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PROCEEDINGS, INDONESIAN PETROLEUM ASSOCIATION

Thirty-Fourth Annual Convention & Exhibition, May 2010

COMBINATION OF COILED TUBING, ROTARY JETTING TOOL AND VISCOELASTIC SELF-

DIVERTING ACID RESTORE PRODUCTION OF AN OPEHOLE CARBONATE WELL
IN EAST JAVA

Hermawan*
Satria, T.*
Akbar, K.*
Sitoru, D.*
Kuswardani, D.**
Guimaraes, C. **
Kowalski, R. **

ABSTRACT
Matrix stimulation of carbonate reservoirs, despite
being a mature technique, still presents a challenge
when long horizontal openhole completions are
producing from fractured formations close to water-
oil contacts. Total zonal coverage of long carbonate
sections, in particular when horizontal, remains a
challenge. Uniform distribution of the stimulation
fluid, while limiting entry into the natural fractures
and possible water sources, requires careful
selection of fluids, diversion and placement
techniques.
This case history describes a successful stimulation
of a carbonate formation employing a viscoelastic
surfactant based self-diverting acid fluid, placed
through coiled tubing, using a rotary jetting tool,
taking advantage of the existing Y-tool ESP
completion. In this particular case, the logistical
constraints that precluded the use of a workover rig
also required particular attention to be given to the
protection of the ESP pump system from the effects
of the raw and spent acid.
The stimulation treatment increased the production
of the well from 200 bopd up to 500 bopd while
saving the cost of a full workover operation in a
remote location. The increased water production
was an expected possibility, and is being handled
within the capabilities of the artificial lift system
and existing surface facilities.
horizontal, long openhole and artificial lift
completion restrictions are still considered
challenges that can greatly affect the outcome of a
stimulation treatment. Zonal coverage, the even
distribution of the treatment fluids, is the key to
obtaining the best possible result. To overcome
these challenges careful selection of fluids,
diversion techniques and placement thru coiled
tubing is required.
The Sepanjang field is on a small island north of the
east tip of Java, Indonesia (Figure 1). Drilling,
workover and production operations damaged the
middle-late Eocene Ngimbang carbonate formation
in this well (Figure 2). Completed as a horizontal
openhole oil producer, its production dropped from
500 bopd to less than 200 bopd after receiving the
injection of several barrels of crude oil from an
adjacent well.
An intervention was desired to restore the
production of the well. The remote location of the
field and the expense of supporting operations were
critical considerations in the selection of the
alternatives. The cost of mobilizing a workover rig,
recompleting the well, and a fracture treatment,
eliminated the option of fracture stimulation. Matrix
stimulation was then selected as the stimulation
technique.
METHODS

