bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Smart Tool System Boosts Performance of Intervention Operations
Authors: McNicol Jim , McGurk Mark , Heisig Gerald , Donadieu Brian 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
In these times of record operating costs, stakeholders place paramount importance on avoiding unnecessary, unproductive trips in the well. In well intervention applications such as milling, cutting, washing over and casing exit work, the lack of accurate information about downhole conditions often leads to wasted time and money.
As wells become deeper, more tortuous and technically challenging to intervene, the need to know more about what is actually occurring at the downhole tools becomes even more critical. Traditional surface-based indicators and gauges often provide inaccurate readings of the forces exerted at and around downhole tools.
This paper discusses a new, MWD-style "smart" intervention performance sub that contains a variety of sensors and electronics that gather critical downhole measurements and transmit them to surface. The smart tool affords the operator a completely new level of control with real-time decision-making capabilities that can lead to more efficient and reliable wellbore intervention jobs and significantly reduce operators’ risk exposure.
The paper will describe the smart tool and present several case histories where the smart intervention performance sub was integrated into well intervention bottomhole assemblies. Data from the smart tool was then transmitted using mud pulse telemetry and viewed at surface. The same data was also transmitted onshore to a real-time operating center, thus allowing a broader audience of experts to witness the early field trial applications.
The field trials verified several capabilities. Vacuum filter operation could be observed in real time, casing windows could be quantified with a window quality indicator, lightweight fish could be identified in real time at the bottom of deep, deviated wells, and packer setting forces and overpull could be accurately monitored downhole in a variety of depths and deviations. This summarizes the capabilities explored during deepwater system integration tests.
The Event Solution — A New Approach for Fully Integrated Studies Covering Uncertainty Analysis and Risk Assessment
Authors: Elrafie Emad , White Jerry , Awami Fatema 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
Saudi Aramco is continuously implementing many new innovative techniques and approaches to assist in meeting the industry's increasing challenges. One of these innovations is the new study approach "The Event Solution." The approach leads to better synergy among different stakeholders and enables faster decisions that fully encompass the complex uncertainties associated with today's projects.
The Event Solution is a short, intensively collaborative event that compresses major decision cycles, reduces uncertainty and provides a wider range of alternatives solutions. The concept is simple: identify the most important objective and focus the collective skills and creativity of a team of experts on meeting that objective in a special event that lasts just for a few weeks. The team is enabled with the latest hardware and software in a large team room where they can work together. A facilitator leads the team with the process that helps them to see "The Big Picture" and understand what matters to the bottom line. The team composition is enriched with representatives from all of the stakeholders (including technical experts, management, and facilitators) so that the results can be concluded and implemented immediately, with maximum buy-in.
The Event Solution includes a detailed uncertainty analysis and risk assessment process that has been successfully implemented in many events. The most important deliverable of the Event Solution, however, is that all the stakeholders develop a clear and common understanding of the critical uncertainties, project risk, and the agreed plans to move forward—the decisions. This volume of work, which traditionally requires months or years, is completed in weeks using the Event Solution process.
This paper presents the elements and processes of this new approach. Critical elements to a successful Event Solution include software, workroom, team members, and a facilitator. Once the elements are in place, the facilitator leads the team through processes that include project preparation, parallel workflows, uncertainty analysis, critical information plans, project risk assessment, and mitigation plans. Note that uncertainty analysis is not a simple by-product of the study; it is an integral component of success. Techniques are presented that can be applied to any study.
Fit-For-Purpose Laboratory Core Analyses and Their Impact on Log Processing
Authors: Ma S. M. , Al-Hajari A. A. , Kersey D. G. , Funk J. J. , Bruno L. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
Core analysis data determined in the laboratory are often treated as ground truth in processing logs. Experimentally, core data is procedurally dependent. For special applications, a laboratory core analysis program needs to be designed fit-for-purpose. For example, oil migrating into a water saturated reservoir is a drainage process while waterflooding an oil reservoir is a water imbibition process. Due to the combined effect of pore structure and wettability, hysteresis exists between drainage and imbibition. To mimic fluid flow and distribution in reservoirs, hysteresis of laboratory determined petrophysical properties have to be considered in processing logs across oil and water flushed zones.
