Challenge
The well of a major operator was unable to produce from the long horizontal sand screen section due to a build-up of mud and barite. An attempt to stimulate production with coiled tubing was not successful and the horizontal section was left idle for over 5 years after it was completed.
- Depth: 3,600 m MD (11,800 ft)
- Temperature: 107 °C (225 °F)
- Sour Conditions (>50% CO2; >10ppm H2S)
- Mud-filled HZ section (based on PLT)
Solution
Improve connectivity to the reservoir by clearing out blockages using electro-hydraulic stimulation technology.
- Pre-job PLT was run and confirmed that the long horizontal section was filled with heavy well fluid (potentially drilling mud & barite settling).
- Stimulation carried out with slim-hole through-tubing BLUESPARK® tool over 3 runs via electric-wireline tractor.
- Only 10% of the total screen section was treated.
- Job completed in 3 days (versus up to 2 weeks for coiled tubing).
Outcome
- BLUESPARK® stimulation was successful in treating the sand screen section, remediating the wellbore damage created during the drilling and completion of the well.
- BLUESPARK® stimulation was successful in spite of the heavy well fluid (1.6g/cc as measured by pre-job PLT) that was encountered.
- BLUESPARK® saved operator more than USD 1M versus another coiled tubing stimulation job.
- Production for the HZ well section went from approx. 300 bopd to 900 bopd (average during 3 weeks of post treatment testing).