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Masters Theses Student Theses and Dissertations

Spring 2018

Monobore completion design: Classification,

applications, benefits and limitations
Anwar Khaled AL-Fadhli

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MONOBORE COMPLETION DESIGN: CLASSIFICATION, APPLICATIONS,

BENEFITS AND LIMITATIONS

by

ANWAR KHALED AL-FADHLI

A THESIS

Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of the

MISSOURI UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN PETROLEUM ENGINEERING

2018

Approved by

Dr. Shari Dunn-Norman, Advisor

Dr. Ralph Flori

Dr. Abdulmohsin Imqam

 2018

ANWAR KHALED AL-FADHLI

All Rights Reserved

 3
ABSTRACT

A monobore completion is a simple completion design that uses the same internal

diameter from the bottom of the well to surface. This may be accomplished by

cementing a string of casing in a well, or by having tubing stabbed into a polished bore

receptacle on a casing liner the same size as the tubing. Monobore completions have been

applied extensively in oil and gas fields around the world, both onshore and offshore,

from very low reservoir flow to extremely high production rates, since the late 1980s.

They have proven beneficial due to their simplicity and cost savings. This study

summarizes an extensive literature review of monobore completions and categorizes the

monobore completions as slimhole, big bore or special function applications.

This study also evaluates the well inflow impact of the 4 1/2-in. openhole

multistage sleeve monobore completion employed in the North Kuwait Jurassic Gas field

for HPHT wells compared to the previous completion using 3 1/2-in. tubing and 5 1/2-in.

liners. The inflow evaluation was made for both volatile oil and gas condensate fluids

found in this reservoir. Reservoir depletion was modeled to determine flowing life for

the conventional completion versus the monobore design.

The results of the modeling indicate production rate for the volatile oil case is the

same in both completion designs, conventional and monobore, while in the gas

condensate case the production rate is slightly higher for the monobore completion. As

the monobore completion is larger, it reaches an unstable flow condition more quickly

than the conventional design. However the multistage completion methodology allows all

zones to be stimulated and contribute to flow, and can be equipped with a velocity string

to sustain flow.
 4
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would first like to thank my advisor, Dr. Shari Dunn-Norman, for accepting me

as her graduate student, for giving me her valuable time, and for her usual

encouragement. It’s really an honor for me to work with her. I extend my deepest

appreciations to my committee members, Dr. Ralph Flori and Dr. Abdulmohsin Imqam,

for their support, assistance, and encouragement.

I would like to thank my sponsor, Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC), for the

financial support, also my acknowledgments for Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) for giving

me this opportunity especially Mr. Ayad Al-Kandari (Vice President of Operations,

KUFPEC) and Mr. Saud Al-Foudari (Manager Deep Drilling Group, KOC). My sincere

thanks to my colleagues, Mrs. Mona Al-Kandari (Snr. Drilling Engineer,KOC) and Mr.

Esmael Ashknani (Snr. Geologist, KOC), for their support.

My particular gratitude and acknowledgments for my husband Fahad AL-Khaledi,

and my kids, Hadeel, Abdullah, and Danah, for their support, encouragements, and

patience.

Finally, I would like to thank my parents and my siblings for their continued

support and encouragement, and for their patience while I’m away from home.
 5
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

ABSTRACT....................................................................................................................... iii

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................. iv

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ........................................................................................... viii

LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................. xi

NOMENCLATURE ......................................................................................................... xii

SECTION

1. INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................... 1

2. MONOBORE COMPLETION ................................................................................ 10

2.1. CONVENTIONAL COMPLETION TO MONOBORE

COMPLETION DESIGN............................................................................... 10

2.2. MAJOR CLASSIFICATIONS OF MONOBORE COMPLETION ................ 23

2.2.1. Slim-Hole Monobore Completion.......................................................... 23

2.2.2. Big-Hole Monobore Completion............................................................ 25

2.3. DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATIONS IN MONOBORE

COMPLETION ................................................................................................ 27

2.3.1. Openhole Multistage Completion (OHMS). .......................................... 27

2.3.2. Monobore in Heavy-Oil Shallow Reservoirs. ........................................ 32

 6
2.3.3. Cemented Casing Monobore. ................................................................. 33

2.3.4. Artificial Lift in Monobore Completion................................................. 36

3. LITERATURE REVIEW......................................................................................... 39

3.1. SLIM-HOLE MONOBORE COMPLETION DESIGN................................... 39

3.2. BIG-HOLE MONOBORE COMPLETION DESIGN ..................................... 41

3.3. DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATIONS IN MONOBORE

COMPLETION ................................................................................................ 41

4. EVALUATION OF INFLOW CAPABILITY OF MONOBORE

COMPLETION IN KUWAIT HPHT JURASSIC GAS RESERVOIR................... 48

4.1. GEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND ................................................................... 49

4.2. RESERVOIR DATA AND FLUID PROPERTIES ......................................... 50

4.3. GAS PRODUCTION IN NORTH KUWAIT .................................................. 53

4.4. COMPLETION DESIGN ................................................................................. 54

4.4.1. Conventional Design. ............................................................................. 55

4.4.2. Monobore Design. .................................................................................. 55

4.5. STIMULATION ............................................................................................... 56

5. INFLOW PRODUCTION MODELING OF MONOBORE

COMPLETION IN KUWAIT HPHT JURASSIC GAS RESERVOIR................... 58

5.1. PROSPER WORKFLOW ................................................................................ 58

5.1.1. Fluid Description Method. ..................................................................... 60

 vii
5.1.2. PVT Data. ............................................................................................... 61

5.1.3. IPR and the Reservoir Data. ................................................................... 62

5.1.4. Equipment Data. ..................................................................................... 64

5.2. ANALYSIS SUMMARY ................................................................................. 65

6. STUDY RESULTS .................................................................................................. 66

6.1. RESULT OF THE MONOBORE HISTORICAL OVERVIEW ..................... 66

6.2. RESULT OF THE INFLOW CAPABILITY ................................................... 66

6.2.1. Result of Monobore Completion in Volatile Oil Reservoir

in Kuwait................................................................................................ 66

6.2.2. Result of Monobore Completion in Gas Condensate Reservoir

in Kuwait................................................................................................ 70

7. DISCUSSION .......................................................................................................... 74

8. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS....................................................................... 76

9. FUTURE WORK ..................................................................................................... 78

BIBLIOGRAPHY............................................................................................................. 79

VITA ................................................................................................................................. 86
 88
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Page

Figure 1.1. Data sources for completion design. ................................................................ 2

Figure 1.2. Economic influence of completions. ................................................................ 3

Figure 1.3. Example casing designs for (a) normally pressured wells and (b)
abnormally high pressured wells. ..................................................................... 4

Figure 1.4. Reservoir completion alternatives. ................................................................... 6

Figure 1.5. Common upper completion configurations. ..................................................... 7

Figure 1.6. Sleeve type horizontal multistage hydraulic fracture well

completion.. ...................................................................................................... 8

Figure 1.7. Comparison between conventional vertical single completion

and a monobore completion. ............................................................................ 9

Figure 2.1. Conventional completion (a) vs. monobore completion (b)........................... 12

Figure 2.2. The improvement of the casing design in Gulfaks field................................. 15

Figure 2.3. Conventional completion design in Ststfjord field. ........................................ 16

Figure 2.4. Monobore completion design in Ststfjord field.............................................. 17

Figure 2.5. Conventional completion design in South Australia field.............................. 19

Figure 2.6. Monobore completion design in South Australia field................................... 19

Figure 2.7. Well design improvement in the Gulf of Thailand......................................... 20

Figure 2.8. The operational improvements and the well construction

period and cost in the Gulf of Thailand (1980-2004)..................................... 20

Figure 2.9. Typical 3 ½-in. monobore completion. .......................................................... 22

Figure 2.10. 5 ½-in. x 5 in. conventional completion. ...................................................... 28

Figure 2.11. 7in. monobore............................................................................................... 29

Figure 2.12. 9 5/8-in. x 7 5/8-in. x 7 in. big monobore..................................................... 30

Figure 2.13. Openhole multistage completion. ................................................................. 31

 9
Figure 2.14. Principle of the cemented stage tool in an openhole
multistage completion. ................................................................................. 32

Figure 2.15. Completion types. ......................................................................................... 37

Figure 4.1. North Kuwait Jurassic fields. ......................................................................... 50

Figure 4.2. Summary of the Jurassic Gas reservoirs......................................................... 51

Figure 4.3. Middle Marrat Type Log. ............................................................................... 52

Figure 4.4. Volatile oil wells in RA and SA fields. .......................................................... 54

Figure 4.5. 4 ½-in. monobore completion schematic. ...................................................... 56

Figure 4.6. Completion designs in North Kuwait Jurassic gas reservoir. ......................... 57

Figure 5.1. Work Flowchart using PROSPER.................................................................. 60

Figure 5.2. Volatile Oil phase envelope............................................................................ 63

Figure 5.3. Gas Condensate phase envelope..................................................................... 63

Figure 6.1. IPR plot for well W-A. ................................................................................... 67

Figure 6.2. IPR vs. VLP for well W-A at the original completion design........................ 67

Figure 6.3. Reservoir pressure sensitivity for the well W-A at the original
completion design........................................................................................... 68

Figure 6.4. IPR vs. VLP for well W-A at the Monobore completion design. .................. 68

Figure 6.5. Reservoir pressure sensitivity for the well W-A at the Monobore
completion design........................................................................................... 69

Figure 6.6. IPR vs. VLP plot for using the two variables for well W-A. ......................... 69

Figure 6.7. IPR plot for well W-B. ................................................................................... 70

Figure 6.8. IPR vs. VLP for well W-B at the original completion design. ....................... 71

Figure 6.9. Reservoir pressure sensitivity for the well W-B at the original
completion design........................................................................................... 71
 1
0
Figure 6.10. IPR vs. VLP for well W-B at the monobore completion design. ................. 72

Figure 6.11. Reservoir pressure sensitivity for the well W-B at the Monobore
completion design......................................................................................... 72

Figure 6.12. IPR vs. VLP plot for using the two variables for well W-B......................... 73
 1
1
LIST OF TABLES

Page

Table 1.1. Economic example of completion design decision............................................ 5

Table 2.1. Differences in steps taken while converting from

conventional slotted liner to new monobore completion by Chevron. ............ 34

Table 2.2. Advantages and disadvantages of monobore completion. ............................... 38

Table 3.1. Published papers in slim-hole monobore completion...................................... 40

Table 3.2. Published papers in big-hole monobore completion........................................ 42

Table 3.3. Published papers in development of monobore completion. ........................... 43

Table 5.1. Reservoir data for wells W-A and W-B........................................................... 64

Table 7.1. Summary of the results. ................................................................................... 74

Table 7.2. Result of sensitivity study of reservoir pressure for well

W-A (volatile oil). ............................................................................................ 75

Table 7.3. Result of sensitivity study of reservoir pressure for well

W-B (Gas Condensate) .................................................................................... 75
 xii

NOMENCLATURE

Symbol Description

AOF Absolute Open Flow

BBL/d Barrel per day

BCPD Barrel Condensate per Day

BOPD Barrel Oil per Day

BTC Buttress Thread Casing Coupling

CNRF Contoured Non-Resilient Flapper

EOS Equation of State

GL Gas Lift

HCCV Hydrostatically Closed Circulating Valve

HPHT High pressure High Temperature

ID Internal Diameter

IPR Inflow Performance Relationship

KOC Kuwait Oil Company

LTC Long Thread Casing Coupling

MM Middle Marrat

MMSCF/d Million Standard Cubic Foot per day

NKJG North Kuwait Jurassic Gas

OD Outer Diameter

OHMS Open Hole Multi-Stage

PBR Polished Bore Receptacle

Pc Critical Pressure
 xiii

PVT Pressure Volume Temperature

R Ideal Gas Constant

SCSSV Surface Controlled Sub-Surface Safety Valve

SPM Side Pocket Mandrel

SSD Sliding Sleeve Door

Tc Critical Temperature

TRBP Tubing Retrievable Bridge Plug

TRSV Tubing Retrievable Safety Valve

VLP Vertical Lift Performance

 1. INTRODUCTION

Well completion design refers to all of the equipment, materials and processes

required to establish production (or injection) from a well after drilling, casing and

cementing conclude. Because the scope of well completions is so broad, one must be

knowledgeable in a wide range of subjects, such as completion equipment (including

setting and removal), tubing sizing, completion fluids, perforating, acidizing, hydraulic

fracturing, completion installation procedures, artificial lift, sand control, and workover

technology (wireline work and full tubing removal), plus the myriad of safety and

environmental issues related to these topics. The role of the completions engineer is to

understand these subjects thoroughly, and to develop a completion design which

optimizes production given any specific functional requirements (e.g. must use a

downhole safety valve offshore) and any design constraints (e.g. equipment availability).

