Well Completions

Elements of completions include:

casing
cement
perforating and sand or gravel packs
production equipment: tubing, packers
stimulation
surface flow control - wellhead or Christmas tree

Casing & Cement

1. supports the sides of hole
2. prevents unwanted
communication of fluids and
pressure between different
formations,
3. particularly to protect fresh water
zone near the surface
4. allows control of pressures
5. provides a 'base- for surface and
subsurface equipment

Cementing

Schematic of cement
placement

Courtesy of Allen & Roberts

Cementing

Cross-section
Illustrating
Potential fluid
migration

Courtesy of Allen & Roberts

Wellbore Diagram
And History

CC: 20127800

Spud Date 06/30/04

KB: 22'

WI: 100% NRI: 100%

GL: 413'

11" 5000PSI X 9-5/8" SOW casing head

9 5/8", 36 lb/ft, K-55,LTC @ 932'. Cemented w/ 380 sks

June 2004 - Well drilled

7/21/2004 - Perforate Pettet, breakdown w/ PPI tool
7/29/2004 - Acidize Pettet comp w/ 6000 gals 15% HCl
9/10/2004 - Relocate packer to 7287' to isolate lwr perfs
11/20/2004 - Perf, breakdown, and acidize Transition zone

223 jts. 2-3/8 4.7# L-80 8rd tbg

Weatherford AS1-X @ 7,212'

EOT @ 7,219.35'
Pettet Completion (7/2004)
Perf: 7239-45', 7250-54', 7268-70', 7288-90', 7298-302'
7315-19', 7324-30', 7337-40', 7372 -76'; 7395-97'
Perforate 4 SPF, top down 15% HCL
Breakdown and Acidize each interval.
Transition Zone (11/2004)
Perfs: 7456-52', 7472-80' w/ 4 SPF
Breakdown and acidize w/ 1400 gals 15% HCl
Commingle w/ Pettet
Travis Peak - Fluvial (12/2004)
Perf: 7705-12', 7669-82'; 7645-48'
CO2 Frac w/ 47,000 # 20/40 resin coated

5 1/2", 17&15.5# K-55 LTC@ 7,825' Cmt w/1070sxs

TD: 7,825' MD
Directions: At Buffalo, turn right onto FM 75 & go 1000 yards, turn left onto FM 164. Travel 18 miles on FM 164 to FM 3371, turn left onto 3371 & go
approx 8.1 miles to LCR 750. Turn left onto LCR 750 & go approx. 7 mile to location on the right.

Openhole completion

Perforated completion

Perforating

Charge detonation

Perf tunnel in test target

Courtesy of Schlumberger

Perforating

Courtesy of Schlumberger

Courtesy of Halliburton

Techniques for perforating wells

Openhole Cavity Completion

Procedure
Set casing at top of Fruitland
zone
Drill the Fruitland underbalanced
Surge the coal, inducing
significant caving and sloughing,
forming a cavity
As a result, stress relief occurs in
the coal opening the natural
fractures
Run an uncemented liner with
predrilled perforations
Run lift equipment if necessary

Pre-perforated liner

Gravel pack completion

Stimulation

hydraulic fracturing

Developed in the 1940s, today hydraulic fracturing (fracing) is widespread as a

result of technological advances and the need to tap previously believed
uneconomic resources.
Hydraulic fracturing is the injection primarily of water and sand under high
pressure into the producing formation, creating fissures in the rock that allows a
pathway for oil and gas to migrate to the wellbore
Hydraulic fracturing occurs at great depths, typically 5- 10,000 ft.

Simplified diagram of equipment for hydraulic fracturing

(source: U.S. D.O.E.)

Stimulation

Stimulation

hydraulic fracturing

Pressures, stresses and rock properties involved in vertical fracture propagation

(Allen & Roberts, 1982)

Stimulation

hydraulic fracturing

Stimulation

Stimulation

hydraulic fracturing

Frac fluid is typically 99.5%

water and sand and 0.5%
chemically based additives.
The Frac fluids open the
fracture and transport
proppant
The Proppants (sand)hold the
fracture open and provide a
highly conductive path for
Jacob Garza of Cheapeake Energy pours a
chemical mixture called cross linked gel that is
fluid to flow into the
mixed with sand used in the hydraulic
wellbore
fracturing process at a Chesapeake site in South
Texas' Eagle Ford Shale (Photo:
Davenport/San Antonio Express-News)

John

Stimulation
Typical shale Fracturing Mixture Makeup

hydraulic fracturing
Typical Chemical Additives Used in Frac
Water
Compound

Purpose

Common application

Acids

Helps dissolve minerals and

initiate fissure in rock (pre- Swimming pool cleaner
fracture)

Sodium Chloride

Allows a delayed
breakdown of the gel
polymer chains

Table salt

Polyacrylamide

Minimizes the friction

between fluid and pipe

Water treatment, soil

conditioner

Ethylene Glycol

Prevents scale deposits in

the pipe

Automotive anti-freeze,
deicing agent, household
cleaners

Borate Salts

Maintains fluid viscosity as Laundry detergent, hand

temperature increases
soap, cosmetics

Sodium/Potassium
Carbonate

Maintains effectiveness of Washing soda, detergent,

other components, such as sopa, water softener, glass,
crosslinkers
ceramics

Glutaraldehyde

Eliminates bacteria in the

water

Disinfectant, sterilization of
medical and dental
equipment

Guar Gum

Thickens the water to

suspend the sand

Thickener in cosmetics,
baked goods, ice cream,
toothpaste, sauces

Citric Acid

Prevents precipitation of
metal oxides

Food additive; food and

beverages, lemon juice

Isopropanol

Used to increase the

viscosity of the fracture
fluid

Glass cleaner,
antiperspirant, hair coloring

Source: DOE, GWPC: Modern Gas Shale Development in the United States: A Primer (2009)

Technical challenges

stimulation

1500

Well A

1000

Well C

More
complex
configuration?

South-North (ft)

500

Monitor
Well

Well B

-500

Frac
Well

-1000

Well D
-1500

-2000

Well E
-2500

-3000
-1000

Courtesy of Devon

FRACTURE DIAGNOSTICS MICROSEISMIC

-500

500

1000

1500

West-East (ft)

2000

2500

3000

Technical challengesstimulation
Multi-Zone
Stimulation

7100

Unequal Distribution
of Fracturing
Activity

Gamma Log

Unequal Fracturing
Activity

7200

Some Sands
Unstimulated

Depleted Sands May

Fracture Most

Depth (ft)

7300
7400
7500
7600
7700
-400

Side View

-300

-200

-100

100

200

300

Distance Along Fracture (ft)

FRACTURE DIAGNOSTICS - MICROSEISMIC

Lenticular Sandstone Case

400

Technical challenges
production performance

Gamma Ray
0
4500

How to acquire continuous,

realtime, insitu monitoring of
production, pressure data?

5000

20 to 40 pay Intervals
over 3000 ft
How to identify bypassed pay
zones?
How to stimulate multiple pay
zones?

Depth (ft)

5500

6000

6500

7000

7500

100

200

Horizontal well completions

Technical challengesstimulation

Technical challengesstimulation

Example of MSG for multiple stages in a horizontal well