New Production Technology

-----Horizontal Wells

Presented by Tian Shubao,

China University of Petroleum,Beijing

Horizontal Wells
 Outline
 Horizontal well Configurations
 MRC wells
 Horizontal well completion and lifting system
 Horizontal wells in Daqing Oilfield, China
 Production Schemes Using Horizontal Wells
 Thermal methods using horizontal wells for heavy oil
development
 Introduction of Quaternary EOR Using Horizontal Well
 Examples of horizontal wells application
 Conclusions

Horizontal Wells
 Horizontal Wells (MRC)
 Configurations
 Stacked
 Multilaterals

 Opposed laterals

 ……

 Production from Horizontal Wells

 Conventional oil, thin zones
 Heavy oil

 Gravity drainage

 ……

Horizontal Wells
 Single-Well Configurations

Short radius
Extended reach
Special wells
Inclined drilling
Sidetracked well
……
shale Today, anything is possible!

Maximizing contact length increases production, but there are limits of course

Horizontal Wells
 HW Configurations

HW Well-highly deviated well

Horizontal Wells
 HW Configurations

Sidetracked well
51/2in 原井套管

丢手接头

膨胀式封隔器

引鞋 + 回压阀
密封套
2 /8in 尾管 (ID62mm)
7

裸眼井壁 (118mm)
滤砂管

A B

Horizontal Wells
 HW Configurations

Two lateral HW well

Horizontal Wells
 HW Configurations
Multilateral well-fishbone well

Horizontal Wells
 HW Configurations
Spoon-shape HW

Aquifer Oil Reservoir B

A

Shale

Aquifer

Horizontal Wells
 HW Configurations
HW well

Horizontal Wells
 Slant Well Drilling for SAGD Implementation

Horizontal Wells
Horizontal Wells
Horizontal Wells
Horizontal Wells
 Example of Horizontal well in Saudi Arabia

Horizontal Wells
 Example of Horizontal well in Saudi Arabia

Horizontal Wells
 Example of Horizontal well in Saudi Arabia

Horizontal Wells
 Example of Horizontal well in Saudi Arabia

Horizontal Wells
 Example of Horizontal well in Saudi Arabia

Horizontal Wells
 Example of Horizontal well in Saudi Arabia

Horizontal Wells
 Example of Horizontal well in Saudi Arabia

Horizontal Wells
 Example of Horizontal well in Saudi Arabia

Horizontal Wells
 Example of Horizontal well in Saudi Arabia

Horizontal Wells
 Example of Horizontal well in Saudi Arabia

Horizontal Wells
 Example of Horizontal well in Saudi Arabia

Horizontal Wells
 Impact on the Unit Development Cost

Horizontal Wells
 Impact on the Unit Development Cost

Horizontal Wells
 Example of Horizontal well in Saudi Arabia

Horizontal Wells
 Limits of Horizontal Wells
 Effectiveness of HW compared with vertical
wells
 Production rate increment
 Controlled Reserve (reserve loss)

 Effectiveness of water drive

 Well stimulation and monitoring……

 Downhole Production and testing equipment

and tools
 Pump, rod, optimization of production
 packer

 Well testing……

Horizontal Wells
 Horizontal well completion and lifting system

Horizontal Wells
 Multiple Branch Completions

Multiple zone wells

Double or triple laterals
Fish-bone wells
Multilateral wells
+Combinations of these

Horizontal Wells
 HW Completions

Open hole Slotted liner

Perforation Gravel pack

Horizontal Wells
 Multi-Levels – Alaska (BP)
Baker Huges- Multilateral completion tools

Flow Thru Guidestock for Level 2 Applications  Plop & Drop upper
Coil tubing or drill pipe re-entry liner (10-20 ft out)
 Junction made in OA
Sand
 World first hollow
7" 26 lb/ft casing
guidestock for re-
entry
CE
N
TR
IL
IF

Lateral Size: 6 1/8”

T

openhole with 4 1/2”
slotted liner
8,700 ft MD  Production: ESP or
+/- 3,500 ft long 6 1/8”
openhole laterals
Jet Pump commingled
with 4 1/2" 12.6 lb/ft production
Flow Thru Guidestock slotted liner
 MPU first Shallow
ERD wells

Horizontal Wells
 Multi-Levels – Lifting Systems

Petrozuata Project - Venezuela

Horizontal Wells
 Artificial Lifting Technologies for Horizontal
Wells

Horizontal Wells
 Lifting Technologies
 Conventional rod pumps
 Rotaflex and hydraulic rod pumps
 ESP (Red Hot ESP 550F by Schlumberger)
 PCP and ES-PC (can handle some sand)
 Gas lift approaches
 New concepts (E-lift, downhole hydraulics,
etc.
 This is a rapidly evolving area

Horizontal Wells
 Husky Energy
Pike’s Peak Two SAGD well pairs

Long-stroke Rotaflex pump

pump jack

Steam lines
Injection well

Horizontal Wells
 Chain vertical pumping Unit

Horizontal Wells
 Rotaflex Chain vertical pumping Unit

The Rotaflex is the patented product of the American

Highland Pump Company. It has been developed with years of
research coupled with the strong of various pumping units. Its
unique and outstanding design has been a major breakthrough
for oil pumping unit. The 100% mechanical Rotaflex unit is
specially suitable for rod pump in deep wells producing high
volumes of fluid. From actual well performance data, it proves
that oil producing cost decrease greatly when the Rotaflex
produces more fluid.

