High-Pressure, High-Temperature Technologies
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22748schD7R1.qxp:22748schD7R1 1/8/09 3:25 PM Page 46 High-Pressure, High-Temperature Technologies E&P activity increasingly involves operations in high-pressure, high-temperature downhole conditions. This environment introduces difficult technical concerns throughout the life of a well. Scientists and engineers are developing advanced tools, materials and chemical products to address these challenges. Gunnar DeBruijn News reports continually remind us about the fundamentally constructed, stimulated, pro duced Craig Skeates cost and availability of energy from fossil fuels and monitored in a manner similar to wells with Calgary, Alberta, Canada and renewable sources. Despite remarkable less-demanding conditions, the HPHT environ - growth in renewable-energy technology during ment limits the range of available materials and Robert Greenaway the past 20 years, it is well accepted by the technologies to exploit these reservoirs. Southampton, England scientific and engineering community that the The oil and gas industry has contended with world’s energy needs will continue to be satisfied elevated temperatures and pressures for years; David Harrison Mike Parris primarily by fossil fuels during the next few however, there are no industry-wide standards Sugar Land, Texas, USA decades. Aggressive exploration and production that define HPHT conditions and the associated campaigns will be required to meet the interrelationship between temperature and Simon James coming demand. pressure. In an effort to clarify those definitions, Clamart, France Finding and producing new hydrocarbon Schlumberger uses guidelines that organize reserves may be a difficult proposition, often HPHT wells into three categories, selected Fred Mueller requiring oil and gas producers to contend with according to commonly encountered technology Corpus Christi, Texas hostile downhole conditions. Although high- thresholds (below).1 pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) wells are Shantonu Ray Aberdeen, Scotland Mark Riding 600 Gatwick, England HPHT-hc 260°C 500 Lee Temple Ultra-HPHT Houston, Texas 205°C 400 HPHT Kevin Wutherich 150°C Hannover, Germany 300 For help in preparation of this article, thanks to Trevor 200 Bouchard, Calgary; Mary Jo Caliandro, Martha Dutton, Gretchen Gillis, John Still and Don Williamson, Sugar Land, Texas; and Lisa Stewart, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. Static reservoir temperature, °F 100 AIT, CemCRETE, CemSTRESS, CNL, FlexSTONE, FlexSTONE HT, Litho-Density, Quicksilver Probe, REDA Hotline550, Sensa, 138 MPa SlimXtreme, SLT, ThermaFRAC, WellWatcher, WellWatcher 0 69 MPa 241 MPa BriteBlue, WellWatcher Ultra and Xtreme are marks of 0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 30,000 35,000 40,000 Schlumberger. Static reservoir pressure, psi Chemraz is a trademark of Greene, Tweed & Co., Ltd. INCONEL and Monel are trademarks of Special Metals > HPHT classification system. The classification boundaries represent Corporation. Teflon is a registered trademark of E.I. du Pont stability limits of common well-service-tool components—elastomeric seals de Nemours and Company. Viton is a trademark of DuPont and electronic devices. 1. Belani A and Orr S: “A Systematic Approach to Hostile Environments,” Journal of Petroleum Technology 60, no. 7 (July 2008): 34–39. 46 Oilfield Review 22748schD7R1.qxp:22748schD7R1 12/4/08 11:26 PM Page 47 rilllingllllingingng WhichWhich dddrilling illing se houldld wewewe uususeu HCl fluid s reacts too at this temperature. quickly Is there an alternative ? Willll the lil nenerer hangerhangehanghahhangerhanangngernggerr ffunctionunnctttionioi n properly?propepropprpropopoperlypperly?ererrly?lylyy?? C all an we inst t w BHT 200 o Can Autumn 2008 h e BHP = C ce ese lo =25 rveillan con g u K psi su that ditio nder equipment e C ns ive thes th ? will surv zona m ons? l iso t cconditonditi ph lati th ysic on u p al st nder d ress ther es? mal g and I ’m concerned premature about screenout 47 22748schD7R1.qxp:22748schD7R1 12/4/08 11:04 PM Page 48 HPHT Ultra-HPHT HPHT-hc > HPHT projects around the world. During the past decade the number of HPHT projects has increased significantly; nevertheless, these projects represent only about 1% of producing reservoirs worldwide. The principal HPHT areas are found in the United States (deepwater Gulf of Mexico and deep, hot onshore wells), North Sea, Norwegian Sea, Thailand and Indonesia. In addition, thermal-recovery projects to extract heavy oil are located in Canada, California, Venezuela and eastern Europe. In this system, HPHT wells begin at 150°C It is important to emphasize that the Accordingly, this time factor has a major impact [300°F] bottomhole temperature (BHT) or Schlumberger HPHT classification