Course:- 28117

Class:- 289033a

HERIOT-WATT UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF PETROLEUM ENGINEERING
Examination for the Degree of
MSc in Petroleum Engineering by Distance Learning
Production Technology 1
Wednesday 19th. April 2000
09.00 12.00
NOTES FOR CANDIDATES

1.

This is a Closed Book Examination.

2.

Examination Papers will be marked anonymously. See separate instruction for

completion of Script Book front covers and attachment of loose pages. Do not
write your name on any loose pages which are submitted as part of your answer.

3.

All questions are related to the production technology case study introduced at
the beginning of the paper.
Candidates should answer all questions in each section
Section
Section

4.

I
II

Well Performance evaluation

Completion Design

Where necessary please state any assumption that you made in answering the
questions.

Introduction to Case Study:

The Jewel field is a mature offshore field in approximately 300ft water depth. The field was
abandoned almost a decade ago due to declining well productivities associated with severe depletion
of reservoir pressure and water breakthrough.
The development plan will utilise 6-7 production wells drilled peripherally and completed subsea.
To maintain pressure 2-3 water injection wells (5 OD tubing) will be drilled and provide peripheral
edgewater pressure maintenance.
The reservoir consists of a series of up to 8 stacked silty sandstone units with their interbedded
shale zones (each less than 5ft. thick).
The wells will be essentially vertical to a maximum deviation of 15. 9 5/8 casing will be set at the
top of the reservoir and 8.5 hole will be drilled to TD through the reservoir.
Initial data from the field, suggests the production of sand may occur as follows:(1) Sand was only observed in wells associated with water production
(2) Sand production rates were << 10lbs/1000 bbls
The production wells will be completed with 4 1/2 O.D. 4 I.D. tubing.
The reservoir data is given in table 1 and the well data in table 2.
The completion philosophy must optimally provide
(a) Potential to isolate individual flow units when water breakthrough becomes unacceptable
(b) Preferably mitigate against sand production or allow for retrofit of exclusion systems in extreme
cases.
You are required to consider each of the 2 sections of the exam and propose a solution for each part.

Table 1 Reservoir and fluid properties

Oil gravity 35
Bottomhole temperatures 140F
Top of reservoir structure at 5000 ft T.V.D.S.S.
Thickness of reservoir varies from 160-180ft depending upon truncation of unconformity.
Shale layers assumed to be sealing (Kv = 0)
PI on the wells (vertical) = 6 STB/d/psi (Based on 100% oil)
GOR = 100 SCF/bbl
H2S = 20 ppm
CO2 = 0.5%
Bubble point pressure 1800 psi
Reservoir pressure at top of reservoir is currently 3700psi
Kv/Kh in sand layers averages 0.1
Recoverable reserves in place estimated to be 54mm STB of oil.
Require flowing tubing head pressure 200 psi
Well drainage values re 1000ft
Well radius rw 0.33ft
Fluid viscosity at reservoir conditions is 2cp

Table 2 Well Data

9 5/8 x 47 lb/ft casing set into the top of the reservoir
9 5/8 casing cemented up to a height of 2000ft above13 3/8 shoe.
The wells will be drilled with synthetic oil based mud.
4 1/2 tubing has been specified.
Production rates (initial) up to 9000 STB/d
Well to be drilled to 100ft below base of reservoir.

Section I (25%)

You are required to analyse the potential production capacity of the wells
The well was originally completed in a reservoir operating on depletion drive/bounded reservoir
response. A very recent test measured the average reservoir pressure as 3700 psi. The well has
been completed with 4 ID tubing.
(1) Conduct an analysis of the inflow and vertical lift performance to confirm the current operating
flowrate for the well
(10)
(2) There are serious concerns in subsequent well workovers that significant damage may be created
due to either brine based emulsions or plugged perforation whilst during losses. Estimate the
flow capacity post workover assuming skin factors of +5 and +10 respectively.
(7)
(3) Economics dictate that production ceases to be economic at well rates below 2500 STB/d.
Assuming zero skin at what pressure will the well cease to be economic.
(4)
Inflow performance equation (semi-steady state in field units)
P Pwf = 141.2

q o . o . Bo re 3
lu + S
Ko h rw 4

Pressure in 100 PSIG

0

12

16

20

24

28

1
Vertical Flowing
Pressure Gradients
(All Oil)
Tubing Size
Producing Rate
Oil API Gravity
Gas Specific Gravity
Average Flowing Temp.