Horizontal Wells
 Progressive Cavity Pumping (PCP)

Horizontal Wells
Horizontal Wells
 Principle of PCP production

The system consists of a rotor constructed of chrome

plated steel in the form of external helix. The stator in
which the rotor turns is a synthetic elastomer with a
double internal helix permanently bonded into a steel
housing. Rotation of shaft by a vertical spindle electric
motor at the surface causes the shaft to stretch a
predetermined amount to maintain the shaft in tension
and causes the cavity containing well fluid to rise.

Horizontal Wells
Horizontal Wells
 Advantages and disadvantages of PCP

Advantages:
Low cost, it can handle sand, paraffin and heavy oil, low
profile in surface
Disadvantages:
Depth limit and capacity limit
Depth limit to 4000ft by the temperature resistance of
elastomer, capacity limit to 400b/d

Horizontal Wells
 Rodless Pumping
 ESP-Electric Submersible Pumping

Horizontal Wells
Horizontal Wells
Horizontal Wells
Horizontal Wells
 Advantages and disadvantages of ESP

Advantages:
High volume, adaptability to deviated well and offshore
production. Low profile.
Disadvantages:
High cost, depth limit and temperature limit

Horizontal Wells
 Horizontal Well Placement
 A good geological model is essential!
 Following thin zones remains challenging
(Daqing Oilfield, China )
 Placement in the zone is important
 High in the zone if water injection is used
 At the base if gravity drainage is used

 Following the most permeable zones

 Etc…

Horizontal Wells
 Horizontal wells in Daqing Oilfield
Difficulties for horizontal wells in Daqing oilfield:
Complicated geological conditions (low permeability (1-5
mD), multi-layer, thin thickness (Avg. 1.6m, Min 0.5m,
impermeable interlayer or barrier, unstable sand body
extension)
It is difficult to control the well trajectory and the
advanced drilling technology is required (deviation
angle<2. (0.35m-10m)

Horizontal Wells
 Horizontal wells in Daqing Oilfield

Horizontal Wells
 Horizontal wells in Daqing Oilfield

Horizontal Wells
 Horizontal wells in Daqing Oilfield

A B
C
D

Horizontal Wells
 Horizontal wells in Daqing Oilfield

B
Horizontal Wells
 Horizontal wells in Daqing Oilfield

Horizontal Wells
 Horizontal wells in Daqing Oilfield

海拔
(m)
-1400

-1500

PI2-1 A 扶
0. B E+ 一
8 200m F 105m 1.2m
PI 2-3 1. E 200m J K -1600 组
6
PI3-1 C
0.6m
D
PI 3-2 H L 0.6m
C- 0.4m -1700 扶
H- 二
组

PI4-2 -1800 扶
三
组

-1900 杨
一
组
-2000

A
B
0.6m
0.4m
PI2-1 PI
2-2
PI3-1 D1 C
2.2m
PI 4-2
D
Horizontal Wells
 Production Schemes Using
Horizontal Wells

Horizontal Wells
 Gravity Stabilized Waterflooding
Water in
Production
Well placed near
the top of the zone

Density difference:
oil ~ 0.80-0.90
water ~ 1.03 – 1.10

Use cleaned, recycled formation water if possible (geochemical compatibility)

Horizontal Wells
 Bottom-up Waterflooding
 Takes advantage of density differences
 Production well is at the top of the zone
 Water injected at the bottom, tends to drop
 A good vertical permeability is needed
 Water ingress into the production well can
be progressively shut-off as needed
 Can be conducted above the bubble point so
there is no permeability reduction from gas
 Do not overdrive! Keep it stable.
Horizontal Wells
 Horizontals in Dipping Strata

Production well
The natural dip in this case adds
greatly to the stability of the
displacement process.

ρo ~ 0.8 - 0.9
Shale barrier

ρw ~ 1 – 1.03 The use of polymers may

help the sweep efficiency
Injection wells, horizontal or vertical,
depending on geology and dip

Horizontal Wells
 Fracturing in Horizontal Wells

Surface

Wellbore azimuth 0°
- Axial fractures Wellbore azimuth 90° -
Transverse fractures
Reservoir

v

hmin

HMAX In this example, v > HMAX > hmin

Horizontal Wells
 Fracturing in Horizontal Wells

Horizontal Wells
 Single-Well HCS (Horizontal
( Cyclic Steam)

Production mechanisms Pump jack

Initially, mainly p driven
As dilated zone grows,
recompaction effects!
As chamber grows, more Steam tubing
gravity drainage effect!

Pump

Heating zone

Slotted liner section

Horizontal Wells
 Shell Canada – Radial CSS

 Single production Cyclic Production/

wellbore Steam Injection

 Several multilateral
radial arms
Casing Windows
 CSS strategy: Multilateral
4 Laterals
Tiebacks
 Injection of steam
 Soak period
 Production cycle
 Repeat… 110 m

Horizontal Wells
 Thermal methods for heavy oil development

Cyclic steam stimulation (CSS), known as steam soak, or huff

and puff, is a single-well method applied in stages. First, steam is
injected. Then, during the soaking, or waiting, period, the oil heats
up. Finally, the heated oil and water are produced and separated,
and the process repeats. The method obtains recovery factors up to
30%, has high initial production rates and works well in stacked or
layered reservoirs. The Cold Lake field in Alberta, Canada, is an
example of CSS application.

