efficiently.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Usman Ahmed ◽  
Zhiheng Zhang ◽  
Ruben Ortega Alfonzo

Abstract Horizontal well completions are often equipped with Inflow Control Devices (ICDs) to optimize flow rates across the completion for the whole length of the interval and to increase the oil recovery. The ICD technology has become useful method of optimizing production from horizontal wells in a wide range of applications. It has proved to be beneficial in horizontal water injectors and steam assisted gravity drainage wells. Traditionally the challenges related to early gas or water breakthrough were dealt with complex and costly workover/intervention operations. ICD manipulation used to be done with down-hole tractor conveyed using an electric line (e-line) cable or by utilization of a conventional coiled tubing (CT) string. Wellbore profile, high doglegs, tubular ID, drag and buoyancy forces added limitations to the e-line interventions even with the use of tractor. Utilization of conventional CT string supplement the uncertainties during shifting operations by not having the assurance of accurate depth and forces applied downhole. A field in Saudi Arabia is completed with open-hole packer with ICD completion system. The excessive production from the wells resulted in increase of water cut, hence ICD's shifting was required. As operations become more complex due to fact that there was no mean to assure that ICD is shifted as needed, it was imperative to find ways to maximize both assurance and quality performance. In this particular case, several ICD manipulating jobs were conducted in the horizontal wells. A 2-7/8-in intelligent coiled tubing (ICT) system was used to optimize the well intervention performance by providing downhole real-time feedback. The indication for the correct ICD shifting was confirmed by Casing Collar Locator (CCL) and Tension & Compression signatures. This paper will present the ICT system consists of a customized bottom-hole assembly (BHA) that transmits Tension, compression, differential pressure, temperature and casing collar locator data instantaneously to the surface via a nonintrusive tube wire installed inside the coiled tubing. The main advantages of the ICT system in this operation were: monitoring the downhole force on the shifting tool while performing ICD manipulation, differential pressure, and accurately determining depth from the casing collar locator. Based on the known estimated optimum working ranges for ICD shifting and having access to real-time downhole data, the operator could decide that required force was transmitted to BHA. This bring about saving job time while finding sleeves, efficient open and close of ICD via applying required Weight on Bit (WOB) and even providing a mean to identify ICD that had debris accumulation. The experience acquired using this method in the successful operation in Saudi Arabia yielded recommendations for future similar operations.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed N. Alduaij ◽  
Zakareya Al-Bensaad ◽  
Danish Ahmed ◽  
Mohd Nazri Bin Md Noor ◽  
Nabil Batita ◽  
...  

Abstract An openhole multistage completion required selective fracture stimulation, flow control, and sand control in each zone. An openhole multistage completion was designed by combining a production sleeve integrated with sand screens and inflow control devices and a fracture sleeve with high open flow port. The system was designed to use a ball drop to isolate the bottom intervals while fracturing upper intervals. After fracture stimulation, the fracture seat/ball needed to be milled. The production sleeve were designed to be shifted to the open position and the fracturing sleeve to the closed position through mechanical shifting tool to put the well on production. The fracturing sleeve and the production sleeve were located close to each other and a successful shifting operation needed an appropriate shifting tool, with a real-time downhole telemetry system that met the temperature limitations while providing accurate depth control, differential pressure readings, and axial force (tension and compression) measurements. Hydraulic-pressure-activated shifting tools were used to manipulate the sleeves. A coiled tubing (CT) rugged downhole tool with real-time telemetry was used to run the shifting tools. Yard tests were conducted to identify the optimum rates and pressures to actuate the hydraulically activated shifting tools and study their behavior. The expansion of the fracturing sleeve shifting tool keys initiated at 1.6 bbl/min (400 psi) and the keys were fully expanded at 1.8 bbl/min (600 psi), whereas the expansion of production sleeve shifting tool keys initiated at 0.3 bbl/min (700 psi), and the keys were fully expanded at 0.4 bbl/min (900 psi). During the design and planning of the shifting operation, simulations were conducted, and surface and downhole tools were selected carefully to ensure the CT could provide enough downhole upward force (5,000 to 6,000 lbf) to close the fracture ports and 2,000 to 4,000 lbf to open production sleeves. Following the fracturing operation, the first CT run aimed to mill fracture seats/balls to clear the path for the subsequent shifting operation. In the second CT run, all the fracturing sleeves were shifted to the closed position while production sleeves were shifted to the open position. The CT rugged downhole tool proved critical for depth correlation and accurate placement of the shifting tools. The real-time downhole acquisition of differential pressure across the toolstring also allowed operating the shifting tools under optimum conditions, while downhole force readings of tension and compression confirmed the shifting of completion accessories. Two fracturing sleeves were shifted to the closed position at 2.4 bbl/min and 700-psi downhole differential pressure, with the downhole weights of 700 lb and 1,000 lbf. Three production sleeves were shifted to open position at 0.6 bbl/min and 1,200-psi downhole differential pressure, and the maximum surface and downhole weights recorded were 73,000 lb and 19,200 lb, respectively. That operation led to sand-free production and confirmed the success of the first multistage completion enabling fracturing operation and controlling sand production in Saudi Arabia. This study describes the use of real-time downhole measurements and their significance when surface parameters do not give clear indication of shifting. It also features the first-time use of two hydraulically activated shifting tools operated during the shifting operation in Saudi Arabia's first multistage completion enabling fracturing operation and controlling flow/sand production.


2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Ebrahimi ◽  
P. J. Schermer ◽  
W. Jelinek ◽  
D. Pommier ◽  
S. Pfeil ◽  
...  

