Completing & Producing A Well

1

The Well is Drilled - Now What?

Logs A systematic recording of data

Driller’s log, mud log, electrical log, radioactivity log Cased hole vs open hole Exact zone depths are determined using logs

Wellhead Installation and Integrity Testing

Completion Design and Scheduling

Why Complete a Well? Tight reservoir rock with low permeability must be stimulated to

provide economic recovery

2

Completion Techniques

Perforating (Perfs) A perforating gun fires shaped charges through the casing and

cement into the formation allowing fluids to be pumped into/out of the reservoir

Hydraulic Fracturing (Frac Job) Water, polymers, and “proppants” are mixed to make frac gel The gel is then pumped into the formation under high enough

pressure to break or fracture the rock

Acidizing (Acid Job) Acid is pumped into the formation and chemically reacts to

dissolve the rock The dissolved rock and “spent acid” are washed back to surface

3

Artificial Lift

Natural Flow vs Artificial Lift Reservoir pressure is key to determining how a well will flow In cases where wells cannot flow naturally, artificial lift may be used

Pumping Units (West Texas!) Rods are run the length of the tubing with a pump on the end As the surface unit moves up and down, valves down hole open and

close providing a lift mechanism for the formation fluid Others

Electronic Submersible Pumps (ESPs), Plunger Lift, Gas Lift

Enhanced Recovery (common in Permian Basin but not Concho) CO2 Flood Waterflood

4

Artificial Lift

5

Artificial Lift

6

Workovers

Common Well Problems Holes in tubing/casing Rod parts Worn pumps Paraffin Weather

Abandonment (PA’d / TA’d)

7

From the Wellhead

8

Wellhead

Tank Battery Meter

Refinery

Water GasOil

Disposal Station

Separating Systems

Gas Plant

Tank Battery

Truck/Pipeline Pipeline

Role of Field Personnel

Lease Operators (Pumpers) Handle daily field maintenance and ensure wells are producing Manually record production (used in regulatory and revenue)

Artificial Lift Techs Optimize pumping unit performance/shoot down hole fluid levels

Foremen Serve as field managers and as a liaison with office personnel

Field Engineers Design and implement technical procedures/equipment Monitor field performance and minimize costs

Consultants Supervise work crews and provide experience driven expertise

9

Questions??

10