Intelligent Completions and Un-Cemented Liners Combine to Provide a Fully Completed Solution with Zonal Isolation in Norway
Authors: Kent A. W. , Burkhead D. W. , Burton R. C. , Furui K. , Actis S. C. , Bjornen K. , Constantine J. J. , Gilbert W. W. , Hodge R. M. , Ledlow L. B. , Nozaki M. , Vasshus A. , Zhang T. 
Published: June 2014

This paper describes the design, testing, installation, and performance of the first ‘fully-completed’ well using an intelligent inner completion inside an un-cemented liner with openhole packers for zonal isolation. The well design concept evolved from technical challenges associated with completing long cased and cemented laterals in the mature Ekofisk waterflood. The term ‘fully-completed’ implies full reservoir access along the pay length for production and high rate matrix acid stimulation using limited entry for fluid diversion within well segments.

The paper covers the development and qualification of custom openhole 7⅝ in. liner components that can handle high differential pressures and extreme temperature fluctuations, the marriage of this complex liner with a five zone intelligent completion system, and results from a year of system integration testing. The paper also discusses the strategic placement of both mechanical openhole and inner string packers based on caliper and drilling logs; challenges met and overcome during installation; and a remarkable collection of down-hole gauge data that confirms the performance of each component before, during, and after the stimulation.

The Ekofisk field waterflood began in 1987 and continues to date, exceeding expectations for improved oil recovery while mitigating reservoir compaction. As the waterflood matures, new wells are more often found partially water-swept. Limited infrastructure for lifting and handling the high water production has led to increased emphasis on isolating these water-swept intervals. Cased, cemented and perforated completions have traditionally been used for this service. It has become increasingly difficult to execute a successful cement job in longer horizontals with 4,000 ft to 8,000 ft laterals where rotation of the liner is impossible and high effective circulating densities (ECDs) limit rates during cementing. Wide variations in reservoir pore pressures, often in excess of 2,000 psi difference along the lateral, are typical of the Ekofisk chalk and exacerbate the difficulties of cementing. As a result, a new method for zonal isolation has been developed to ensure the success of future infill drilling campaigns.

The design and careful planning that went into the fully-completed openhole un-cemented liner strategy resulted in a successful field trial and has proven this solution to be an effective alternative to cemented reservoir liners in long horizontals where zonal isolation is critical. Use of the intelligent well system (IWS) allowed offline acid stimulation without rig, coiled-tubing, or wireline intervention. What would have traditionally been a significant water producer, with three water-swept zones totaling nearly 2,000 ft across a 4,000 ft reservoir section, has turned out to be one of the best oil producers in the field with nearly zero water cut. Production results show high productivity with highly negative acidized completion skins.

With large investments in intelligent completions to provide zone-specific inflow control and water shut-off, isolation outside the liner becomes much more important. Over recent years, the Ekofisk wells have illustrated the difficulty of achieving effective cement along lengthy reservoir targets. The openhole fully-completed solution combining an accessorized un-cemented liner with an inner intelligent completion string will allow operators to push the limits in terms of lateral length while maintaining full control over producing and non-producing zones.