Formation Testers Solutions: Improve Efficiency for Fluid Identification and Sampling in the Heavy and Ultra-Heavy Oil in the Unconsolidated in the Sultanate of Oman
Authors: Maharbi A. , Mahaldar S. , Santiago E. Delgado , Frese D. , Daungkaew S. , Jumaat M. , Al-Yaarubi A. , Al Mandhari A. S. , Mohtadi A. , Al Ajmi I. , Al Bahrani M. , Annabi S. , Pakhale A. 
Published: January 2020

Heavy and ultra heavy oils are commonly found in many parts of the world. From MacGregor (1996), and UNITAR (1998), they were reported that conventional oil reserve is only 30%, but heavy oil and ultra heavy oil is 15% and 55%, respectively1. Proper reservoir characterization for these reservoirs is not always an easy task, especially when they are associated with (1) variation of different permeability formations (2) reservoir fluid viscosity including, extremely high viscosity fluids, (3) unconsolidated sand environments, and (4) Low Resistivity and Low Contrast Reservoirs. This paper presents different challenges of obtaining reservoir fluid information from six different heavy oil fields from the South of Oman where reservoir fluid viscosity ranges from &lt; 100cp to more than 5000cp (at downhole conditions). The formation permeability varies from good permeability (Darcy range) to tight formation (&lt;1 mD). Reservoir fluid identification and quality fluid samples are not easy and sometimes seems to be impossible with associated challenges. The used of openhole logs alone cannot be used to conclusively identify reservoir fluid, and therefore, Wireline Formation Testers (FT) or Full Scale Testing is required to reduce the fluid typing uncertainty and enhance reservoir characterization.

This paper discusses challenges of formation sampling for both openhole and casedhole conditions for both heavy and ultra heavy oils. Three openhole and three casedhole field examples will be discussed in this paper from pre-job planning to operation results. For openhole cases, the use of 3D Radial Probe application will be introduced with different types of displacement downhole pump to help successful sampling operation.

For casedhole cases, the dual packer FT were used to obtain reservoir fluids within the perforated interval. Due to complexity of these jobs, proper job planning was required to ensure the job objective can be achieved. This paper discusses pre-job planning in the casedhole considering the following (1) well control issue, (2) perforation types and lengths, (3) operation steps, (4) pre-job simulations for the formation tester tool selection, (5) results and recommendations for future jobs. This paper also introduces the use of Pressure Transient to help identify reservoir fluids. Pressure Transient Analysis (PTA) simulation Work will be presented in the casedhole section.

Reservoir sampling can be done successfully even with reservoir and operation challenges in these wells using the right FT tools, pump types, and conveyance methods. From our experience, it can be concluded that pre-job planning and real-time monitoring were two keys to ensuring successful acquisition of formation representative heavy oil samples. Results of this paper help asset teams to minimize cost and obtain the most accurate reservoir information using our workflow.