Coiled Tubing Wellbore Completion with Permeable Proppant
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Solution Overview
Problem
Drilling and completing multi-lateral wells in poorly consolidated producing formations pose challenges due to the risk of wellbore collapse and sand production, which can lead to reduced hydrocarbon production and equipment damage.
Innovation Solution
The method involves using a coiled tubing assembly to drill and complete a lateral wellbore in a poorly consolidated producing formation, filling the wellbore with a permeable proppant up to a mechanically competent formation, and sealing the proppant with a mesh plug to prevent sand entry and maintain wellbore integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional drilling methods are used in poorly consolidated formations, then drilling can proceed, but wellbore collapse and sand production occur leading to reduced production and equipment damage
Solution Approach 1:
The wellbore is filled with permeable proppant before production begins. This preliminary action creates structural support in advance, preventing wellbore collapse and sand production during subsequent hydrocarbon production operations.
Solution Approach 2:
Permeable proppant material is used to fill the wellbore. The porous structure allows hydrocarbons to flow through while providing mechanical support to prevent wellbore collapse and filter out sand particles.
2Reliability
If the wellbore is filled with proppant to prevent collapse, then wellbore integrity improves, but the complexity of completion procedures increases
Solution Approach 1:
The permeable proppant fills the wellbore and automatically provides structural support and sand filtration without requiring additional active components. The system serves itself by using the proppant's inherent permeability to both support the wellbore and allow hydrocarbon flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The mesh plug is used as a temporary sealing device during the proppant filling operation. After serving its purpose of containing the proppant, it can be retrieved or left in place, simplifying the overall completion process compared to more complex permanent sealing systems.
3Reliability
If sand is allowed to enter the wellbore, then equipment may be damaged and production reduced, but preventing sand entry requires complex filtration systems
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful sand particles are extracted from the production stream by filtering them at the wellbore level using the permeable proppant. This prevents sand from entering the equipment while avoiding the need for complex downstream filtration systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The permeable proppant acts as a natural filter, allowing hydrocarbons to pass through while blocking sand particles. This simple porous barrier replaces complex mechanical filtration systems and protects equipment from sand damage.
4Reliability
If mesh plug is installed to seal proppant, then proppant containment is improved, but the time and complexity of completion operations increase
Solution Approach 1:
The mesh plug is designed to be deployed and set using standard coiled tubing operations without requiring additional complex tools or multiple trips. The plug sets itself upon deployment, containing the proppant automatically and reducing overall operation time.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and an assembly for drilling and completing a wellbore in an underbalanced condition. The wellbore is drilled with coiled tubing through a mechanically competent formation into a poorly consolidated producing formation. The coiled tubing is run from a bottom hole location to a first uphole location uphole from the bottom hole location. A permeable proppant is pumped through the coiled tubing into the wellbore at the first uphole location. The coiled tubing is pulled, while pumping the permeable proppant through the coiled tubing into the wellbore, from the first uphole location to a second uphole location uphole from the first uphole location. Pumping the permeable proppant through the coiled tubing is stopped. The coiled tubing is removed from wellbore. A mesh plug is coupled to the coiled tubing and installed at the second uphole location in the mechanically competent formation.