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Cavity-Like
Completion in GOM Weak Sands Field
In a DOE-supported effort the Global Petroleum Research
Institute (GPRI) at Texas A&M University reports success in
demonstrating a cavity-like completion in the Mustang Island
Field. Mustang Island Block 787 was making 0.5 to 1 Mmcf per
day before cavity completion. After cavity completion the
Block made about 5 Mmcfd with occasional trace sand that the
platform could deal with. During the completion about 10 bbl
of sand was produced before production stabilized. Incremental
revenue was approximately $12,800 per day at a cost of $5,700
per day, or about $7,000 per day profit during trial testing.
The test well flowed at 4.5 Mmcfd for nearly six months before
watering out.
There are a number of factors that control cavitation. Natural
conditions include: shear and tensile strengths, stress-strain
characteristics, in particular, the degree of brittleness,
energy dissipation after the peak stress, formation particle
size, shape and distribution. The effective stress state,
particularly elevated water cut (in water-wet reservoirs),
absolute and relative permeability, stratigraphy of the pay
zones and over-/ under-burden and vertical and areal
heterogeneity all must be understood. And the list goes
on—although not easy to apply, the demonstration project
indicates significant upside can exist in weak sands for
cavity completion.
Contact DOE's Gary Walker (Gary.Walker@netl.doe.gov)
or GPRI's Dave Burnett (burnett
@spindletop.tamu.edu)
for further information about this test.
Three-Part Series
on Unconventional
Gas in Gas TIPS
Through the last year the Gas TIPS newsletter has published a
three-part series discussing unconventional gas and the
involved technologies. Now that the series has been completed,
readers are encouraged to review the articles to solidify
knowledge and insights from looking at individual articles.
Tight Gas Sands Development, How to
Dramatically Improve Recovery Efficiency (Part 1, Winter 2004).
Vello Kuuskraa with Advanced Resources International outlines
a suite of technologies necessary for optimizing production
and recovery from tight sands. These include natural |
fracture identification, well logging, multi-zone completion
and well testing and analysis. Increasing recovery through
drilling on tighter spacing is also covered.
Optimization of Infill Drilling in
Naturally-Fractured Low-Permeability Gas Sandstone Reservoirs
(Part 2, Spring 2004). Lawrence Teufel with New Mexico
Institute of Mining and Technology discusses the importance of
natural fractures and their associated anisotropy to infill
drilling optimization in the San Juan Basin.
Unconventional Gas, Reserve
Opportunities and Technology Needs (Part 3, Fall 2004).
This final series contains a good discussion of current and needed
technology development in key areas—natural fracture
identification, well logging, multi-zone completion, and well
testing and analysis.
Gas TIPS magazine is available online through DOE National
Energy Technology Laboratory (www.netl.doe.gov/scngo/
Reference%20Shelf/GasTIPS/
GasTIPS.html).
DOE
Project Winners Noted In Multiple Announcements
On December 8 DOE
announced 35 new cost-shared R&D projects with total award value
of more than $39 million. There is strong university support with
nearly ¾ of the awards going to universities (includes geological
surveys). Thirteen universities in eight states are represented.
Note that both university and industry awards may involve
additional partners from either academia or industry. The projects
extend from two to five years, and will be managed by DOE's
National Energy Technology Laboratory.
Awards covered by this announcement were made in four research
areas, including:
-
Drilling
technology for high-speed downhole motors, two projects both
with industry.
-
Advanced
diagnostics and imaging technology, 13 projects all but one with
universities. Five projects will develop technologies to
increase the accuracy and resolution of subsurface imaging.
Three will conduct regional studies and basin analysis. The
remaining five will
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develop methods to better characterize and manage oil
reservoirs.
-
Advanced reservoir efficiency processes, 14 projects with
all but one with universities.
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Delivery reliability for natural gas, six projects with all
but one with industry.
The following day, December 9,
DOE announced six gas-related research awards. Winners include
3DGeo Development, Inc., Paulsson Geophysical Services, Inc.,
RDSP I, L.P., Technology International Inc., and the
University of Texas at Austin.
Earlier in October DOE had
announced research projects in Michigan and New Mexico with
projects being awarded to Michigan Technological University,
Western Michigan University, New Mexico Institute of Mining
and Technology (3 awards) and Correlations Company.
Review DOE's Tech Lines (www.netl.doe.gov/publications/
press/press_toc.html)
for more complete information on each project.
New O&G
Fields
Map of Utah
Through a DOE-supported project the Utah Geological Survey has
developed a new O&G fields map of Utah. The map outlines key
geologic/physiographic features. It shows much more than
location, including geologic age, resource, reservoir and rock
formations, major O&G pipelines and enhanced oil recovery
projects (horizontal drilling, waterfloods and gas injection).
For pipelines it shows pipe diameter, direction of flow and
current operators. Natural gas processing plants and oil
refineries, daily capacities and operators are also shown.
An article in DOE's Class Act newsletter (www.netl.doe.gov/
scngo/Petroleum/publications/
newsletters/ca/CAAug2004.pdf)
provides more detail. The map (M-203DM) is available from
the Utah Geological Survey (www.ugs.state.ut.us/
bookstore/ugs/newpubs/
newmaps.htm).
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DOE
Digest