In this study, a fit-for-purpose laboratory core analysis program for reservoir saturation monitoring was designed. Scanning curves of capillary pressure and resistivity index were generated in the laboratory and used in formation evaluation and reservoir saturation monitoring of a carbonate reservoir. Petrographic studies were also conducted to aid in understanding the effect of pore structure on rock properties. Two field examples are shown to demonstrate the added value of integrating the resistivity log analysis with fit-for-purpose core analysis data for improved formation evaluation and reservoir saturation monitoring.
Innovative Cutting Structure, With Staged ROP and Durability Characteristics, Extends PDC Bit Efficiency into Chert/Pyrite/Conglomerate Applications
Authors: Mensa-Wilmot Graham , Mikhail Boktor , Al-Saeedi M. , Sounderrajan M. , Al-Ajmi H. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
Heterogeneous formations present challenging performance issues for PDC bits, specifically in terms of ROP and durability. With current PDC bit technology, the bit runs are usually short and slow1, even when BHA design and drilling processes are optimized.
The performance challenges associated with these applications get more complicated, when heterogeneity is due to the presence of chert, pyrite and/or conglomerates (CPC). In such situations, the industry has usually defaulted to roller cone (RC) bits. Compared to PDC bits, RC bits are more effective in CPC applications from a durability standpoint.
However, RC bits have not shown ROP superiority or consistency. Considering the effects of "drilling hours" on RC reliability, the lack of ROP superiority usually necessitates multiple runs/trips. This condition, which compromises drilling efficiency, has a huge negative effect on operational costs.
Extensive research efforts, aimed at improving drilling performance in CPC applications, have identified the need for specialized PDC bits. These bits, as will be presented and discussed in this paper, have staged performance characteristics – in terms of ROP, durability and stabilization. In addition, these bits have no "time dependent" reliability issues (as mentioned earlier for RC bits).
Comprehensive analytical and bit development processes, together with field supporting data, that validates the new technology's effectiveness in CPC applications, will be presented in this paper.
Openhole Stability Analysis of Horizontal Wellbores Under Production Scenarios in Jurassic Carbonate Reservoirs of West Kuwait
Authors: Franquet Javier A. , Verma Naveen K. , Azeemuddin Mohammed , Al-Shamali Adnan , Al-Morakhi Rasha , Reji E. C. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
This paper presents the results and methodology of the open-hole stability analysis under production scenarios of one horizontal wellbore drilled and two horizontal wellbores planned in Jurassic carbonate reservoirs of West Kuwait. The main objective of the analysis was to investigate the stability of these horizontal wellbores under multiple drawdown conditions and different reservoir depletion scenarios in order to select a suitable completion strategy which guarantees borehole stability during the productive life of the reservoirs.
The stability study includes the mechanical property characterization of the formations and the in-situ stress tensor description of the oil field. The static mechanical properties were obtained from the log responses and petrophysical analysis of several wells around the field by using a micromechanical approach. This approach is based on a constitutive model describing the microscopic processes occurring in a rock sample during tri-axial loading. A postprocessing analytical program for borehole-wall failure prediction and in-situ stress estimation/calibration was used in the open-hole stability analysis. The open-hole stability analysis consisted of predicting the shear failure zone around the borehole wall under production scenarios. When the shear failure zone covers the full extent of the borehole wall, the risk of borehole collapse becomes imminent. Therefore, the maximum drawdown which maintains borehole stability was obtained for each horizontal wellbore as a function of reservoir pressure depletion.
The open-hole stability analyses were also done with multiple compressive strength degradation scenarios in order to address the effect of grain-cement disintegration after acid stimulations. The results of these analyses were found to be useful in evaluating and deciding optimal well completion (open-hole, cased and cemented or slotted/expandable liners) for these wells.
Permeability Modeling Using Neural-Network Approach for Complex Mauddud-Burgan Carbonate Reservoir
Authors: Al-Bazzaz W. H. , Al-Mehanna Y. W. , Gupta A. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
This paper reports a comprehensive study towards quantitative characterization of the permeability distribution in complex Mauddud-Burgan reservoir in Kuwait. The main objective in this study is to develop a generalized strategy for data-mining a large data-set of rock measurements. This study utilizes measurements of petrophysical and grain/ pore morphology properties in order to correlate permeability. Data-set contain measurements obtained from different length scales, ranging from SEM to wire-line log scale.
Characterizing the permeability for the Mauddud-Burgan reservoir is a challenge because of the complexity of this reservoir. The process is dependant on the type of data available for the reservoir. This study strives toward comprehensive data mining to understand the permeability of this complex reservoir.
