Survey and Workflow for Horizontal

Completion Procedures
Randy Andress
Principal Engineering Consultant

Completion Methods

Open Hole
Cased Hole

Open Hole Completions

Bare Foot
Slotted Liner
Mechanically Staged
Process
Packers Plus
DirectStim
Delta Stim Sleave
Zone Select
Frac-Point

Bare Foot Completions

Open Hole No Tubulars
Advantages
Lowest Cost
Simple
Non-exact Geology/Geophysics
No cementing Zonal Isolation
Issues
Limitations
Poor Isolation or Staging Options
Borehole Integrity

Slotted Liner
Open Hole Slotted Tubulars
Advantages
Low Cost

Simple
Non-exact Geology/Geophysics
No cementing Zonal Isolation Issues

Maintains Borehole Integrity

Limitations
Poor Isolation or Staging Options

Mechanically Staged Process

System of Isolation Packers and
Ball Actuated Ports or Sleeves

Advantages
Excellent Stage or Zonal Isolation
Simplified Pumping Operations
Significantly Reduces Completion Time
Extensive Track Record and Multiple Suppliers

No cementing Issues

Mechanically Staged Process

Mechanically Staged Process

System of Isolation Packers and
Ball Actuated Ports or Sleeves

Limitations
Significantly More Expensive
System Subject to Damage While RIH
Tubular ID Restricts Injection Rates

More Precise Geology/Geophysics Required

Utilize Coiled Tubing to Mill Out Ball Seats
Limited Ability to Perform Fracture

Diagnostics

Cased Hole Completions

Pump Down Plug and Perf

Annular Coiled Tubing Fracturing
External Casing Perforating Process

Pump Down Plug and Perf

Composite Bridge Plug is Mounted to Wireline Perforating Guns and
RIH to Setting Depth. The Plug is Charge Set then Gun is Pulled to
the Next Perforating Depth.

Advantages
Excellent Stage Isolation
Simplified Pumping Operations
Significantly Reduces Completion Time
Extensive Track Record and Multiple Suppliers
Ability to Perform Individual Stage Fracture

Diagnostics

Pump Down Plug and Perf

Composite Bridge Plug is Mounted to Wireline Perforating Guns and
RIH to Setting Depth. The Plug is Charge Set then Gun is Pulled to
the Next Perforating Depth.

Limitations
Plugs Require Coiled Tubing Mill-Out
Plug May Bridge or Prematurely Set While RIH

More Precise Geology/Geophysics Required

Integrity of Cemented Casing

Annular Coiled Tubing Fracturing

Utilizes Coiled Tubing and a Jetting-Packer Assembly to Isolate From
Previous Stages and Convey a Jetting Slurry to the Depth of Interest.
Fracture Treatments are Then Pumped Down the Annulus.

Advantages
Excellent Stage Isolation
Multiple Stages Treated Per Day

Reduces Completion Time

Ability to Reverse Out
Ability to Perform Individual Stage

Fracture Diagnostics

Annular Coiled Tubing Fracturing

Limitations
Coiled Tubing May Stack-Out Short of TD
Rate Restrictions Due to Annular Size
Depth/CT Size Limitations
Potential Tool Sticking Due to Low Side

Proppant Build-up
More Precise Geology/Geophysics Required
Integrity of Cemented Casing
Coiled Tubing adds Significant Costs

External Casing Perforating Process

External Perforating Guns and Integral Isolation Valves are Attached
to the Casing and RIH Prior to Cementing Casing. The Guns are
Individually Fired Using an Attached Hydraulic Line and Pre-set
Hydraulic Pressures.

Advantages
Excellent Stage Isolation

Multiple Stages Treated Per Day

Significantly Reduces Completion Time
Hydraulic Line Can be Used as Dead String

External Casing Perforating Process

Limitations
Coiled Tubing Mill-Out of Isolation Valves
Rate Restrictions Due to Tubular Size
System Subject to Damage While RIH
Very Precise Geology/Geophysics Required
Integrity of Cemented Casing
More Expensive Than Other Methods

So, Whats Best?

Depends

 Open Hole vs. Cemented Casing

Stress Direction
Formation Height, Fluid Contacts, Frac

Barriers
Permeability
Reservoir Petrophysical Knowledge
Offset or Field Data

Open Hole vs. Cemented Casing

Undulating Directional Profile Could Impact

Sweep Efficiency During the Cementing

Process and Compromise Zonal Isolation
Loss Zones Could Steal Cement Slurry and
Compromise Zonal Isolation
Extended Reach Horizonal Boreholes Could
Present ECD Issues Which Impact Full
Circulation
Waiting on Future Reservoir or Petrophysical
Data May Dictate Casing and Cementing Open
Hole

Stress Direction

Stress direction is the key determinate of hydraulic

fracture orientation in horizontal wells
Wells drilled in the direction of maximum
horizontal stress will yield longitudinal fractures
(Parallel to the wellbore). While this might be
desirable in moderate permeability reservoirs, it is
not ideal for micro-perm formations.
Conversely, wells drilled perpendicular to the
maximum horizontal stress will facilitate transverse
fractures. Multiple transverse fractures will contact
a much larger volume of reservoir rock.

Formation Height, Fluid Contacts,

Frac Barriers

Reservoirs containing gas-oil or gas-water contacts

are better suited for multiple small longitudinal
fractures to control fracture growth thru the fluid
contacts.
Reservoirs with thin pay sections or with solid
fracture barriers are more economically completed
and stimulated with longitudinal fractures.

Permeability

Reservoirs with micro-permeability will require

multiple transverse fractures to contact as much
rock as possible.
Reservoirs with moderate permeability will not
require the massive stimulation. Two to four
properly spaced longitudinal fractures will be
adequate to cover the horizontal section. This will
also apply to reservoirs with moderate to good
vertical permeability.

Reservoir Petrophysical Knowledge

If the level of reservoir and petrophysical

knowledge is high, the mechanically staged process
will be the most effective method to maximize
reservoir coverage and minimize drilling and
completion time. However, if the level is low, this
could be the most costly and inefficient choice.
If the level of reservoir and petrophysical
knowledge is low, (or waiting on data), cementing
casing and then utilizing the Pump Down Plug and
Perf method will be more effective. This method
will allow individual stimulation and testing prior to
moving to the next interval.

Offset or Field Wide Data

Run casing and cement if waiting for:

Offset well to be drilled

Additional reservoir or petrophysical data
Micro-seismic operations