INTRODUCTION Conveyance

While stimulation of carbonate reservoirs using acid
is a mature technique, complications such as
* Kangean Energy Indonesia
** Schlumberger
The remote location made workover with a rig
uneconomical. A direct bullheaded treatment would
have exposed the ESP to live acid, again risking an
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expensive rig intervention. For this reasons Coiled
Tubing (CT) was selected as placement method.
The coiled tubing size was limited by the size of the
Y-tool completion, so the rate restriction imposed
by the use of 1 ½” OD CT was a drawback of the
conveyance. The placement of the acid followed the
three pass technique described by Uddin et al
(2007) that has being successfully applied in other
openhole carbonates completions.
A rotating jet bottomhole assembly (BHA) was
selected to improve the coverage of the exposed
openhole area and to take advantage of reported
focalized turbulent effects, as suggested by Bogaert
et al (2007).
Acid formulation
15% HCl was selected as the treatment fluid, given
the high (more than 80%) carbonate content of the
formation, and to achieve the lowest overall cost.
Laboratory testing confirmed the compatibility of
the raw and spent acids with the produced water and
oil samples.
Diversion
To achieve uniform distribution of the treating
fluids a solids free viscoelastic self-diverting acid
(VESDA) was selected based on previous successes
in carbonate formations. This diverter is
incorporated into the HCl acid solution and does not
require special operational considerations, such as
foam diversion would. A single mutual solvent pre-
flush stage is required before pumping the VES
diverter stages.
Water avoidance
In order to minimize the possibility of stimulating
water bearing rock or fractures it was suggested to
use stages of an oil-soluble gel to divert the
treatment fluid away from water bearing rock. This
option was rejected due to the overall project cost
limitations. The WOR was already at 30% and
increasing before the treatment, so the risk of
stimulating into the water sources was known and
acknowledged. Given the available ESP lift
capacity and the low cost of the water disposal at
surface, the potential of water cut increase was
deemed an acceptable risk.
Reservoir porosity/permeability and design fluid
placement
Three different sections were identified along the
openhole, according to their porosity (Table 1 and
Figure 5). Nodal analysis performed to evaluate pre-
and post-treatment well performance utilizing the
generic reservoir and completion parameters for
Ngimbang formation in Sepanjang Field indicated
that most of the production gains would come from
the toe section. For this reason, a large volume
(40gal/ft) of acid was designed for the toe section,
and a lower volume (20 gal/ft) was used for the
middle and heel sections. Also, again to manage the
overall cost of the treatment, the high porosity toe
section was treated using the self diverting acid as
main fluid. In the low porosity middle and heel
sections straight HCl with surfactants was used as
main fluid, limiting the self diverting acid to a short
diversion stage (5gal/ft).
Treatment Execution
During the running in hole of the CT several hard
tags and lock ups were observed. After various
attempts and the use of friction reducer (lubricant)
slugs, the CT was able to reach the target zone. The
job was executed according to the schedule
presented in Table 2. The spent acid was flowed
back with nitrogen pumped through the CT until the
pH of the flowback liquids raised above a value of
6, where it was deemed safe to engage the ESP
pump. Initial well production spiked over 800 bopd.
RESULTS
The post stimulation production (Figure 3) from the
well stabilized at 400 bopd, an improvement from
the previous 100 bopd measured just before the
treatment. Since the planned post-job production
logging was not performed, there is no measure of
how much flow rate each section of the open hole is
contributing to the total production of the well.
Nevertheless, the largest volume of acid and
diverter agent was pumped in the toe section, where
the highest porosity is found. The increase in
production is indicative that at least within the high
permeability toe section the acid was well
distributed and the whole toe section was
effectively stimulated.
Bottomhole (BH) flowing pressure is now stable at
700 psi, the same value as before the treatment. The
BH flowing pressure remains constant, even after
extended periods of flow at higher rates, indicating
that there is better connectivity with the reservoir.
The Figure 4 also shows the choke adjustments that
were made to meet the requirements of the surface
facilities and accommodate the larger total fluid
volume due to the increased oil and water
production.
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The water cut (Figure 4) was already at 30% before
the stimulation job and continued climbing over
50%. As discussed earlier, this was a risk that was
considered and accepted. It is certain that channels
connecting to the water zones have being
stimulated, and is expected that as time progresses
water will flow preferentially through this channels
instead of displacing the oil in place. The available
ESP completion and the surface facilities have
being able to handle the increased volume of water.
The ESP has now been running for three months
without any indication of damage from the
corrosive fluids pumped in the well. This confirms
that CT placement, and careful monitoring and
handling of the flowback were successful in
protecting the pump components from damage from
spent acid.
CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
• The increase of oil production is the
confirmation of a successful stimulation
treatment, and suggests that good zonal
coverage was achieved.
• The distribution of acid volumes according to
the porosity and permeability profile proved to
be adequate.
• It is recommended to have production logging
data before and after the treatment to optimize
the acid volumes.
• The zonal coverage challenge of openhole
carbonate reservoirs can be readily overcome,
even in long horizontal sections by appropriate
combinations of placement techniques and fluid
selection.
• The advantages of acid placement with coiled
tubing compensate its low pump rate
limitations.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors would like to thank Kangean Energy
Indonesia, BPMigas and Schlumberger for the
permission to publish this paper.
REFERENCES
Uddin, S., Liu, H., Coston, C., Yassin, M., Al-
Dhafeeri, F., 2007, A Novel Stimulation Technique
for Horizontal Openhole Wells in Carbonate
Reservoirs: A Case Study in Kuwait: SPE 105127
presented at the 15th SPE Middle East Oil & Gas
Show and Conference held in Bahrain International
Exhibition Centre, Kingdom of Bahrain, 11–14
March.
Bogaert, P., Cavazzoli, G., Perez, D.R., Guimaraes,
C., Trummer, S., Lungwitz, B., 2007, World’s First
Combined Acid Stimulation of Horizontal
Openhole Gravel-Pack Application of Coiled-
Tubing, Dynamically Positioned Vessel, and
Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading,
Deepwater Offshore Brazil: SPE 106546 presented
at the 2007 SPE/ICoTA Coiled Tubing and Well
Intervention Conference and Exhibition held in
Woodlands, Texas, U.S.A., 20-21 March.
NOMENCLATURE
ESP = Electrical submersible pump
OD = Outside diameter
WOR = Water oil ratio
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TABLE 1 – OPENHOLE SECTIONS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON PERMEABILITY/POROSITY

