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Project Number 307
Date of Summary August 16, 2006
Subject Optimization of Horizontal Well Completion
Performing Activity University of Tulsa
Principal Investigator Erdal Ozkan, Cem Sarica, Mohan Kelkar
Contracting Agency Minerals Management Service
Completion December 2000
Description

The main objectives of this project were to develop completion guidelines to optimize horizontal well completions.

In a horizontal well, depending on the completion method, fluid may enter the wellbore at various locations along the well length. The pressure distribution in a horizontal well can influence the well completion and well profile design, and have an impact on the production behavior of the well. Pressure-drop versus flow behavior along the well and the relationship between the pressure-drop along the well and the influx from the reservoir were studied.
Progress The researchers completed wellbore hydraulics studies and developed new friction factor correlations for slotted liners and perforated pipes.  It was shown that the use of conventional friction factors for horizontal well flow introduced significant errors in well performance prediction. New completion guidelines were developed for perforated wells. The final project meeting was held in February 2000. 

Reports
AA (10 pages) File in Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF) . Optimization of Horizontal Well Completion, Joint Industry Project Newsletter, The University of Tulsa, Department of Petroleum Engineering, October 7, 1998.
AB (64 pages) File in Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF) . Optimization of Horizontal Well Completion, notes from Annual Advisory Board Meeting, The University of Tulsa, Petroleum Engineering Department, January 29, 1999.
AC (84 pages) File in Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF) . Weipeng Jiang, Investigation of the Effects of Completion Geometries Upon Single Phase Liquid Flow Behavior in Horizontal Wells, The University of Tulsa, 1999.
AD (21 pages) File in Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF) . Optimization of Horizontal Well Completion, Final Report, received February 2000.

 

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