Abstract
Liner designs for extended-reach horizontal wells should include a unified approach to mechanical integrity that considers all stages of the well life, beginning with the well design and tubular selection process and extending to well construction, operation, and decommissioning. Digital oilfield technologies present considerable opportunities for optimizing liner installation and integrity, particularly through simulation, measurement, analysis, and prediction of running loads during well construction.
This paper presents a multi-timescale workflow for optimizing liner installation and integrity in extended-reach horizontal wells. Given accurate models and planned well trajectories, liner installations can be simulated, problem depths identified, and mitigation plans put in place weeks to months before running liner. Since actual field running conditions rarely match design assumptions and predictions, it is beneficial to monitor and respond to installation loads in real time during the liner run. Furthermore, in a multi-well development, plans can be refined in the days between liner runs based on recent experience. Finally, on the order of months to years, well designs can be optimized based on field experience to meet both installation and operational needs.
Design-time simulation, live monitoring and predictions, inter-well tuning, and long-term design optimization make a powerful combination. Damage to downhole components or excessive drag on the running string can be predicted and prevented. Capital costs and construction costs can be reduced substantially without incurring additional risk or compromising well performance. Integration of well construction loading can enable tailored operating strategies that account for well-specific construction issues.
The workflow presented in this paper is novel in its breadth, spanning timescales from seconds out to years, and in its incorporation of new technologies for measuring and analyzing well construction data. Many elements of the workflow can be implemented independently to provide incremental gains and continuous improvement.
