High Pressure 2×2 Screen Development for Extended-Reach, Open-Hole Shunted Gravel-Pack Wells
Authors
John Sladic; Jason Brasseaux; Stephen McNamee; Robert Hodge
Publisher
IPTC - International Petroleum Technology Conference
Publication Date
February 28, 2023
Source
International Petroleum Technology Conference, Bangkok, Thailand, March 2023
Paper ID
IPTC-22995-MS
Abstract
The industry has a long history of Shunt Tube Technology (STT) used in Gravel Pack operations. The traditional 2x2 configuration of two transport tubes and two pack tubes for long horizontal openhole shunted gravel pack screens worked well for applications upto 1,000 meters, however in the age of extended reach offshore gravel pack wells, modifications to the existing system were required to deal with higher surface pumping pressures, higher screenout pressures, and increased sand placement requirements of the longer extended wells.
The new system was designed to provide the industry a minimum openhole shunted gravel pack length of 1,500 meters based on customer targets. The target design parameters for the high-pressure extended reach system were set at 7,000 psi operating pressure, 150,000 pounds of proppant and a minimum overall gravel-pack length of 1,500 meters.
To achieve this, the existing low-pressure system was evaluated through Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis, actual pressure and erosion testing to determine ultimate limitations of the existing architecture. Upon the conclusion of baseline testing, a multi-facetted system improvement plan was developed to create a new system for high-pressure extended reach applications. Areas identified as leading elements for improvement in a long reach high-pressure system were the top rings which divert flow from the transport tubes into the pack tubes at each screen joint, nozzle placement on the pack tube, enhanced nozzle erosion resistance, and the jumper tube assembly with its connectors and seals. Additional improvements to the connector retention system, robust protective split cover, and improved connection dehydration screens would serve to improve run rate, increase RIH durability and improve gravel-pack quality across the non-permeable connection.
After design and qualification of individual pressure retaining components, all system elements were combined, and complete system testing was performed. The system performance testing centered on four test subjects. These were 4-point bend testing, multi-joint erosion testing, multi-joint gravel-pack testing, and rig makeup testing.
This paper will summarize the testing involved in individual component development, system qualification and results of the first field installation.