JPT

 

Vol. 58 No. 9

September 2006

Wellbore Integrity, Sand Management, and Frac Pack

Gravel Packing Long Horizontal Wells With Low Fracture Gradients

Unconsolidated formations are commonly found in offshore reservoirs where long and ultralong horizontal wells are required to produce heavy oil economically. Gravel packing is an efficient and cost-effective sand-control practice for these high-permeability, large-porosity, low-fracture-gradient formations. Successful placement of the gravel-pack completion requires that these low-fracture-gradient wells not be fractured during gravel placement. A dynamic-pressure-management scheme is critical to maintain bottomhole pressures (BHPs) in the required range.

Synopsis of SPE 96396 (486KB)

This article, written by Assistant Technology Editor Karen Bybee, contains highlights of paper SPE 96396, "The Dynamic Bottomhole Pressure Management: A Necessity to Gravel Packing Long Horizontal Wells With Low Fracture Gradients," by Z. Chen, SPE, and R.J. Novotny, SPE, BJ Services Co., prepared for the 2005 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Dallas, 9-12 October.

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