Abstract
The first production log ever run in a heavy oil, long horizontal well completed with premium screens in open hole and through a Y-tool was successfully executed by Petroregional del Lago S. A. (a joint venture between PDVSA and Shell) in the Urdaneta West Field (Lake Maracaibo, Western Venezuela). The purpose of the job was to identify the origin of water in a well that experienced water break-through from the first day of production. A specialized set of logging tools was run to detect both water and oil flow, as well as to determine any flow behaviors like cross-flow that would help understand the source of water in the formation, obtain sufficient data to prepare a water shut-off program, and establish basic productivity information from the well, being this also the first production log run in the heavy oil wells in the field, which require artificial lift to flow. The results of the production log indicate that a sand package is producing water from an unexpected zone, which will require a water shut-off workover. This paper describes the planning, operational and interpretation processes of the logging activity, and presents a number of lessons learnt and useful recommendations for similar activities in heavy oil wells.
