Formation Damage

Medco E&P Indonesia

A p r i l 2 5 th, 2 0 1 8
Value Moment
 Completion Fluids
Primary Functions of a Completion Fluid:
• Control formation pressure
• Be non-damaging to the production zone
• Prepare the well for stimulation and/or production
• Be compatible with downhole mechanical or chemical
procedures

Many different fluids are available for well completions.

HOWEVER
The effects of the fluid used to complete the well should be fully
considered.
Damage Mechanisms
How can a completion fluid damage the formation?

Formation damage mechanisms:

• Particle plugging
• Fluid incompatibility
• Emulsion blockage
• Clay and swelling and migration
Damage Mechanisms - Particle Plugging
Filtration Effects on Permeability

0.9
0.5 μm abs. Filtration Effects on Permeability
2 μm abs.
0.8
“Benefits of solids filtration evaluated”;
Reduced Permeability

10 μm abs.
0.7 TECHNOLOGY – Oil & Gas Journal; Jan 27, 1986
0.6 Reza Hashemi / Scott Caothien

0.5
No Filtration
0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1
0

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

24
Pore Volume Injected

• The unfiltered fluid reduced permeability by 50%

• 10 μm absolute filtered fluid reduced permeability by 24%
• 2 μm absolute filtered fluid reduced permeability by 8%
• 0.5 μm absolute filtered fluid did not reduce permeability
Solutions – Filtration Units
 PILL TRAIN

• COSL R&D has developed

the most effective spacer &
clean-up chemicals available
in the market.
• Research & experiences
demonstrates chemical
performance is dependent
on well conditions.
• Pill Train is an integrated
approach to engineer
displacements, achieving a
higher level of dependability.
Damage Mechanism - Fluid Incompatibility
Formation of precipitates
• Formation water and invading fluid are
chemically incompatible
• Precipitate forms in pores reducing permeability
• Example: High pH CaCl2 brine and formation
H2O, with high bicarbonates
Ca++ + HCO3--  CaCO3
• Many other possible reactions
Damage Mechanism - Fluid Incompatibility
Particularly at risk where interfaces occur in the formation leading to
precipitation in the pore throats and potential plugging

INCOMPATIBLE FLUIDS

PRECIPITATED SALTS
Fluid Incompatibility - Solution

Select Suitable Completion Fluid

• Water compatibility
– Mix formation water and brine or mud filtrate, age at
formation temperature.
– Check for precipitate formation.
• Reduce Water Loss
– Add products to reduce filtrate invasion to the formation
Solution Creation Scale Precipitation

• Precipitation of insoluble mineral deposits

• Use ScaleAdvisor™ software to predict the scaling
tendency

Water analysis

pH 6.6

Calcium [mg/l] 10

Chloride [mg/l] 34500

Bicarbonate [mg/l] 525

Sulfate [mg/l] 4150

Barium [mg/l] Tr

Potassium [mg/l] 50
 Solution Creation Fluid Compatibility

• Avoid precipitation that can cause formation damage

• Predictions are confirmed by actual lab testing

10 ppg NaCl + 5% KCl / NaBr + 11.5 ppg CaCl2+

formation fluid formation fluid formation fluid

Resume Hasil Uji Produksi Sumur Jatikeling ( JKL_01 )

Interval P Reservoir Temp. Reservoir Tanggal Test WELL HEAD MEASUREMENT FLOWLINE PRODUCTION GAS & LIQUID MEASUREMENT FLUID PROPERTIES
SEPARATOR SG GAS GAS RATE TOTAL SG GOR REMARK
WHP WHT CP CHOKE P-FL T. FL GOR BSW pH CL - API
Produksi TEMP PRESS GAS TEMP RATE OIL WATER LIQUID WATER CO2 H2S
o o o o o
(m) psig F psig F psig inch psig F F psig F mmscfd bopd bwpd (c/b) % blpd % ppm 60 o F

