IADC/SPE 59209

A New Selective Lateral Re-Entry System

W. Mark Rivenbark, SPE, Halliburton Energy Services Inc; Mohammed I. Al-Sowayigh, SPE,
Yousef A. Al-Furaidan, SPE, SAUDI ARAMCO

Copyright 2000, IADC/SPE Drilling Conference Introduction

This paper was prepared for presentation at the 2000 IADC/SPE Drilling Conference held in Short oil columns of 50 feet or less in thickness are frequently
New Orleans, Louisiana, 23–25 February 2000.
found in producing wells of the fields in question. Most of
This paper was selected for presentation by an IADC/SPE Program Committee following
review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents of the
these wells are located in mature areas of the field where the
paper, as presented, have not been reviewed by the International Association of Drilling water cut tends to be high. These wells are vertical in
Contractors or the Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject to correction by the
author(s). The material, as presented, does not necessarily reflect any position of the IADC or completion. Many of them cease to sustain natural flow and
SPE, their officers, or members. Papers presented at the IADC/SPE meetings are subject to become dead because of their high water cut.
publication review by Editorial Committees of the IADC and SPE. Electronic reproduction,
distribution, or storage of any part of this paper for commercial purposes without the written This paper presents the application of short-radius
consent of the Society of Petroleum Engineers is prohibited. Permission to reproduce in print is
restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words; illustrations may not be copied. The recompletion of vertical to horizontal wells as it relates to the
abstract must contain conspicuous acknowledgment of where and by whom the paper was installation of a Selective Lateral Re-entry System. Several
presented. Write Librarian, SPE, P.O. Box 833836, Richardson, TX 75083-3836, U.S.A., fax
01-972-952-9435. workovers of this type have been carried out in 1998 and
1999. These recompletions represent some of the earliest
Abstract applications of this new technology.
Since the mid-1990's, a major Middle Eastern operator has Short-radius drilling has application in a reservoir called
been exploiting short-radius horizontal technology to the “Arab-D reservoir.” The horizontal borehole is normally
maximize oil recovery from existing wells. Although the use kicked off below an upper reservoir called the “Arab-C
of this technology has resulted in significant production reservoir.” The Arab-D reservoir has an advantage: it provides
increases, the operators recovery efforts were somewhat a longer horizontal target section in the pay zone of interest for
hampered by not having through-tubing access to the short- a given lateral displacement. Targeted zones are typically
radius lateral. This problem has been solved with the short, remaining-oil columns at the top of the Arab-D and
introduction of a new selective lateral re-entry system. underlain by well-swept intervals. The remaining oil is not
Short-radius recompletion involves reentering an existing recoverable from the existing vertical completions.
well, opening a window through the casing, and recompleting As of October 1999, nine wells have been completed with
the well as a horizontal well within 100 ft (lateral the Selective Lateral Re-entry System in both 7-in. and 4 ½-in.
displacement) of the re-entry point. This technology is casing.
typically used in wells that still contain zones with thin oil
columns in place but are no longer able to flow because of Incentives
high water cut. In wells in which this technology has been As the fields in question are quite mature, maximizing oil
applied, production rates have generally been higher, water cut production and ultimate oil recovery are key factors to insure
has been reduced, and recovery has improved. that the objectives of these short-radius horizontal holes are
The new system allows for re-entry into the lateral via achieved. Production and recovery maximization requires that
wireline or coiled tubing. Utilizing isolation and commingling evaluation and remedial work tools, such as logging and CT
sleeves, the operator can control production from both the acid stimulation, can access the laterals. Drilling and
main bore and the lateral. Re-entry whipstocks (deployed by completion challenges in these fields also require that new
wireline or coiled tubing) allow logging, acidizing, and any approaches to achieve such objectives remain economical.
other coil tubing intervention to be accomplished in the lateral Existing multilateral technology was reviewed and
with relative ease. factored into the new approach that was required to meet the
This paper describes the deployment and operation of the objectives of the client in these fields. It was important to be
new system and presents field examples of its use. The paper able to utilize solutions that incorporated standard completion
also discusses applications under development that will techniques. It was also imperative that conventional slickline
require entry into multiple laterals within the same main bore. and coiled tubing tools and techniques be applicable.
Fortunately, the required system was already under
development for another customer.
2 W. MARK RIVENBARK, MOHAMMED I. AL-SOWAYIGH, AND YOUSEF A. AL-FURAIDAN IADC/SPE 59209

