Basics of Well Completion. Detailed slide on well completions for anyone

Basics of Well Completion. Detailed slide on well completions for anyone

1. Oil Exploration & Production
At the end of this presentation, you will be able to:
•Define completion
•Describe the process of completion
•List and define the different types of completion
•Describe surface control equipments
•Define subsea completion
Completion
Agenda

2. Oil Exploration & Production
•After exploratory drilling confirms the presence of an oil
or natural gas reservoir, the hydrocarbons are brought to
the surface.
•Once the design well depth is reached, the formation is
tested and evaluated to determine whether the well is to
be completed for production, or plugged and abandoned.
•This decision is taken based on the information available
on reservoir characteristics.
•To complete the well production, casing is installed and
cemented, and the drilling rig is dismantled and moved to
the next site.
•A service rig is brought in to perforate the production
casing and run production tubing along with downhole
equipments.
•The installation of surface safety equipments takes place
and production begins.
30’’ CASING
20’’ CASING
13 3/8’’ CASING
7’’ LINER
RESERVOIR
SEA BED
PLATFORM
Production casing (9 5/8)
Downhole Equipment
Safety Equipment
Introduction
Completion Process
Completion

3. Oil Exploration & Production
Well completion creates a dependable pathway
to the surface for the hydrocarbons.
Once the well is drilled, it has to be made ready
for the safe and efficient production of oil.
The term ‘completion’ describes the assembly of
Down hole tubulars and other safety equipments
that is required to enable the safe and efficient
production of oil or gas from the well after it has
been drilled.
Completion Process
What is Completion?
Completion

4. Oil Exploration & Production
Well completion activities include:
•Conducting drill stem test
•Setting production casing
•Running production tubing along with downhole
equipments
•Installing surface safety equipments
•Starting production flow
If it is decided that the well will not be completed,
then it will be plugged and abandoned.
Well Completion Activities
Completion Process
Completion

5. Oil Exploration & Production
Well completion activities include:
•Conducting drill stem test
•Setting production casing
•Running production tubing along with
downhole equipments
•Installing surface safety equipments
•Starting production flow
Well Completion Activities
Conducting Drill Stem Test (DST)
To determine the potential of a producing formation, the operator may order a drill stem test
(DST). The DST crew makes up the test tool on the bottom of the drill stem, then lowers it to the
bottom of the hole. Weight is applied to the tool to expand a hard rubber sealer called a packer.
Opening the tool ports allows the formation pressure to be tested. This process enables workers
to determine whether the well can be produced.
Completion Process
Completion

6. Oil Exploration & Production
Well completion activities include:
•Conducting drill stem test
•Setting production casing & perforation
•Running production tubing along with downhole
equipments
•Installing surface safety equipments
•Starting production flow
Well Completion Activities
Setting Production Casing
Production casing is the final casing in a well. It can be set from the bottom to the top. Sometimes
a production liner is installed. This casing is set the same as other casings, then cemented in
place.
Completion Process
Completion

7. Oil Exploration & Production
30’’ CASING
9 5/8’’ CASING
20’’ CASING
13 3/8’’ CASING
PRODUCTION TUBING
SEA BED
PLATFORM
BOP
RESEVOIR

8. Oil Exploration & Production
30’’ CASING
9 5/8’’ CASING
20’’ CASING
13 3/8’’ CASING
7’’ LINER
PRODUCTION TUBING
RESEVOIR
SEA BED
PLATFORM
Only this casing
is visible
from outside
Production casing (9 5/8)
WELL HEAD EQUIPMENT
BACK

9. Oil Exploration & Production
Running Production Tubing and Downhole Equipments
A well is usually produced through tubing inserted down the production casing. Oil and gas is
produced more effectively through this smaller-diameter tubing than through the large-diameter
production casing. Joints of tubing are joined together with couplings to make up a tubing string.
Tubing is run into the well similar to casing, but it is smaller in diameter and is removable.
Completion Process
Completion
Well completion activities include:
•Conducting drill stem test
•Setting production casing & perforation
•Running production tubing along with downhole
equipments
•Installing surface safety equipments
•Starting production flow
Well Completion Activities