Figure 1.1 depicts some of the sources of data used in well completion design.

Completions are the interface between the reservoir and surface production.

Whatever happens during a well completion greatly impacts the well’s ability to produce

and overall economics of a field development. For example, if perforations do not

extend beyond a well’s damage zone, then inflow is reduced. If a gravel pack operation

is performed poorly, the screen may ultimately fail, jeopardizing the well’s ability to

continue producing. These are only two examples of hundreds of completion activities

that can compromise the well’s flow immediately or years later.

While completion expenditures may be a relative small proportion of the total

capital costs in some fields (e.g. offshore), completions may have a disproportional effect
 2
on revenues and future operating costs. Some of the basic economic considerations are

shown in Figure 1.2

Figure 1.1. Data sources for completion design. (Bellarby 2009)

A well’s completion is normally planned in accordance with the drilling program.

The typical land well will have multiple casing strings, with either a full production

casing run to total depth, or a liner. The completion activities such as circulating,

perforating, stimulating are then conducted through the final casing/casing liner. Tubing

and completion equipment are set and the well is readied for production. Figure 1.3
 3
depicts two common drilling and tubing arrangements for (a) normally pressured and (b)

abnormally high pressure wells.

Figure 1.2. Economic influence of completions. (Bellarby 2009)

In a well completion, tubing size is determined according to a well’s inflow

potential. Wells with large flowrates of oil/gas require larger tubing sizes than wells with

low productivity. However, there is also a temporal aspect to sizing tubing, because

reservoir pressure decreases with time, thereby decreasing the reservoir’s flow potential

with time. In addition, more water may be produced with time, increasing overall fluid

density and requiring more pressure to produce fluids to the surface. As flow rate

decreases the initial tubing size may be too large for stable flow. Hence, a completion
 4
needn’t necessarily be designed to survive the field life. It may be optimum to design for

tubing replacements. An economic comparison is always necessary in determining

selecting completion alternatives.

Figure 1.3. Example casing designs for (a) normally pressured wells and (b) abnormally
high pressured wells. https://www.slideshare.net/akincraig/petroleum-
engineering-drilling-engineering-casing-design

Table 1.1. summarizes an economic comparison for three different field scenarios:

a land well, a well located on an offshore platform and a subsea well. The choice

illustrated is whether to spend an additional million dollars on a corrosion resistant

completion or to install a cheaper completion that is expected to be replaced in 10 years’

time. If the completion fails, a rig has to be sourced and a new completion installed; this

costs money and a delay in production. The time value of money reduces the impact of a
 5
cost in 10 years. In the case of the onshore well producing at lower rates where a

workover is cheaper, the workover cost is less than the upfront incremental cost of the

high-specification metallurgy. However, for the platform wells, and especially the subsea

well, the high cost of the workover places greater economic emphasis on upfront

reliability. (Bellarby, 2009). This type of analysis is conducted for completion design

alternatives.

Table 1.1. Economic example of completion design decision. (Bellarby, 2009)

Well completions can be described or categorized according to their location,

overall geometry, openhole vs cased hole, the need for sand control, the need for

stimulation (proppant or acid) or according to the number of zones completed. Figure 1.4

shows some of the options in the lower (reservoir) completion while Figure 1.5 shows

some upper completions methods. These two Figures depict only vertical wells.
 6

Figure 1.4. Reservoir completion alternatives. (Bellarby, 2009)

Most wells drilled for unconventional (shale) or tight reservoirs utilize horizontal

wells, with multistage hydraulic fracturing stages along the lateral portion of the well.

These wells utilize either perforated and cemented casing (plug-and-perf), openhole

liners with packers and balldrop sleeves (openhole sleeve systems) or cemented sleeve

systems. Figure 1.6 is a sleeve type horizontal multi-stage well completion.

Industry constantly strives to improve well drilling and workover operations,

develop new completion designs, and innovate equipment changes to enhance production

and reduce well cost. In the 1980s industry introduced the concept of a ‘monobore

completion’. These completions were developed to have a uniform internal diameter

 7
with no barriers or restrictions, so the well can be constructed with less time and material

cost, and potentially provide easier workover operations, resulting in more economical

production. Figure 1.7 depicts a general comparison between a conventional completion

and a monobore completion.

Figure 1.5. Common upper completion configurations. (Bellarby, 2009)

The use of monobore has become widespread across the industry in an attempt to

save on exploration and field development costs while maximizing production. The

literature contains numerous references to these completions. This work provides a

classification system for monobore completions, coupled with a historical review and

compilation of monobore case studies.

Recent applications of monobore completions include wells completed in the

North Kuwait Jurassic Gas field, which is a deep, high pressure high temperature (HPHT)
 8
reservoir, with tight carbonate layers of varying permeability. This monobore design also

combined multistage hydraulic fracturing stimulation methods in the completion design.

The design was developed by Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) and Shell Kuwait E&P.

Figure 1.6. Sleeve type horizontal multistage hydraulic fracture well completion. Image
credit Halliburton. https://info.drillinginfo.com/well-completion-well
stimulation/

In this work, well productivity software (PROSPER) has been used to model the

monobore well production with reservoir pressure decline, to investigate the impact of

the monobore compared to conventional completion design.

In this study there are two main objectives. The first objective is to perform a

literature review of the historical monobore completion design case studies and to

develop a classification system for these monobore completions. This review includes

summaries of the advantages and disadvantes of the monobore completions. This work is

intended to provide a comprehensive and progressive overview of monobore

 9
completions, to determine how these completions have been used over nearly the past

four decades. No such review of monobore completions exists.

The second objective is to investigate the well productivity impact of the

monobore completion used in North Kuwait’s Jurassic Gas compared to a conventional

completion with the same stimulation applied. This modeling work is intended to

demonstrate that for a HPHT gas condensate field, a monobore completion does not limit

the production capability of the well.

Figure 1.7. Comparison between conventional vertical single completion and a monobore
completion. http://www.drillingcontractor.org
 10
2. MONOBORE COMPLETION

Operational efficiency and cost-cutting have been the twin objectives that have

driven the oil industry. These often conflicting requirements have led to many

innovations encompassing almost every aspect of hydrocarbon exploration and

production. One such innovation is the monobore completion, which essentially consists

of a single internal diameter well from the top of the well to the very bottom, including

into the producing zone. The monobore was established by Shell UK Exploration and

Production incorporation with various service companies in 1987.

Monobore completions have proven beneficial in many ways, but also have

demonstrated limitations. Early implementation of monobore completions eliminated the

intermediate casing and replaced it with a single hole size from the reservoir to the

surface. This strategy had a high impact on the well cost by simplifying the well

construction and reducing the overall cycle time, thus reducing the cost by 15-30%.

This section reviews the characteristics of monobore completions, their

operational requirements, and where applicable, specific improvements over existing

completions. It also discusses a few appropriate case studies to determine potential

benefits and limitations of monobore completion technology.

2.1. CONVENTIONAL COMPLETION TO MONOBORE COMPLETION

DESIGN

This section introduces and describes several early examples of how existing well

completion designs were altered to become monobore completions. A number of

operators have switched from conventional to monobore completion or have

implemented innovative new designs in the monobore well drilling process, and these
 11
innovations have led to operational improvements as well as the discovery of new issues.

Some of the more important challenges facing oil producers and the necessary

operational conditions are discussed in this section.

At first, the operators were trying to optimize the completion design by reducing

the capital and operating expenditure for the new drilling wells without affecting the

operation and to produce economically. To achieve this purpose, the idea of monobore

completion design was developed by eliminating one casing (intermediate casing) and

installing a cemented production liner that is one size smaller and the same size as the

tubing to have an even internal diameter ID from the top of the well to the very bottom,

including into the producing zone (Figure 2.1). The key advantage is to have a clear

wellbore without any permanent restrictions such as restrictive nipples or locator seal

assemblies. Furthermore, the monobore design facilitates the workover operation and

well intervention because all the restrictions are removed and the work can be done

rigless through the existing production tubing without having to pull it in order to service

the producing intervals and increase the economical production, which would play an

instrumental role in reducing the cost.

In 1990, the completion optimization concept was applied in Gullfaks field in the

Norwegian sector of the North Sea to overcome the operational issues due to low

formation strength, rapid pore pressure build-up and shallow gas sand. Originally,

Gullfaks wells were completed with a 7 in. liner and 5 ½-in. tubing. Then, the completion

design went through continuous improvements to manage the reservoir and enhance the

production ending with the 7 in. monobore completion with a gravel pack option where 7

in. tubing connected to the top of the 7 in. liner, giving a smooth internal bore from the
 12
surface to the bottom including the pay zone. This completion design increased the

production, facilitated the workover operations through the tubing and allowed the lower

completion to be easily installed with snubbing units or coil tubing without needing the

rig, which would reduce the cost. In 1993-94, an alternative casing program for Gullfaks

field was created to achieve a more confident operational plan.

Figure 2.1. Conventional completion (a) vs. monobore completion (b). (Renpu, W. 2011)
 13
Figure 2.2 shows the improvement of the casing design, Figure 2.2a illustrates the

primary monobore completion design with the existence of the two intermediate casings,

and Figure 2.2b illustrates the monobore completion design after eliminating the 26 in.

casing. The three alternative casing designs are shown in Figure 2.2c, 2.2d and 2.2e.

In Alternative 1 (Figure 2.1c), the well was completed with a 7 in. monobore

completion. One intermediate casing was eliminated, and the other two intermediate

casing diameters were reduced. This design is optimal for wells with a small reservoir

thickness with initial or near initial pore pressure. Alternative 2 (Figure 2.2d) was

planned to complete the well as a 7 in. monobore completion with a 7 in. liner in the first

reservoir section, and a 5 in. liner in the second reservoir section. One intermediate

casing was eliminated, and the other two intermediate casing diameters were reduced.

This design is useful for wells with long reservoir sections and reservoirs of different

degrees of depletion. In Alternative 3 (Figure 2.2e), the wells were planned to be

completed with a 5 in. monobore completion. One intermediate casing was eliminated,

and the other two intermediate casing diameters were reduced. As the second alternative,

this design is suitable for wells with long reservoir sections and reservoirs of different

degrees of depletion. The main limitations of the 5 in. monobore completion are the

restrictions on the rates of injection and production.

The Statfjord field, which is located in the North Sea on the boundary between the

United Kingdom and the Norwegian sector, is another example where the operators

optimized the completion design gradually until they approved the monobore completion

design in late 1980s as the most beneficial completion design.

 14
The original completion design was 32 ppf, 7 in. L80 carbon steel production

tubing with a 5 ½-in. restricted tail pipe run into the liner as shown in Figure 2.3. A 9 5/8-

in. production packer was set in the top of the liner and 164 ft above the reservoir in case

there was not a liner. Around 900 ft below the surface, a nipple for the wireline

retrievable subsurface safety valve was set. Due to the restrictions and operational

limitations on the insertion of the workover tools, the operators retrieved the tubing to

proceed with the workover, which increased the operational expenditure by around 2

MMUSD with a total cost of 82 MMUSD for all the workovers performed. The initial

completion design restricting the perforating guns to 3 3/8-in. with a density of 6 spf ,

which needs two runs to perforate 12 spf that would affect the perforation distribution,

sand production, and productivity. As a result, the well performance was delayed. In

order to speed the workover operation and lower the cost, the operators upgraded the

workover to be performed through tubing by installing inflatable plugs and cement plugs.

