Basics of Well Completion Ep

Oil Exploration & Production
Completion
Agenda
At the end of this presentation, you will be able to:
•Define completion
•Describe the process of completion
•List and define the different types of completion
•Describe surface control equipments
•Define subsea completion
Completion
Introduction
• After exploratory drilling confirms the presence of an oil
or natural gas reservoir, the hydrocarbons are brought to
the surface.
Safety Equipment
• Once the design well depth is reached, the formation is
tested and evaluated to determine whether the well is to
PLATFORM
be completed for production, or plugged and abandoned.
• This decision is taken based on the information available

on reservoir characteristics. SEA BED
30’’ CASING
20’’ CASING
• To complete the well production, casing is installed and 13 3/8’’ CASING
cemented, and the drilling rig is dismantled and moved to
the next site. Production casing (9 5/8) 7’’ LINER
• A service rig is brought in to perforate the production Downhole Equipment

casing and run production tubing along with downhole
equipments.
RESERVOIR
• The installation of surface safety equipments takes place

and production begins.
Completion Process
Completion
What is Completion?
Well completion creates a dependable pathway

to the surface for the hydrocarbons.
Once the well is drilled, it has to be made ready

for the safe and efficient production of oil.
The term ‘completion’ describes the assembly of

Down hole tubulars and other safety equipments
that is required to enable the safe and efficient
production of oil or gas from the well after it has
been drilled.
Completion Process
Completion
Well Completion Activities
Well completion activities include:
• Conducting drill stem test

• Setting production casing
• Running production tubing along with downhole
equipments
• Installing surface safety equipments
• Starting production flow
If it is decided that the well will not be completed,

then it will be plugged and abandoned.
Completion Process
Completion

• Setting production casing
• Running production tubing along with
downhole equipments
Conducting Drill Stem Test (DST)

To determine the potential of a producing formation, the operator may order a drill stem test
(DST). The DST crew makes up the test tool on the bottom of the drill stem, then lowers it to the
bottom of the hole. Weight is applied to the tool to expand a hard rubber sealer called a packer.
Opening the tool ports allows the formation pressure to be tested. This process enables workers
to determine whether the well can be produced.
Completion Process
Completion

• Setting production casing & perforation
equipments
Setting Production Casing
Production casing is the final casing in a well. It can be set from the bottom to the top. Sometimes
a production liner is installed. This casing is set the same as other casings, then cemented in
place.
Completion Process
BOP
PLATFORM
SEA BED
PRODUCTION TUBING 30’’ CASING
20’’ CASING
13 3/8’’ CASING
9 5/8’’ CASING
RESEVOIR
PLATFORM WELL HEAD EQUIPMENT

Only this casing
is visible
from outside
SEA BED
PRODUCTION TUBING 30’’ CASING
20’’ CASING
13 3/8’’ CASING
Production casing (9 5/8)
9 5/8’’ CASING
7’’ LINER
RESEVOIR
BACK
Completion

equipments
Running Production Tubing and Downhole Equipments

A well is usually produced through tubing inserted down the production casing. Oil and gas is
produced more effectively through this smaller-diameter tubing than through the large-diameter
production casing. Joints of tubing are joined together with couplings to make up a tubing string.
Tubing is run into the well similar to casing, but it is smaller in diameter and is removable.
Completion Process
Completion

equipments
Installing Surface Safety Equipments
Though the tubings and downhole equipments are present in the well, production cannot
start without installing surface control equipments. They are required to prevent
uncontrolled oil flow out of the well.
Completion Process
Completion

equipments
Starting Production Flow
Production flow is started by ‘washing in’ the well and setting the packer. The pumping in of water
or brine to flush out the drilling fluid is called washing in. Usually this is enough to start the well
flowing. If this does not work then the flow might be started by pumping high-pressure gas into the
well after setting the packer.
Completion Process
Completion
Downhole Equipment
The parts of a downhole equipment are:
Hydraulic Control Line
Safety Valve
Gas Lift Valve
Packer
Pump Out Plug
Completion Process
Completion
Well Head
The surface termination of a wellbore that

well head
incorporates facilities for installing casing hangers Sections
during the well construction phase is the well head.
It is a means by which the production tubing is hung,

the Christmas tree and the surface flow-control Flanges
facilities are installed, in preparation for the
production phase of the well. The BOP also sits on
top of well head.
The well head is installed on top of the casing before

starting to drill. It has two or three sections. Each
section has two flanges to facilitate the connections
at both the ends.
Surface Control Equipments