Engineering Design Work In step 3 (Fig. 4), the seal assembly and production tubing
During 1997 and 1998 design and testing of the tools are run and landed in the upper retrievable packer. The tubing
comprising the Selective Lateral Re-Entry System was is then spaced out as required and a pressure test is performed
ongoing. The system is designed to allow though-tubing on the tubing and annulus as per operator requirements. Next,
access from the main bore to a short-radius lateral section. The the seal assembly is unstung from the packer and the tubing is
system utilizes a torque-locked retrievable production packer displaced with completion fluid. The remaining tasks are as
and pre-milled window joint run on drill pipe. A wireline follows.
retrievable isolation sleeve provides pressure integrity
between both sections of the wellbore during completion • Sting back into the packer with the seals and pressure test
operations to insure well control at all times. The isolation the tubing and annulus again as required.
sleeve is equipped with a patented crimp seal that allows for • Install a back pressure valve (BPV) and nipple down the
maximum inside diameter through the sleeve. Once the BOP stack.
completion is landed and the Christmas tree flanged up, the • Nipple up the production tree and orient valves in the
isolation sleeve can be retrieved on slickline. Its retrieval proper direction.
allows for immediate communication from the lateral borehole • Retrieve the BPV and pressure test the tree as specified by
section. the operator.

System Development Step 4 involves rigging up slickline and then carrying out
Packers previously used in both typical and multilateral the following tasks: pressure test the lubricator and run in the
completions have no torque-through capability. The Selective borehole with the appropriate tool and retrieve the isolation
Lateral Re-entry System, however, requires that both the sleeve from the pre-milled window joint.
packer and its setting tool have such capability. Also, the pre- At this point, the operator may or may not choose to install
milled window joint must be able to pass easily through a liner a tubing-exit-whipstock to gain access to the lateral borehole
top yet locate positively and accurately in the milled casing section for remedial work. For informational purposes, it is
window. For the Selective Lateral Re-entry System, a pre- assumed that the operator does want lateral access and is ready
milled window joint incorporates a feature that insures proper to proceed to step 5. Step 5 requires that the tubing-exit-
orientation and location in the milled casing window. The re- whipstock be run in the borehole on slickline and set in the
entry whipstocks can be installed with conventional slickline pre-milled window joint. The pre-milled window joint
or coiled tubing tools and techniques. incorporates an orienting sleeve. An orienting guide on the
The Selective Lateral Re-entry System (including packer, whipstock interfaces with the sleeve. Together, they
window joint and isolation sleeve) is run as a single assembly. automatically face the whipstock in the direction of the milled
Once on depth, the window joint is oriented and landed in the casing window. After setting the whipstock, the running tool is
milled casing window. The packer is set and the completion is retrieved to surface and the slickline and lubricator are rigged
pressure tested. The setting tool is released from the packer down. (See Fig. 5.)
and pulled from the borehole on the drillstring. In step 6, coiled tubing is rigged up and run out into the
lateral borehole section to perform remedial work as required.
System Application (See Fig. 5) After completion of the coiled tubing operations,
The installation of this equipment involves several critical the coiled tubing is pulled back to surface and the unit is
steps. After the casing window is milled and the lateral rigged down. Slickline is then rigged up and the whipstock is
borehole section drilled, it is time to install the completion. retrieved with the appropriate pulling tool. At this point, the
Step 1 (Fig. 1) involves running the tailpipe assembly on a isolation sleeve can be installed so that the lateral borehole
permanent production packer and hydraulic setting tool. After section can be shut off. (See Fig. 6.) Or, it can be left out,
setting the packer, the setting tool is released and pulled back allowing simultaneous production from both the main bore
to surface on the workstring. At this point, a retrievable test and lateral borehole section.
packer is run in on the workstring and set below the milled It should be noted that in the example given above the
casing window. The workstring is then pressure-tested against installation and retrieval of the tubing exit whipstock was done
a plug pre-installed in the tailpipe to insure pressure integrity on slickline. However, these operations are done equally as
of the lower permanent packer. well with coiled tubing. The method of installation and or
In step 2 (Fig. 2), the seal assembly for the lower packer is retrieval is based on downhole conditions and operator
run in on the workstring along with the pre-milled window preference.
joint and a torque-locked retrievable packer. After stinging
into the lower packer and properly locating the window joint Case History
in the milled casing window, the upper torque-locked As of October 1999, nine wells have been recompleted as
retrievable packer is set with pressure applied through tubing. short-radius wells utilizing the Selective Lateral Re-entry
After testing this packer, the setting tool is released with System in the fields in question. The sections below discuss
annular pressure and retrieved on the workstring (Fig. 3). the performance of some of these wells.
IADC/SPE 59209 A NEW SELECTIVE LATERAL RE-ENTRY SYSTEM 3