Nine jobs were done with a drilling rig with a cost of 1 MMUSD per well, and five jobs

used snubbing or coil tubing. The results were unsatisfactory because, there were some

failures due to setting the plugs in a 9 5/8-in. casing. After that the operators agreed to

apply pre-installation equipment for future isolation in case workover was needed, such

as isolation packers and straddle packers with nipple profiles and sliding sleeves, which

were installed between the different zones. This method cost 40,000 USD using a

workover rig to pre-install a packer. Some issues such as misruns, were experienced

while trying to open the pre-installed sliding sleeves and when setting wireline plugs in

nipples. These issues were due to scale or corrosion, so the pre-installation method needs

a good reservoir behavior.

 15
To achieve the main purpose of enhancing the productivity with lower cost while

considering all the limitations of the initial completion and the reservoir condition, the

monobore completion was approved to be a standard design in the Statfjord field after it

was successfully applied for the first time in 1989. Figure 2.4 shows the monobore

completion design in Statfjord.

Figure 2.2. The improvement of the casing design in Gulfaks field. (O. Skogseth 1995)
 16

Figure 2.3. Conventional completion design in Ststfjord field. (P. Kostol 1993)
 17

Figure 2.4. Monobore completion design in Ststfjord field. (P. Kostol 1993)
 18
The South Australian Cooper and Eromanga Basin oil and gas fields are low

permeability (<10mD) and low porosity (8-14%) sand stone multi-layered gas reservoirs.

The wells were initially completed with 7 in. production casing and 2 7/8-in. production

tubing (Figure 2.5). With the purpose of cost saving in completion and fracture

stimulation treatment, the researchers in different disciplines improved the completion

design to the monobore completion as a standard completion design by elimination the

intermediate casing and ending with two string monobore design (Figure 2.6), which

saved the cost by 10% compared with the conventional design.

In the mid-1990s in the Gulf of Thailand Bongkot offshore field, a big evolution

in developing the completion design to monobore completion design using 3 ½-in. or 2

7/8-in. cemented production casing in a 6 1/8-in. hole (Figure 2.7). With this design, all

further jobs could be done rigless, this design has dramatically reduced the well cost by

almost 50% and increased the gas recoverable reserves on the field by 5% (M.J. Horn

1997). Figure 2.8 shows the significant reduction in time and cost by applying the

monobore completion in the Gulf of Thailand, which would improve the oil and gas

production.

Another case of adopting the monobore completion design is in An Aike-Barda

Las Vegas field, Argentina. The wells were originally designed with a 13 3/8-in. surface,

9 5/8-in. and 7 in. casings, and completed with 4 ½-in. tubing. The operators reviewed

some monobore completion designs for similar fields, and optimized the well completion

design considering the cost and safe well intervention. The decision taken was reducing

the diameter of each section and installing a 4 ½-in. monobore completion, which

resulted in cost savings of 30% and reduction in the operation time.

 19

Figure 2.5. Conventional completion design in South Australia field. (M. S. Macfarlane
1998)

Figure 2.6. Monobore completion design in South Australia field. (M. S. Macfarlane
1998)
 20

Figure 2.7. Well design improvement in the Gulf of Thailand. (Renpu, W. 2011)

Figure 2.8. The operational improvements and the well construction period and cost in
the Gulf of Thailand (1980-2004). (Renpu, W. 2011)
 21
Since the late 1980s, the monobore completion design has succeeded in many oil

and gas fields because it is a simple design that uses available materials. Nevertheless, the

monobore design does pose challenges in terms of designing downhole components

because the smaller diameter clearance means that conventional subsurface flow-control

devices cannot be implemented in monobore wells without impacting other required

downhole functions. Thus, researchers have improved the completion equipment and

some accessories such as the wireline set retrievable straddle tools, and wireline set

retrievable bridge plugs. These tools are effective in isolating and securing the lower

zones in workover operations. Moreover, they assist in controlling the spills of fluids

from undesirable zones and thief zones by simplifying the zone shutoff operation. The

main advantages of these tools include being retrievable and cost-effective. Figure 2.9

shows the typical monobore completion with the tools. Another example is the landing

nipple/lock mandrel configuration that has been reconfigured to create a nipple-less lock

system that can operate anywhere in the tubing, can be set and retrieved through standard

slick-line procedures, and can withstand pressure reversals operating in a high-pressure

environment. In monobore completion, a landing profile is utilized for flow control

devices such as SCSSV and SSD to have a full-bore access, as the landing profile does

not inhibit inner diameter.

Monobore completion can often, though not always, mitigate the asphaltene

deposition problem during the lifetime of a well operation. Known by the generic term of

SARA (saturated hydrocarbons, aromatics, resins and asphaltenes), these deposits usually

occur downstream of a choke during the early field life and along the entire well length

with a downward moving window at a later stage till the deposition point reaches the
 22
reservoir and poses a serious challenge to the continued operation. As a result,

conventional operations try to avoid restrictions such as nipple profiles or safety valves

(especially the wireline retrievable type) in the asphaltene deposition window.

Mechanical removal of these deposits is much easier in a monobore design due to the

ability of the well interventions, especially if a nipple profile is not used at all. (Bellarby

2009)

Figure 2.9. Typical 3 ½-in. monobore completion. (B.R. Ross 1992)

 23
2.2. MAJOR CLASSIFICATIONS OF MONOBORE COMPLETION

Many early monobore completions employed smaller tubing diameters (< 4 in.)

compared to the tubing sizes discussed in the preceding section. Some of these design

changes were driven by reservoir depletion and coupled with slimhole drilling programs.

Alternatively, some monobore completions retained the use of larger tubing sizes even as

large as 9 5/8-in., particularly in high-flow volume gas fields such as the Arun gas field,

Sumatra and at Statfjord field, North Sea (Kostol and Rasmussen 635, 1993). In these

cases the larger tubing diameters allow operators to accelerate recovery. In this study,

completions with tubing sizes greater than 6 5/8-in are referred to as “big bore”

monobore completions. The following are details of each monobore design with the

benefits and limitations including some field cases.

2.2.1. Slim-Hole Monobore Completion. After the great success in

implementing slimhole drilling with a hole size less than 6 ¼-in. diameter, which

associated with an optimal economic and operational impact, in the late 1980s the

operators strove to apply a fit to purpose slim monobore completion to overcome some

production limitations and maximize the full potential in addition to enhancing the well

life in less expense. Experts from different disciplines decided to select a 3 ½-in. slim

monobore completion size as a base case for low-pressure, low-temperature wells due to

design simplicity and the availabilities of the completion equipment. The vast majority of

the production wells are fitted with this design mainly the wells that produce below 3000-

5000 bopd in oil wells or less than 50 MMSCF/d in gas wells. Furthermore, 3 ½-in.

completion size can be run in a 4 ½-in., 5 in. or 5 ½-in. production casing and the liner

can fit in a 4 1/8-in. or 4 ¾-in. slim hole. While some of the completion equipment is
 24
available for the slim monobore design, a number of challenges faced the equipment

designers since the traditional components were not convenient with the slim monobore

design criteria. Developing the downhole equipment and applying proper technologies

helped in adopting the majority of the wells toward the slim monobore completion with a

great degree of confidence.

Slim monobore completion has been successfully applied in Duyong Field,

Offshore Peninsular Malaysia, in an attempt to deepen one of the wells to the new high-

pressure tapis sand reservoir after the depletion of the shallower sand reservoir. Many

challenges were faced due to severe gas migration through the opened channels, which

affect the shallow unconsolidated sandy layers also the obstruction of the shale formation

above the interesting zone. After several studies and based on engineering planning, a 3

½-in. monobore completion was the best option to fill all the operational gaps, such as

water cut and comingled production from upper zones. Furthermore, it has the benefits of

easier future penetration, remedial operation, and minimizing the cost. (Mohammad, and

Maung, 2000)

Oil and gas wells in the offshore North West Java (ONWJ) Field in Indonesia is

another example of successfully applying slim monobore completion. The wells were

completed in 3 ½-in. or 2 7/8-in. monobore completion with many advantages, such as

reduction in cost, simplicity in workover, and well intervention operations. However, the

operators have noticed some limitation in applying slim monobore completions. Most of

the problems in the slim monobore completions were due to cement stringers and gun

debris. Cement debris was caused by poor cement displacement, which was enhanced by

installing T-line valves before cementing the heads to remove the cement slurry left
 25
behind the plug, and pumping sugar water after the wiper plug to elongate the setting

time of the cement that passes through the wiper plugs during displacement. Gun debris

is one of the critical problems in slim monobore completion, to avoid this issue, a hollow

carrier type gun was preferred over the usual expendable gun. Thus, the type of

perforating gun is a crucial thing to consider while designing the slim monobore

completion. The well production in this completion type has no difference from the

conventional wells.

The slim monobore completion design may not be applicable in highly productive

wells. Therefore, the design was developed and improved to cater many reservoirs and

well criteria.

2.2.2. Big-Hole Monobore Completion. In the early 1990s, many operators

agreed to use big monobore completions as a profitable design; this design was beneficial

for highly productive reservoirs since it eliminated the gas turbulence areas and

facilitated the using of technologies that reduced the wellbore restrictions and the

associated risks. All the mentioned benefits are saving the costs and improving the net

present value of overall project economics.

Big monobore completion is applicable in deep-water, horizontal, extended reach, HPHT,

cemented liners, or gravel packed/sand control wells.

Many projects in the North Sea have proved the success of big monobore

completion when using 7 in. or even 9 5/8-in. tubing and tree instead of 5 ½-in., which

increases the production while decreasing the total cost. The net present value of the

project is increased when using a tubing with a larger ID, which enabled the reservoir

depletion two years earlier than a 5 ½-in. completion and just over one year earlier than a
 26
7-in. completion. Most of the large-bore completions were with 7 in. or 7 5/8-in. tubular.

However, 9 5/8-in. completions were used since the 1990s in the gas fields in Western

Europe and Indonesia.

Qatar’s offshore Khuff formation is one of the best examples of optimized big

monobore completion. It is rated as the largest single accumulation of natural gas in the

world with an estimated reserve of 504 TCF. The conventional design was a 5 ½-in. x 5

in. production tubing with a production rate of around 50 MMscf/day (Figure 2.10) in the

early 1990’s then the design was developed to be 7 in. monobore completion with a

production rate of 90 MMscf/day (Figure 2.11). The most recent design is the optimized

big monobore completion using 9 5/8 by 7 5/8 by 7 in. resulted in production rate of 150

MMscf/day (Figure 2.12). Based on study was made by Khosravanian, R and Wood, D.,

2016 to compare 7 in. monobore, 9 5/8-in. big-bore monobore, and 9 5/8 by 7 5/8 by 7 in.

optimized big-bore completions and their effect on high-rate gas wells, optimized big-

bore completion has the highest production rate and the lowest risk. (Khosravanian, and

Wood, 2016).

Another case where improvements in the big monobore design have successfully

reduced operational time is the South Pars, a large deposit in the Arabian Gulf. It has an

existing high production rate of 80 MMscf /day, and engineers had already utilized

monobore completion with 7 in. tubing and cemented liners so that downhole corrosion

of equipment was avoided in the absence of diameter restriction. However, because of

reliability and pressure container concerns, the completion sequence had three stages.

The liners were run with cementing behind liners (Stage 1), the tie back production

packer was tied using anchor latch and seal stem (Stage 2), and the completion string was
 27
run with a seal stem to complete the well (Stage 3). This procedure had several

challenging aspects, such as possible mechanical damage to the upper stem during

installation, lengthy and complex space out operation, and consequent well control issues.

Some of these challenges were resolved by combining Stages 2 and 3, by replacing

mechanical setting packers with hydraulic or hydrostatic set production packers, and by

combining the packer run with the upper seal stem/mechanical run so that the seal stem

received additional protection during the installation phase. This was achieved in several

steps that involved reducing sources of error in the conventional monobore process and

increasing the accuracy of space out. The downhole equipment manufacturer used shear

pins to design a new seal stem mechanism inside the liner hanger polished bore

receptacle (PBR). This innovation resulted in a saving of 1.5 rig days in a highly deviated

wells, yielding a cost-cutting of more than $200,000 for each well. (Ghayoomi et al.

2012)

2.3. DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATIONS IN MONOBORE COMPLETION

More recently, several new developments in monobore completion technology

have been achieved.

