Alba Field cased hole horizontal gravel pack -- A team approach to design

Conference · Sun Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:160651

Alexander, K; Winton, S; Price-Smith, C

A 700 ft. cased hole horizontal well was gravel packed and completed in the Alba Field, Central North Sea. The completion incorporated a number of new technologies adopted for a horizontal cased hole completion including both equipment and fluids. The zone was completed in 2 stages using a horizontal stack pack approach. Perforation packing was optimized by performing a staged acid prepack with the guns in the hole utilizing a low density synthetic gravel substitute in a shear thinning carrier fluid. This was a world first achievement at a cased hole gravel pack using the stack pack approach in a horizontal well. A solids free fluid loss control material was evaluated and chosen for the high permeability Alba sands (3 Darcy). Extensive lab testing was performed to ensure minimal damage from various fluids. A 30 ft. physical model was used to optimize annular pack efficiency. A gravel placement computer simulation was used to design pump rate, sand concentration and gel loading in order to optimize annular and perforation pack efficiency.

• OSTI ID: 160651
• Report Number(s): CONF-950501--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
COMPUTER CALCULATIONS
DIRECTIONAL DRILLING
INSTALLATION
NORTH SEA
OIL WELLS
PACKINGS
WELL COMPLETION