production logging

This paper covers the problem related to AC interferences on East West Gas Pipeline (EWPL) and the mitigation measures taken for reducing / eliminating the same. AC interference was observed in Hyderabad region due to AC EHV Transmission lines crossing EWPL, three phase transformers and Single wire earth return (SWER) single phase transformers in the vicinity of pipeline. AC PSP voltage up to 80 Volts were observed on pipeline during night hours for which various mitigation measures were taken to bring down in acceptable range. Similarly, there is possibility of high voltage surge at station facilities along the pipeline route due to vicinity of multiple structures, long pipeline length and having multiple conducting structures at MLV stations comprising of RTD's, die-electric isolators, impulse Tubing for power gas and associated power gas and control equipment. Surge travel to such system can result in equipment failures. Various proactive measures to mitigate such instances were adopted on pipeline system and are implemented successfully. This paper illustrates the extent of the risk of corrosion, surge impact due to AC interference / surge and gives insight to various methods deployed for minimizing these risks in simple and most economical way. It also highlights the need for collaboration and operational coordination between the pipeline operators and state electricity boards to resolve such issues mutually & in most effective manner.

The significant temperature difference between the fractured and non-fractured regions during the stimulation fluid flow-back period can be very useful for fracture diagnosis. The recent developments in downhole temperature monitoring systems open new possibilities to detect these temperature variations to perform production logging analyses. In this work, we derive a novel analytical solution to model the temperature signal associated with the shut-in during flow-back and production periods. The temperature behavior can infer the efficiency of each fracture. To obtain the analytical solution from an existing wellbore fluid energy balance equation, we use the Method of Characteristics with the input of a relevant thermal boundary condition. The temperature modeling results acquired from this analytical solution are validated against those from a finite element model for multiple cases.

Compared to the warm-back effect in the non-fractured region after shut-in, a less significant heating effect is observed in the fractured region because of the warmer fluid away from the perforation moving into the fracture (after-flow). Detailed parametric analyses are conducted on after-flow velocity and its variation, flowing, geothermal, and inflow temperature of each fracture, surrounding temperature field, and casing radius to investigate their impacts on the wellbore fluid temperature modeling results.

The inversion procedures characterize each fracture considering the exponential distribution of temperature based on the analytical solutions in fractured and non-fractured regions. Inflow fluid temperature, surrounding temperature field, and after-flow velocity of each fracture can be estimated from the measured temperature data, which present decent accuracies analyzing synthetic temperature signal. The outputs of this work can contribute to production logging, warm-back, and wellbore storage analyses to achieve successful fracture diagnostic.

Temperature logs have been used to monitor producing wells since the early 1930s. Normally, analysis of the temperature log is viewed as secondary to that of the spinner flowmeter, which gives flow velocity directly, and temperature is conventionally used only as an indicator of fluid entry/exit with the production logging tool (PLT). The main disadvantage of the PLT is that if spinner flowmeter data are not good due to tool problems, then flow quantification is jeopardized. Additionally, in recent years, the cost of production logging has increased considerably because many wells are now drilled horizontally through the reservoir, and the PLTs must be conveyed on coiled tubing or well tractors, and, in some cases (subsea wells), even this may not be possible. Consequently, alternative technologies become viable if they can be used for flow quantification using just temperature data. This paper presents a new flow quantification model using temperature data acquired using production logging or a distributed temperature sensor (DTS) system.

The model presented in this paper can handle multiple production zones with their zonal fluid properties as input to give corresponding zonal flow rates as output. The said model is applicable for single-phase oil and gas producer wells as well as water injection wells in both onshore and offshore environments. There are two modes of flow calculation for each answer product-steady state or transient. The model is integrated into easy-to-use software, and it has options for forward simulation as well as optimization. The forward simulation calculates temperature distribution along the wellbore for any given production profile, which is critical for model calibration for any reservoir. After the model has been validated for a reservoir, it can be used for zonal flow quantification using any temperature survey. The objective of the optimization option is to allow the user to fit the model output temperature curve to a selected temperature curve by means of a genetic fitting algorithm that will adjust one or two user-selected reservoir parameters, such as permeability, pressure, skin, gas-oil ratio (GOR), temperature, or water-cut, until a fit is achieved.

The model has been extensively tested against synthetic, literature and field examples and good agreements have been obtained, confirming the robustness of this novel approach.