4in. I.D.
1000 Bbls/Day
35 API
0.65
140 F

Length in 1000 Feet

7
as

G
/L

u
iq

25

id
R

io

at
-S
F

50

r
Pe
BB
L

100
10

800 600
1000
1200
2000 1500

3000

Attachment 2i

500

400

300

200

Pressure in 100 PSIG

0

12

16

20

24

28

1
Vertical Flowing
Pressure Gradients
(All Oil)
Tubing Size
Producing Rate
Oil API Gravity
Gas Specific Gravity
Average Flowing Temp.

4in. I.D.
2000 Bbls/Day
35 API
0.65
140 F

Length in 1000 Feet

7
as

G
ui

iq

/L

0
25

d
io

at

-S
F

50
r
Pe
BB
L

100

10

600 500
800
1500 1000
1200

Attachment 2ii

400

300

200

Pressure in 100 PSIG

0

12

16

120

24

28

1
Vertical Flowing
Pressure Gradients
(All Oil)
2

Tubing Size
Producing Rate
Oil API Gravity
Gas Specific Gravity
Average Flowing Temp.

4in. I.D.
3000 Bbls/Day
35 API
0.65
140 F

Length in 1000 Feet

7
as

G
d

ui

iq

/L

0
25
io

at

-S
F

50

r
Pe
BB
L

100

10

Attachment 2iii

800 600 500

1000
1200
1500

400

300

200

Pressure in 100 PSIG

0

12

16

20

24

28

1
Vertical Flowing
Pressure Gradients
(All Oil)
Tubing Size
Producing Rate
Oil API Gravity
Gas Specific Gravity
Average Flowing Temp.

4in. I.D.
4000 Bbls/Day
35 API
0.65
140 F

Length in 1000 Feet

Gas

/ Liq
uid R

25

atio

L
r BB
F Pe

- SC

50

100

10
800
1000
1200

Attachment 2iv

600 500

400

300

200

Pressure in 100 PSIG

0

12

16

20

24

28

1
Vertical Flowing
Pressure Gradients
(All Oil)
Tubing Size
Producing Rate
Oil API Gravity
Gas Specific Gravity
Average Flowing Temp.

4in. I.D.
6000 Bbls/Day
35 API
0.65
140 F

Length in 1000 Feet

6
Gas
uid

/ Liq

io -

Rat
SCF

0
25

B
Per

50

BL

100

9
200
10

600 500
800
1000
1200

Attachment 2v

400

300

Pressure in 100 PSIG

0

12

16

20

24

28

1
Vertical Flowing
Pressure Gradients
(All Oil)
Tubing Size
Producing Rate
Oil API Gravity
Gas Specific Gravity
Average Flowing Temp.

4in. I.D.
8000 Bbls/Day
35 API
0.65
140 F

6
s/

Ga

Length in 1000 Feet

uid

Liq
tio

Ra

-S

CF

25
50

r
Pe
L

BB

100

200

300
10

Attachment 2vi

600 500
800
1000

400

Section II (75%)
1. Review and assess the validity of the option for the selection of the reservoir wellbore
interface
What would be your recommendation for this interface?
15%
2. Develop an outline completion string design for the 4 1/2 diameter oil production wells.
Identify components, approximate setting depths, key design features and the reason for
their selection?
30%
3. How would you modify the well design for the water injection wells? Identify key
differences in design. The water injection wells would be completed with 5 1/2 O.D.
tubing in the upper section of the well.
8%
4. For the oil production wells, what would be your outline strategy for isolating water break
through in the upper or middle reservoir units.
7%
5. Assuming that replacement of the tubing is envisaged for the production wells after 4-5
years of production, how would you isolate/protect the reservoir during the well
intervention what would be your barrier policy?
8%
6. Upon recompletion as in (5) above, it may be necessary to revert to gas lift for the
producers. How would this influence your well design and how would any changes satisfy
the barrier policy?
7%