Uthmaniyah Well-A. This well was drilled and completed in The well was put on initial production in December 1974.
December 1993 as an Arab-D-reservoir, vertical producer. The The initial production rate of the well showed an oil rate of 15
well was drilled to a total depth of 7425 feet and was thousand BOPD with a 0 % water cut. During the later years,
completed openhole with 4 1/2-in. tubing and packer. During several workovers were performed for maintenance reasons,
completion, resistivity logs showed that the well has which resulted in slimming the original 7-in. wellbore to 4 ½
approximately 80 feet of oil column. inches. After 19 years of production, the well rate declined to
The well was put on initial production in January 1995. 1.5 thousand BOPD; and the water cut increased to 60 %. The
The initial production rates for the well were an oil rate of 4 decline in production and the increase in water cut called for
thousand BOPD, a water rate of 10 thousand BWPD and a 71 remedial action. A water shutoff using polymer was performed
% water cut. After 3 years of production, the well rate on the well. Injection of the polymer isolated a high water
declined to 1.6 thousand BOPD; and the water cut increased to flow streak, and the well was livened. However, the well
85 %. Based on the performance of other wells in the area, it flowed intermittently and died frequently, events that called
was expected that the well would shortly cease to flow and for numerous livening attempts by flaring the well. The well
then die. A production log run in the well showed that the then expired; apparently it could not be livened again.
remaining oil column was 65 ft and that there was a high However, inspection of a previous production log showed that
water flow interval in the middle of the reservoir at the bottom a 50-ft oil column remained. The thinning oil column and the
of the oil column. Due to the thinning oil column and in order desire to restore production from this well lead to a decision to
to keep away from the high water flow streak, it was decided recomplete the well as a short-radius horizontal. The target
to recomplete the well as a short-radius horizontal well. The would be the top 5 feet of the reservoir. As with the
target would be the top 5 ft of the reservoir. Uthmaniyah Well-A well, it was necessary to insure that the
It was also necessary to insure — when targeting the top sweep of the remaining interval of the reservoir be monitored.
— that the sweep of the remaining interval of the reservoir be Therefore, it was necessary to maintain the vertical borehole
monitored. Therefore, it was necessary to maintain the vertical for monitoring. Again, as with the Uthmaniyah well, there was
borehole for production log monitoring. This requirement a need to provide access to both the vertical and horizontal
necessitated installation of a system to provide access to both section of borehole as well as to isolate either of them when
the vertical and the horizontal sections of the borehole, as well necessary. Hence, the Selective Lateral Re-entry System was
as to isolate either section when necessary. The Selective chosen to meet these needs.
Lateral Re-entry System was selected as the tool to satisfy The well was worked over in July 1999. A 1000-ft
these requirements. horizontal borehole was drilled while still maintaining the
The well was worked over in October 1998. A 600-ft, vertical borehole. A 4 1/2-in. Selective Lateral Re-entry
horizontal borehole was drilled while still maintaining the System was installed, because this well had a slim wellbore
vertical borehole. A 7-in. Selective Lateral Re-entry System across the milled casing window and the well was completed
was installed across the window and the well was completed with 4 1/2-in. x 2 7/8-in. tubing.
with 4 ½-in. tubing. A trial test was conducted because this After recompletion, the well was put on production and
installation was the first installation done in this operator’s was able to flow at a rate of 4 thousand BOPD oil with a 0 %
wells. The test was designed to insure that the horizontal water cut. The well has produced 346,000 bbl since
borehole could be accessed. This insurance was provided in completion and has significantly increased production and
two ways: (1) by installing a tubing exit whipstock on recovery from that area.
slickline and (2) by running coiled tubing into the lateral. All
of these steps were carried out with no problems. In fact the Haradh Well-A. This well was drilled in July 1998 as an
coiled tubing was passed in and out of the casing window six Arab-D-reservoir vertical well. The well was drilled to a total
times and run six hundred feet into the lateral. Also, an depth of 6840 ft. The drilling rig was released without
isolation sleeve was set opposite the window and retrieved completing the well after suspending the well with cement.
later without problem. The resistivity logs showed that the well had approximately
After the well recompletion, the well was put on 100 feet of oil column.
production and was able to flow at a rate of 3.6 thousand As a result of the poor performance of other vertical wells
BOPD oil with a 20 % water cut. The well has produced in this field, it was decided to convert the well to a short-
663,000 bbl since recompletion and has significantly increased radius horizontal design. The plans were to move back onto
the production and recovery from that area. The vertical the well with a workover rig and to recomplete it with a short-
borehole of the well will be logged at a later date to monitor radius horizontal extension into the top of the reservoir. Again,
the sweep efficiency. it was necessary to insure that, when targeting the reservoir
top, the sweep of the remaining interval of the reservoir be
Hawiyah Well-A. This well was drilled and completed in monitored. Monitoring was seen as particularly important
November 1974 as an Arab-D-reservoir vertical producer. The because this well had a very thick oil column. Again, it was
well was drilled to a total depth of 6701 feet. The reservoir necessary to maintain the vertical borehole for future
had an oil column of more than 150 feet. monitoring. Again, plans provided access to both the vertical
and horizontal sections of the borehole and also provided
4 W. MARK RIVENBARK, MOHAMMED I. AL-SOWAYIGH, AND YOUSEF A. AL-FURAIDAN IADC/SPE 59209

