A Cost-Effective Through-Tubing Gravel Pack Rigless Installation via Intelligent Coiled Tubing

Badrawy, Kareem (Schlumberger) | Molero, Nestor (Schlumberger) | Kewan, Mona (Schlumberger) | Seoudi, Seif (Schlumberger) | ElKaragy, Alaa (Schlumberger) | Shalaby, Roshdy (Schlumberger) | Desouky, Ahmed (Schlumberger) | Slama, Hedi (Schlumberger)

OnePetro 

Abstract Sand production is deemed one of the major problems in the oil and gas industry. Additional surface equipment is needed to handle the sand returns, bringing on additional costs and disposal difficulties. In addition, among the most common setbacks of sand production is the increased risk of damage to the well jewelry and accessories. For wells that start sand production at a later stage, conventional gravel packing with a workover rig is one of the preferred methods to alleviate the problem. However, availability of workover rigs and project economics have driven operators and service companies in Egypt to explore alternative and cost-effective options. The novel approach consisted of a rigless intervention aimed to recomplete the well with a through-tubing gravel pack (TTGP) deployed via coiled tubing (CT) equipped with real-time downhole telemetry. The array of bottomhole measurements, annulus temperature, CT annulus pressure, CT internal pressure, casing collar locator (CCL), and axial forces, was leveraged to ensure precise depth correlation and optimal use of the bottomhole assembly and make informed decisions based on the actual downhole dynamics. A high-pressure rotary jetting tool was used in the first CT run to clean out the wellbore and condition the tubulars across the planned anchoring depth for TTGP components. The candidate well is a vertical gas producer completed with 4 1/2-in. tubing and 4 1/2-in. liner. After the wellbore was conditioned using a high-pressure rotary jetting tool, a sump packer was hydraulically set below the perforations in the second CT run. In the following run, a 200-ft vent screen assembly was connected and then hydraulically set inside the sump packer. The CT string was retrieved to surface upon confirmation of proper setting of the vent screen assembly, and the gravel pack slurry was bullheaded from surface. Excess sand was removed in the fourth CT run, followed by retrieval of the vent plug from the top of the screen assembly. An upper packer was connected to the screen assembly in the next CT run, and then hydraulically set in the 4 1/2-in. liner. Finally, the well was kicked off using nitrogen and then evaluated using a complete surface testing package. The target production rate of 11 MMscf/D was achieved, which represented a 55% improvement with zero sand production on surface. Now with over 2 years of production, the well is producing an average of 10 MMscf/D and maintaining zero sand production. This enhanced TTGP conveyance approach represents an effective and economic solution to remediate wells compromised by sand production where conventional workover rig methods challenge economics. This technique greatly relies on CT real-time downhole measurements, and operators from the Middle East and across the globe can benefit from the experience gained in Egypt from this project.

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