Horizontal Wells
Horizontal Wells
 Shell Canada – Radial CSS

 Single production
wellbore
 Several multilateral
radial arms
 Two branches for each
~500 m
multilateral
 Provides uniform
reservoir coverage
 Tried in 2000-2003
 Not used now
Horizontal Wells
 Horizontal Well Cyclic Steam

Horizontal cyclic steam pad

Surface drilling
and well pad

Wells may be monobores, multi-

exits or multilaterals…

Oblique view
Plan view

Horizontal Wells
 Wells and Pump Locations

Mother well
Production tubing

H
~0.85·H
reservoir Daughter wells

Production pump
The single vertical well may
have up to four daughter
wells (more is problematic)

Horizontal Wells
 Mega-Pattern for HCS

Maximum steam transmission

Block A distance on surface is ~500 m

Block A is steamed while Block B

~1 km

Drilling and is produced. Typically, steaming

production pad of the entire block will continue
for 12-20 weeks
Steam generation
and heat scavenging Then, the processes are
reversed: A is produced while B
~1 km

Drilling and is steamed…

production pad
This is cycled (10-12 cycles?)
Block B 1.6-1.8 km
If a soak period is required
This pattern is repeated between cycles, production is
delayed accordingly (e.g. 15 d)
across the property

Horizontal Wells
 Multilaterals and Pad HCS

~1 km

Horizontal Wells
 Post-HCS Inert Gas Injection

Inert gas injection wells Mature HCS Pad

Horizontal Wells
 HCS Followed by IGI

Plan view

After HCS (RF ~ 35%), IGI is

implemented to displace the hot
oil to the horizontal wells. Extra
thermal cycles are possible as
well, or steam may be injected
into the vertical wells cyclically
with a non-condensing gas

vertical
IGI wells
gas

Section view

HCS wells 70-100 m oil production

Horizontal Wells
 Inert Gas Injection, Flat-Lying Strata

V/t]oil + water CO2, N2, CH4,

vertical wells other gases
= V/t]gas
(voidage filled)

3-phase no p, no p ~ 0
region gas coning

2-phase no p, no horizontal

region H2O coning wells

Horizontal Wells
 Gravity Drainage of Reefs

Oil bank is “squeezed” previous injection/

into the horizontal well production wells
by proper pressure control are used to balance
so that density controls flow voidage, control coning

new horizontal
well trajectory gas cap (wells can
be converted to
methane or inert
gas injection) low p
gas
inj.

horizontal well
bottom water drive placement based
(some wells are on permeability and
converted to
water injection)  drainage rates

Horizontal Wells
 IGI, With Reservoir Structure

inert gas injection

gas rates are controlled to
avoid gas (or water) coning mainly
gas
three-phase zone
horizontal wells
parallel to structure
oil bank, two-phase zone


water-wet sand

i m um
water, a m in
p to

p
one phase p
kee best to monitor
the process;
if coning develops,
drop pressures!

Horizontal Wells
 If there are Shale Streaks?

inert gas injection

gas rates are controlled to
avoid gas (or water) coning mainly
gas

three-phase
zone
horizontal wells
parallel to water

oil bank, two-phase

zone, water-wet sand

water,
one
phase
Voidage balance necessary!

Horizontal Wells
 Cross-Section, Canada Sands

Production Injection

Ground

Glacial Gravel and Till

130m
Colorado Group
300m
Mannville
395m
Clearwater A & B 450m

McMurray Oil Sands

525m

Paleozoic Limestone

Horizontal Wells Courtesy Neil Edmunds, EnCana

 SAGD Schematic

S A G D F a c ility

EA ST

Courtesy Neil Edmunds, EnCana

O il P ro d u c e r S te a m In je c to r

S te a m C h a m b e r

S lo ts

O il S a n d F o rm a tio n
S te a m F lo w

O il F lo w

Horizontal Wells
Q :\F a c ilit y \S A G D \S a g - 0 0 2 2 .c d r
 Steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD)

It works for extraheavy oils. A pair of parallel horizontal wells is drilled,

one well about 5 to 7 m [16 to 23 ft] above the other.
Steam injected into the upper well heats the heavy oil, reducing its
viscosity. Gravity causes the mobilized oil to flow down toward the
lower horizontal producer. Initial communication is established between
the injector and producer by steam, cyclic steam or solvent injection.
The estimated recovery factor for this method is between 50 and 70%.
However, formation layering can significantly influence SAGD
recovery. SAGD is used in many fields in Canada, including Christina
Lake and MacKay River.

