Precise Well Placement for Horizontal Campaign Increases Oil Production 30% in Bohai Bay | Schlumberger
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Case Study
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Location
China, Asia, Onshore
Details

Challenge: Drill nine horizontal wells to develop a marginal oil field with stratigraphic and structural uncertainties and unknown gas/oil contact (GOC) and oil/water contact (OWC) levels

Solution: Geosteer lateral sections with EcoScope multifunction LWD service for fluid property evaluation and PeriScope bed boundary mapper to stay in zone with distance-toboundary measurements

Results:

  • Successfully placed nine horizontal wells, including one injection well, achieving production rate 30% higher than comparable set targets
  • Saved USD 3.2 million off AFE with 60% improvement in drilling efficiency
Products Used
EcoScope Multifunction LWD Service

Precise Well Placement for Horizontal Campaign Increases Oil Production 30% in Bohai Bay

Advanced suite of LWD services guides geosteering of nine horizontal wells, RSS boosts drilling efficiency 60% to save USD 3.2 million off AFE for CNOOC

Drill nine horizontal wells to develop marginal oil field

Chinese National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) planned to develop a marginal oil field in Bohai Bay, China, where a pilot study showed that the reservoirs are distributary channel sands of a shallow water deltaic depositional system. Seismic inversion indicated that the sand properties and connectivity vary dramatically across the field. A multiple-aquifer system was apparent, and the gas/oil contact (GOC) and oil/water contact (OWC) levels were unknown. Furthermore, the only well control was from three vertical exploration wells and two directional offset wells.

The plan was to drill nine horizontal wells, including one injector well, gain reservoir exposure throughout the small 9-km2, oil-bearing area of a marginal oil field. This target area was isolated by secondary faults and stratigraphic depositional borders.

Acquire real-time data to guide geosteering

Understanding the need to evaluate stratigraphic uncertainties and establish an accurate picture of the targeted reservoir, Schlumberger provided PeriScope bed boundary mapper and EcoScope multifunction LWD service to acquire real-time measurements to guide geosteering of the horizontal wells. EcoScope service was deployed to evaluate fluid properties and identify the GOC level. PeriScope service was used to clearly delineate the channel sand body boundaries along the horizontal sections. A rotary steerable system (RSS) was included in the BHA to maximize drilling efficiency and trajectory control.

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In one well, PeriScope mapper clearly delineated the channel sand body boundaries along the horizontal section, showing that the reservoir body consisted of a series of braided channel sands surrounded by shaly sand.
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Left Table: The total production rate of the eight production wells exceeded the expected total production rate by 3.3%. This represents 30% additional production per well compared with the original set goals. Right Table: The team increased ROP and avoided adjustments or sidetracks, resulting in a 60% improvement in drilling efficiency and saving CNOOC USD 3.2 million off AFE.

Improve drilling efficiency 60%, saving USD 3.2 million
off AFE

All nine horizontal wells were precisely placed in optimal positions for injection and drainage with a 100% success rate, using real-time measurements from PeriScope mapper and EcoScope service to guide geosteering. With accurate data guiding decisions and a powerful RSS for drilling, the team increased ROP and avoided unplanned exits for a 60% improvement in drilling efficiency. This improvement equated to savings of USD 3.2 million off AFE for CNOOC.

Production from these horizontal wells surpasses the set production target by 30%, with extremely low water cut. The integrated LWD, well placement, and RSS solution optimized the marginal oil field into a much more economic development oil field.

“The advantages from EcoScope service and PeriScope mapper enabled the team to make effective real-time decisions for placing the trajectory in the best place to drain the remaining hydrocarbon.”

Chao Mien Nie, Chief G&G, CNOOC Tianjin, Bohai Bay
Products Used
EcoScope
Multifunction logging-while-drilling service

Obtain resistivity, neutron porosity, azimuthal gamma ray, density, elemental capture spectroscopy, and sigma measurements and borehole imaging—all in one collar.

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