NAFPAC — Enhancing Well Performance by Gravel Packing in Non-Aqueous Fluid

Mike Barry and Mike Hecker
Drilling, ExxonMobil Development Company, Houston, TX

As operators continue to develop prospects in expensive, deepwater environments, delivery of high rate, high capacity, long life wells become essential for economic success. High angle, openhole gravel pack completions are often selected to maximize production by capturing reserves from several non-homogeneous sand packages in a single wellbore.

Wellbore stability and shale inhibition during the entire installation phase are keys to successful openhole completions. Non-aqueous fluid (NAF) has proven to be the preferred fluid system to optimize drilling of the openhole section, however, fluid compatibility and hole stability can be problematic during displacement operations prior to gravel packing.

This presentation will describe a unique, openhole completion process employed in West Africa that has enabled the operator to run sand control screens in conditioned NAF, gravel pack the well, and displace the casing to brine all in one trip.

Running the sand control screens in NAF significantly increases the probability of successful screen installation and facilitates consistent delivery of cost effective, high rate, low skin completions.

AAPG International Conference and Exhibition, Cape Town, South Africa 2008 © AAPG Search and Discovery