Barmer Hill Turbidites (BHT) are low permeability reservoirs in the Vijaya & Vandana field with an approximate in place reserve of a billion barrels. The field was discovered in 2004 with the discovery wells V-1 and V-2 respectively. Post drilling and completion these wells were tested without any stimulation technique, resulting in ~ 25 – 50 BOPD flow owing to tight nature of these formations. Subsequently the zones were hydraulically fractured and tested resulting in ~ 10 – 12 folds increase in the production rate of the oil. Also, the testing of multiple stacked reservoirs in these two wells further confirmed BHT-10 to be the most prolific zone in terms of commercial flow rates achievable. Apart from being tight formations, the low net to gross on reservoirs (<20%) further added to the challenges of devising a strategy to make these reservoirs flow at sustained commercial oil rates. Hence, when the field was taken for the next stage of a hydrocarbon field lifecycle i.e. the appraisal campaign, two very clear objectives were identified for achieving a successful appraisal campaign viz. hydraulically frac and test two of the existing wells in the field while aiming to connect the maximum available KH and ensure effective data acquisition through injection tests and temperature logs with an aim to calibrate the existing stress logs and eventually build a robust frac model.

The dynamic geo-mechanical parameters i.e. Young’s Modulus and Poisson’s Ration were calculated from the open hole sonic logs and were converted to static data using the lab measured value from the core tests. Stress logs generated from these static data points were used for the initial frac designing in the wells. During the execution phase of the frac campaign, at every opportunity available, injection tests were carried out and fall off data were acquired to estimate the closure pressures actually observed in these zones. Post acquiring the measured stress data, the earlier calculated stress logs were calibrated using these measured closure points (frac gradients) by incorporating the stress components due to strain factors (ɛmin & ɛmax) in both max and min direction of the principle stresses.

Post every data injection, temperature logs were also acquired. This gave a better control on frac height (hydraulic height) based on the cool downs observed on the temperature logs. This proved to be a very important data set in comparing the height predicted by the calibrated stress logs versus the height estimated from the temperature log cool downs. This step helped in gaining confidence on the model predictability. This also helped in real time frac design optimization and placement of perforation intervals for the main frac designs. Further, the entire model calibration exercise also helped in arriving at a porosity based leak off equation.

The paper endeavors to discuss in detail the entire workflow used during this appraisal campaign to arrive at a calibrated and a robust frac model whilst showcasing the journey taken from 50 BOPD to 500 BOPD in these tight oil sands to achieve ~ 10 fold production increase. Authors, further, emphasize on the importance of carrying out such data acquisitions during the appraisal phase of a field to gain better control on the models. This paper will also elaborate on the strategy deployed for these data acquisition to optimize the fracs in real time and to integrate different data sets for calibrating the geo-mechanical and frac simulation models.

Using optical fibers to instrument hydraulically fractured wells is becoming routine in US unconventional plays. Instrumented wells facilitate understanding of proppant distribution among perforation clusters and the inefficiencies of geometric fracturing and well planning techniques. However, converting fiber-optic data into proppant distribution requires management of high volumes of data and correlation of the data to factors such as well conditions, fracturing parameters, and temperatures. A user-friendly workflow for understanding hydraulic fracturing proppant and slurry distribution among different perforation clusters over time is presented. Ideally, slurry flow is equal between perforation clusters and, at least, constant in time, but the reality is very different. The interpretation workflow is based on proprietary algorithms within a general wellbore software platform and aims to greatly expedite the analysis. We propose using distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) data (in the form of custom frequency band energy (FBE) logs), distributed temperature measurements (DTS) and surface pumping data to obtain a quantitative analysis of proppant distribution within minutes, with various options for reporting and visualizing results. The software platform selected provides data integration, visualization, and customization of in-built algorithms. The new workflow enables users to upload DAS, DTS, flow rate, pressure, and other measurements and use customized algorithms to quantitatively analyze proppant distribution, enabling decisions in real time to optimize the fracturing operation. The validity of the approach is illustrated by a case study involving a well with 28 stages and four to five clusters per stage. The workflow is automated to provide results in real time, enabling quick corrective actions and significantly improving the efficiency and economics of hydraulic fracturing.

Objectives/Scope: XYZ is one of the marginal fields of Mumbai Offshore Basin located in western continental shelf of India. Wells in this field were put on ESP for increasing the production. Regular production profiling with traditional production logging was done in these wells to ascertain the water producing zones if any and do the subsequent well intervention if required.

