The complete paper discusses the successful execution of the first offshore multilateral well completed for multistage high-pressure proppant stimulation, according to the authors, in the Black Sea offshore Romania. The authors discuss the drivers that led the operator to trial a multilateral well; the selection, planning, and final completion solution; and the lessons learned.
Field Background
Lebada Vest, located 95 km offshore northeast of the city of Constanţa, is the largest offshore Romanian oil field currently in production. It was discovered in 1984 and has been in production since 1993, and thus now faces the challenges and strong investment requirements associated with a mature field. Hydraulic fracturing has been used in the field’s low-permeability-formation wells since 1992, mainly in vertical or slanted wells.
Completion Challenge
With only one platform slot left and a significant undrained area of the reservoir, the operator had to maximize hydrocarbon recovery through a single well which, because of pressure to increase daily production, had to be finalized in 1 year.