2.3.1. Openhole Multistage Completion (OHMS). An openhole multistage

completion refers to the well completions commonly used in developing unconventional

oil and gas plays. The majority of these completions are made in horizontal laterals in

North America, where many stages of hydraulic fracturing are applied with sleeve

systems to produce from extremely tight shale plays (Figure 2.13). More recently, the

multistage concept has been applied in HPHT carbonate reservoirs horizontal/deviated

wells in the Middle East.

 28

Figure 2.10. 5 ½-in. x 5 in. conventional completion (approx. 50 MMscf/day). (K.

Almond 2002)
 29

Figure 2.11. 7in. monobore (approx. 90 MMscf/day). (K. Almond 2002)

 30

Figure 2.12. 9 5/8-in. x 7 5/8-in. x 7 in. big monobore (approx. 150 MMscf/day). (K.
Almond 2002)
 31

Figure 2.13. Openhole multistage completion.

Monobore completions have proven their feasibility in multistage completions

and fracture wells. Utilizing a cemented back monobore completions with OHMS will

optimize the operational time and cost by eliminating the intermediate casing and

cement completion string from the horizontal section back to surface. Accordingly, the

number of trips needed to install OHMS system will be minimized. The concept is to use

a new stage tool after installing the liner and cement the buildup section of the wellbore

back to the surface (Figure 2.14). The new mechanically closed cementing stage collar

was designed to compensate the use of plug/dart to open/close the stages for isolation

purpose. This design was successfully used in many shale formations in United States

and Canada and in high pressure carbonate formations in Saudi Arabia.

Another reliable example of the monobore multistage completion is in Jurassic

tight gas reservoirs in North Kuwait. Due to the variation in permeability layers, the

reservoirs layers need to be stimulated selectively. A 4 ½-in. multistage ball activated

completion and stimulation was the typical design that overcame the issues associated

with stimulating within the highest permeable reservoir, and used instead of a 4 ½-in.

cemented completion “plug and perf,” which required a long process to selectively

stimulate individual zones.

 32

Figure 2.14. Principle of the cemented stage tool in an openhole multistage completion.
(Siham, et al. 2015)

2.3.2. Monobore in Heavy-Oil Shallow Reservoirs. Randell, 2012 reported

the implementation of newly designed near-vertical steamflood producers by Chevron at

its Midway-Sunset (MWSS) near Bakersfield, and the use of lean six sigma techniques

to identify non-value-added steps while converting its existing slotted liner well designs

into monobore ones. The operational time for the drilling rig could be significantly

lowered by replacing the two hole sizes and casing strings of the earlier slotted liner

design with a single hole and casing string of the monobore design and this also reduced

the wellbore delivery time since it was on the project critical path. While the author

identified a number of conversion or elimination steps from the slotted liner to the

monobore completion, the most salient ones are discussed briefly in Table 2.1.
 33
The 5 ½-in. monobore casing combo string utilizes several design improvements

and new components, such as a blank casing, a cross-over between the BTC casing and

LTC tools, annular casing packer to create a hydraulic seal redundant cement basket,

aluminum insert baffle plate, etc..This design is feasible for shallow, low-pressure,

heavy-oil reservoirs. However, the design is not suitable for wells with subnormal

pressures or unstable surface intervals and needs to cement the casing string before

penetrating the reservoir. Furthermore, 5 ½-in. casing combo string in monobore well

design cannot be sidetracked because of the minimum clearance requirements. (Randell,

2012).

2.3.3. Cemented Casing Monobore. Another interesting case study is the

use of a full monobore 4 ½-in. completion at several unconventional gas plays that are

being tested by Saudi Aramco. The target reservoirs involve tight sandstone from the

Ordovician Era and are interbedded with shale and siltstone sections causing a contrast in

the pore pressure and fracture gradients, and the tight sands require hydraulic fracturing

in order to be accessed for the hydrocarbon potentials. A typical completion type for

wells targeting tight sandstones so far has been to run and cement a 4 ½-in. liner across a

5 7/8-in. hole section, covering the target zone, hanging the liner from the previous

casing with a liner hanger and a polished bore receptacle (PBR), tie-back the 4 ½-in.

completion tubing seal assembly to the liner hanger polished bore receptacle, and make a

4 ½-in. full monobore completion.

 34
Table 2.1. Differences in steps taken while converting from conventional slotted liner to
new monobore completion by Chevron. (Randell 2012 adapted from Table 1,
p. 2)

Slotted liner completion Monobore completion

Drill 8¾-in. holes to casing point to Drill 7 7/8-in. holes to 1500 ft depth

approximate 1500 ft depth

Lay down 8 ¾-in. drilling assembly Eliminated

Run and cement 7 in. production casing, Eliminated

change fluid system from surface mud to

drill-in fluid

Drill 6 ¼-in. hole to Total Depth of 2000 ft Continue 7 7/8-in. holes straight to 2000 ft

depth

Lay down 6 ¼-in. drilling assembly and Lay down 7 7/8-in. drilling assembly and

create 5 ½-in. liner with 2 3/8-in. tubing create 5 ½-in. monobore combination string

inner string with slotted casing, specialty tools, and

blank casing

Set Steel-Seal Assembly (SSA) and Inflate Annular Casing Packer (ACP) and

displace inside of liner to breaker fluid pump cement

Lay down drill pipe and tubing inner- Eliminated

string, set and test Retrievable Bridge Plug

(RBP)

Pick up 2 7/8-in. tubing and retrieve RBP, Pick up drillout assembly, cleanout track,

lay down tubing lay down tools

Proceed to completion Proceed to completion

 35
Aramco decided to test the new cemented casing monobore technology because it

is a proven technique that can potentially reduce completion costs along with well

delivery days without affecting safety and well integrity. Another factor was that

cemented tubing completions have already been used successfully worldwide and are the

preferred completion type for wells planned for high-pressure, high-rate hydraulic

fractures stimulation because of the design’s lack of sources of weak points (leak areas).

In the cemented completion concept, the operator runs the completion string and cements

it straight into the 5 7/8-in. open hole after the well is drilled to cover the target reservoir.

After performing all the required pressure tests, the rig is released to the next location; all

the required testing and fracturing operations are then performed rigless. However, while

undertaking the project the company was faced with several challenges related to the

cementing operation, stimulation, and general business considerations. Challenges related

to cementing operations included performing the cementing job with the restricted

annular area, achieving cement column with enough height and compressive strength to

contain the target formation, and the quality of annular completion fluid (leaving a frac-

friendly completion fluid inside the string with a corrosion-free fluid in the annulus).

Challenges related to well stimulation included withstanding the high axial loads during

stimulation job due to a lack of ability to release the resulting stresses by tube movement

and meeting the barrier policies at all times for well control compliance. Some of the

challenges were addressed through process improvements and innovations, such as using

cement heads linked directly to the casing instead of to the drill-pipe, landing the tubing

hanger in the tubing spool, and sealing the annular space before starting the cementing

stage. (Almasmoom et al. 2015)

 36
2.3.4. Artificial Lift in Monobore Completion. Monobore completion is a

reliable example for enhancing the well economic production, the potential for substantial

success is the consideration of the well life by adding the appropriate equipment and

applying a suitable design, which would help boost the production of the well. Specially

designed cement-through components, including safety valves and gas lift (GL)

equipment, are some of the most feasible components in enhancing the production

in the monobore completions wells. The concept of the cement through system is to

install entire completion with cement-friendly components (a safety valve, cement-

through SPMs, hydrostatically closed circulating valve (HCCV), hydraulic packer, and

landing collar/shoe track) into the wellbore, pump the cement in single-trip, clean, and

test the components integrity. The purpose of the cement through single trip system is to

complete the wells with a 3 to 5 year life expectancy in order to enhance the production

and extend the life of the well by using a proven gas lift (GL) system, which brings

economic benefits. This process will reduce the completion time from approximately 60

hr to an average of 17 hr per completion, which will significantly reduce the rig,

manpower, and non-productive times. Figure 2.15 illustrates the cost comparison in each

completion type.

This type of completion is successfully applied in many wells in the Gulf of

Thailand, and it is proven to be the most preferred method of completion there. Also, this

type is beneficially used in the water injector wells in the North Sea as an economical

design that reduced four days from the rig time. Although this design is simple, there are

a few things to consider, such as formation characteristics, cementing efficiency, and the

potential longevity of the well.

 37

Figure 2.15. Completion types. (Don Ingvardsen 2009)

From the case studies and the preceding discussion, several benefits and

drawbacks of monobore completion can be inferred. The benefits include lower cost and

higher project profitability due to increased activity levels, as well as the ability to extend

existing installations. Monobore also often lead to a reduced location size (particularly

true for slimbore designs) and wastes, thereby reducing the environmental impact.

Monobores are ideally suited to completions through several reservoirs where these are

produced and abandoned from the bottom up or where production can be commingled.

Sometimes the monobore design also increases wellbore stability, for example in

fractured shales, and underbalanced coiled tubing drilling may create sidetracking

opportunities from existing wells while minimizing impairment. On the other hand, well
 38
control may pose difficulties and require advanced equipment to deal with higher annular

pressure drops and lower annular capacities, as well as better training of personnel.

Commitment is required from operator management as well as service companies, and

people with rich and varied experiences are often required to achieve a successful

completion. Table 2.2 summarize the advantages and disadvantages of the monobore

completion design.

Table 2.2. Advantages and disadvantages of monobore completion.

Advantages Disadvantages

Allows a large production conduit, flexibility Contingency string options may be

in diameter to produce more and longer. limited

The number of specialist completion services Restrictions on maintenance &

can be significantly reduced, saving on well intervention operations
construction costs and logistical issues

May eliminate one casing/liner string and Installing completion components

reduce the size of the other strings which will may not be possible
result in a significant saving in wellhead
equipment, mud, casing, cement and drill bit
costs.

Cost saving The specification and cost of the

monobore production string may
have to be higher than in the
conventional well
 39
3. LITERATURE REVIEW

Numerous case studies on monobore completion design have been published, to

date more than 140 literatures were specifically discussed monobore completion design

and compared it with the conventional completion design. The cases were diversified in

onshore and offshore fields in different reservoir types and for different well conditions.

In this section, 63 papers excluding the duplications were reviewed, classified, and

summarized to specify the main points that need to be considered in monobore

completion design, in addition to the advantages and disadvantages of the monobore

completion design, and in what type of fields it is most applicable. These papers were

grouped as the classification in Section 2.2 based on the completion size, also the cases

with modifications and development in the monobore completion design are summarizes.

The purpose of this historical review and summary is to provide a record where

the operators can refer to in case of completing new well or re-completing an existing

well with monobore completion design, or development of an applied monobore

completion design such as adding a new tool or changing the completion size.

3.1. SLIM-HOLE MONOBORE COMPLETION DESIGN

This type of monobore consider to be the earliest completion applied after the

success of the slim-hole drilling, the slim-hole completion stated in slim-hole wells

where the tubing diameter is less than 4 in. diameter. This type of completion was

applied successfully in many fields with different reservoir types. However, it is not

aplicable for wells with high production rate. Furthermore, the completion equipment

size and the type of perforation guns used in the normal design need to be reconsidered
 40
to fit for slim-hole monobore completion design. Table 3.1 summerizes the field cases

that applied the slim-hole monobore completion.

Table 3.1. Published papers in slim-hole monobore completion.