DST-01 Sumur tidak mengalir, Hasil pengukuran EMR

2934 - 2979.0 m tekanan 1003.8 psi , Temperatur 312.8 F,
Form : Pre Jatibarang 1066.7 318.0 03 s/d-07-Juli 2010 - Sumur dikomplesi dengan TCP menggunakan air bantalan sampai di surface. Buka sumur keluar air bantalan 4.55 bbl dan gas , Gas 100 103.54 8 16000 1.07 - 2
Unload nitrogen dengan CTU.( 4000 gallon N2)
terbakar secara intermitten dgn tinggi api 2- 4 m Pwh 1750 -2 psi, diputuskan untuk unload. Setelah unload dilakukan statik grad survey
( Tuff dan Volcanic (Andesite) pada kedalaman 2705 m dengan hasil tekanan @ mid section OH 897.68 psia, FL : 2400 m dengan gradient dari 0.405 - 0.42 psi/ft.
merupakan kolom air
Damage Mechanism - Emulsion Blockage

Emulsion formed inside formation

Primarily water-in-oil emulsions (viscous)
Completion
• Loss of brine completion fluid to formation drilled
with oil base mud
• Loss of brine completion fluid to an oil reservoir
Damage Mechanism – Emulsion Blockage
Particularly at risk where interfaces occur in the formation leading to emulsion
formation in the pore throats and severe plugging

Completion Fluid Emulsion Oil

Emulsion Blockage - Solution

Select Suitable Completion Fluid

Emulsion tests
– Tendency for emulsions to form when various fluids are
mixed
– API procedure

Pre-Treat Completion Fluids

– Demulsifiers
Damage Mechanism – Clays

Problems associated with clays

• Swelling
• Dispersion
• Migration
• Polymer adsorption
Clay Swelling

Fluid Flow
Direction
In Situ Clay
Particles

Swelling
Clays
Clay Migration
Migration

FLUID FLOW
DIRECTION

In Situ Clay
Particles

Migrating Clay
Particles
 Clays - Solution

Tools:
• X-ray diffraction
– Identifies and quantifies the clay types present
• Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)
– Type of clays and framework grains
– Cementing material
– Location of clays
– Likelihood of migration
• Return permeability tests
– Amount of damage of different fluids relative to each other
• Fluid Design
– Inhibition
Solution - Clay Study
A fluid was prepared consists of Potassium Formate Buffered (pH = 10.2).
Potassium Formate Buffered was made by adding Carbonate / Sodium Bicarbonate
with ratio 5 / 3 to 1 lab barrel of Potassium Formate 1.45 SG brine.

Capilary Suction Time (CST) result for both fluid can be seen on table below :

Fluid CST time, sec

Distilled Water
174.5
Potassium Formate 1.45 SG Buffered + Baracor 100
56.15

CST time with Potassium Formate is lower than Distilled water. It shows that both of
fluids has the inhibitive potential.

Rock Mineralogy WT [%]

QUARTZ 58

CALCITE 15

SMECTITE 11

ILLITE tr

KAOLINITE 15

CHLORITE 1
Formation Damage - Summary
How can a completion fluid damage the formation?
• Particle plugging
Filter brines prior to use and size bridging Perform wellbore clean up
material to plug borehole wall to avoid particle operations to remove excess solids
penetration into the formation.
• Fluid incompatibility Eliminate formation of precipitates by
Control water blockage by lowering the studying fluid chemistry and
rate of fluid loss to the formation.
eliminating incompatibilities.
• Emulsion blockage and oil-wetting
Reduce excess emulsifiers and oil-wetting agents and
lower fluid loss to lower oil-wetting and emulsion
blockage tendency.
• Clay and swelling and migration
Identify clays present and design fluid Minimize fluid invasion and
to inhibit swelling drawdown to mitigate migration
Why are we here? Reservoir and cap rock core

Assist customer to:

• Identify causes of formation damage
• Propose fluid solutions
• Protect the asset
• Enhance reservoir productivity
• Maximize value of the asset

These is the money comes from