Completion
Components of a Well Head

Each well head section has three
components:
•Casing Bowl
•Casing Hanger
•Tubing Head

Completion

Each well head section has three
components:
•Casing Bowl
•Casing Hanger
•Tubing Head Sealing
Casing Bowl
The casing bowl consists of heavy fittings that provide a
seal between the casing and the surface. It also supports
the entire length of casing that is run all the way down the
well. This piece of equipment typically contains a gripping
mechanism that ensures a tight seal between the head and
the casing itself.

Completion

Each well head section has three components:
•Casing Bowl
•Casing Hanger
•Tubing Head
Casing Hanger
This is the sub-assembly of a well head that supports the

casing string when it is run into the wellbore. The casing
hanger provides a means of ensuring that the string is
correctly located and generally incorporates a sealing
device or system to isolate the casing annulus from upper
well head components.

Completion

Each well head section has three components:
•Casing Bowl
•Casing Hanger
•Tubing Head
Tubing Head
The tubing head is a well head component that supports

the tubing hanger and provides a means of attaching the
Christmas tree to the well head.

Completion
Tubing Hanger
The tubing hanger is a device attached to
the topmost tubing joint in the well head to Anchor bolts to
hold tubing
support the tubing string. hanger in place
The tubing hanger is located in the tubing

head, with both components incorporating
a sealing system to ensure that the tubing
conduit and annulus are hydraulically
isolated.
The tubing hanger assembly supports the

weight of the tubing string and seals the
annulus from the upper well head and
Christmas tree components. It also
provides connections at the surface, which
controls the flow of fluids out of the well.

Tubing hanger
comes here Anchor Bolts
Well Head
C Section
30” Casing Remains

Production Casing
Outside
(9 5/8”)
terminates here
1.5 m B Section
A Section
20” Casing Terminates Here

Completion
Christmas Tree
The assembly of valves, spools, pressure gauges,
and chokes that are fitted to the well head of the
completed well is called a Christmas Tree. It is used
to control the flow of oil through the tubing hanger.
The function of a christmas tree is to:

•Prevent the release of oil or gas from an oil
well into
the environment
•Direct and control the flow of formati
on fluids from the well
When the well is ready to produce oil or gas, valves

are opened and the release of the formation fluids is
allowed through a pipeline leading to a refinery.

Crown/ Swab Valve
Wing Valve
Oil which
flows from the tubing
Upper Master Valve
is diverted through this
pipe to the main header
Lower Master Valve
and from there
to the process platforms
Tubing hanger comes up
Top part of the C-section to this point
of well head

Oil Well After Completion Tubing

hanger
Well Head
X-mas Tree
Hydraulic
Control Line
Safety
Valve Production
Tubing
Reservoir
Gas Lift
Valve
Packer Perforation
Pump Out
Plug Sump