SPE
Number - Subject Field Objective Limitations
year
To look back over the slim-hole The most frequent problem is the
Slimhole Completion Experience in Java Sea,
77943- Java Sea, monobore completion cases applied cement obstruction in the liner section
Indonesia: A Look Back on of the First 40
2002 Indonesia in the offshore Java field in due to the weak cement displacement.
Slimhole Wells
Indonesia (3 ½-in. or 2 7/8-in.) Commonly in deep and deviated wells

Compare the artificial lift methods

63042-
Artificial Lift for Slim Holes _ and determine the best applicable for _
2000
slim-hole completions

Switched the normal 5 ½ casing and

3 ½-in. tubing completion to 3 ½-in.
35664/ The Use of Slimhole Drilling and Monobore Kuparuk River slim-hole monobore, and discuss Developments and innovations in
57717- Completions To Reduce Development Costs at Field, Alaskan field cases that successfully applied completion, perforation, and cementing
1996 the Kuparuk River Field Arctic, USA slim-hole monobore completion tools is required
including critical cases as injector
wells and compare the cost

Discuss the improvements of

subsurface safety valve equipment
(CNRF) to match the slim-hole CNRF designed to overcome the
OTC 7885- New Subsurface Safety Valve Designs For monobore completion design and limitations in the conventional SSSV
_
1995 Slimhole / Monobore Completions address the challenges while using equipment, it combined the best
the normal SSSV flapper “flat features from the flapper and ball valve.
plate”, “curved flappers”, and “ball
valve designs”

Discuss the enhancements of the Challenges faced due to small size

OTC 7551- Many oil and
Monobore Completions for Slimhole Wells completion equipment to fit the slim- diameter and reconsidering the design
1994 Gas fields
hole monobore completion of the new equipment

Overview on the suitable completion

equipment used in slim-hole
27601/ Challenges faced due to small size
Many oil and monobore completion and
29217- Monobore Completions for Slimhole Wells diameter and reconsidering the design
gas fields enhancement of some tools to boost
1994 of the new equipment
the production and eliminate
restrictions
Implementation of nippleless
monobore completion to eliminate
Nippleless Completion System for Slimhole/ offshore North the wellbore restrictions using More developments for the equipment
7330- 1993
Monobore Wells Sea production bridge plug, retrievable to minimize the hole restrictions
slimhole straddle system, and
disappearing plug

The applications and limitations of

slim-hole monobore completion (3
Completion tools and equipment need
½-in.). Evaluate the inflow
24981- Many fields to be redesigned to fit the slim-hole
Innovative Slim-Hole Completions performance as a function of
1992 included monobore completion design (3 ½-in.
wellbore diameter, slim-hole
or 2 7/8-in.)
monobore completion has minimal
impact on the inflow performance

Many offshore To review slimhole drilling and Completion tools and equipment need
24965-1992 An Evolutionary Approach to Slim-Hole and onshore completion system development in to be developed to fit 3 1/2 –in. slim-
fields many fields by Shell hole monobore completion
 41
3.2. BIG-HOLE MONOBORE COMPLETION DESIGN

This type of monobore completion represents wells completed with 6 5/8-in. OD

tubing and larger, it can reach 9 5/8-in. in some cases. The larg-bore monobore

completion mostly applied in offshore fields with high production rate mainly for gas

producer wells. The key benefits of the big-hole monobore completion are:

• Give a full access for the tubing and the production liner, which would facilitate

the perforation and stimulation.

• Eliminate the restrictions on service and intervention tools, no restrictions on

production as well.

• Maximize the production rate.

• Eliminate the gas turbulence areas.

• Minimize the completion equipment accessories.

Table 3.2 summerize the field cases that applied the big-hole monobore

completion.

3.3. DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATIONS IN MONOBORE COMPLETION

Further developments and advanced opomization were applied in the existing

monobore completions, the operators did some upgrads in the existing designs. In this

section, Table 3.3 summerizes several cases in different domains. The cases include

adding artificial lift to enhance the production, applying cemented monobore completion

by installing the production casing in the open hole and cement it without the need of the

liner, improving multistage perforation and stimulation operations using the monobore

completion design in openhole multistage well type, and solving complicated reservoir

condition.
 42
Table 3.2. Published papers in big-hole monobore completion.

SPE
Number - Subject Field Objective Limitations
year
Optimize the previous 7 in.
*Need to increase the diameter of each
monobore and 9 5/8-in. big-bore
hole and casing string.
105509- Design, Construction, and Optimization of Big- Giant Offshore monobore completions, using 9 5/8
*increase number of days to 6 days
2007 Bore Gas Wells in a Giant Offshore Field Field, Qatar by 7 5/8 by 7 in. tubing (7 in. tubing
comparing with 7 in. monobore
installed in the reservoir section),
completion
and compare the three designs
Study and analyze the field
North Sea,
applications of big-bore monobore
offshore Mexico,
completion design over 20 year Challenge of the well control due to high
77519- Improving Production Results in Monobore, East Coast of
(more than 350 cases) to determine production rate was mitigated by
2002 Deepwater and Extended Reach Wells Canada, western
the best practices and assist the advancing the subsurface equipment
Europe,
operators to apply the best design
Indonesia, Qatar
for their case
Considerations for the Design, Development, The development of 9 5/8-in. big-
Western Europe Avoid the limitations by improving the
68217- and Testing of an Integrated Large Monobore bore monobore completion design
& Arun field, component to manage the risk from the
2001 Completion System to Facilitate High-Rate and improvement of the component
Indonesia high rate production
Production used
Limitations were addressed in
The advantages of development the
development of some components to
OTC- High rate Gas 9 5/8-in. big-hole monobore
withstand the high production rate
11880/ Development of a Large-Bore Monobore Reservoir completion in gas wells. Production
(wellhead plug and back pressure valve,
64279- Completion System for Gas Production (Indonesia & rate and cost analysis of different
TRSV, High Load Permanent Packer,
2000 Qatar) sizes of monobore completion (5 ½-
Disappearing Plug, TRBP, & Liner
in., 7-in. & 9 5/8-in.)
Hanger)
Discuss the implementation of 7 in.
The alternative designs mitigated the
29429- Cost Effective Design Change in the Drilling Gullfaks Field, monobore completion design and 3
effects on safety, environment,
1995 Program for the Gullfaks Field North Sea other alternatives with eliminating
economy, production, and lifecycle time
one and two intermediate strings.
Development of Statfjord field,
Challenges in the wells profile, torque
28559- Completion and Workover of Horizontal and Statfjord Field, successfully used the 7 in.
and drag, inserting the equipment, and
1994 Extended-Reach Wells in the Statfjord Field North Sea monobore completion in horizontal
sand control
and extended reach wells.
To discuss the planning of the first *Reduce the capabilities of directional
OTC
Arun Indonesia: Big Bore Completion Tool Arun Gas Field, big-hole monobore completion in drilling. *require a higher torque, drag
7328-
Design Indonesia Arun field, and its benefit in boost and pump capacities.
1993
the production. *High Volume of drill cuttings.
To review the limitations of the
original completion (5 ½ tubing x 7- Limitations in using the conventional
in.liner) , and discuss the completion equipment that restrict the
OTC
Optimized Well Completion Design in the Statfjord Field, improvements in the monobore operations and production. SSSV, and
7327-
Statfjord Field, North Sea North Sea completion design by applying 9 5/8 other flow control components need to
1993
in. big-bore monobore completion be modified to withstand the high
in deviated, horizontal and extended flowrate
reach wells
 43
Table 3.3. Published papers in development of monobore completion.

SPE
Number - Subject Field Objective Limitations
year
Switch the conventional completion
5-in. cemented liner and 3 ½-in.
187591- Successful Installation of 1st 15K Multistage Consider the hole cleaning, using heavy
Kuwait tubing with 4 ½-in. monobore
2017 Completion System in North Kuwait Gas Well oil base mud
completion to enable the selective
stimulation and perforation
To develop the completion from
plug and perf to 4 1/2" openhole
First Successful Multistage Completion Paves multi-stage monobore completion to
187580-
the Way for Optimized Field Development of the Kuwait stimulate different zones with high Deep sour HPHT wells
2017
Jurassic Formations of North Kuwait permeability contrast, the result was
enhance production and lower the
cost
Installation of through-tubing
expandable hanger assembly in the
Novel Technique Applied to Lock Open
184805- Gulf of Mexico tubing pup joint above the SCSSV Remediation if improperly set would be
SCSSV Installed in Monobore Subsea
2017 (GOM) using wireline for locking open difficult.
Completion in Deepwater GOM
SCSSV without the landing nipple
profile in the monobore completion
Using Positive Displacement Motor
(PDM) with short bit-to-bend
Utilizing Short Bit-to-Bend Motor Technology
technology to drill monobore Consider the drilling fluid while
178867- Enables Monobore Wells to be Drilled in the Niobrara shale
horizontal well in one run and changing formations, consider the RPM
2016 Niobrara Unconventional Shale Play with a play
compare it to conventional well in the buildup section
Single Drilling Assembly
design wrt build-up rate, ROP, and
number of days

Cemented-back monobore
Wolfcamp Shale
178675- Cemented-Back Monobore Reduces Well Cost completion enhance hydraulic Specially designed stage collar need to
in Permian Basin,
2015 and Frac Time in the Wolfcamp fracture for 38-stage system in open be used for cemented-back method
USA
hole multi-stage horizontal well

Develop the completion of the wells

in HPHT low permeable reservoir
Case History: Largest Hydraulic Fracturing Jobs from 7-in. liner then reduced to 4 ½-
178114- of India in KG Basin and Successful Production in monobore to reach 2 7/8-in.
India Small clearance of 2 7/8-in tubing
2015 Test with Underbalanced Slim Hole Selective production tubing slim-hole
Completion in HPHT Environment selective completion as a best option
to enable the high load hydraulic
fracture
Challenges in performing the cement, in
Applying of cemented casing
A New Completion Approach in Saudi Aramco stimulation where the cement has to
177977- completion in a tight gas reservoir to
for Unconventional Gas Wells Using Full Saudi Aramco withstand the high loads from
2015 reduce the cost and time of running
Monobore 4 1/2" Cemented Casing Completion stimulation job, and economical
a liner
challenges in case of cement failure
 44
Table 3.3. Published papers in development of monobore completion (cont.).

5 ½-in. monobore completion was

applied to replace 7-in. production
Well Completion with Monobore Technology CSG and 2 3/8, 2 7/8or 3 ½-in.
Tia Juana Field,
177208- for Gas Production in the B6 LL 370 Reservoir tubing conventional design, the
Lake Maracaibo, _
2015 in the Tia Juana Field, Lake Maracaibo, result was increasing in production
Venezuela
Venezuela rate with less fluid loading, higher
perforation efficiency and
decreasing of cost and time.
Comparing Openhole Packer Systems with Compare openhole multi-stage with
174955- Cemented Liner Completions in the Northern British Columbia, cemented liner completions, the
_
2015 Montney Gas Resource Play: Results From Canada study performed for monobore
Microseismic Monitoring and Production wells.
Redesign the cementing stage tool to
Unique Application of a Cementing Stage Tool
175384- be second contingency closure tool Overcome the challenges with previous
with an Open Hole Multistage Completion Saudi Aramco
2015 to facilitate the cementing and stage tools
System in Saudi Arabia
stimulation without restrictions

Cement-back wellbore from heel to

Cardium
Reducing Cost and Risk with Cemented-Back the surface using mechanically
171585- formation of
Monobore Well Construction in the Cardium operated cementing stage tool, to 100% success
2014 central Alberta,
Formation isolate vertical section while
Canada
fracturing horizontal OHMS section

Utilizing a water shutoff polymer

technique to isolate the water
producing zone in monobore well
Consider the gelation time where 20%
170489- First Achievement Using Water Shutoff Polymer completion without using mechanical
Gulf of Thailand safety factor added to ensure that the
2014 in Monobore Well Completion, Gulf of Thailand sealing. The result was 50%
gel sets properly
decreasing in water production and
it is successfully applied for long
term water shutoff
Develop the cement job in monobore
well completion by utilizing a
specially designed calibration plug Successfully applied in cementation of
An Innovative Approach to Cementation of
170476- Tunu field, with proper burst disc pressure completion strings in many wells where
Monobore Completion Tubing to Maximize
2014 Indonesia rating, to determine the cement the reservoir targets close to the tubing
Access to the Bottom Most Reservoirs
displacement volume prior shoe
the cement job by monitoring the
pressure spikes on the rig floor

Optimization of perforation methods

in monobore wells and utilization of
Gulf of Thailand, Dynamic Underbalance method
168187- Perforating Monobore Completions Offshore: The result may be different depending
Australia, and (DUB) considering the economic,
2014 An Efficient, Safe and Optimal Approach on the formation characterization
Indonesia technical, and safety aspects. The
result was reduction in time and
boost the production by 40%

Switch the completion of the

Reducing Drilling Costs Through the Successful
166450- horizontal wells to monobore Consider the directional well plan and
Implementation of a One-Run Monobore Well Western Canada
2013 completion in one run process using the new designed bit
Strategy
special designed BHA and drill bit