Horizontal Wells
Horizontal Wells
 SAGD( Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage)

Horizontal Wells
 Physics of SAGD

insulated
region
CH4 + oil

countercurrent countercurrent
flow steam + oil flow
+water + CH4

 liquid level
lateral steam
chamber extension oil and water

conduction

Horizontal Wells
 Inclined Wells in SAGD
 Some claims for inclined wells…
 Better heat distribution along the well length
 Better pump feed, less steam flashing

 No fluid build-up at the toe

 Slightly improved steam-oil ratios (SOR)

700-800 m

20-40 m 3-5 m

Lost resources here

Horizontal Wells
 Fast SAGD Lateral Extensions
Gas injection Gas injection

Second phase First two adjacent HCS zones Second phase

HCS well HCS well

SAGD zone
H

L2 = ? L1 = 3 – 3.5  H H > 15 m seems best

The Fast SAGD process is stepped out laterally, for at least two stages (L1, L2)
The value of L1 appears to be optimum at about 3-4H, it is less clear for L2
There may be value in slow inert gas injection at the crest of the HCS region
This may reduce vertical heat losses and provide another process control factor

Horizontal Wells
 HCS + CHOPS → SAGD?

Sequence: CHOPS, then HCS, then conversion to SAGD using vert/horz wells combination

steam injection
Rapid spreading Converted
occurs when hot zones CHOPS wells
touch disturbed zones

yielded
zone

Converted
HCS wells
Horizontal Wells
 Sequenced HCS and SAGD
A B C D

3.5-4.5·h
double or single HW

Sequence from A to D:
A: Early cycle HCS, shales being
HCS phase
broken by thermal shearing,
v expansion, high-p fracturing
B: Late cycles HCS, steam
pressure - p

SAGD phase conformance is fairly good, oil

po rates/cycle just start to decline
A B C D C: Early SAGD, chamber walls being
smoothed out by gravity flow
time
D: Late SAGD, chamber fully
Cycle 1 Cycle 2 Cycle 3 mature, oil flows easily through
fractured shales

Horizontal Wells
 Cold Heavy Oil Production with Sand (CHOPS)
CHOPS is another primary production method that has applicability in
many heavy-oil reservoirs. In hundreds of fields in Canada, sand—up to
10% “sand cut” by volume—is produced along with the oil. Gas exsolving
from the depressurized oil helps destabilize and move sand grains. Sand
movement increases fluid mobility and forms channels, called wormholes,
which create a growing zone of high permeability around the well. The
overburden weight helps extrude sand and liquids. Sand and oil are
separated by gravity at surface, and the sand is disposed of into permeable
strata. The method requires multiphase pumps that can handle sand, oil,
water and gas, and has been applied in reservoirs with oil viscosity from 50
to 15,000 CP.
In Canada, annual production of heavy oil by the CHOPS method was
700,000 bbl/d [111,230 m3/d] as of 2003.

Horizontal Wells
 Cold Heavy Oil Production with Sand (CHOPS)

Slurry produced by cold heavy-oil production with sand (CHOPS). This tank-
bottom sample was recovered from a tank farm at an oil-cleaning battery near
Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, Canada, and is composed of approximately 10 to
20% fine-grained clay and silica, 20 to 30% viscous oil and 50 to60% water.
Horizontal Wells
 Mechanism of CHOPS

• Sand and oil production

• Formy oil
• wormhole network growth
• PCP field application

Horizontal Wells
 Mechanism of CHOPS

Horizontal Wells
 Mechanism of CHOPS

Horizontal Wells
 VAPEX

countercurrent countercurrent
flow vapors flow

 liquid level
lateral VAPEX
chamber extension
diluted oil flowback

Horizontal Wells
 Vapor-assisted petroleum extraction (VAPEX) is a relatively
new process being tested in Canada. It involves the injection of a
miscible solvent, which reduces the viscosity of heavy oil. The
method can be applied one well at a time or in well pairs. In the
single-well approach, the solvent is injected from the toe of a
horizontal well. In the double-well case, solvent is injected into the
upper well of a pair of parallel horizontal wells. Valuable gases
are scavenged after the process by inert gas injection. VAPEX
has been studied extensively in the laboratory and in simulations,
and is undergoing pilot testing, but has not yet been deployed in
large-scale field operations.

Horizontal Wells
 VAPEX (Vapor Extraction ) –Dual HWell
Use of Greenhouse Gases in Vapex
Solvent-based heavy oil process

Injector

• Diffusion and dispersion

• Asphaltene precipitation
• Countercurrent flow
Producer
• IFT and capillary pressure
Horizontal Wells
 VAPEX

Horizontal Wells
 New VAPEX Configurations

Sectional view

Warm HC Diluted oil

Diluted oil vapor production
production injection
Vapor path

Chamber growth

Underburden

3000 m

Horizontal Wells
 VAPEX Configurations

Horizontal producers
h
Vertical Va por pat

Active VAPEX chamber front

injectors

Swept Lateral gravity flow to wells

region Unswept formation

Well spacing is dictated Plan View

by the zone thickness

Horizontal Wells
 Offset-Horizontal Well VAPEX

Well to aid initial communication and for

later control of non-miscible gases pressure

Gravitational segregation
of gases and liquids Solvent
Swept zone
injection

e
in t erfac
le
Stab
Oil displacement

Production well p kept just above bottom Bottom water

water pressure, very low Δp sustained
Horizontal Wells
 In Situ Combustion Methods

In-situ combustion, also known as fireflooding, is a method for

mobilizing highly viscous oils. It is a multiwell process in which a
combustion front initiated at an air-injection well propagates to a
producing well. The in-situ combustion burns some of the oil, and the
heat sufficiently reduces the viscosity of the rest to allow production.
The burnt oil, or combustion residue, is left behind. The combustion
upgrades the crude oil by cracking, or separating small molecules from
large ones. Most attempts at field application have found the process
to be unstable. However, in Romania, the large-scale fireflooding
operation in the Suplacu de Barca˘u field has been operating since
1964.