Methods, Procedures, Process: In few deviated wells with low reservoir pressure, low flow rates and large casing size, massive recirculation was observed due to which spinner readings were highly affected. In such scenarios, quantitative interpretation with conventional production logging is highly difficult. Only qualitative interpretation based on temperature and holdup measurements can be made which might not completely fulfill the objective. In one of the deviated wells, massive recirculation was observed due to large casing size. Recirculation on ESP wells is generally not expected due to high energy pressure drawdown exerted on the well. Traditional production logging imposed difficulty in interpretation due to recirculation. Only qualitative interpretation was made from temperature and holdup measurements. Hence advanced production logging tool called Flow Scan Imager (FSI*) with 5 minispinners, 6 sets of electrical and optical probes, designed for highly deviated and horizontal wells to delineate flow affected due to well trajectory, was suggested for quantitative interpretation in such wells suffering with recirculation.

Results, Observations, Conclusions: In the next well, production profiling was to be done before ESP installation in similar completion as the last well. Therefore, huge recirculation phenomenon was expected in the well. FSI was proposed in this deviated well with recirculation for production profiling and also for finding out the complex flow regime inside the wellbore. FSI helped in proper visualization of the downhole flow regime with the help of multispinners and probes. Quantitative interpretation was made with the help of FSI data. Also, quantification was confirmed inside the tubing (lesser cross section area) where no recirculation is expected as the mini spinner does not collapse inside the wellbore. In traditional production logging, it is generally not possible due to the collapsing of full bore spinners inside tubing. Better understanding of the flow regime can be obtained with FSI than conventional production logging due to the presence of multiple sensors. Later interventions using FSI results have shown significant oil gains.

Novel/Additive Information: FSI was used in deviated ESP wells with recirculation for production profiling, accurate quantification, better understanding of flow regimes and to take improved well intervention decisions.

This paper describes simulation solution for CT(Coil Tubing) based WBCO in flowing ESP/Jet Pump wells for scale/polymer debris deposition removal prior to any treatment in well, such as – Formation stimulation, ESP treatment, etc. It also describes prediction for requirement of Surface Well Test spread support to assist Nitrogen assisted WBCO. The paper describes new way of simulation for CT WBCO job in artificially flowing wells to predict decreased Liquid rate from reservoir, CT pressure & friction pressure losses. The modelling is done in Prosper and Cerberus, the results of which are validated with surface well test and Multiphase flow meter data recorded during the jobs. The results observed were very close to modelled with a number of advantages such as – No loss returns, higher lifting velocities, prediction of increased/decreased reservoir liquid rate affecting Motor winding temperature in ESPs, no settling of debris, post job Increased Liquid gain from well, decreased tubing friction pressure loss

The effects of horizontal well geometry remain debatable in most production modeling works. Most of recent reports fail to mention the effects of well geometries, especially in severe slugging cases. This study presents a qualitative comparison between different well geometries and their impacts in production performance of horizontal wells.

The study utilizes a transient multiphase simulator to mimic the production from a horizontal well over a 12-hour period. The well has a 2-7/8″ ID tubing with TVD of approximately 5000 ft and MD of 10000 ft and maximum inclination angle of 10º within the horizontal section. The trajectories of horizontal section in the well include 5 cases, 5 undulations, hump (one undulation upward), sump (one undulation downward), toe-up and toe-down. These configurations are the representative examples of horizontal wells. A reservoir with a given deliverability equation and several perforation stages is used to provide well inflow. The impacts of reservoir deliverability, GOR, pressure and temperature are studied for all well geometries.

The simulation results offer some valuable insights into the effects of well trajectory on production performance, including borehole pressure profile, liquid holdup, gas and liquid rate variations with time, and cumulative gas and liquid production. At high production rates, severe slugging is not observed, and thus, the well geometry effects are minimized with a consistent production at the surface. However, toe-up configuration exhibits a slightly better performance than the others.

As the productivity and pressure reduces throughout the life of a well, the impacts of well trajectories become clearer. The presence of severe slugs and blockage of perforations near the toes causes a noticeable drop in production. During severe slugging, the pressure profile reveals longer fluctuation cycles, resulting in extreme separator flooding issues. The slugging frequencies are compared among different well geometries. Toe-down case exhibits lower slugging severity. As a result, toe-down well produces the highest cumulative liquid and gas rates. The presence of liquid blockage is observed in lateral and curvature sections. The toe-up and hump configurations exhibit the most severe slugs with minimum cumulative gas and liquid productions. The differences in productions among well trajectories exceed 30% under different well configurations.