Consider the well control by increasing

Restoring Monobore Well Life with Novel Using a high chromium steel coil the number of barriers while installing
163887-
Coiled Tubing Gas Lift Dip Tube in a Highly Gulf of Thailand tubing gas lift (corrosion resistive) in the gas lift string (3 barriers from quad
2013
Corrosive Environment slim-hole monobore completion BOP and a shear-seal ram which makes
5 hydraulic rams and killing fluid barrier)

Applying of new technologies such

OTC Case Study: Optimization in Intervention as tubing hanger profile, fluid-loss Minimal reduction in production while
23628- Monobore Design in Completing Horizontal Gas Malaysia device, and glass reinforced epoxy using GRE. It’s a big challenge to be
2012 Producing Wells in Malaysia (GRE) in large-bore 7-in. monobore the first field applying GRE technology
completion

Combination of two runs (running

the Tie Back production packer with
A Break Through In Monobore Completion
161947- South Pars gas PBR and running completion string Minor concerns due to highly deviated
System by Using New Design "One Run" Upper
2012 field, Iran with upper seal stem) while installing wells
Completion System
the monobore completion to avoid
seals damage and well control issues
 45
Table 3.3. Published papers in development of monobore completion (cont.).
Apply the monobore technique in
open hole multi-stage horizontal well
Comparison of Production Results from Open Cleanout run in some of the wells
155095- Marcellus Shale, by cement back the upper part of
Hole and Cemented Multistage Completions in couldn’t reach the TD and needs more
2012 USA the lower completion to facilitate
the Marcellus Shale reamer trip
multi-stage stimulation and compare
it with plug’n perf technique
Implementing monobore system
154145- with one size ball to replace cased
Technology Challenges and Emerging Solutions North America Beneficial for multi-stage fracture
2012 and cemented plug and perf system
to enhance the multi-zone fracture
Convert slotted liner completion to This design is not suitable for wells with
Midway-Sunset
monobore completion in steam subnormal pressured or unstable
154013- Monobore Well Design: Utilizing Technology to field & Cymric
flood heavy oil producer well, in surface intervals and needs to cement
2012 Improve Well Execution Efficiency field, Central
order to eliminate non-value-added the casing string before penetrating the
California, USA
steps reservoir- can’t be sidetracked
Use special stage collar to cement
back the wellbore in OHMS
Montney play in Consider the strength of formations
Developing a Stage Tool for Cemented Back completion after installing the liner,
15267- northeastern overlaying the target formation to
Monobore Completions with Open Hole Multi- the stage collar designed to work
2012 British Columbia, withstand the mud while drilling the
Stage Systems in the Montney without the need of plug-dart. This
Canada horizontal section
technique enables installing the frac
string in one trip

Gulf of Mexico,
Innovation of monobore solid
offshore West
expandable liner enables the
Monobore Solid Expandable Liners – Africa, the
14255- operator to increase the efficiency
Redesigning Wells for a More Economical and Middle East, Asia Applied successfully in many fields
2012 and minimize the risks while drilling
Operational Benefit Pacific, Australia,
hard formations without reducing
Brazil, and the
the ID
North Sea

Innovation of Permanent Coil

Tubing Gas Lift (PCTGL) in
Developing Oil in Monobore Well Completion
147903- East Kalimantan, monobore completion wells to
Using Permanent Coil Tubing Gas Lift _
2011 Indonesia enable running gas lift system
Application
without needing the rig and enhance
the oil production

Applying a monobore well

completions as an economic way to
develop marginal fields in Malaysia,
144970- Dare to CHOP: Resources Development Cost and change the design and Continuous examination and
Malaysia
2011 Holistic Optimization production strategy such as using improvement in yearly basis
ICD & ICV for enhance commingle
production from multi-layer
reservoirs to produce economically

Slim hole monobore completion (3

½ or 4 ½-in.) was successfully
applied to switch 5 ½ or 7- in. liner
128394- Monobore Design Optimises Slimhole
India completion in deep tight gas _
2010 Raageshwari Deep Gas Development
reservoir with multi-stage hydraulic
fracture , the result was long term
producing and lowering the cost
Enhance monobore completion
system in short life wells by adding
specially designed cement-through Considering the formation
124797- Monobore Completion System Provides Low- Gulf of Thailand
components, including safety valves characteristics, the integrity of cement,
2009 Cost Completion Option & North Sea
and gas lift. This technology can be and the well life.
applied in producer and injector
wells
Optimize the sealing elements in the
bridge plugs by using mechanical
expandable sealing ring with
121548- Innovative Retrievable Lock Mandrel Extends Successfully applied in many wells in
Indonesia different materials than rubber
2009 Monobore-Completion Potential harsh environment
(Kinematic Seal) to replace the
conventional rubber sealing in
monobore well completion
 46
Table 3.3. Published papers in development of monobore completion (cont.).
Improvement of monobore
completion in short life wells to
offshore wells
support the use of artificial lift
(Gulf of Thailand-
113315- Using Monobore Systems to Lower Completion system. (Disposable monobore Considering the well life and the
North Sea-
2008 Costs in Short-Life Wells completion, cement through economical side.
Barnett Shale,
completion system, monobore
Texas)
injector wells, and gas well
unloading)

Development of the monobore solid

Gulf of Mexico,
expandable liner with over twice
OTC Mitigating Subsalt Rubble Zones Using High- offshore West
collapse than the conventional
19008- Collapse, Cost-Effective Solid Expandable Africa, the Applied successfully in many fields
without reduction in hole size to
2007 Monobore Systems Middle East, and
overcome the challenges while
the North Sea
drilling the salt formations

Implementing a cemented monobore

completion method where the tubing
New Approach To Ensure Long-Term Zonal Analyze and simulate the cement
107433- is cemented in place to reduce the
Isolation for Land Gas Wells Using Monobore Netherlands behavior and zonal isolation prior the
2007 time and the cost of running the liner
Cemented Completion application
and its accessories. 3 cases success
using 3 ½-in. and 5-in. tubing

The design of monobore one trip

Case History of One-Trip Monobore
103668- cement through completion system
Completion System-2 Years of Cement-Through Gulf of Thailand Considering the cement efficiency
2006 to run GL components safely in
Monobore Completions in the Gulf of Thailand
monobore wells
Optimization of the well completion
equipment in HPHT deep offshore
OTC wells (gas injector well completed
Interventionless Monobore Technology Used Amenam/ Kpono
17458- with 5 ½-in. monobore completion Challenging horizontal gas injector
for Offshore Horizontal Gas-Injection Wells oil field, Nigeria
2005 with 5 ½-in. wire-wrapped screens)
to allow running completion
equipment without slickline
Adding artificial lift to short life
97668- Disposable Wells: A Monobore One Trip Case Ensure the sealing tools to prevent the
Gulf of Thailand monobore wells, using one trip
2005 Study cement precipitations in the annulus.
cement-through completion system
Combination of the 3 ½-in. dual
selective conventional and 3 ½-in. Additional cost compared to 4 ½-in.
88525- Hybrid Monobore Completion Design: An Semberah Field, monobore completions to produce normal monobore completion, but still
2004 Application for Multilayer Reservoir Indonesia from 2 different zones to overcome less cost than the conventional
the reservoir depletion and liquid completion
loading of the reservoir
Improve the production in short life
wells by implementing mono-trip To avoid any limitation, the fluid
OTC Using Cement –Through Completions to
cement through completion system, dynamics was simulated to ensure
16545- Improve Productivity and Safety in Short-Life Gulf of Thailand
which support the use of GL in smoothly flow of the fluids without
2004 Wells
economical way using cement residual cement.
friendly components.
Successfully utilize the Hybrid
Monobore, modified tubingless,
design in HPHT wells, where
84267- South Texas Hybrid Monobore High Pressure, South Texas, Consider cement job integrity, cement
installing the production string in the
2003 High Temperature Well Design USA plug clearance
openhole and cement it in place then
CRA tied back to the surface and
cemented in place

To optimize and develop the existing

completion 7-in. production casing
An Aike–Barda Consider the connection devices for 4
69498- Optimizing Development Costs By Applying A and 4 1/2-in tubing (gas reservoir)
Las Vegas field, ½-in. string and device for precise
2001 Monobore Well Design by using 4½-in. monobore
Argentina cement job.
completion and reduce each section
by one size to lower the cost
 47
Table 3.3. Published papers in development of monobore completion (cont.).
Utilization of monobore completion Washing problems, gel damage, and
with some modification in operation near wellbore turbulence were appeared
54475- Utilizing 4 ½-in. Monobores and Rigless
Gulf of Mexico and equipment to enable sand in one of the cases. However, the
1999 Completions to Develop Marginal Reserves
control system and be suitable for production was improved with no sand
the reservoir condition production
Switch the initial completion design
7-in. casing and 2 7/8-in. tubing Cement clean-out, perforating debris
50046- Monobores-Making a Difference to the Life with 3 ½-in. cemented monobore due to perforating the tubing with high
South Australia
1998 Cycle Cost of a Development completion design to lower the cost, power, post frac clean-out, and placing
increase the well life, and enhance cement inside the production annulus
the fracture job
Implementation of monobore
Bongkot Gas completion to optimize 3 casing High CO2 concentration, consider the
37616- New Well Architectures Increase Gas Recovery
Field Gulf of design with 3 ½-in. multi-zone water production and the ability of
1997 and Reduced Drilling Costs
Thailand completion to tubingless monobore installing artificial lift.
completion design
Enhancement in the perforation
USA, offshore process in monobore well
29820- Applicable in almost all the types of
A New Tubing-Conveyed Perforating Method Scotland, completions by using an
1995 monobore completion
offshore Australia automatically released gun hanger,
and a modular gun system
Apply monobore completion with
Monobore Completions and Novel Wireline
28916- Nelson Field, dual tubing to enable the gas lift Complex completion to enhance the
Perforating of High-Angle Wells in the Nelson
1995 North Sea system safely in highly deviated safety system
Field
offshore wells
Complete the wells with 5 ½-in.
Everest and
Everest and Lomond Completion Design monobore completion to eliminate
26743- Lomond gas Consider the perforation method and
Innovations Lower Completion and Workover hole restrictions and facilitate the
1993 condensate fields, the well control
Costs well intervention without pulling the
North Sea
completion strings
Switch the standard 7-in. liner and 5
½-in. tubing completion to 7-in.
25054- The Gullfaks Field Development: Challenges and Gullfaks Field, monobore completion to have Complex reservoir, sand control, and
1992 Perspectives North Sea smooth well path for the frequent well control
intervention operation due to well
complexity
 48
4. EVALUATION OF INFLOW CAPABILITY OF MONOBORE
COMPLETION IN KUWAIT HPHT JURASSIC GAS RESERVOIR

As a part of Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) strategic plan to develop gas production

in North Kuwait Jurassic Gas (NKJG) project and as agreed under the Enhance Technical

Services Agreement (ETSA) with Shell, a monobore design was developed and selected

to complete deep HPHT gas wells.

Optimizing the economical production and enhancing the life of the well are the

main purposes where all the operators in multidiscipline aim to achieve behind the

monobore design. After numerous precise engineering analyses and a success pilot well,

4 ½-in. monobore design had been chosen as an optimum design for NKJG reservoirs to

enable the technical challenges with high pressure sour volatile oil/gas condensate.

The idea of implementing and adopting the monobore completion for future wells is to

improve productivity considering the cost effective and facilitate the well intervention

and testing by;

a. Enable selective underbalanced perforation and stimulation of smaller intervals

(20-40 ft.) without having to kill the well.

b. Delivering maximum value of information, improving reservoir characterization,

validation of open hole logs leading to optimized selection of future well targets.

c. Providing full-bore access to the Middle Marrat and eliminate time consuming

tubing retrieval and kill operations to access reservoir sections.

d. Simplify the workover and testing operation; with monobore completion

workover and testing would be possible to achieve rigless. That will also reduce

the HSE exposure associated with rig operations.

 49
e. Minimizing the need to use inflatable tools which usually comes with limited

differential pressure ratings.

The objective of this work is to compare and contrast the current standard design

which consist of 3 ½-in. upper completion hung above a 5 in. production liner set across

the Middle Marrat reservoir with the new 4 ½-in. cemented liner into the 6-in. reservoir

section and 4 ½-in. upper completion monobore design. The flow work was done by

using an integrated system Model via PROSPER software using a data for a well in each

design and fixing all the parameter except the design of downhole equipment.

