An Overview of More than One-Hundred-Twenty Horizontal Gravel Packing Operations In Campos Basin

摘要

This paper presents the lessons learned by Petrobras afterrnperforming a total of 124 horizontal open hole gravel-packingrnoperations in Campos Basin. The authors intend to describernhow the industry-provided standard gravel packing proceduresrnhad to be continuously improved and/or adapted to meetrnCampos basin requirements, such as: -low fracture gradients, -rnlong intervals to be packed, -pumping jobs performed fromrnfloating rigs and -the need to sustain high production levels –rnor high injection rates - to justify the huge amount ofrninvestments associated to ultra-deepwater productionrnenterprises. It is also described the main technologyrninnovations that were incorporated to our completion projectsrnin the last few years. Among these innovations one can find: -rnmodified standard tools to reduce pumping pressures, -rnexternal casing packers, -inflatable straddle packer to divertrnpost-gravel treatments, -pressure reducer valves, - - flowline´srnflow meter and shunt tubes. Formation damage in gravelrnpacking operations is addressed on a comprehensive basis,rnencompassing the following items: -drill-in fluid rheologicalrnspecifications, - pre-job wellbore cleanup procedures, -rnoptimizing drill-in-fluids mud cake removal, -job design andrnexecution, gravel carrier fluids filtration requirements, -postjobrnremedial treatments and diversion techniques as well.