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SPE 164593
Formation Testing and Sampling in Low Mobility Heavy Oil
Formations of the Eastern Desert, Egypt Jeff Edelman, Transglobe
Energy; Shabbir H. Shah, Peter Weinheber, Ramy Ahmed, Izzat
Roumani, Schlumberger; Karim Maghrabia, Petrodara
Copyright 2013, Society of Petroleum Engineers
This paper was prepared for presentation at the North Africa
Technical Conference & Exhibition held in Cairo, Egypt, 1517
April 2013.
This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE program
committee following review of information contained in an abstract
submitted by the author(s). Contents of the paper have not been
reviewed by the Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject to
correction by the author(s). The material does not necessarily
reflect any position of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, its
officers, or members. Electronic reproduction, distribution, or
storage of any part of this paper without the written consent of
the Society of Petroleum Engineers is prohibited. Permission to
reproduce in print is restricted to an abstract of not more than
300 words; illustrations may not be copied. The abstract must
contain conspicuous acknowledgment of SPE copyright.
Abstract The Arta fields of Egyptian Eastern Desert are operated
by Petrodara, a joint venture of Transglobe Energy and Egyptian
General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC). The main producing horizon is
the Nukhul and formation pressure measurements are critical in this
poorly sorted conglomerated marl in order to understand and model
depletion. However, low permeability and high viscosity oils
contributed to a very low mobility environment that presented
considerable challenges to Wireline Formation Tester (WFT) tools.
Extensive testing programs resulted in an excessive amount of tests
that were unusable, being classified as dry, tight or supercharged.
This low mobility environment also complicated the requirement for
PVT samples acquired with the WFT tools. Normal testing operations
resulted in very high drawdowns that sampled below formation
pressure and caused emulsions with the filtrate of the water based
drilling fluid.
In this paper we discuss how the Operator and the Service
Company combined to employ fit for purpose WFT techniques
to acquire accurate formation pressure data and PVT quality oil
samples. Most of our discussion will be based on understanding the
dynamics of pretesting in low permeability formations and how the
optimal tool and pretest design can produce results where previous
attempts have failed. Specifically we consider the newest pretest
only WFT that provides very fine control over pretest rate and
volume and allows precise test design that is not possible with
conventional WFT tools. Additionally, we demonstrate the
application of best practices and lessons learned from worldwide
sampling operation to acquire PVT quality heavy oil samples.
Introduction The Arta field in the Egyptian Eastern Desert produces
mainly from the Nukhul Formation that is characterized as a
complex, thin-bedded sequence with heterogeneous laminated
siltstone. Typical reservoirs show low-to-average permeability, low
temperatures and moderately heavy oil in the 17-24 degree API
range. The Nukhul Formation represents the early rift sequence of
the Gulf of Suez rift basin. It is underlain by the Thebes Eocene
carbonates of the Pre-Rift sequence and overlain by a thick
succession of predominantly fine-grained marine clastics of the
synrift Rudeis Formation. The Nukhul Formation in Arta field is
subdivided into two sections: the Lower Nukhul, which is composed
mainly of conglomeratic sandstone with some shale and limestone
streaks and the Upper Nukhul which comprises a vertically stacked
conglomerate, occasionally sandstone, and sandy limestone
lithofacies. The limestone facies is more common within the Upper
Nukhul and it represents a tidal-dominated estuarine facies within
marginal marine realm deposited in a low to moderate energy
setting. The deposition of Nukhul formation records a
finning-upward rhythmic sedimentation represented by sequences of
tidal channel and estuarine channel fill sandstone. These sediments
were deposited on the paleo-low relief areas of the Thebes
unconformity. (Edelman 2013)
The Lower Nukhul has higher porosity and permeability, which is
supported by water injection and generally does not
require stimulation. The upper Nukhul has porosity ranging from
5 to 18% with an arithmetic average of 13% and a mean of 12%.
Permeability ranges from 0.003 mD to 12.8 mD with an arithmetic
average of 1.5 mD and a mean of 0.6 mD. The reservoir requires
hydraulic fracture stimulation to be economically productive.
*Mark of Schlumberger
It is the Upper Nukhul that has proved challenging for formation
tester operations. Measured mobilities have ranged from 0.01 to 5
mD/cP and obtaining reliable formation pressure with conventional
pretesting is very difficult. Many pretests end up
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Hydrostatic Pressure
Overbalance
Total Differential
Drawdown Formation Pressure
Flowing Pressure
being recorded as dry. However, with optimal tool and test
design we were able to surmount these difficulties and record
valuable formation pressure information.
Wireline Formation Tester The original wireline formation tester
tools introduced in the 1950s had the sole objective of acquiring a
sample of formation fluid. As a part of the tools operation a small
pre-sampling test (the pretest) was performed to ensure a packer
seal and that the formation was suitable for sampling. Unbeknownst
to the original tool designers, the outputs of this pretest proved
to be extremely valuable. A depth specific formation pressure could
be determined and later work (Moran and Fiklea, 1962) derived
formation mobility. Pretesting was able to deliver a series of
pressure measurements over depth that allowed oil and gas operators
to identify fluid types and contacts, characterize heterogeneities
and anisotropy, determine vertical and horizontal connectivity
across barriers, identify low resistivity pay zones, optimize
production strategy and drainage mechanisms and many other
applications.