Horizontal Wells
 In Situ Combustion Methods
 Conventional in situ combustion (high T)
has always failed in heavy oil
 There have been a few success in
conventional oil where:
 The reservoir was inclined or thick
 So that the process was partly stabilized by

gravitational flow
 Where the vertical permeability was good

 For conventional oils, low-T combustion has

had successes in USA
Horizontal Wells
 The Best Results Were…
 In reservoirs with dips Production Injection
to help counteract
instabilities dip

 In projects using
peripheral line drive Reservoir
starting from the top
 Hence, avoid pattern
processes, stick to line
systems
 Horizontal wells are
undoubtedly best…
Horizontal Wells
 Low-T Air Injection

Combustion gases

Gravitational segregation
of gases and liquids Swept zone Air injection

Oil displacement

Production well p kept just Bottom water

above bottom water pressure
Horizontal Wells
 In Situ Combustion Methods

New technologies are being developed to stabilize the combustion

front in the in-situ combustion process. For example, the THAI Toe-to-
Heel Air Injection method, a trademark of Archon Technologies Ltd.,
uses a combination of vertical injector and horizontal producer. The
method is currently in field pilot test in the McMurray formation near
Conklin, Alberta.

Horizontal Wells
 The THAI™ Process
(Toe Heel Air Injection)

Air or O2 (±H2O) Product

Horizontal well enforces a short

flow and reaction zone, traditional
instabilities are greatly reduced

Combustion zone Mobile gas and oil bank

Cold reservoir
heel
toe
bypassing?

Horizontal Wells
 The THAI™ Process - II

Hot combustion zone

Warm gas and liquid flow
Plan view
Vertical
injectors

Unswept (cold) formation

Swept formation

Horizontal producers

~500 m

Horizontal Wells
 Post-HCS Air Injection

Mature HCS Pad

Air injection rows, post-HCS

Horizontal Wells
 Horizontal Wells…
 Horizontal wells have revolutionized oil
production technologies
 Can be used for…
 Conventional oil, gravity or drive
 Heavy oil, solvents or steam (SAGD, HCS)

 Perhaps in situ combustion in the future

 There are many configurations to be tried

 Also, sequencing of technologies with
horizontal wells is very promising

Horizontal Wells
Introduction of Quaternary EOR Using Horizontal Well

Injected Gas: C2, C3 and CO2

Horizontal Wells
Introduction of Quaternary EOR Using Horizontal Well

Injected Gas: C2, C3 and CO2

Horizontal Wells
Introduction of Quaternary EOR Using Horizontal Well

Horizontal Wells
Introduction of Quaternary EOR Using Horizontal Well

Horizontal Wells
 The Hamaca Project, Venezuela

Horizontal Wells
 Location of Hamaca

United
States

Mexico

Caribbean
Sea

Venezuela

HAMACA Ownership
bia

ConocoPhillips - 40%
lum
Co

ChevronTexaco - 30% Hamaca

PDVSA - 30% Orinoco Belt
(Faja del Orinoco)

Horizontal Wells
 ChevronTexaco Hamaca Project

Horizontal Wells
 Reservoir Characteristics
• Sand Character • Unconsolidated
• Porosity • 30 - 32%
• Permeability • 1 - 17 Darcy
• Compressibility • 5 - 1010-6 kPa-1
• Depth • 550 - 750 m
• Temperature • 40º - 60ºC
• Pressure • 4.3 - 8.3 MPa
• Gravity • 8 - 10°API
• Viscosity (live, with CH4) • 1200 - 2500 cP
• Viscosity (dead) • 5000+ cP
• Solution Gas Ratio • 10 - 13 m3/m3 oil (h ~ .16 - .20)
(60-70 scf/bbl)
Horizontal Wells
 Hamaca Product Stream

PRODUCTION UPGRADING
Synthetic crude oil
180,000 b/d
26º API
SHIPPING
Diluted crude
190,000 b/d

Hamaca Bitumen – 8-9º API

Coke – 4000 t/d Sulfur – 600 t/d

Combustion
Shipping
Stockpiling Shipping Stockpiling

Horizontal Wells
 Project Expectations
 Begin production facilities development work
and optimization in 2001
 Full commercial production expected in 2004
 Expected production: 190,000 b/d bitumen
 Expected project life: 30 years at the same rate

 Likely, the project will expand and have a longer

life than this (e.g. Suncor Canada > 40 y)

 Oil in place in the project area: ~30  109 b
 Expected recovery: ~2.2  109 b

Horizontal Wells
 Hamaca Development Progression

Bare Field
B Block
MFB-400 MFB-387

H Block
A4 A5

Development Production Area

(4 pads)
MFH-9 B4 B5

MFH-15
N
MFH-16
C4 C5
5000
Commercial Production Area
(First 4 ComProd pads)
D4 D5

