This paper presents three firsts: (1) a complete case study audit for a major oil company of well planning, well construction and well cleanup operations in a Gulf of Mexico (GOM) horizontal well, and ties these practices to well productivity, (2) one of the first horizontal well productivity analyses using early-time wellhead production data and wellbore cleanup data. (3) the direct, scaled correlation of laboratory data to field well productivity.

Our analyses include descriptions of the inter-disciplinary team style of well planning, laboratory testing programs using a new drill-in fluid, details of completion operations, and a report on cleanup operations performed on the well before flowback. During early time, the well's productivity was analyzed using two separate analytical methods. Results show that guidelines followed throughout the well construction process resulted in a highly productive well completion. Results of this case study are intended to advance the technology progression of horizontal well drill-in fluid design, filtercake cleanup, and to demonstrate the effect of conscientious planning practices on well productivity.

Keywords:
drilling fluid management & disposal, filtercake, cleanup practice, spe ps-cim 65480, drilling fluid selection and formulation, concentration, wellbore cleanup, drilling fluid chemistry, drilling fluids and materials, burnett spe ps-cim 65480
Subjects:
Drilling Operations, Drilling Fluids and Materials, Formation Evaluation & Management, Directional drilling, Drilling fluid selection and formulation (chemistry, properties), Drilling fluid management & disposal
Copyright 2000, SPE/PS-CIM International Conference on Horizontal Well Technology
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