Reducing Well Cost by Gravel Packing in Nonaqueous Fluid

Abstract

Abstract As operators continue to develop prospects in expensive, deep water environments, delivery of high rate, high capacity, long life wells become essential for economic success. Often, operators are drilling high angle, open hole wells to maximize production by capturing reserves from several sand packages in one wellbore. In many of today's deepwater applications, hole stability and shale inhibition are keys to a successful open hole completion. Nonaqueous fluid (NAF) is the preferred fluid system to optimize drilling of the open hole section, but hole stability can be problematic during displacement operations prior to gravel packing. This paper describes a gravel packing technique that allows the operator to run the gravel pack screens in NAF, gravel pack the well and displace the casing to brine, all in one trip. Running the screens in NAF significantly increases the probability of successful screen installation and the end result is consistent, cost effective delivery of high rate, low skin completions.