Horizontal Wells
 Compact Pad Development

Horizontal Wells
 Well Placement Issues
 Maximize the contact length of each well
with the productive zones of the reservoir
 Achieved with multi-lateral branches
 Executed using “real-time” bit steering
 However:
 The reservoir is highly complex (fluvio-deltaic)
 Seismic resolution is poor

 Drilling rates are very high (average 200 m/hr)

 A dynamic “whole earth model” is needed

Horizontal Wells
 Fluvio-Deltaic Complexity

Horizontal Wells
 Sequence of Strata in the Faja

Horizontal Wells
 Alberta Geology – 115 MYBP
West East

Sub-Cretaceous Unconformity

o rm ation
F
va porite
ie E
Prair

Sands Muds Carbonates Evaporites

Block diagram portraying a later stage of McMurray sedimentation,

during initial transgression of the Boreal Sea.
Horizontal Wells Courtesy Neil Edmunds
 Venezuela Architecture
Seq .
Base level
GR Strat .
cycles Ma
16.8
Architecture
MFS M1
Long term base

Upper delta pl.

level fall

MFS M9 17.0

DELTAIC
B
MFS M12 17.1

C1

Lower delta pl.

MFS M14 17.3

C2
Long term base level rise

TS/
MFS Top D1 19.1

D1 Top D2
FLUVIAL

Alluvial/Upper delta plain

D2 Top D3

D3 e
Top E1 z on
d
E1 s he
200 ft

flu
ter
Top E2

E2 Top F
Wa
F
Base F.
23.8 Cambrian/Cretaceous sedimentary rocks
Unconformity
Horizontal Wells
 AREA SHOWN
Karazhanbasmunai

PO L A N D BEL A R U S
P a v lo d a r
R U S S I S Aa m a r a
O re n b u rg
U K R A I N E
O rs k
K A Z A K H S T A N
M O L D O VA

K a ra zh a n b a s
R O M A N IA
V o lg o g r a d
O d e ssa
F ie ld
L ake
Sea of B a lk h a sh
A zov T ik h o re ts k A ty ra u
A s tra k h a n
B U L G A R IA N o v o ro s s iy s k
B u rg a s A lm a ty
B L A C K Tu a p s e
A ral
Sea
B o sp
o rus S E A B is h k e k
Is ta n b u l A k ta u K Y RG Y ZSTA N
UZ Shym kent
A egean S e

M a k h a c h k a la
Sam sun S u p ’s a G E O R G IA C A S P I A N BE
A n k a ra
B a t ’u m i S E A KI
ST C H I N A
T U R K E Y AN
a

A R M E N IA
Baku
A Z E R B A IJ A N Tu rk m e n b a s h y T A J IK IS T A N
A ZER B
Ceyban T U R K M E N IS TA N
N eka
M E D I T E R R A N E A N Te h ra n
S E A IN D IA
LEBA NO N
SY R IA

Baghdad
A F G H A N IS T A N
ISR A E L
I R A Q I R A N O il P ip e lin e
JO R D A N P ro p o s e d o il p ip e lin e
Ta n k e r ro u te

K u w a it PA K IS T A N O il p o r t
EG Y PT P
er
si 0 m i 300
S A U D I A R A B IA a
n
G B a n d a r - e ‘A b b a s
u 0 km 300
lf

Horizontal Wells
 Buzachi Peninsula Area
K u ls a r y

A ty ra u

A s tra k h a n
PreCaspian Basin

T E N G IZ
C A S P I A N T e n g iz
S E A ARM AN
(K e rr-M c G e e )
N. BUZACHI
(Te x a c o )
KALAM KAS
(M M G )
KARAZHANBASSHELF
K a ra zh a n b a s
(N E C L )

R oads
O il P ip e lin e s

Horizontal Wells A k ta u
 General Stratigraphy

KARAZHANBAS OILFIELD

Subsea 121 154 203 828 4073 710 715 2205 1747 2147
1732 91 53 1126 607 551 493 432 5389 1532 1536 1540 1543 1546 1549 1552 1555 1559 4382 43844386 4388 4406 2715 157 133 Subsea
Depth <2,016MTR> <1,916MTR> <1,236MTR> <1,003MTR> <689MTR> <763MTR> <406MTR> <554MTR> <504MTR> <458MTR> <461MTR> <403MTR> <513MTR> <494MTR> <816MTR> <599MTR> <878MTR> <591MTR> <597MTR> <450MTR> <450MTR> <449MTR> <450MTR> <452MTR> <598MTR> <389MTR> <897MTR> <1,667MTR> <2,929MTR> <2,035MTR> Depth
-225 -225

-250
Object 1 -250

-275 Object 2 Cretaceous -275

-300
Object 3 -300

-325
Jurassic -325

313 A1
320
323
-350 325 -350
330 B
332
338
341 345 V
348
348 350 350
-375 -375
356 356 356 357
A1 358 361 360 360
362
G
B
-400 375 -400
380