10. Oil Exploration & Production
Installing Surface Safety Equipments
Though the tubings and downhole equipments are present in the well, production cannot
start without installing surface control equipments. They are required to prevent
uncontrolled oil flow out of the well.
Completion Process
Completion
Well completion activities include:
•Conducting drill stem test
•Setting production casing & perforation
•Running production tubing along with downhole
equipments
•Installing surface safety equipments
•Starting production flow
Well Completion Activities

11. Oil Exploration & Production
Starting Production Flow
Production flow is started by ‘washing in’ the well and setting the packer. The pumping in of water
or brine to flush out the drilling fluid is called washing in. Usually this is enough to start the well
flowing. If this does not work then the flow might be started by pumping high-pressure gas into the
well after setting the packer.
Completion Process
Completion
Well completion activities include:
•Conducting drill stem test
•Setting production casing & perforation
•Running production tubing along with downhole
equipments
•Installing surface safety equipments
•Starting production flow
.
Well Completion Activities

12. Oil Exploration & Production
Downhole Equipment
The parts of a downhole equipment are:
Completion
Gas Lift Valve
Safety Valve
Hydraulic Control Line
Pump Out Plug
Packer
Completion Process

13. Oil Exploration & Production
Well Head
The surface termination of a wellbore that
incorporates facilities for installing casing hangers
during the well construction phase is the well head.
It is a means by which the production tubing is hung,
the Christmas tree and the surface flow-control
facilities are installed, in preparation for the
production phase of the well. The BOP also sits on
top of well head.
The well head is installed on top of the casing before
starting to drill. It has two or three sections. Each
section has two flanges to facilitate the connections
at both the ends.
Surface Control Equipments
Completion
well head
Sections
Flanges

14. Oil Exploration & Production
Each well head section has three
components:
•Casing Bowl
•Casing Hanger
•Tubing Head
Surface Control Equipments
Completion
Components of a Well Head

15. Oil Exploration & Production
Each well head section has three
components:
•Casing Bowl
•Casing Hanger
•Tubing Head
Surface Control Equipments
Completion
Components of a Well Head
Casing Bowl
The casing bowl consists of heavy fittings that provide a
seal between the casing and the surface. It also supports
the entire length of casing that is run all the way down the
well. This piece of equipment typically contains a gripping
mechanism that ensures a tight seal between the head and
the casing itself.
Sealing

16. Oil Exploration & Production
Each well head section has three components:
•Casing Bowl
•Casing Hanger
•Tubing Head
Surface Control Equipments
Completion
Components of a Well Head
Casing Hanger
This is the sub-assembly of a well head that supports the
casing string when it is run into the wellbore. The casing
hanger provides a means of ensuring that the string is
correctly located and generally incorporates a sealing
device or system to isolate the casing annulus from upper
well head components.

17. Oil Exploration & Production
Each well head section has three components:
•Casing Bowl
•Casing Hanger
•Tubing Head
Surface Control Equipments
Completion
Components of a Well Head
Tubing Head
The tubing head is a well head component that supports
the tubing hanger and provides a means of attaching the
Christmas tree to the well head.

18. Oil Exploration & Production
Tubing Hanger
The tubing hangeris a device attached to
the topmost tubing joint in the well head to
support the tubing string.
The tubing hanger is located in the tubing
head, with both components incorporating
a sealing system to ensure that the tubing
conduit and annulus are hydraulically
isolated.
The tubing hanger assembly supports the
weight of the tubing string and seals the
annulus from the upper well head and
Christmas tree components. It also
provides connections at the surface, which
controls the flow of fluids out of the well.
Surface Control Equipments
Completion
Anchor bolts to
hold tubing
hanger in place

19. Oil Exploration & Production
1.5 m
20” Casing Terminates Here
Tubing hanger
comes here
Production Casing
(9 5/8”)
terminates here
A Section
B Section
C Section
30” Casing Remains
Outside
Well Head
Anchor Bolts