4.1. GEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

The area of interset is locted in the northern part of Kuwait. A part of much larger

Arabian plate, which through the geological time has undergone many tectonics and

geological proceeses that control the sedimentation processes in the area.

North Kuwait Jurassic Gas (NKJG) reservoirs covered six major fields with an

area of about 1,800 Km2 and thickness of about 2,200 ft (Figure 4.1), distributed in five

major formations as Najmah, Sargelu, Upper Marrat, Middle Marrat and Lower Marrat.

The Middle Marrat formation consists of carbonate rocks deposited in low relief

shelf where any minor change in the relative sea level led to major change in the

depostional environment. Therfore, the depositional environments for Middle Marrat are

slope, outer shelf, inner shelf, shoal, lagoon, and sabkha. Through time, Middle Marrat

limestone was partialy dolomitized, creating secondary porosity and permeability. The

natural fractured zones in Middle Marrat have the most producing potential.

Consequently, Marrat reservoir has the best reservoir properties.

 50

Figure 4.1. North Kuwait Jurassic fields. (Fava et al. 2015)

4.2. RESERVOIR DATA AND FLUID PROPERTIES

Jurassic deep carbonates reservoirs have dual low porosity and low permeability.

The porosity range is 3% to 24%, and permeability range is 0.001 md to 100 md. The

reservoirs are characterized by high pressure and high temperature conditions rangeing

from 10,500 psi to 12,000 psi and 225 to 290 ̊F. The hydrorbons are considered to be

sour as the H2S is high with 2.9 %, and CO2 concentration is 1.5% (S. Packirisamy,

2010) (S. Malik, 2012). The reservoirs are recognized as heterogeneous due to very

complex compartments and high contrast in permeability as a result of the natural

fracture connectivity, which is connected perfectly in some areas and poorly in other

areas. Therefore, a big challenge in completion design was to identify a well completion

and stimulation strategy to maximize the flow from the multiple zones and enhance the

production in order to meet the country’s gas production strategy. The large hydrocarbon
 51
fluids content of volatile oil and condensate gas makes it profitable to produce over all

the challenges faced. Figure 4.2 shows the summary of the Jurassic gas reservoirs.

Figure 4.2. Summary of the Jurassic Gas reservoirs. (Ahmed et al. 2017)

Due to the 2-3 orders of magnitude difference in permeability contrast between

the different reservoir flow units, a well completed across the entire Middle Marrat pay

would really only prduce from the most productive zones. Further, any acid stimulation

applied (bullheading acid) would also only reach the most permeabile zone (zone 2,

Figure 4.3), leaving a large portion of the net pay within the well unstimulated. Initially

that was the only way the reservoir could be developed, with individual wells targeting a

single permeability layer and bullheading acid to that one layer, anticipating that other

layers would be opened and a later time, once the first layer was depleted. However, it
 52
was estimated that this approach was producing only 65% of the total reservoir flow

capacity. (Ahmed et al. 2017)

Figure 4.3. Middle Marrat Type Log. (Ahmed et al. 2017)

 53
Forty percent of the total gas in place in the North Kuwait Jurassic (NKJ) asset is

concentrated in Middle Marrat reservoirs in RA and SA fields. In RA field, the produced

fluid considered as volatile oil after analyzing 16 PVT samples while the fluid produced

from SA field is described as Gas-condensate. Where 7 samples from 12 PVT samples

show Gas-condensate behavior, and the rest show volatile oil behavior. Whereas the

volatile oil samples in SA field are not separated from the gas condensate wells by any

barrier and the initial reservoir pressure is much higher than the saturation pressure.

Many studies and models have described the fluid behavior in SA field and proven that

the coexisting of the oil and Gas-condensate is due to geological complixity such as the

sharp change in depostionl environments and lithology as well as post depostional

proceeses. Gas and oil distribution in deep reservoirs led to changes in the fluid

composition (Fava et al. 2015). Figure 4.4 shows the distribution of the volatile oil and

gas condensate wells in RA and SA fields.

4.3. GAS PRODUCTION IN NORTH KUWAIT

Marrat formation is the main and primary reservoir with high potential drainage

of hydrocarbon fluids. The current production rates are 50,000 BBL/d light oil and

120,000 MMSCF/d gas (F. Clayton 2012), typical per well production rates are up to

5,000 BOPD/BCPD and 10 MMSCF/d. The secondary reservoir targets

(Najmah/Sargelu formations) can be achieved by applying 4 ½-in. monobore completion

which will facilitate the stimulation for multiple zones and enhance the production

simply with less time.

During the early phases of the reservoir the natural fractures played an

instrumental role in enhancing the production. However, due to high pressure high
 54
temperature reservoir condition and the need of using heavy mud(18-20 ppg), some

formation damage appeared, which required acid stimulation to enhance the production.

Acid fracture job is performed in almost all the wells.

Figure 4.4. Volatile oil wells in RA and SA fields (RA green dots, SA green dots with
black circle) and Gas condensate in SA field (red dots). (Fava et al. 2015)

4.4. COMPLETION DESIGN

In line with exploration and development of many unconventional reservoirs and

with the high demand of gas production in the market, operators strive to improve the

existing technologies and innovate new technologies and designs to overcome the

technical and operational challenges. Monobore completion design is became essential

 55
after many success implementations in oil and gas industries as it demonstrate the

simplicity and flexibility in well completion, testing, production and intervention.

In North Kuwait Jurrasic reservoir, the main purpose of applying the monobore

completion was to enable the openhole multistage completion and isolate the upper

completion to facilitate installing of stimulation string and enhance the fracture process.

Hence, the whole layers in the reservoir will be produced and the asset’s production

targets can be achieved.

4.4.1. Conventional Design. The current standard design consists of 3 ½-in.

upper completion set on a 5 in. production packer across the Middle Marrat. The 5 in.

production liner is hosted by a 7 5/8-in. drilling/production liner set below the

Najmah/Sargelu and extended to surface with a tie-back string required to withstand the

production loads.

4.4.2. Monobore Design. The monobore completion design was developed and

implemented in NKJG pilot well and has been proven for the future wells to

optimize production and recovery factor in the Marrat reservoir. The openhole sleeve

system allows highly varying tight permeability layers in the Middle Marrat (MM)

carbonate reservoir to be acid stimulated individually and commingled for production.

The optimum monobore completion size for NKJG wells is 4 ½-in. (Figure 4.5).

The concept involve running the 4 ½-in. liner into the 6 in. reservoir section and

cemented in place. The 4 ½-in. upper completion with 4 ½-in. Safety Valve Landing

Nipple (SVLN) is then stabbed into the PBR of the integral PBR/tie back packer

assembly positioned on top of the liner hanger assembly.

 56

Figure 4.5. 4 ½-in. monobore completion schematic. (Shell Kuwait internal Report)

4.5. STIMULATION

North Kuwait Jurassic reservoirs is naturally fractured, which make it beneficially

in the primary production. However, due to the high pressure high temperature nature

the wells are drilled with high specific gravity mud that caused a formation damage and

reduction in permeability in some areas. Acid fracture is needed in carbonate formation

of the Jurassic field to reconnect the natural fracture systems (Packirisamy et al. 2010).
 57
At the beginning, single stage bullhead matrix acid stimulation was performed,

which were treating only the highest permeability zone. The high contrast in the

permeability between the zones in the Jurassic formations makes it challenge to produce

from multi layers at a time. Then, the operator applied ‘plug and perf’ completion to

stimulate multi layers selectively, but this type of completion has some disadvantages

such as the time consuming needed to mill out the plugs and the high cost.

In order to optimize the stimulation strategy, an alternative design was

implemented with positive results. The alternative was to stimulate with 4 ½-in.

multistage ball activated sleeve completion system. Thus, 4 ½-in. monobore completion

design was implemented to facilitate the usage of ball and sleeve multi stage completion.

Figure 4.6. Completion designs in North Kuwait Jurassic gas reservoir. (Z. Ahmad and Y
AL-Otaibi 2017)
 58
5. INFLOW PRODUCTION MODELING OF MONOBORE COMPLETION
IN KUWAIT HPHT JURASSIC GAS RESERVOIR

The main objective of this work is to evaluate the well performance at two

different completion designs, conventional vs monobore completion design, using actual

PVT lab data, reservoir data, and design of a deep HP HT well in North Kuwait Jurassic

Gas (NKJG) project. PROSPER software was used to achieve this objective by nodal

analysis method.

Two models were built for wells W-A and W-B, which are located in North

Kuwait Jurassic field and produced from MM formation. Well W-A is producing a

volatile oil under reservoir pressure of 8,500 psi, while well W-B is producing a gas-

condensate under reservoir pressure of 11,000 psi, more details in reservoir data is in

Section 5.1.3. For each model the reservoir data is fixed except the reservoir pressure, the

variables are the reservoir pressure and the well design (tubing size and depth).

5.1. PROSPER WORKFLOW

PROSPER is one of the most powerful tools that can predict the well performance

and the production capability, through building a well model using the major well

aspects such as PVT (fluid characterization), VLP correlations (for calculation of flow-

line and tubing pressure loss) and IPR (reservoir inflow). In addition, operators can

evaluate the well life and optimize the production and the well design prior taking any

crucial decision (artificial lift). Prosper software enables design modeling for all types of

the well profiles considering the reservoir parameters, surface and subsurface tools, and

the type of reservoir fluids. PROSPER’s name came out of “advanced PROduction and
 59
Systems PERformance analysis software” PROSPER supports well performance,

design, and optimization applications such as (Prosper User Manual Version 11.5, 2):

• Design and optimize well completions including multi-lateral, multilayer and

horizontal wells

• Design and optimize tubing and pipeline sizes

• Design, diagnose and optimize Gas lift, Hydraulic pumps and ESP wells

• Generate lift curves for use in simulators

• Calculate pressure losses in wells, flow lines and across chokes

• Predict flowing temperature in wells and pipelines

• Monitor well performance to rapidly identify wells requiring remedial action

• Calculate total skin and determine breakdown (damage, deviation or partial

penetration)

• Unique black oil model for retrograde condensate fluids, accounting for liquid

dropout in the wellbore

• Allocate production between wells.

PROSPER allows the engineer to match different components of the model viz,

PVT, flow correlations and IPR with measured data. The matching procedure is

followed by quality checking options, on the basis of what is possible physically.

 PVT correlations can be matched to laboratory flash data.

 Vertical lift and flowline correlations can be automatically tuned to match

measured flowing pressure surveys.

 Flow Correlations can be tuned to fit up to 10 tests simultaneously, using a multi-

dimensional non-linear regression.

 60
The matching process is a powerful data consistency check. Figure 5.1 illustrates

the workflow used in this research with PROSPER software.

Figure 5.1. Work Flowchart using PROSPER.

5.1.1. Fluid Description Method. Two models were built for volatile oil

and gas condensate wells, due to rich gas fluid nature in the utilized wells, the models

were built for retrograde condensate fluid type. The produced hydrocarbons passed
 61
through multi-stage separator (3 stages) therefore, separator train was used as a separator

calculation method.

Equation of State (EOS) fluid model is recommended for the compositional

hydrocarbon reservoir, thus Peng-Robinson Equation of State has been used as a PVT

fluid model due to its simplicity and solvability in representation of volumetric and phase

equilibria (Wei et al. 2011).

Peng-Robinson Equation of State is a modified EOS, which applied for predicting

the real gas behavior and the fluid properties in the vicinity of the critical region.

The Peng and Robinson Equation of State

RT aα (5-1)
P= − 2 2

Vm − b Vm + 2bVm − b
(5-2)
2

Pc 2 Tc
0.45724R (5-3)
a=
0.07780RTc
b=
Pc (5-4)
∝= (1 + (0.37464 + 1.54226ω − 0.26992ω^2 )(1 − Tr0.5 ))2 (5-5)

T
Tr =
Tc

Where ω is the acentric factor for the species,

Pc is critical pressure,

Tc is critical temperature.

The ideal gas constant R = 8.314413 J/mol-K

5.1.2. PVT Data. In this study, two fluid samples for different fields have been

used. One is a volatile oil sample while the other is gas condensate sample, both from

HPHT reservoir with a high percent of H2S gas.

