Evaluating Pressures in Completions from Pressures at the Wellhead

Unleash Your Asset Potential

Alfonso R. Reyes, IHS Energy Technical Prepared for ATCE 2012 San Antonio, Texas October 2012

Introduction
Case
We want to complete a gas well with a gravel pack. The goal for this study is finding the proper tubing size and the optimum number of shots per foot for the completion. Additionally, we would like to develop a method to evaluate the pressure drop in the gravel pack from pressures measured at the surface.

Activities
1. Find the tubing size 2. Create scenarios for different number of shots per foot 3. Design a plot that will allow to correlate the pressure drop at the gravel pack with pressures at the wellhead

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Well Data
Setup Well Fluid Type Flow Direction Location Analysis Type Node Position Fluid Data Oil Gravity SG Gas Watercut SG Water Condensate Yield
Reservoir Data
Reservoir Pressure Reservoir Temperature Avg Resv Permeability Reservoir Thickness Perforation Interval Reservoir Skin Wellbore Radius Reservoir Radius Shape Factor Reservoir Area
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Gas Production Onshore System Bottomhole

50 API 0.65 0% 1.070 0.0005 bbl/MMcf

Completion Data Completion Type Perforation Interval Perforation Density Perforation Diameter Perforation Length Avg Reservoir Perm Perm Ratio - Kc/Kf Gravel Pack Length Gravel Pack Perm

Gravel Pack 30 ft 2 SPF 0.750 in x in x md x 10.000 in 2400.000 md

Wellbore Data Wellhead Pressure Wellhead Temperature

Top of Perforations Flow Type @ Surface
Type Casing Tubing MD (ft) 11000 10000

1200 psig 40 F
10500 ft Tubular
OD (in) 8.625 4.500 ID (in) 7.625 4.000

4000 psi 240 F 100.0 md 30 ft 30 ft 6.000 5 in 450 ft 0.564 640 Acres

Starting PERFORM
1 2

Open an existant case

Create a new case

OR

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Workflow in PERFORM
IPR / Inflow Correlations

Setup

Fluid Data

Reservoir Data
Temperature Correlations Wellbore / VLP / Outflow Correlations

Completion Data
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Temperature Gradient

Wellbore Data

Correlation for the Inflow Curve Jones et al (1976)

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Inflow Curve Correlation: Jones et al (1976)

Inflow Correlation
Jones et al (1976)

For high flow rates the Darcy equation does not provide for energy losses due to turbulent flow, especially gas, through the perforations in the completion. In the Jones, Blunt y Gaze equation, developed in 1976, the effects due to turbulent flow are finally taken in consideration. This effect is considerable in the neighborhood of the wellbore where the permeability decreases.
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Inflow Correlation: Jones et al (1976)

Turbulent flow

Laminar flow

where

Is the turbulence coefficient or inertial coeficient (1/ft)

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Inflow Curve: Jones et al (1976)

Average Formation Pressure, psi Turbulence Coeficient, 1/ft Specific Gravity of gas Compressibility Coefficient Skin factor

Flowing Pressure, psi

Viscosity of gas, cp Reservoir Temperature, R

Drainage area factor

turbulent flow

Laminar flow
Formation Thickness, ft

Well radius, ft Gas Flow Rate, SCF/D

Effective Permeability, md

Prforated Interval, ft

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Scenarios for optimum tubing size We create three scenarios in the parametric study

2-7/8

3-1/2

4-1/2

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Plot for optimum tubing size

Scenarios
1 2 3

2-7/8 3-1/2

4-1/2

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Project File No.1

Gaswell.pf7
Press double-click on the icon on the left to open the file in PERFORM

Plot for optimum tubing size

Scenarios
1 2 3

2-7/8 3-1/2 4-1/2

11
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Analysis of the Perforation Density

Next Step
Gravel Pack

Activities
Create scenarios

After we have found the optimum tubing size, 4-1/2, we will proceed to resolve the optimization of the gravel pack at different perforation densities.

Use the following number of shots per foot (SPF) to create five scenarios: 2, 4, 8, 12 y 16.

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Scenarios for the perforation densities

We create five scenarios in the parametric study section

2 4 8 12 16 SPF SPF SPF SPF SPF

SPF: shots per foot

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Scenarios at different perforations in the gravel pack

Base Case

Case 2

Case 3

Case 4

Case 5

units

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Inflow plot at different perforation densities

Bottomhole Pressure, psig

Flow Rate, K SCF/D

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Differential Pressures at the gravel pack

Our solution pressure will be the lower in the gravel pack or the pressure closer to 300 psi

Pressure Drop, psi

12

16

SPF

Flow Rate, K SCF/D

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Project File No. 2

GasWell_Jones_45+SPF.pf7
Press double-click on the icon on the left to execute the project file directly in PERFORM

Diferential Pressure at the gravel pack

Our solution pressure will be the lower in the gravel pack or the pressure closer to 300 psi

Pressure Drop, psi

12

16

SPF

Flow Rate, K SCF/D

17
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Pressure Analysis at the wellhead

Next Step
Wellhead Pressure

Activities
Create scenarios for Pwh

Once the optimum perforation density has been determined to be 16 SPF (shots per foot), we proceed to analyze the behavior of the outflow curve at different wellhead pressures (Pwh). The objective is investigating: (i) what happens with our bottomhole pressure or Pwf as we vary Pwh, and (ii) what is the pressure loss in the gravel pack at different Pwh

We will use the following wellhead pressure values: 800, 1000, 1200, 1400 y 1600 psi, to create our five scenarios.

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Scenarios for Wellhead Pressures

Base Case

Case 2

Case 3

Case 4

Case 5

units

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Plot for Pwh scenarios

What happen with Pwf at different values of Pwh?

Bottomhole Pressure, psig

Flow Rate, K SCF/D

PARAMETRIC STUDY 21 Copyright 2011 IHS Inc. All Rights Reserved.

If we select SPF=16

4 SPF 8 12 16

Pressure Drop, psig

If we observe the pressure at the wellhead Pwh and the flow at the surface, we could visualize indirectly the pressure drop in the gravel pack downhole

P
Flow Rate, K SCF/D
PARAMETRIC STUDY 22 Copyright 2011 IHS Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Project File No. 3

GasWell_Jones_45+SPF+Pwh.pf7
Press double-click on the icon on the left to execute the project file in PERFORM

If we select SPF=16

4 SPF 8 12 16

Pressure Drop, psig

If we observe the pressure at the wellhead Pwh and the flow at the surface, we could visualize indirectly the pressure drop in the gravel pack downhole

P
Flow Rate, K SCF/D
PARAMETRIC STUDY 22
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Effect of a partial perforation of the interval

Using the same methodology we could analyze the effect on the well production if the formation interval (h) is partially perforated (hp)

hp 30.00 22.50 15.00 7.50 3.00

Bottomhole Pressure, psig

Flow Rate, K SCF/D

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24

Project File No. 4

GasWell_Jones_45+SPF16_hp(var)_h30.pf7

Press double-click to open the project file directly in PERFORM

Effect of a partial perforation of the interval

Using the same methodology we could analyze the effect on the well production if the formation interval (h) is partially perforated (hp)

hp 30.00 22.50 15.00 7.50 3.00

Bottomhole Pressure, psig

Flow Rate, K SCF/D

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24

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References

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For demos of our software, brochures, presentations, calculation examples, field cases or a personal visit to your office, . Contact us at: Alfonso.Reyes@ihs.com or sales.psg@ihs.com
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