20. Oil Exploration & Production
Christmas Tree
The assembly of valves, spools, pressure gauges,
and chokes that are fitted to the well head of the
completed well is called a Christmas Tree. It is used
to control the flow of oil through the tubing hanger.
The function of a christmas tree is to:
•Prevent the release of oil or gas from an oil
well into
the environment
•Direct and control the flow of formati
on fluids from the well
When the well is ready to produce oil or gas, valves
are opened and the release of the formation fluids is
allowed through a pipeline leading to a refinery.
Surface Control Equipments
Completion

21. Oil Exploration & Production
Oil which
flows from the tubing
is diverted through this
pipe to the main header
and from there
to the process platforms
Top part of the C-section
of well head
Tubing hanger comes up
to this point
Lower Master Valve
Upper Master Valve
Crown/ Swab Valve
Wing Valve
Surface Control Equipments

22. Oil Exploration & Production
Well Head
Reservoir
Packer
Safety
Valve
Gas Lift
Valve
X-mas Tree
Tubing
hanger
Production
Tubing
Perforation
Hydraulic
Control Line
Pump Out
Plug
Sump
Oil Well After Completion
Surface Control Equipments

23. Oil Exploration & Production
Types of Completion
The types of completion include:
Natural Completions
Natural completions are those in which little or no stimulation is required for production.
Sandstone and carbonate systems with good permeability and mechanical stability are
ideal for natural completions.
Stimulated Completions
These completions are generally applied to improve the natural drainage patterns of
hard, low-permeability formations. It is used to remove barriers that prevent easy
passage of fluids into the wellbore.
Sand-Control Completions
Sand-control completions support the formation while allowing the flow of fluids. They
are performed in young, unconsolidated or less mechanically competent sandstones.
Completion Process
Completion

24. Oil Exploration & Production
Completion
Subsea Completions
Subsea production systems are wells located on the
sea floor, as opposed to at the surface.The safety
equipments are installed underwater on the seabed.
They enable early production from deepwater, remote,
and marginal fields.
The evolution of subsea well completions has attracted
a lot of attention because they offer a means of
producing field extremities not reachable by directional
drilling from existing platforms.
They also offer production options where field
economics do not justify the installation of one or more
additional platforms.
Subsea Completion

25. Oil Exploration & Production
Downhole Equipment
The tubings along with the downhole equipment are lowered into the 95/8’’ casing of the well.
The parts of a downhole equipment are:
Completion
Gas Lift Valve
Safety Valve
Hydraulic Control Line
Pump Out Plug
Packer
Packer
Packer is a device consisting
of a sealing device, a holding
or setting device and an inside
passage for fluids. It expands
externally to seal the well bore.
It helps in blocking the fluids
through the annular space
between the pipe and the well
bore wall. Packers use flexible,
electrometric elements that
expand. It is set hydraulically
from the surface.
X
Completion Process

26. Oil Exploration & Production
Downhole Equipment
The parts of a downhole equipment are:
Completion
Gas Lift Valve
The gas lift valve is a device installed
on a gas lift cylinder or mandrel. This
device is used to control the flow of
gas between the exterior and interior
of well tubing. It consists of an inlet,
outlet, a main valve, a main chamber
and so on. The design of the side
pocket is such that the components
that are installed do not obstruct
the flow of production. This enables
access to the well bore and the
other components of completion.
X
Completion Process
Gas Lift Valve
Safety Valve
Hydraulic Control Line
Pump Out Plug
Packer

27. Oil Exploration & Production
Downhole Equipment
The parts of a downhole equipment are:
Completion
Safety Valve
A safety valve is a device that is
installed in the upper well bore to
provide emergency closure of the
channels that produce oil. The
valve has a housing and a
movable valve element that
controls the flow of fluid in the
well.
X
Completion Process
Gas Lift Valve
Safety Valve
Hydraulic Control Line
Pump Out Plug
Packer

28. Oil Exploration & Production
Downhole Equipment
The parts of a downhole equipment are:
Completion
Hydraulic Control Line
Hydraulic control line is a device filled with hydraulic fluid
and connected to a hydraulic fluid source.
Hydraulic control line is used to operate the
safety valve. When the control line is pressurized up to
a certain pressure limit, the safety valve opens.
Its one end connects at the top of the safety valve
and the other end to a pressurizing panel at the surface.
It is lowered along with the safety valve while lowering
the tubing string during completion.
X
Completion Process
Gas Lift Valve
Safety Valve
Hydraulic Control Line
Pump Out Plug
Packer