 62
PVT Modeling is the process of describing the phase behavior of hydrocarbon

fluids by mathematical equations (i.e.; EOS) based on lab measurements. Usually, the

EOS needs to be matched with lab data by changing the pseudo-components' properties,

which are considered as tuning parameters due to their low reliability and using the

volume shift mode for the full composition to calibrate the data. However, the tuning

process can be complicated and challenging. PVTP software was used to calibrate the

lab PVT data (lab measurement) and match it with the calculated data using the proper

EOS and plot the phase envelop for each fluid sample, Figures 5.2 and 5.3 show the

phase envelope for the used fluid samples in the studied fields. After matching the lab

measurement, the resultant data saved in PRP format and the data table was imported in

to PROSPER PVT.

PVTP is Petroleum Experts' advanced Pressure Volume and Temperature analysis

software. It is a thermodynamic fluid characterization tool that can assist production,

reservoir and process engineers in modeling the fluid PVT behavior and predicting the

effect of process conditions on the composition of hydrocarbon mixtures with accuracy

and speed.

5.1.3. IPR and the Reservoir Data. Inflow Performance Relationship (IPR) is

a method where well deliverability is determined by the relationship between the

production rate and the bottom hole flowing, which is called an inflow performance.

Due to complexity of the multi-phase reservoir fluid, back pressure reservoir model is

applied for the gas condensate well model with assumed skin of zero, while Forchheimer

was used for volatile oil reservoir . Table 5.1 includes the input data for both models.
 63
After adding the data, the software will calculate and plot the IPR and the AOF will

appear as an output.

Figure 5.2. Volatile Oil phase envelope.

Figure 5.3. Gas Condensate phase envelope.

 64
Table 5.1. Reservoir data for wells W-A and W-B.

Reservoir Data W-A W-B

Reservoir Permeability (md) 10 10

Reservoir Thickness (feet) 45 45

Drainage Area (acres) _ 288.34

Dietz Shape Factor _ 30.9972

Wellbore Radius (feet) 0.25 0.25

Exponent n _ 0.5

Non-Darcy Coefficient 0.214 _

Darcy Coefficient 211.454 _

Reservoir pressure (psi) 8500 11,000

Reservoir temperature (F) 280 280

Water Gas Ratio (STB/MMscf) 0 0

Total GOR (scf/STB) 2972 4059.8

5.1.4. Equipment Data. In this section, the actual well data such as downhole

equipment design and setting depths, surface equipment design (tree, separators..etc.),

well deviation survey, geothermal gradient and heat capacities are required. These data

are crucial in predicting the flow.

• Deviation Survey: the deviation survey can have its origin anywhere: well head,

sea-bed, platform, RKB and so on, the key thing is to describe all the equipment

in the well in a manner consistent with the origin selected. The well head depths

does not have to coincide with the origin of the deviation survey.
 65
• Surface Equipment: All equipment located downstream of the well head are part

of the surface equipment. The surface equipment can include: well head chokes,

risers, flow lines, fittings, and so on.

• Down Hole Equipment: The down hole equipment include the tubing, casings,

nipples, Sub-surface Safety valves ...etc.

• Static Geothermal Gradient: The geothermal gradient expresses the rate of

increase in temperature per unit depth. The geothermal gradient is independent of

the well flow rate.

5.2. ANALYSIS SUMMARY

In PROSPER, the data entered can be analyzed and the sensitivity can be

determined using more than two variables up to 10 sensitivity variables. The software

enables to calculate the inflow by nodal analysis with different variable, thus the user can

compare the output data and analyze the result. Furthermore, the user can change the

variables in every run and observes the result easily and in a short time until the best

integrity is reached.
 66
6. STUDY RESULTS

6.1. RESULT OF THE MONOBORE HISTORICAL OVERVIEW

Over the period of more than 30 years, the monobore completion was applied in

many oil and gas fields in the world. Vast majority of the monobore wells have proven

its effective in different types of reservoir. Operators strove to improve the monobore

completion design to overcome many operational challenges and enhance the production

in economical way. Monobore completion is used now with more confident.

6.2. RESULT OF THE INFLOW CAPABILITY

This section includes the inflow result and nodal analysis plots for two wells

located in adjacent fields and producing from the same reservoir, thus both wells have the

same reservoir data except for the reservoir pressure and slight difference in the total

depth. The two wells have two different hydrocarbon fluid type, one produces volatile oil

while the other produces gas condensate.

The result show the performance of each well in two different cases.

Case 1: Performance of Well W-A (volatile oil fluid) using the original completion

design with 5-in. liner and 3 ½-in. tubing vs. 4 ½-in. monobore completion design.

Case 2: Performance of Well W-B (gas condensate fluid) using the original completion

design with 5-in. liner and 3 ½-in. tubing vs. 4 ½-in. monobore completion design.

6.2.1. Result of Monobore Completion in Volatile Oil Reservoir in Kuwait.

The preliminary result after adding all the reservoir data and applying the proper model,

shows that the AOF is the same in both completion designs, which is equal to 17.887

(MMscf/day). Figure 6.1 shows the IPR plot.

 67

Figure 6.1. IPR plot for well W-A.

For the original completion design the well will produce gas at rate of 4.622

(MMscf/day) and oil rate of 1324.6 (STB/day). Further, it will deplete at pressure less

than 2350 psig. The following Figures (6.2, 6.3) show the IPR vs. VLP plot and the

sensitivity at different reservoir pressures respectively.

Figure 6.2. IPR vs. VLP for well W-A at the original completion design.
 68

Figure 6.3. Reservoir pressure sensitivity for the well W-A at the original completion
design.

When applying the monobore completion design for the same well the gas and oil

rate will be 4.618 (MMscf/day), 1323.4 (STB/day) respectively. The well will deplete at

pressure below 2350 psig as shown in the following Figures (6.4, 6.5).

Figure 6.4. IPR vs. VLP for well W-A at the Monobore completion design.
 69

Figure 6.5. Reservoir pressure sensitivity for the well W-A at the Monobore completion
design.

Figure 6.6 shows the IPR vs. VLP plot for using the two variables (reservoir

pressure and downhole equipment) for well W-A.

Figure 6.6. IPR vs. VLP plot for using the two variables for well W-A.
 70
6.2.2. Result of Monobore Completion in Gas Condensate Reservoir in

Kuwait. The preliminary result after adding all the reservoir data and applying the gas

condensate reservoir model is given in Figure 6.7, where the AOF for both design in the

well W-B is the same and equals to 29.447 (MMscf/day).

Figure 6.7. IPR plot for well W-B.

In the original well design the gas production is 5.657 (MMscf/ day) and the oil

rate is 1691.4 (STB/day) as shown in Figure 6.8, and the depletion pressure for this well

is below 3950 psig shown in Figure 6.9.

In the Monobore completion design case the well will produce 5.795

(MMscf/day) of gas and 1732.5 (STB/day) of oil. The depletion pressure is below 4250

psig Figures (6.10, 6.11). Figure 6.12 shows the IPR vs. VLP plot for using the two

variables (reservoir pressure and downhole equipment) for well W-B.

 71

Figure 6.8. IPR vs. VLP for well W-B at the original completion design.

Figure 6.9. Reservoir pressure sensitivity for the well W-B at the original completion
design.
 72

Figure 6.10. IPR vs. VLP for well W-B at the monobore completion design.

Figure 6.11. Reservoir pressure sensitivity for the well W-B at the Monobore completion
design.
 73

Figure 6.12. IPR vs. VLP plot for using the two variables for well W-B.
 74
7. DISCUSSION

Based on the result of modeling and investigating the effect of monobore

completion at two cases of different fields, it has been proved that a minor change in the

production rate between the original completion design and monobore completion design

in the gas condensate well, while in the volatile oil well the change in the rates is too

small that can be neglected. However, the well with original completion design has a

longer life when compared to the well completed with monobore in gas condensate well,

and it is the same in the volatile oil well. The reason behind that is the size of tubing,

which is smaller in the original completion with OD of 3 1/2-in. (ID 2 3/4-in.) while the

tubing OD in the monobore completion is 4 ½-in. (ID 3 1/2in.). Accordingly, the

production rate and the well life are considered to be the same in both cases. Table 7.1

summarize the details of the comparison between the two cases. Whereas Tables 7.2 and

7.3 include the results of sensitivity study of reservoir pressure for wells W-A and W-B.

Table 7.1. Summary of the results.

 75
Table 7.2. Result of sensitivity study of reservoir pressure for well W-A (volatile oil).

Case Original Completion Monobore Completion

Gas Rate Oil Rate Gas Rate Oil Rate

Pr (Psig) (MMscf/day) (STB/day) (MMscf/day) (STB/day)

8500 4.588 1314.8 4.618 1323.4

5000 2.741 785.6 2.767 792.9

2350 0.977 279.9 0.998 286

Table 7.3. Result of sensitivity study of reservoir pressure for well W-B (Gas
Condensate)
Case Original Completion Monobore Completion

Gas Rate Oil Rate Gas Rate Oil Rate

Pr (Psig) (MMscf/day) (STB/day) (MMscf/day) (STB/day)

11000 5.657 1691.4 5.944 1777

8000 3.924 1173.1 4.074 1217.9

4100 1.7 508.3 1.608 480.8

The monobore completion is beneficial in many ways such as facilitate the

operation, workover jobs and the well stimulation without affecting the production, or

with enhancing the production in some cases depending on other factors.

 76
8. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

Monobore completion is a type of well completion where the ID size of tubing

and the production liner is the same, or in some cases for tubingless design the production

casing is cemented in place, which makes the wellbore smooth without any restrictions.

In most wells completed with monobore completion, the intermediate casing is

eliminated. Also many completion accessories can be eliminated, and compensate with

specially designed equipment to avoid any trammels inside the hole. That would help in

facilitate the completion operation and workover jobs with less time and cost. Monobore

completions have proven to be a cost effective design for producing from wells both

initially and during reservoir depletion.

The monobore completion have proven its feasibility in many fields around the

world, onshore and offshore, including fields with HPHT reservoirs. Early monobore

completions are readily categorized on their size - as either slim hole or big hole. Recent

monobore completions combine multistage isolation and stimulation. Other recent

instances show installation improvements such as cement through/single trip. Modern

case studies can be categorized on these enhancements or applications (heavy

oil/artificial lift).

Operators in Jurassic field in Kuwait have applied a monobore completion design

for HPHT wells in this area, after the successful application of the monobore completion

design in the adjacent regions in Middle East. Monobore completion in Kuwait Jurassic

field enable the openhole multistage, ball drop sleeve system completion, which enhance

the multi-zone stimulation.

 77
Two cases from Jurassic field in Kuwait have been modeled and investigated to

determine the effect of the monobore completion in the production performance using

PROSPER software. From the result of this study it has been conclude that for volatile oil

the monobore has little impact on inflow performance, whereas for gas condensate there

is a slight inflow improvement gained from the monobore design. However, the

monobore completion design simplifies the stimulation for small intervals, addresses

operational issues, and reduce completion and workover costs, which will pave the way

to be applied in all the wells at this area safely, considering the reservoir characterizations

and pressure tests.

 78
9. FUTURE WORK

Economical and functional comparisons of different completion designs for the

Kuwait Jurassic reservoir could be made if more data became available.

If more data can be collected from the industry, it would be possible to construct a

completions database with reservoir and completion information. This could support

statistical studies in the future.

A parametric nodal analysis study could be made to develop charts that indicate

flowrates where there are differences between conventional and monobore completions

for different types of reservoir fluids. Comparisons of monobore completion design

options can be made if cost data is obtained.

 79
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 86
VITA

Anwar Khaled AL-Fadhli was born in Kuwait. She received her bachelor degree

in Chemical Engineering from Kuwait University, Kuwait in 2008. She joined Kuwait

Oil Company (KOC) in December, 2008 as a Drilling and Workover Engineer in

Development Drilling Group. She worked as a Drilling Engineer in Deep Drilling Group,

KOC.

Anwar was granted a scholarship in 2016 from Kuwait Petroleum Corporation to

study her master’s degree. She received her master of science in Petroleum Engineering

from Missouri University of Science and Technology in May, 2018.