Completion
Types of Completion
The types of completion include:
Natural Completions
Natural completions are those in which little or no stimulation is required for production.
Sandstone and carbonate systems with good permeability and mechanical stability are
ideal for natural completions.
Stimulated Completions
These completions are generally applied to improve the natural drainage patterns of
hard, low-permeability formations. It is used to remove barriers that prevent easy
passage of fluids into the wellbore.
Sand-Control Completions
Sand-control completions support the formation while allowing the flow of fluids. They
are performed in young, unconsolidated or less mechanically competent sandstones.
Completion Process
Completion
Subsea Completions
Subsea production systems are wells located on the

sea floor, as opposed to at the surface. The safety
equipments are installed underwater on the seabed.
They enable early production from deepwater, remote,

and marginal fields.
The evolution of subsea well completions has attracted

a lot of attention because they offer a means of
producing field extremities not reachable by directional
drilling from existing platforms.
They also offer production options where field

economics do not justify the installation of one or more
additional platforms.
Subsea Completion
Completion
Downhole Equipment
The tubings along with the downhole equipment are lowered into the 95/8’’ casing of the well.
Packer X
Packer is a device consisting
of a sealing device, a holding
Safety Valve
or setting device and an inside
passage for fluids. It expands
Gas Lift Valve
externally to seal the well bore.
It helps in blocking the fluids
Packer through the annular space
between the pipe and the well
bore wall. Packers use flexible,
Pump Out Plug
electrometric elements that
expand. It is set hydraulically
from the surface.
Completion Process
Completion
Downhole Equipment
Gas Lift Valve X

The gas lift valve is a device installed
on a gas lift cylinder or mandrel. This
Safety Valve
device is used to control the flow of
gas between the exterior and interior
Gas Lift Valve
of well tubing. It consists of an inlet,
outlet, a main valve, a main chamber
Packer and so on. The design of the side
pocket is such that the components
that are installed do not obstruct
Pump Out Plug
the flow of production. This enables
access to the well bore and the
other components of completion.
Completion Process
Completion
Downhole Equipment
X
Safety Valve
Safety Valve
A safety valve is a device that is
installed in the upper well bore to
Gas Lift Valve
provide emergency closure of the
channels that produce oil. The
Packer valve has a housing and a
movable valve element that
controls the flow of fluid in the
Pump Out Plug
well.
Completion Process
Completion
Downhole Equipment
X
Hydraulic Control Line Hydraulic Control Line
Hydraulic control line is a device filled with hydraulic fluid

Safety Valve
and connected to a hydraulic fluid source.
Gas Lift Valve
Hydraulic control line is used to operate the
safety valve. When the control line is pressurized up to
Packer a certain pressure limit, the safety valve opens.
Its one end connects at the top of the safety valve
and the other end to a pressurizing panel at the surface.
Pump Out Plug
It is lowered along with the safety valve while lowering
the tubing string during completion.
Completion Process
Completion
Downhole Equipment
Pump Out Plug X

Since the tubing is open at the bottom, the packer cannot be set as the
Hydraulic Control Line whole tubing string needs to be pressurized to set it. So a pump out plug
(POP) is used for this purpose.
Safety Valve
A steel ball is dropped inside the tubing string from the surface. This goes
Gas Lift Valve
all the way down and sits on the POP seat at the bottom.
When water is pumped from the top, the ball is pressed against the POP
Packer Well Sump
seat and forms a seal. When pressure in the tubing string reaches a certain
limit, the packer is set. This is indicated in the pumping unit in the form of a
Pump Out Plug
sharp A well sumpofisthe
fluctuation thepressure
extra bore space below the perforated
reading.
zone that allows the collection of junk for example steel ball.
Then the pressure is increased, further, to shear the POP seat pins. This is
done to remove the steel ball. When the pins are sheared, the POP seat drops
along with the ball into the well sump.
Completion Process
•In a traditional well, components such as valves control the flow of

fluids.
•Screens or gravel packs stop sand from entering the well.
•Pipe joints and packers needed to ensure the well retains its
integrity over its producing life.
•However traditional wells do not respond to changing conditions and

all the fluids (oil,gas and water) have to be produced together and
separated at the surface.
IQ for Intelligent Wells

•Intelligent Wells
•Automatic Surface Interaction/Continuous
•Monitoring/Automatic Flow control/Extensive
•Downhole communication
•Semi Intelligent Wells
•Manual Surface Interaction/Limited
•Downhole communication
•Conventional
•Limited Interaction
Smart Wells
•Smart wells offer the possibility to respond to changing conditions.