A Multiple-Layer Feed Forward, MLFF, with back propagation neural network is developed to calculate the permeability at each desired vertical depth in the reservoir. This tool can assist in determining permeability at any vertical depth of the reservoir, within the boundaries of the reservoir model. Knowledge of other petrophysical properties, such as, porosity, pore type, and pore size distribution, as available, are integrated to estimate the permeability.
Improved Oil Recovery by Application of Ultrasound Waves to Waterflooding
Authors: Amro M. M. , Al-Mobarky M. A. , Al-Homadhi E. S. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
In oil reservoirs about 60% of the original oil in place remains as residual oil after primary and secondary oil recovery because of geological and physical factors. By means of improved oil recovery methods, additional oil can be mobilized. However, there is no universal IOR method to be implemented in any reservoir. Therefore, efforts are made to develop alternative tertiary methods with lower application risk. One of these alternatives is the application of sound/ultrasound waves in the reservoirs to overcome the interfacial tension between oil and water, resulted in reduction of capillary pressure in the pores.
In this study, laboratory experiments on core samples were conducted to investigate the effectivity of ultrasound waves on mobilizing additional oil. The core flooding was performed horizontally and vertically and the wave stimulation was applied at original oil in place and at residual oil saturation after initial waterflooding. Oil/water relative permeability were calculated to evaluate the flooding performance in presence and absence of wave stimulation and the rate of oil recovery was determined. In addition, water fractional flow curves were considered to determine the average water saturation after breakthrough in presence and absence of ultrasound waves. Moreover, the effect of wave stimulation on unconsolidated core samples was investigated.
Results show that the rate of oil displacement increases due to various identified mechanisms, and the interaction of the generated waves with the fluids in porous media causes changes in relative permeability and in water breakthrough. Wave stimulation at residual oil saturation lead to higher oil recovery than that at original oil in place and therefore, this method is advised to be used in depleted reservoirs. Moreover, wave stimulation on core sample with a compressive strength less than 150 psi (unconsolidated) is not recommended due to sand production.
Multiphysics and Multiscale Methods for Modeling Fluid Flow Through Naturally Fractured Vuggy Carbonate Reservoirs
Authors: Popov Peter , Bi Linfeng , Efendiev Yalchin , Ewing Richard E. , Qin Guan , Li Jianglong , Ren Yulin 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
We present a novel approach for flow simulations through naturally-fractured vuggy carbonate reservoirs. This approach generalizes upscaling methods which have been successfully used to perform reservoir simulations on geological (fine) scales. Typically, vugular porous media is described using both Stokes and Darcy's equations at the fine-scale. We propose the use of simplified model based on Stokes-Brinkman equations. Stokes and Darcy equations can be obtained from these equations by appropriate choice of parameters. Moreover, in the presence of damaged zones between vugular regions and Darcy regions, Stokes-Brinkman equations allow a seamless transition.
The upscaling of fine-scale equations is addressed within homogenization theory. Appropriate local problems are solved to compute the effective permeabilities, which are further used for the simulations on the field scale. We present numerical results for homogeneous and heterogeneous background permeability fields. Our results show that the coarse-scale permeability field is greatly affected when the background permeability is heterogeneous. This is due to the fact that the high flow channels connecting some of the vugs significantly alter the upscaled permeability. We compare the coarse-scale pressure obtained from upscaled equations with the averaged fine-scale pressure. The results are in agreement which indicates that the upscaled models are accurate for practical purposes.
Improving Injector Efficiencies Using Streamline Simulation: A Case Study in a Giant Middle East Field
Authors: Ghori S. G. , Jilani S. Z. , Al-Huthali A. H. , Krinis D. , Kumar A. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
Improving and quantifying injector efficiency is a major aspiration in waterflooding operations. Streamline simulation (SL) has a unique advantage over finite-difference simulation because of its ability to quantify the relationships between injectors and producers and to visualize fluid flow patterns.
In this study, streamline simulation was applied to a giant Middle East field to optimize and set injection targets. The objectives were to: (a) formulate an optimization methodology to enhance the overall field injection efficiency and generate injection rates using streamline simulation and (b) constrain the optimization procedure to realistic field conditions to ensure direct field implementation. The ultimate goal is to employ this methodology for routine reservoir management purposes to enhance pressure support and maximize sweep efficiency.
