Horizontal Well Completion Using Monobore Production Casing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current horizontal well completion methods require extensive well intervention operations, such as cleaning out cementing-related equipment and running intermediate casings, which increase complexity and costs, and often involve additional tools and risks.
Innovation Solution
The method involves drilling and setting conductor and surface casings, followed by directionally drilling and setting production casing with multistage fracturing equipment directly adjacent to the surface casing, without the need for intermediate casings or separate production liners, and utilizing logging while drilling techniques to eliminate cable-conveyed logging operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If intermediate casings and production liners are used in horizontal well completions, then wellbore zonation and fluid isolation are improved, but device complexity and operation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the functions of intermediate casing and production liner into a single production casing string. The production casing directly contacts the surface casing and extends into the production zone, eliminating the need for separate intermediate casing and liner components while maintaining zonation and fluid isolation capabilities through proper casing setting depths and cementing procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The production casing serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support, isolates different fluid zones, enables multistage fracturing operations, and maintains wellbore integrity. This multi-functional design replaces the traditional multi-component system (intermediate casing + production liner) with a single versatile component.
2Reliability
If traditional well completion methods with multiple casings are used, then wellbore integrity is maintained, but productivity and time efficiency decrease due to extensive cleanout operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the cleanout operation step from the traditional completion process. By designing the production casing to be set directly against the surface casing without requiring removal of intermediate casing or production liners, the method removes the time-consuming cleanout operations while maintaining wellbore integrity through proper initial casing placement and cementing.
Solution Approach 2:
The production casing is preliminarily positioned and set in the correct location during the initial completion operation. Multistage fracturing equipment is installed in advance within the production casing, allowing subsequent fracturing operations to proceed without additional well intervention. This preliminary setup eliminates the need for later cleanout and equipment installation operations.
3Measurement precision
If cable-conveyed logging operations are performed before production casing installation, then formation evaluation is improved, but device complexity and operation time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces cable-conveyed mechanical logging equipment with logging while drilling (LWD) technology. LWD uses electromagnetic and acoustic signals transmitted through the drill string and formation during the drilling process itself, eliminating the need for separate cable-conveyed logging operations. This substitution maintains formation evaluation capabilities while reducing equipment complexity and operation time.
4Ease of operation
If extensive cleanout operations are performed to remove cementing equipment, then wellbore accessibility is improved, but loss of time and productivity occur
Solution Approach 1:
The production casing design allows the inner bore to remain naturally accessible without requiring active cleanout operations. By setting the production casing directly against the surface casing and avoiding the installation of intermediate casing or production liners that would obstruct the bore, the system maintains full inner bore access self-serviceably throughout the completion process.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for horizontal well completions, including dual monobore completions, without certain well intervention operations. More specifically, the embodiments described herein generally eliminate certain well intervention operations, such as cleaning of cementing-related equipment and accessories (e.g., plugs, balls, and so forth), performing logging operations, running and cementing intermediate casings, and so forth. In certain embodiments, a production casing may be run into a wellbore and cemented into place within the wellbore directly adjacent a surface casing of the well. In certain embodiments, the production casing comprises first and second tubular sections longitudinally separated by an intermediate tapered section.