With the augmented growth of production from unconventional reservoirs, horizontal well technology has grown in oil and gas industry, yet study of well geometry in production system remains to be limited. This study is a unique effort to optimize well configuration and perforation placement in order to alleviate multiphase flow problems in the wellbore. Providing the practical potential on simulation works, this study provides a predictive guidline to connect well geometry selection and production optimization.

The negative impacts of high water cut in mature fields are well known within the oil & gas industry. Water production preventive & mitigative measures are well established and documented: Wireline or coil tubing conveyed diagnostic and work-over operation(s) is one of such common preventive measures. This paper, through a series of integrated case studies will highlight the best practices for wireline conveyed logging and work-overs with one common goal, i.e. to achieve the water production to a minimum acceptable level in deviated high water cut wells.

The prolific XYZ field is located in the Northern North Sea and it produces oil from Jurassic Brent Group. Oil production from the XYZ reservoir started in early 1978, with 43 producing wells and 15 water injection wells targeting the Rannoch, Etive, Ness and Tarbert sands. Oil and gas production peaked in 1982 and since then production has steadily declined for this field. The increasing water cut in the wells of this field is presenting a challenge for the operating companies.

Production profiling using advanced Production Logging data, casing/tubing integrity check using Multi-Finger Caliper data and saturation monitoring using cased-hole Reservoir Saturation data was done in these wells to ascertain the water producing zones and do the subsequent well intervention, if required. A strategic diagnostic test was designed to precisely evaluate the flow profile using advance production logging tool consisting of 5 mini-spinners & 6 sets of each electrical and optical probes; Real-time data assessment and analysis was done for different flowing rate surveys to validate the findings. Additionally, casing condition was evaluated using Multi-Finger Caliper to decide Plug or Straddle setting depths. Also, new hydrocarbon bearing zones were identified based on cased-hole saturation tool results. The analysis results boosted the cumulative oil production.

This study demonstrates the importance of making real time interpretation decisions at the wellsite and the benefit of developing a good working relationship between wellsite engineers and onshore technical support. The results of this work led to the unequivocal determination of major oil and water producing zones in deviated high water cut (95%+) wellbores which further helped in taking workover decisions to carry out water shut off, utilizing either plug or straddle technology. The findings of caliper data determined the appropriate plug or straddle setting depths. The results were compared and confirmed with the nearby well dynamic pressures and production data.

The technical approach and processes applied to wells of XYZ field is a valuable example guide to decide water shut off zones and technique of similar plays. This study consists of three integrated case studies from a mature field where water shut-off zones and technologies were decided based on the findings of production logging and well integrity data. Also, re-perforation jobs were performed based on the cased-hole reservoir saturation data results. These strategic workover operations ultimately led to significant increase in hydrocarbon production.

The separation of gas from gas-liquid mixture in horizontal wells has become a growing concern in the oil and gas industry. The produced free gas reduces the efficiency of rod pump systems, minimizes oil production and can lead to the failure of the rod pump system due to gas locking phenomena. The impact of two-phase flow on the new horizontal well gas anchor’s performance was investigated experimentally. Each experiment was conducted in a transparent horizontal well flow loop by using water and air as the test fluids. Experiments with and without the new gas anchor in the flow loop cases were studied. The new tool has two mechanisms to prevent gas phase from entering the tubing. The first mechanism is the breakage of the mixture’s wave by the bull plug of the tool. The second mechanism is the separation of small gas bubbles due to the flow through the tortuous path inside the tool. This experimental program quantifies the tool performance regarding the first working mechanism only. The bubble separation via the tortuous path mechanism was not investigated.

The results showed that both with and without tool cases can separate 90 – 100% gas from the mixture, if the inlet of tubing or the tool was fully submerged under liquid phase of the mixture at all time. This condition was achieved under stratified flow where the horizontal part of the well was toe flat or toe-up (0°, +1°, and +2°). The wave breakage mechanism by the bull plug of the tool was confirmed visually. This breakage mechanism established the advantage of using the new gas anchor over no-tool condition.