isolation of either section when necessary. The Selective require that the tubing-exit-whipstock and the isolation sleeve
Lateral Re-entry System was again selected to meet these pass through an upper window and locate in the lower
objectives. window. Other operators have expressed an interest in placing
The well was worked over in March 1999. A 2300-ft as many as six Selective Lateral Re-entry Systems in a single
horizontal borehole was drilled while still maintaining the well. Testing is ongoing to insure these objectives can be
vertical borehole. A 7-in. Selective Lateral Re-entry System achieved.
was installed across the window, and the well was completed
with 4 1/2-in. tubing. The well is currently producing at a rate Summary
of 3 thousand BOPD oil with a 13 % water cut. This well, The Selective Lateral Re-entry System as described in this
along with other wells in this field, is still under evaluation. paper has met the objectives of allowing through-tubing
The vertical borehole on this well will be logged at a later date access to both the lateral and main bore sections of the wells
to monitor the sweep efficiency. in question. Additionally, the operator is meeting the
company’s operational and economic objectives. Operations in
Future Plans the fields mentioned in the text have been completely
To date, operations in the fields mentioned have been so successful and are encouraging the use of multiple Selective
completely successful that there are now plans to install two Lateral Re-entry System technology applications in the same
Selective Lateral Re-entry Systems in a single well. This well.
design will allow independent access to two lateral sections of
the well in addition to the main bore. However, the design will
TL SETTING
TOOL

7” TL
PACKER

CASING

PRE-MILLED WINDOW JOINT

CASING WINDOW
CASING WINDOW SELF LOCATING
7” CASING
KEY
5 7/8” OPEN
5 7/8” OPEN HOLE LATERAL
HOLE LATERAL

SEALASSEMBLY

7” LOWER PACKER

7” LOWER PACKER

TAILPIPE NIPPLE
TAILPIPE NIPPLE

Fig. 1—Running the tailpipe assembly on a permanent Fig. 2—Seal assembly, pre-milled window joint, and a
production packer and hydraulic setting tool. torque-locked retrievable packer.
IADC/SPE 59209 A NEW SELECTIVE LATERAL RE-ENTRY SYSTEM 5

COMPLETION TUBING

‘TL’ SETTING
UPPER COMPLETION
TOOL
SE
A SA
S LE M B L Y
7” ’ TL
PACKER

C A S IN G W I N D O W CASING WINDOW

P R E - M IL L E D
W I N D O W J O IN T 5 7/8” OPEN 5 7/8” OPEN
HOLE LATERAL HOLE LATERAL

SELF LOCATING
KEY

SEAL ASSEMBLY

7” LOWER PACKER

TAILPIPE NIPPLE

Fig. 3—The seal assembly and production tubing are run and Fig. 4—Upper seal assembly is stung into the torque locked
landed in the lower packer. Pre-milled window joint is aligned and packer.
the torque locked packer is set.
6 W. MARK RIVENBARK, MOHAMMED I. AL-SOWAYIGH, AND YOUSEF A. AL-FURAIDAN IADC/SPE 59209

COILED TUBING ISOLATION SLEEVE

W H IPSTOCK

WIRELINE
MEMORY GAUGES

Fig. 5—Running the tubing-exit-whipstock in the borehole on Fig. 6—Isolation sleeve installed.
slickline and setting it in the pre-milled window joint. Coiled
tubing run into the lateral.