The WFT tools in use today rely on the same principles of
pressure measurement as the original tools from the 1950s. A
packer-probe assembly is pressed again the formation wall, the
probe penetrates the mudcake and the packer forms a hydraulic seal
against wellbore hydrostatic pressure. The packer probe assembly is
connected by a flowline to a high precision crystal gauge. To
initiate the pretest the volume of the flowline is increased by
drawing down a pretest piston. The volume increase will reduce the
pressure in the flowline from wellbore hydrostatic down to
formation pressure. Further increase in flowline volume will reduce
the pressure below formation pressure and will induce fluid flow
from the formation into the tool. At the conclusion of the pretest
the piston will stop and pressure in the flowline will build up and
stabilize at formation pressure. In high mobility formations (over
10 mD/cP) this sequence proceeds smoothly and quickly. Typical
pretest volumes of 5 to 35 cc will build up and stabilize at
formation pressure with a few minutes. However, in low mobility
formations, especially below 1 mD/cP, flow from the formation is
very slow and long build-up times ensue. These long build-up times
distort the pressure measurement as well as increase operational
risk: the longer the WFT remains stationary in the wellbore the
greater the chances of the tools becoming stuck and necessitating
an expensive and time consuming fishing operation.
To understand how to improve on this we look closely at the
fundamentals of the pressure measurement, what the sequence
of the test is and what elements affect the tool capability for
pressure measurement. This has been detailed elsewhere (Weinheber,
2008) and is summarized here. The terminology we use is explained
in Fig. 1.
Hydrostatic Pressure the pressure in the mud column at any given
depth. This is a function of the mud weight and the true vertical
depth. Formation Pressure the static pressure at a given point in
the reservoir. Overbalance Pressure the difference between the
hydrostatic pressure in the wellbore and the formation pressure.
Flowing Pressure the gauge pressure at the sandface while the
pretest piston is drawing back (or the pump out is working)
Drawdown pressure (delta P) the difference between the formation
pressure and the flowing pressure. Total differential the
difference between the flowing pressure and hydrostatic pressure.
This is also equal to drawdown + overbalance pressure.
Figure 1: Pretesting nomenclature
We divide the pretest into multiple phases during a single
complete cycle of pressure measurement: 1. Flowline decompression
2. After flowline decompression the drawdown will approach the
steady state via an exponential 3. In the case of sufficiently long
flowline period at a sufficiently low flow rate: steady state
formation flow 4. Storage or tool dominated early time portion of
the build-up 5. Formation (spherical and/ or radial) late time
portion of the build-up
In the context of the above sequence, but now only considering
low mobility formation, we frequently find ourselves
dealing with 1) flowline decompression, possibly 2) the
exponential form of drawdown and 4) the early time exponential
portion of the build-up. When these terms dominate, as they do in
low mobility environment, they mask the formation response; whether
it is the stable flowing pressure in the drawdown or the spherical
and/or radial flow in the build-up. In every low mobility formation
less than 0.01 mD/cP, we frequently find ourselves essentially
dealing with drawdown that acts just like 1) above straight flow
line decompression. That is to say the fluid flow rate in the tool
after the flow line pressure drops
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SPE 164593 3
below sand face pressure is inconsequential compared with the
pretest piston rate. Consequently optimal acquisition of pretest
data in the low mobility environment is focused on reducing the
effects of the flowline decompression and of the exponential
portions of the pretest. (Weinheber 2008)
The situation described above is encountered in the Nukhul
formation of the Arta and East Arta fields. Most of the
pretests
acquired were dry or tight and exactly similar response of 1)
flowline decompression and 4) storage or tool dominated early time
portion of the build-up were observed. The results shown in Fig. 2
and Fig. 3 represents 80% of the wireline formation testing results
we were achieving prior to adopting optimized pretest volume and
rates.
Figure 2: Dry Test example, Flowline decompression and storage
response.
Figure 3: Tight Test example, storage or tool dominated early
time portion of the build-up
Effect of flowline decompression in low mobility formations As
discussed in the previous section, flowline decompression and fluid
compressibility dominates in the pressure measurement of low
mobility formations. The initial portion of the pretest is the
flowline expansion (or decompression) to take the flowline pressure
from wellbore hydrostatic down to sandface pressure. Flowline
decompression has generally been taken to be the decompression of
the fluid in the flowline and has been described by the following
equation:
= ( + ) .. Eqn. 1
Where is the volume required to decompress a given flowline
volume is represented by and is the flowline fluid
compressibility. The overbalance is the mud (wellbore
hydrostatic) pressure minus the formation pressure ( ) and the
pressure required to break the mud cake is . Note that the pressure
required to break the mudcake is included in the equation but in
reality has an insignificant impact on the overall result due to
several reasons. Firstly as we shall see, it makes only a small
mathematical difference. Secondly, most wireline tools consist of a
probe-packer assembly and the mud cake is actually pierced and
broken by the probe. The pretest drawdown does not break the
mudcake as it has already been mechanically broken. Finally,
laboratory work has indicated that it takes only the order of
10-100 psi of back pressure to break the mud cake.