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego Blanco ◽  
Khalid Rahimov ◽  
Silviu Livescu ◽  
Louis Garner ◽  
Lubos Vacik

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurie S. Duthie ◽  
Hussain A. Saiood ◽  
Abdulaziz A. Al-Anizi ◽  
Norman B. Moore ◽  
Carol Correia

Abstract Successful reservoir surveillance and production monitoring is a key component for effectively managing any field production strategy. For production logging in openhole horizontal extended reach wells (ERWs), the challenges are formidable and extensive; logging these extreme lengths in a cased hole would be difficult enough, but are considerably exaggerated in the openhole condition. A coiled tubing (CT) logging run in open hole must also contend with increased frictional forces, high dogleg severity, a quicker onset of helical buckling and early lockup. The challenge to effectively log these ERWs is further complicated by constraints in the completion where electrical submersible pumps (ESPs) are installed including a 2.4" bypass section. Although hydraulically powered coiled tubing tractors already existed, a slim CT tractor with real-time logging capabilities was not available in the market. In partnership with a specialist CT tractor manufacturer, a slim logging CT tractor was designed and built to meet the exceptional demands to pull the CT to target depth. The tractor is 100% hydraulically powered, with no electrical power allowing for uninterrupted logging during tractoring. The tractor is powered by the differential pressure from the bore of the CT to the wellbore, and is operated by a pre-set pump rate from surface. Developed to improve the low coverage in open hole ERW logging jobs, the tractor underwent extensive factory testing before being deployed to the field. The tractor was rigged up on location with the production logging tool and ran in hole. Once the coil tubing locked up, the tractor was activated and pulled the coil to cover over 90% of the open hole section delivering a pulling force of up to 3,200 lb. Real-time production logging was conducted simultaneously with the tractor activated, flowing and shut-in passes were completed to successfully capture the zonal inflow profile. Real-time logging with the tractor is logistically efficient and allows instantaneous decision making to repeat passes for improved data quality. The new slim logging tractor is the world's slimmest most compact, and the first of its kind CT tractor that enables production logging operations in horizontal extended reach open hole wells. The ability to successfully log these extended reach wells cannot be understated, reservoir simulations and management decisions can only as good as the quality of data available. Some of the advantages of drilling extended reach wells such as increased reservoir contact, reduced footprint and less wells drilled will be lost if sufficient reservoir surveillance cannot be achieved. To maximize the benefits of ERWs, creative solutions and innovative designs must continually be developed to push the boundaries further.


2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rostislav Panferov ◽  
Anton Burov ◽  
Alexander Zhandin ◽  
Gelu Ghioca ◽  
Derek Boulter

2006 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 15-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadia Magnenat-Thalmann ◽  
Arjan Egges

In this paper, we will present an overview of existing research in the vast area of IVH systems. We will also present our ongoing work on improving the expressive capabilities of IVHs. Because of the complexity of interaction, a high level of control is required over the face and body motions of the virtual humans. In order to achieve this, current approaches try to generate face and body motions from a high-level description. Although this indeed allows for a precise control over the movement of the virtual human, it is difficult to generate a natural-looking motion from such a high-level description. Another problem that arises when animating IVHs is that motions are not generated all the time. Therefore a flexible animation scheme is required that ensures a natural posture even when no animation is playing. We will present MIRAnim, our animation engine, which uses a combination of motion synthesis from motion capture and a statistical analysis of prerecorded motion clips. As opposed to existing approaches that create new motions with limited flexibility, our model adapts existing motions, by automatically adding dependent joint motions. This renders the animation more natural, but since our model does not impose any conditions on the input motion, it can be linked easily with existing gesture synthesis techniques for IVHs. Because we use a linear representation for joint orientations, blending and interpolation is done very efficiently, resulting in an animation engine especially suitable for real-time applications


2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (5) ◽  
pp. 655-666
Author(s):  
Aitazaz Ahsan Farooque ◽  
Qamar Uz Zaman ◽  
Travis Esau ◽  
Young Ki Chang ◽  
Arnold Walter Schumann ◽  
...  

Abstract. Spatial variability in fruit losses in relation to fruit yield, plant height, and ground slope can help to automate the wild blueberry harvester to improve picking performance. Currently, harvester operators adjust harvester’s head height, ground speed, and revolutions per minute (rpm) manually. This is not only laborious but also stressful for operators, as they encounter spatial variability during harvesting. The goal of this work was to identify the automation potential of the harvester to improve harvestable yield and reduce operator’s stress, keeping in view the spatial variability. Two fields were selected and test plots were constructed to examine the performance of the harvester in five zones of plant height, fruit yield, and ground slope. Fruit yield plant height and ground slope were recorded from each plot manually to examine their impact on total fruit loss. Keywords: Automation, Fruit losses, Spatial variability, Wild blueberry, Zonal analysis.Results confirmed significant variability in fruit yield, plant height, and ground slope. Fruit losses were significantly influenced by the spatial variations. Fruit losses increased with an increase in fruit yield and ground slope during mechanical harvesting. The picking performance of the blueberry harvester was significantly lower in short and very tall plants within selected fields. The dependence of fruit losses on fruit yield, plant height, and ground slope emphasize the need for real-time adjustments in machine operating parameters to improve berry recovery. Based on the results, it is concluded that there is a significant advantage of harvester’s automation to increase profit margins for growers with no additional cost. Keywords: Automation, Fruit losses, Spatial variability, Wild blueberry, Zonal analysis.


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