The optimization of injection efficiency is based on increasing the injection rates in efficient injectors and decreasing them by the same amount in inefficient injectors within predefined segments of the field. The boundaries of these segments were established from streamline patterns. It was observed that each segment could be dealt with separately, since each segment was quite independent in terms of injection-production patterns.
With streamline simulation, we were able to generate a workflow that identifies a) distribution of injected water to associated producers, b) water loss to the aquifer, c) percentage of oil produced due to each supporting injector, and d) amount of watercut attributable to each supporting injector. With the proposed methodology the injector efficiencies were increased from 5%-15%, whereas the overall efficiency of each segment was increased by 5%-7%. Considering the size of the giant field, this increase in injector efficiency was significant in the incremental oil recovery. Field examples are presented that show the proposed methodology is beneficial in increasing the overall efficiency, determining monthly injection targets, improving field oil production, and reducing water production.
Drilling Tests of an Active Vibration Damper
Authors: Cobern Martin E. , Perry Carl A. , Barbely Jason A. , Burgess Daniel E. , Wassell Mark E. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
Drillstring vibration is a serious problem, particularly in deep and hard rock drilling; it can reduce the rate of penetration (ROP), shorten bit life, and damage expensive downhole components. Testing of an active drilling vibration damper (AVD) system at TerraTek Laboratory, under conditions designed to induce vibration, demonstrated that the use of the AVD reduced vibration, maintained more consistent weight-on-bit (WOB) and increased ROP.
The AVD has a structure similar to that of a shock sub with the shock absorber filled with magnetorheological fluid (MRF), rather than hydraulic oil. Under the influence of a magnetic field, MRF instantaneously increases its viscosity. Using a series of coils to induce intense electromagnetic fields across the fluid gap, the damping coefficient can be changed in milliseconds by a factor of 7-10. A linear motion detector provides feedback to control the AVD in response to bit motion.1
In these tests, the AVD was used behind a tricone bit to drill through blocks of hard concrete, each of which had a 12" granite slab mounted within it at a 10° angle. By inducing an asymmetric load on the bit, the interfaces produced severe vibration during drilling the control holes. A total of 28 holes were drilled, including 11 control holes, at varying WOB and rotation rates.
Analysis of the data confirmed the anecdotal observations made during drilling. The vibrations at the bit were reduced significantly; the variation of the measured WOB was significantly curtailed, and the ROP was increased. These tests demonstrated that the AVD is likely to provide significant time and cost savings, particularly in deep wells. These will arise, not only from the increased instantaneous ROP, but also from fewer trips for bit or equipment changes, and lower costs for replacing damaged MWD tools, motors or other expensive components.
Are Swelling-Elastomer Technology, Preperforated Liner; and Intelligent-Well Technology Suitable Alternatives to Conventional Completion Architecture?
Authors: Hertfelder Gary P. , Koerner Kurt , Wilkins Allen , Izquierdo Lilian 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
An independent operator in offshore California has integrated swelling elastomer technology and preperforated liners with triple-zone intelligent well completions for an extended-reach drilling (ERD) campaign in their Rocky Point field. To date, three deployments have been successfully installed in this field, and each has provided successful zonal isolation without conventional cementing and perforating methods.
The Rocky Point reservoir is highly fractured and can rapidly initiate water production, dependent upon both wellbore orientation and fracture network connectivity. Achieving successful zonal isolation is critical to minimize early water production. The arduous task of attaining successful liner cementing practices in high departure and high-angle wells is circumvented by the use of swelling elastomer technology. Additionally, incorporating intelligent well equipment reduces the need for intervention to manage water production because it inherently controls and manages flow rates in each completion interval.
Safety in operational strategies is paramount to this operator. Use of remotely operated downhole valves enhances safety by eliminating the hazards typically associated with conventional well intervention operations, such as tubing-conveyed perforating and coiled-tubing equipment. Additionally, these downhole flow control valves and monitoring equipment minimize the need for platform personnel to expose themselves to high-pressure wellhead components when making adjustments for well optimization.
This paper focuses on the operator's innovative use of advanced completion technologies to lower developmental cost and optimize production rates. Also discussed is the safety provided by the intelligent-well completion systems, which were installed without incident. The three field deployments using swelling elastomer, preperforated liner, and intelligent completion technologies will be discussed along with the initial design, installation objectives, safety attributes, field installation, and performance results. The challenges to deploy these technologies in a highly fractured and highly faulted, complex reservoir will also be presented.