Next Generation Expandable Completion Systems

摘要

This paper documents an 18-month expandable technologyresearch and development effort that has culminated in asystem that enables a new approach to reservoir architecture.The drive for maximum well productivity compels oil andgas companies to consider openhole completion strategies.However, historical uptake has been impeded by inability toachieve effective zonal isolation. The Expandable ReservoirCompletion [ERC] combines slotted and solid expandabletechnology and features a return to conventional unexpandedpremium connections to deliver a freely configurable reservoircompletion architecture, offering a combination of openholeproduction performance and cased hole functionality.Fundamental to the new Expandable Reservoir Completionis a unique, selective rotary compliant expansion technique,which is used to clad the formation wall with expandablescreens, slotted liner or solid tubulars with sealing units. Thistechnique facilitates unparalleled flexibility in reservoir designby allowing sections of conventional casing to remainunexpanded between zones. This enables integration withconventional flow control and intelligent completionequipment, ultimately permitting selective isolation &production control.This paper outlines detailed test data generated by thedevelopment program, which included three downhole fieldtrial installations. In addition to this, information from thefirst global commercial installations will be presented, frompre-job planning through to post installation performancereview.The Expandable Reservoir Completion builds uponexisting expandable sand screen and solid expandabletechnologies to deliver a combination of productivity andfunctionality previously unavailable to the petroleum industry.