V
D
395 396

-425 -425

G J1

-450 -450

436 440
D
440

-475

459 Central Part of KBM -475

J2

J1s
-500 -500

484 480

-525 J1n -525

509

-550
T
-550

541
J2o
-575 -575

-600 -600

J2l
-625 -625

-650
WT

630
West-East Regional Strike Section E -650

-675 -675

663

PE TRA 4/13 /2 001 9:34:5 8 A M

Horizontal Wells
 Logging & Interpretation

Findings Based On Immediate Log Interpretation Data

230

A_TOP

38%, 277 md
Field: Karazhanbas W ell name: 3185
35%, 255md
30%, 255md
34%, 249md
A_BASE
Elevation: -20.6m Dat e: 9/2/2001 Bottom: 433.0m
240

Gross Net Total net Saturation

Shaliness, Porosity , Permeabilit Resistivity , Fluid of
№ Top , m Bottom, m Horiz on thickness, thickness, p ay Lithology
fraction fraction y , mD Sw, fraction So, fraction ohmm saturation
B_TOP
m m thickness,
28%, 16md
Neocomian 216.0-293.0
B_BASE
250

V_TOP
0 0.00 0.00 water
1 221.0 222.0 A1 1.0 1.0 4.4 0 0.00 0.00 water
0 0.00 0.00 water
V_BASE 2 B 0.8 0 0.00 0.00 water
260

3 V 1.4 0 0.00 0.00 water

G4_TOP
G_TOP
0 0.00 0.00 water
36%,
G4_BASE 59md 0 0.00 0.00 water
4 G 4.5
0 0.00 0.00 water
270

0 0.00 0.00 water

J ura s s ic 293,0-433,0 0.00 0.00 water
5 299.0 299.8 0.8 0.8 0.26 0.33 368 0.15 0.85 12.0 aleurolite oil
300.5 301.0 0.5 0.5 0.18 0.34 727 0.08 0.92 30.0 clay ey sandstone oil
6
301.0 304.5 3.5 3.5 0.05 0.37 926 0.06 0.94 41.0 sandstone oil
280

G2_TOP
7 307.0 321.0 14.0 14.0 0.17 0.36 784 0.08 0.92 30.0 clay ey sandstone oil
G2_BASE
36%, 179md
G1_TOP 8 326.0 334.4 J1 8.4 8.4 38.0 0.28 0.36 502 0.12 0.88 15.0 aleurolite oil
37%,
G1_BASE
G_BASE
165md 9 341.0 343.0 2.0 2.0 0.33 0.34 279 0.17 0.83 8.8 aleurolite oil
345.4 348.8 3.4 3.4 0.22 0.34 231 0.19 0.81 7.2 clay ey sandstone oil
290

10 348.8 351.0 2.2 2.2 0.19 0.36 420 0.13 0.87 12.0 clay ey sandstone oil
351.0 354.2 3.2 3.2 0.18 0.37 356 0.15 0.85 9.0 clay ey sandstone oil
11 369.4 370.0 0.6 0.6 0.17 0.37 28 0.38 0.62 1.8 clay ey sandstone oil
12 371.0 372.0 1 1 3.6 0.54 0.30 24 0.40 0.60 2.8 clayey aleurolite oil
300

J2
13 373.0 374.4 1.4 1.4 0.19 0.36 46 0.34 0.66 2.5 clay ey sandstone oil
D_TOP
D_BASE
14 379.0 389.0 10 10 0.19 0.36 0.61 0.39 0.9 clay ey sandstone water
310

XXX Wireline Contractor

J 1U_TOP
J 1_TOP

34%, 87md

36%, 190md
320

Primary Log Analysis is performed in Aktau by

experienced National Petrophysicist
36%, 232md
38%, 324md
34%, 98md
330

38%, 322md

31%, 81md
35%,
125md
J 1U_BASE

Interpretation & Mapping performed in Houston

J 1M_TOP

36%, 134md
340

35%,
J 1M_BASE 53md

and Geneva
350

PET RA 1/ 30/ 2002 9: 50: 42 AM (Powerpoint T emplate. CST )

Horizontal Wells
 Geological Complexity at KBM

Horizontal Wells
 Dynamic Whole Earth Model
 A 3-D lithostratigraphic model
 Based on high-resolution seismic data (3-D)
 Based core data from stratigraphic wells

 Based on geophysical logs in the wells

 The whole earth model must be:

 Easily updated with new data
 Fully correlated with MWD measurements

 Easily accessible to crews and office people

simultaneously during drilling

 Available for rapid management decisions

Horizontal Wells
 Decision-Making
 Strategic decisions:
 Capture all data to use in next lateral drilling
 Complete model update cycle of 2-4 days

 Tactical decisions:
 Update the drilling prognosis in real-time
 Available to all for real-time decisions

 Used during build and horizontal sections

 Communications…
 Multidisciplinary: geologists, drillers, engineers
 Provision of knowledge to management

Horizontal Wells
 Tactical Decisions
 Maximize reservoir intersection length >80%
 Manage steering decisions (up, down, L, R)
 Maximize rig utilization efficiency
 Waiting and circulating is not an option
 Provision of data at the rig site
 Coping with surprises with an “experts team”
 Use of statistics based on all past data
 Develop different guidelines for different
lithofacies in the complex fluvio-deltaic zone
Horizontal Wells
 Whole Earth Model Strategic Use
 Updating the whole earth model
 2-4 days for complete quantitative update
 Continuous geological model re-interpretation

 Calibration of MWD data (resistivity, gamma…)