Top Bottom Length

ZONE Est. Perm (mD)
(ft MD) (ft MD) (ft MD)
I 6580 6625 45 ~1
II 6830 6940 110 ~1
III 7295 7390 95 ~ 500
Interval Length 250

TABLE 2 – JOB EXECUTION SCHEDULE

PREFLUSH: 7390 ft MD
Start Cumm. CT Cumm.
Design Stop Rate Volume Time
(ft Vol Speed Time
Fluid (ft MD) (BPM) (BBL) (Min)
MD) (BBL) (ft/min) (Min)
Circulate 7390 7390 1 10 10 0.0 10 10
Inject 7390 7390 1 20 30 0.0 20 20

ZONE I: 7390 - 7295 ft MD

Cumm. Circ.
Pump rate Time Volume Pressure
Vol Press
(BPM) (Min) (BBL) (Psi)
(BBL) (Psi)
0.3 2 0.6 0.6 70 1000
0.7 2 1.4 2 78 2200
0.9 2 1.8 3.8 90 3000
1.1 2 2.2 6 110 3800

Start Cumm. CT Cumm.

Stop (ft Rate Volume Time
Design Fluid (ft Vol Speed Time
MD) (BPM) (BBL) (Min)
MD) (BBL) (ft/min) (Min)
VESDA 7390 7295 1 90 134 1.1 90 90
2% Brine 7295 7295 1 10 144 0.0 10 100
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TABLE 2 (CONT.) – JOB EXECUTION SCHEDULE

ZONE II: 6940 - 6830 ft MD

Cumm. Circ.
Pump rate Time Volume Pressure
Vol Press
(BPM) (Min) (BBL) (Psi)
(BBL) (Psi)
0.3 2 0.6 0.6 70 500
0.7 2 1.4 2 73 1900
0.9 2 1.8 3.8 76 3000
1.1 2 2.2 6 80 4000

Start Cumm. CT Cumm.

Stop (ft Rate Volume Time
Design Fluid (ft Vol Speed Time
MD) (BPM) (BBL) (Min)
MD) (BBL) (ft/min) (Min)
15% HCL 6940 6903 1 18 172 2.1 18 18
VESDA 6903 6903 1 8 180 0 8 26
15% HCL 6903 6866 1 17 197 2.2 17 17
VESDA 6866 6866 1 8 205 0 8 25
15% HCL 6866 6830 1 17 222 2.1 17 17
VESDA 6830 6830 1 8 230 0 8 25
2% Brine CT
6830 6830 1 24 254 0 24 49
Displacement

ZONE III: 6625 - 6580 ft MD

Cumm. Circ.
Pump rate Time Volume Pressure
Vol Press
(BPM) (Min) (BBL) (Psi)
(BBL) (Psi)
0.3 2 0.6 0.6 92 500
0.7 2 1.4 2 90 1900
0.9 2 1.8 3.8 93 3000
1.1 2 2.2 6 95 3900
Start Cumm. CT Cumm.
Stop (ft Rate Volume Time
Design Fluid (ft Vol Speed Time
MD) (BPM) (BBL) (Min)
MD) (BBL) (ft/min) (Min)
15% HCL 6625 6903 1 8 262 -34.8 8 8
VESDA 6903 6903 1 10 272 0 10 18
15% HCL 6903 6580 1 9 281 35.9 9 9
VESDA 6580 6580 1 9 290 0 9 18
2% Brine CT
6580 6580 1 10 300 0 10 10
Displacement

OVERFLUSH: 6580 - 7390 ft MD

Start Cumm. CT Cumm.
Stop (ft Rate Volume Time
Design Fluid (ft Vol Speed Time
MD) (BPM) (BBL) (Min)
MD) (BBL) (ft/min) (Min)
Circulate 6580 6580 1 30 354 0.0 30 30
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Figure 1 - Location of Sepanjang Island (Source: http://www.energi-mp.com, public website)

Figure 2 – Well completion schematic

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Figure 3 - Production data – Oil rate, Bottomhole Pressure (BHP) and Gas Oil Ratio (GOR)

Figure 4 - Production Data – Wellhead Pressure (WHP), Tubing Choke Size (Tub. Chk) and Water Cut
(WC)
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Zone I: 6580 – 6625 ft MD (Tight Zone): Zone III: 7295 – 7390 ft MD (main target):

Zone II: 6830 – 6940 ft MD (Tight Zone):

Figure 5 – Openhole section divisions according to their porosity