Coiled Tubing Technology

Coordinating a coiled-tubing intervention campaign

Planning and executing multi-well acid stimulations produced a high success rate across Asia-Pacific.

Nasser Al-Araimi,Brunei Shell Petroleum Co. Sdn Bhd and Liang Jin, Shell International E&P, Asia Pacific

Stimulating existing and new producing oil and gas wells is one way to maximize production without building extra facilities and drilling new wells. In late 2003, Brunei Shell Petroleum (BSP) introduced a synergized stimulation process to benefit each asset in the Asia-Pacific region. Acid stimulation in this region has not been very active compared to other areas. The cause of the relatively low stimulation activity varies, but includes:

•Different success rates
•Fewer non-stimulated wells as candidates
•Operational difficulties
•Cost
•Weather
•Contractual limitations.

In early 2004, a stimulation campaign initiative began. The company hoped that under a new business structure, some coordination across the region would overcome some of the difficulties listed, and benefit each operational unit and asset.

STIMULATION CAMPAIGN

A stimulation campaign was initiated by experts from Shell’s Technical Center, who visited BSP. They conducted a general introduction to reservoir impairment causes and damage mechanisms in high permeability, loosely-consolidated sandstone formations. This was followed by discussions resolving technical and operational stimulation issues.

To empower local and regional engineers, they introduced a Shell Group standard design and job analysis tool—Stim2001. This software is a matrix stimulation tool that allows the users to store well completion, reservoir properties, production, formation fluid and mineralogy data, to diagnose impairment and to select the treatment fluid system, diversion, and pumping procedures.