 Selection of completion interval

 Well redesign
 Optimizing redesign of zone choice
 Choosing multilateral design (herringbone, etc…)

 Delays between multilateral legs or wells are

permitted, but not during the lateral drilling

Horizontal Wells
 Control Room

Experts on the team

Horizontal Wells
 Rig-Site Data Room

MWD data is displayed in real-time, along with earth model data, drilling parameters…
Horizontal Wells
 “Insite” Data Management Tool

Real
data
from
MWD

Horizontal Wells
 3-D Well Path + Whole Earth Data

Horizontal Wells
 Elements of the Multilateral Well

Horizontal Wells
 Multilaterals Placement

2-D representation only Pilot wells

200 m thick sequence Upper zones

Channel sands Lower zones

Water sand Water sand

Horizontal Wells
 3-D View of Multilateral Concept

Drilling pad

Color-coded based on
desired parameter set

Stacked horizontal wells

with multiple laterals
Horizontal Wells
 Vertical View of Well Patterns

Development area where the

technology was perfected

Horizontal Wells
 Ameriven Experience in Drilling
 Max length of slotted liner 7312 ft
 Max horizontal in 12 hrs 4657 ft
 Max horizontal 1-day drilling 6115 ft
 Max total L in one well 26,454 ft
 Max measured well length 10,611 ft
 Total feet drilled (09/04) >500,000 ft
 ExxonMobil have drilled one multilateral
well with >35,000 ft aggregate length
 Hence, these wells have huge contact L
Horizontal Wells
 Well PI: Initial Plan vs. Actual

Initial Productivity Index, BOPD/PSI

35

30

25

20

15

10

5
PLAN

0
A5- A5- A5- A5- A5- A5- A5- A5- A5- B5- B5- B5- B5- B5- B5- B5- B5- B5- B5- B5- B5-
P01 P02 P03 P04 P05 P06 P07 P08 P09 P01 P02 P03 P04 P05 P06 P08 P09 P10 P11 P12 P13
175 155 155 175 125 155 125 125 125 125 255 255 175 175 155 155 155 125 125 125 125

A well with PI = 6 can produce 1500 BOPD @ 250 psi

drawdown – based on initial production
Horizontal Wells
 A Single Lateral Performance Test

Horizontal Wells Petrozuata Project Publications

 Petrozuata, 2002 (better now!)

Horizontal Wells
 Fishbone Patterns (Stacked)

Horizontal Wells Petrozuata Publications

 Fishbones, Side View

Horizontal Wells
 Other Developments…
 Solvent injection at the toe of the mother
well improves behavior significantly
 Controlling the drawdown rate to maximize
the recovery factor
 Future use of the mother well for other
technologies (pulsing, thermal??)
 PC pumps are very effective in these cases
 Upgrading improvements

Horizontal Wells
 The Faja del Orinoco Treasure
 A thick zone up to 150 m with a number of
sub-zones, fining upward
 The bottom part:
 Thick, good channels, high k (4 – 15 D)
 Economical with multilaterals as first option

 Recovery factor (local) 10-12%

 The upper part:

 Thinner zones, lower k (0.5 – 5 D)
 Horizontal multilaterals are not suitable

 CHOPS is a better first option (RF ~20%)

Horizontal Wells
 CHOPS in Upper Sands in Ven.?

Upper zone:

•Low strength (10-15 MPa)

•High porosity (35%)
•Low viscosity
•Peak sand size = 0.25 mm

D1-sand
Lower zone:

•Higher strength (15-25 MPa)

•Lower porosity (31%)
•Higher viscosity
•Peak sand size = 0.8 mm

Horizontal Wells
 Post-Multilateral Production
 Enhance the recovery from the lower zones
 SAGD or Fast-SAGD or HCS (all steam)
 SAGD + VAPEX combination

 Air injection or THAI

 Pressure pulse stimulation of flow

 Waterflooding (?)

 Initiate recovery in upper zones

 Steam methods unlikely to be commercial
 CHOPS in zones <15 m

 VAPEX in zones >10 m

Horizontal Wells
 Technical Needs
 Improve simulation capability
 In the multilateral cold method
 For later technologies (CHOPS, HCS…)

 Improve physics understanding

 Understand foamy oil behavior
 Re-compaction drive and gravity drainage

 Surveillance
 4-D seismic improvements
 Deformation analysis for {V} distribution

Horizontal Wells
 Use of Appropriate Technologies
 In the Faja, Cold Production is used
 Because they can! Only in best zones
 RF of 11-12% in 60% of the zones, 0 elsewhere

 Overall recovery 7-7.5%

 In Kazakhstan, switched to CHOPS

 Keeping 2nd technology options open
 CSS – SAGD in thicker zones…

 In Canada, Cold Production is poor

 CHOPS, or SAGD are favored
 HCS in Peace River…
Horizontal Wells
 Conclusions

 The development of heavy oil reservoirs and low

permeability reservoirs is the future of world oil industry
 Horizontal wells have revolutionized oil production
technologies and help to improve the recovery factor.
 Design and optimization of horizontal well configuration
parameters and production methods are the key points.
 Horizontal well technology will play a very critical role in
the oil development process in the future

Horizontal Wells
Horizontal Wells