Completions
This edition highlights three offshore technology papers that address a common industry theme: how targeted engineering solutions can reduce uncertainty, shorten operations, and make technically constrained offshore well activities more executable.
Three papers are highlighted as the primary contributions because of their broad industry relevance. They focus on improving formation particle-size characterization, expanding the application of openhole gravel packs in depleted and compartmentalized reservoirs, and advancing the understanding of capillary pressure in sand production.
This paper aims to establish a set of best practices for generating particle-size-distribution data from core samples.
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This paper offers an alternative explanation for the early boundary-dominated flow related to dissolution of salt-sealed natural fractures in the shale. -
On the basis of production data, diagnostic methods, and field observations, it is becoming increasingly clear that induced unpropped fractures created during the hydraulic-fracturing operation play a critical role in determining the success of fracture treatments.
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Disruptive technological advances may produce significant improvements in completion techniques.
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Multilayered metal-mesh screens (MMSs) are widely used as standalone screens for sand control in unconsolidated formations. It is often found that screens with the same filter-layer nominal rating perform differently.
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This paper presents a combined experimental and numerical-modeling study on sand-screen performance. The objective is to develop an improved methodology for optimal sand-screen-aperture selection by addressing some of the limitations present in existing sand-retention tests.
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In this paper, gravel-pack pore size is evaluated further by use of the permeability of the gravel pack and other methods. A new sizing method is proposed that is based on the effective formation size and the gravel-pack pore size.
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One study is showing that when pumping a proppant into a fracture, a little bit of extra effort might increase performance.
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As activity plummeted to record lows, we witnessed a calibration of completion strategies. Whether it was further optimization of the preferred completion technique, implementation of new technologies, or a complete shift in completion philosophy, no stone was left unturned.
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This paper documents the success story of the first quadlateral completion for an Alaskan operator by use of stacked, rotatable, Technical Advancement for Multilaterals Level-3 junction systems.
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In this study, the authors demonstrate a reliable, cost-effective methodology that empowers shale operators with reservoir data on every well.