29. Oil Exploration & Production
Downhole Equipment
The parts of a downhole equipment are:
Completion
Pump Out Plug
Since the tubing is open at the bottom, the packer cannot be set as the
whole tubing string needs to be pressurized to set it. So a pump out plug
(POP) is used for this purpose.
A steel ball is dropped inside the tubing string from the surface. This goes
all the way down and sits on the POP seat at the bottom.
When water is pumped from the top, the ball is pressed against the POP
seat and forms a seal. When pressure in the tubing string reaches a certain
limit, the packer is set. This is indicated in the pumping unit in the form of a
sharp fluctuation of the pressure reading.
Then the pressure is increased, further, to shear the POP seat pins. This is
done to remove the steel ball. When the pins are sheared, the POP seat drops
along with the ball into the well sump.
X
Well Sump
A well sump is the extra bore space below the perforated
zone that allows the collection of junk for example steel ball.
Completion Process
Gas Lift Valve
Safety Valve
Hydraulic Control Line
Pump Out Plug
Packer

30. Oil Exploration & Production
•In a traditional well, components such as valves control the flow of
fluids.
•Screens or gravel packs stop sand from entering the well.
•Pipe joints and packers needed to ensure the well retains its
integrity over its producing life.
•However traditional wells do not respond to changing conditions and
all the fluids (oil,gas and water) have to be produced together and
separated at the surface.

31. Oil Exploration & Production
IQ for Intelligent Wells
•Intelligent Wells
•Automatic Surface Interaction/Continuous
•Monitoring/Automatic Flow control/Extensive
•Downhole communication
•Semi Intelligent Wells
•Manual Surface Interaction/Limited
•Downhole communication
•Conventional
•Limited Interaction

32. Oil Exploration & Production
•Smart wells offer the possibility to respond to changing conditions.
•Smart wells combine existing state-of-the-art technologies such as
wireless technologies,remote sensing capabilities, remote control
mechanism and robotic tools.
•Remote sensors can immediately show what is going on in the down
hole.
•Valves down the hole can be adjusted, controlling flow or shutting off
production at one level and increasing it from another.
•Fluid processing can take place down the hole with gas and liquids
being separated by devices such as hydro-cyclones
Smart Wells

33. Oil Exploration & Production
Drivers
•Improved Reliability
•Optimum Production leading to longer well and reservoir life.
–Optimization of reservoir drainage
•No mechanical intervention is required freeing up resources.
•Lower Operating Cost
–Less number of work overs
–Decrease Water Production
–Better sand control
•Increase Reservoir Knowledge
–Monitoring of fluid/gas contact zone movements
–Improved reservoir characterization (saturation, structure,
pressure, temperature)

34. Oil Exploration & Production
Smart Well
•Packers
•Hydraulic or Electrical Control Lines
•Sensors
•Inflow Control Valves ICV
•Surface Control Unit (Monitoring and Remote Operation)

35. Oil Exploration & Production

36. Oil Exploration & Production

37. Oil Exploration & Production
Examples of Controls in Intelligent Wells
Controlling Commingled production
Controlling Down Hole Water Separation
Controlling Down Hole Gas Separation and Re-injection

38. Oil Exploration & Production
Application for Intelligent Wells
•Marginal Reserves
•Highly Deviated. Horizontal and MLW
•Deepwater Wells
•High Volume Wells
Shell has about 20 intelligent wells worldwide and is working to increase
that number.
One of its showcase pieces is a well in the North Sea’s Brent field. The well
produces oil but also has a perforated gas zone up hole that’s opened for a
short period each year to meet a gas contract.

39. Oil Exploration & Production
Oilfields
Data
Data
Data
Data
Extract
Clean
Transform
Load
Data Store
Data Warehouse
Interpret
Analyze
Communicate
Decide
Partners,Agencies
Operation
Management

40. Oil Exploration & Production
Reservoir Management Team
Devise Process
Control Methodologies
Life Cycle
Cost and
Benefits
Modeling
Processes
Requiring
Real time
Management
Down hole
Equipment
Design
Monitor Dynamic
Production Data