scheme is not on how scientists and engineers approach 69 MPa [10,000 psi] bottomhole pressure (BHP). limited to wells that simultaneously satisfy the product development. The rationale for this threshold is related to the temperature and pressure criteria. If either Oilfield Review last reviewed the HPHT behavior of standard elastomeric seals. parameter falls within one of the three HPHT domain in 1998.3 Since then, the number of Engineers who run downhole equipment in this regions, the well is classified accordingly. Thus, a HPHT projects has grown, and the severity of environment have found it prudent to replace the low-pressure, shallow steamflood project to operating conditions has steadily increased seals before reusing the tools. extract heavy oil lies in the HPHT-hc region (above). For example, a recent proprietary Ultra-HPHT wells exceed the practical because of the high steam temperature. survey by Welling and Company on the direction operating limit of existing electronics Conversely, reservoirs associated with low- of subsea systems and services reported that 11% technology—greater than 205°C [400°F] or temperature, high-pressure salt zones in the Gulf of wells to be drilled in the next three to five 138 MPa [20,000 psi]. At present, operating of Mexico fit an HPHT classification because of years are expected to have BHTs exceeding electronics beyond this temperature requires the high pressure. 177°C [350°F]. In addition, 26% of respondents installing internal heat sinks or placing the A vital HPHT-well parameter is the length of expect BHPs between 69 and 103 MPa devices inside a vacuum flask to shield the time that tools, materials and chemical products [10,000 and 15,000 psi], and 5% predict even electronics from the severe temperatures. must withstand the hostile environment. For higher pressures. The HPHT-hc classification defines the most example, logging and testing tools, drilling muds Today, scientists and engineers push the extreme environments—wells with temperatures and stimulation fluids are exposed to HPHT limits of materials science to meet the technical and pressures greater than 260°C [500°F] or environments for a limited time, but packers, challenges posed by HPHT wells. This article 241 MPa [35,000 psi].2 Such pressure conditions sand screens, reservoir monitoring equipment surveys tools, materials, chemical products and are unlikely to be seen in the foreseeable future. and cement systems must survive for many operating methods that have been developed for However, bottomhole tempera tures in geothermal years—even beyond the well’s productive life. successful HPHT well construction, stimulation, and thermal-recovery wells already exceed 260°C. production and surveillance. Case studies illustrate the application of some solutions. 48 Oilfield Review 22748schD7R1.qxp:22748schD7R1 12/4/08 11:04 PM Page 49 Testing and Qualification of HPHT Technologies HPHT conditions amplify risks that exist in conventional wells. In HPHT wells, the margin for error is greatly reduced, and the consequences of failure may be more costly and far reaching. Therefore, before field application, new products and services designed for hostile environments must be rigorously tested and qualified to withstand the tougher downhole conditions.4 This qualifi cation includes accelerated degradation testing aimed at calculating ultimate service life without performing several years of testing. To meet this need, the industry has built state-of-the-art facilities that allow engineers to conduct realistic evaluations (right). Many tests are performed according to standard industry methods; however, increasingly severe downhole conditions are rapidly approaching the limits of documented testing procedures.5 Laboratory evaluations fall into three principal categories: fluids, mechanical devices and elec - tronics. Engineers pump a plethora of fluid systems into wells throughout their productive lives. Testing under simulated downhole condi - tions answers two basic questions. Can the fluid be prepared and properly placed in the well? Will the fluid be sufficiently stable to perform its intended functions? The testing protocol is often complex, involving rheology, filtration, corrosion and mechanical-properties evaluations.6 Mechanical devices include seals, screens and packers, along with rotating and reciprocating parts such as shafts, pistons, valves > HPHT testing. Special equipment and facilities are required to evaluate fluids, mechanical devices and pumps. In addition to HPHT exposure, and electronics at realistic downhole conditions. Logging tools and associated electronics can be qualification testing also includes contact with operated in an HPHT casing simulator (top left) at temperatures and pressures up to 316°C and hazards such as mechanical shocks, hydrogen 207 MPa. HPHT consistometers