•Smart wells combine existing state-of-the-art technologies such as
wireless technologies,remote sensing capabilities, remote control
mechanism and robotic tools.
•Remote sensors can immediately show what is going on in the down
hole.
•Valves down the hole can be adjusted, controlling flow or shutting off
production at one level and increasing it from another.
•Fluid processing can take place down the hole with gas and liquids
being separated by devices such as hydro-cyclones
Drivers
• Improved Reliability
• Optimum Production leading to longer well and reservoir life.
– Optimization of reservoir drainage
• No mechanical intervention is required freeing up resources.
• Lower Operating Cost
– Less number of work overs
– Decrease Water Production
– Better sand control
• Increase Reservoir Knowledge
– Monitoring of fluid/gas contact zone movements
– Improved reservoir characterization (saturation, structure,
pressure, temperature)
Smart Well
•Packers
•Hydraulic or Electrical Control Lines
•Sensors
•Inflow Control Valves ICV
•Surface Control Unit (Monitoring and Remote Operation)
Examples of Controls in Intelligent Wells

Controlling Commingled production
Controlling Down Hole Water Separation
Controlling Down Hole Gas Separation and Re-injection
Application for Intelligent Wells
• Marginal Reserves
• Highly Deviated. Horizontal and MLW
• Deepwater Wells
• High Volume Wells
Shell has about 20 intelligent wells worldwide and is working to increase

that number.
One of its showcase pieces is a well in the North Sea’s Brent field. The well
produces oil but also has a perforated gas zone up hole that’s opened for a
short period each year to meet a gas contract.
Data Extract Interpret

Partners,Agencies
Data Clean Data Store Analyze
Oilfields
Data Transform Data Warehouse Communicate Operation
Management
Data Load Decide
Devise Process
Control Methodologies
Modeling
Processes
Requiring
Real time
Management
Reservoir Management Team
Monitor Dynamic
Production Data
Down hole
Life Cycle
Equipment
Cost and
Design
Benefits

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What is well completion and why is it important?

What is well completion and why is it important?

What are the main steps involved in well completion?

What are the main steps involved in well completion?

Oil Exploration & Production

At the end of this presentation, you will be able to:

• This decision is taken based on the information available

• A service rig is brought in to perforate the production Downhole Equipment

• The installation of surface safety equipments takes place

Well completion creates a dependable pathway

Once the well is drilled, it has to be made ready

The term ‘completion’ describes the assembly of

Well completion activities include:

• Conducting drill stem test

If it is decided that the well will not be completed,

• Conducting drill stem test

Conducting Drill Stem Test (DST)

• Conducting drill stem test

Setting Production Casing

PLATFORM WELL HEAD EQUIPMENT

Production casing (9 5/8)

• Conducting drill stem test

Running Production Tubing and Downhole Equipments

• Conducting drill stem test

Installing Surface Safety Equipments

• Conducting drill stem test

Starting Production Flow

The parts of a downhole equipment are:

Hydraulic Control Line

Gas Lift Valve

Pump Out Plug

The surface termination of a wellbore that

It is a means by which the production tubing is hung,

The well head is installed on top of the casing before

Surface Control Equipments

Components of a Well Head

Surface Control Equipments

Components of a Well Head

Surface Control Equipments

Components of a Well Head

This is the sub-assembly of a well head that supports the

Surface Control Equipments

Components of a Well Head

The tubing head is a well head component that supports

Surface Control Equipments

The tubing hanger is located in the tubing

The tubing hanger assembly supports the

Surface Control Equipments

30” Casing Remains

20” Casing Terminates Here

The function of a christmas tree is to:

When the well is ready to produce oil or gas, valves

Surface Control Equipments

Crown/ Swab Valve

Surface Control Equipments

Oil Well After Completion Tubing

Surface Control Equipments

Subsea production systems are wells located on the