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Collaborating Authors
Results
First Application of a Lightweight Salt Slurry to Help Cement Longest Intermediate Casing across Salt Section and Improve Well Economics: Case History from the Gulf of Suez
Bhaisora, Devesh (Halliburton) | Paton, Nestor (Halliburton) | Waheed, Arshad (Halliburton) | El Nashar, Radi (Gulf of Suez Petroleum Company (GUPCO)) | Farouk, Mohamed (Gulf of Suez Petroleum Company (GUPCO)) | Soliman, Fathy (Gulf of Suez Petroleum Company (GUPCO))
Abstract This paper highlights a successful cement job in which more than 1,300 bbl of cement slurry was pumped to help cement the longest 9 5/8-in. casing in a highly deviated and washed out wellbore in the Gulf of Suez (GOS). This novel slurry design aided efficient cementing across a massive salt section, while mitigating the risks associated with using a multiple-stage cementing tool in highly deviated wells. To access most of the reservoirs in the GOS, operators must drill through a salt section with a thickness sometimes greater than 1000 m. This section is covered with 9 5/8-in. intermediate casing, which is generally cemented in two stages using a multiple-stage cementing tool. Conventional salt slurries of 15.8- to 16-lbm/gal are generally used to cover the salt section. Any failure with the multiple-stage tool can lead to expensive remedial work and can cause salt instability resulting from longer exposure, which can lead to salt creeping or loss of the well. The success ratio of multiple-stage tools is not high, especially in highly deviated wells; therefore, it was necessary to find a new approach to help mitigate the risks associated with using multiple-stage tools. High-strength, low-density (HSLD) slurries have been successful in replacing conventional 15.8- to 16-lbm/gal slurries across the production zones. With this in mind, lightweight salt slurries were designed to replace conventional salt slurries across the salt section. Because this is the longest intermediate casing in the GOS to date for the operator, it was logistically favorable because the lightweight slurries helped reduce the amount of dry cement required to meet the rig capability. The cost of the multiple-stage tool, additional dry cement, dry-cement-transportation costs, and rig costs for waiting on cement (WOC) for the second stage were either completely eliminated or minimized with this solution, resulting in a total savings in excess of USD 100K.
- Africa > Middle East > Egypt (0.85)
- Asia > Middle East > Saudi Arabia (0.61)
- Africa > Middle East > Egypt > Gulf of Suez > Gulf of Suez Basin > South Gharib Formation (0.99)
- Africa > Middle East > Egypt > Gulf of Suez > Gulf of Suez Basin > Belayim Formation (0.89)
A New Binary LCM System Helped Cure Losses during Cementing while Minimizing Risk of Plugging for Slim Liners
Bhaisora, Devesh (Halliburton) | Paton, Nestor (Halliburton) | Waheed, Arshad (Halliburton) | El Nashar, Radi (Gulf of Suez Petroleum Company (GUPCO)) | Farouk, Mohamed (Gulf of Suez Petroleum Company (GUPCO)) | Soliman, Fathy (Gulf of Suez Petroleum Company (GUPCO))
Abstract Fibers are commonly used as lost circulation materials (LCMs) during cementing. Their evolution began with 2-in. long natural fibers, and glass fibers 3-mm long are now available to the industry to address lost-circulation issues. A major operator needed to cement 5-in. production liner in a depleted reservoir in the Gulf of Suez (GOS). The equivalent circulating density (ECD) exceeded the fracture gradient of the formation while circulating more than 1.5 bbl/min of mud. Losses were predicted during the cementing and an effective LCM added to the fluids was necessary to minimize the loss. A higher concentration of conventional fibers was not recommended because they can block the floats or area around liner-hanger slips. A new spacer and slurry design was formulated using two different types of LCM systems to help minimize losses during cementing. Both types have minimal chances of blocking restricted flow areas inside pipe. These LCMs help minimize risk of plugging floats or liner hangers, particularly in slim liners where the ID of float valves is only a couple of inches. Powdered LCM was used with the spacer only because it can affect cement slurry properties. This LCM can be used in at least two to three times higher concentrations than conventional fibers. The main objective of using it with spacer was to seal any loss zone before cement began entering into that zone. A different type of inert glass-fiber LCM was used with the cement slurry, but in lower concentrations, to provide extra safety measures for curing losses. The combination of these two fibers helped cure losses from a state of complete loss, to minor losses; later, no remedial jobs were required. This paper summarizes job design and lessons learned from this successful job, which can be applied globally, specifically for slim-liner jobs.
- Asia (0.89)
- Africa > Middle East > Egypt (0.49)
Real-Time Well Tool Face Information Reduces Directional Uncertainty and Risks in Difficult Sidetracks in Gulf of Suez
Howes, Thomas B. (BP Egypt) | Farouk, Mohamed (BP Egypt) | Darwish, Mohamed (Gupco) | Koroletz, Wilhelm (Baker Hughes) | Ismail, Ahmed (Baker Hughes) | Moustafa, Amin (Baker Hughes) | Heisig, Gerald (Baker Hughes)
Abstract To address risk and uncertainties in difficult sidetrack operations in the Gulf of Suez in Egypt, a new method was implemented to identify and control the direction of the wellbore during the whipstock exit, and close to the liner, where standard directional measurements are compromised due to magnetic interference. Bending moment sensors were placed directly above the motor and only 26 ft behind the bit. These sensors delivered two perpendicular bending moment measurements referenced to gravity high side. Transmitted to surface via mud pulse telemetry, the two signals were further processed to deliver the well tool face and – with the help of a mathematical BHA model – the dogleg severity of the well. In one case the well tool face confirmed the orientation of the whipstock and the window milled. However, in a second case, the measurement revealed a 40 degree deviation from the original whipstock orientation. The well plan was immediately adjusted to compensate for this deviation from plan. The dogleg severity information gave improved azimuth control when steering away from the existing well in sliding mode. As a result, both sidetracks achieved their directional objectives and could be steered into the target. The directional estimates derived from the bending moment measurements were later confirmed by the first valid MWD surveys and by gyroscopic survey measurements. The paper will start with a detailed description of the directional challenges in this application. It will then introduce the concept of the bending moment measurements and the derived directional information, well tool face and dogleg severity. After a description of the implementation and directional execution of the sidetracks, the paper will conclude with a discussion of the benefits and the potential of this new directional control method, which could result in a reduction or even complete elimination of gyro runs during similar casing exits and significant rig time savings.
- Asia (1.00)
- Africa > Middle East > Egypt (1.00)
- North America > United States (0.68)
- Information Technology > Architecture > Real Time Systems (0.40)
- Information Technology > Artificial Intelligence > Robots (0.34)