Robust Maximum Reservoir Contact Pilot Well Design, Optimization and Implementation for Development of a Giant Oilfield

Abstract

Abstract The first Maximum Reservoir Contact (MRC) wells for a major operating company offshore Abu Dhabi have been successfully designed and implemented. In this paper, the design, optimisation, piloting, field implementation, and post-job field data evaluation for the most critical well are discussed. The re-development strategy for the company hinges on the move to an islands-based development concept. This concept dictates that a significant number of wells be extended reach, long horizontals to maximize reservoir contact and exposure. The increased reservoir exposure will translate proportionally to accrued production (or injection) benefits and value, balanced reservoir sweep, and maximizing recoveries. Hundreds of these MRC wells will be ultimately needed, to maximize recovery and drive the field daily production output from the current level to an increase of at least fifty per cent. However the challenges of designing, drilling and completing these complex wells are new to the operating company. The operator embarked on a program of drilling pilot wells with a view to establishing new learning and understanding, which translates into efficiently designing, deploying and operating these wells for the field re-development. The paper shows the methodologies employed for one of these pilot wells, right from the concept stage through to the modelling, design and optimisation. It also shows how operational considerations were fed into the optimisation workflow, and how the resulting design was implemented in the field. The obtained field measurements such as resistivity, fluid mobility, production logging, production rates were compared to the initial design and performance forecasts, and excellent conformance is demonstrated, further validating the robustness of the implemented designs. The paper highlights the lessons learnt from this exercise, and also proposes a recommended methodology for approaching and adopting the design and implementation of advanced wells, within oil and gas producing assets.