Based on the above equation we calculated the volume required to
decompress the fluid of MDT* and XPT* tools having
common probe types.
The table (Table.1) below is based on Eqn.1 and considers only
the volume required to decompress the fluid in the flowline.
However we cannot consider just the fluid compressibility, we must
account for the total system compressibility.
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Consider example I in the table where 0.6 cc of decompression
volume is calculated and compared to the MDT* pretest example in
Weinheber, 2008. In the example a 1.8 cc pretest volume is required
before the pressure in the flowline is brought down to the sandface
pressure. This pretest was recorded under the exact circumstances
on line I in the table. The extra 1.2 cc is required to account for
the lack of flowline stiffness due to the compression required in
the packer rubber, the tightening up of metal to metal seals,
o-ring compression and etc.
Overbalance Flowline Volume Fluid Compressibility Volume to
decompress
(PSI) (CC) (1/PSI) (CC) A 2000 XPT* with STD probe 70 Water 3 x
10
-06 0.4
B 1000 XPT* with STD probe 70 Water 3 x 10-06 0.2
C 500 XPT* with STD probe 70 Water 3 x 10-06 0.1
D 2000 MDT* with XLD probe 190 Water 3 x 10-06 1.1
E 1000 MDT* with XLD probe 190 Water 3 x 10-06 0.6
F 500 MDT* with XLD probe 190 Water 3 x 10-06 0.3
G 2000 XPT* with STD probe 70 Oil 7 x 10-06 1.0
H 1000 MDT* with XLD probe 190 Oil 7 x 10-06 2.7
I 500 MDT* with LD probe 154 Oil 7 x 10-06 0.6
Table 1: Fluid decompression volumes for various scenarios (ref
SPE 115825)
From the table and the original formula it is seen that larger
volumes, whether from flowline or probe, will require a larger
pretest volume to decompress. Furthermore, in low mobility
formations this volume will also partially determine the drawdown,
p. This is because in low mobility formations the reservoir will
not be able to provide fluid as fast as the pretest piston is
moving. Pressure will continue to fall in the flowline until either
some mechanical limit is reached or Darcy flow from the formation
can sustain the p. Additionally, and most significantly, larger
pretest volumes (below formation pressure) will result in
significantly longer build-up times. This effect was modeled in
Ecrin software and the results are presented in Fig. 4
This plot considers the time it takes to build-up
versus pretest volume. The vertical axis is difference between
sandface pressure and flowline pressure; zero is indicating that
the pretest has built-up completely to formation pressure. On the
horizontal axis is the time of build-up, in this case from the
beginning of the pretest. There are two points to note here:
firstly, the larger volume tests start from a larger drawdown. The
flowline significantly decompressed below formation pressure.
Secondly, the noticeably longer time it takes to build-up, versus
original pretest volume. Additional charts can be generated that
show a dependence of build-up time on mobility, whether due to
lower permeability or higher oil viscosity.
Figure 4: Ecrin modeling of build-up time vs pretest volume From
the foregoing it is clear that low volume pretests will be the
fastest to build-up to formation pressure. Furthermore it
is clear that low volume pretests can only be executed using a
tool that has two important characteristics: a very low
decompression volume and very fine control of pretest volume.
PressureXpress* Tool The XPT* (PressureXpress*) tool (Manin
2005) is specifically engineered for only pressure and mobility
testing as opposed to multifunctional formation tester tool that
also collects samples. The two important distinctions of this tool
are an electromechanically controlled pressure pretest system that
enables precise pretest volume and rate. This is in contrast to the
hydraulically driven pretest mechanisms in conventional tools.
Secondly, because the tool is devoted only to pretesting, it has a
very small flowline volume with very tight mechanical construction.
The required decompression volume is much smaller than
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SPE 164593 5
conventional tools. The hydraulically controlled single probe
module in conventional testers has a 20 cc pretest chamber compared
to 35 cc chamber in XPT*. Both tools are capable of taking multiple
pretests in one setting.
We also note that the XPT* is a much shorter and a slimmer tool
(Ref Table.2 at the end of the paper) compared to
conventional formation testers which makes it more useful in
challenging wellbore environment such as slim holes or sticking
wellbore conditions. Additionally, the tool has the potential for
significant rig time savings as it is easily combinable with
Platform Express* and most other open hole wireline services.
Finally, the XPT* measurement cycle (from set to retract) can be
executed in less than a minute, compared to up to 10 minutes or
more for conventional formation testers. This dynamically
controlled, intelligent pressure pretest system enables precise
control of volume and drawdown rates in a wide range of mobilities.
A pressure limit can also be set if desired. When low mobility is
anticipated, the pretest volume and rate can be set as low as 0.1cc
volume and 2-3 cc/min rates that can help avoid an overshoot below
formation pressure, reduce the time required for pressure
stabilization during build-up, and ensure accurate pressure
measurement. A number of examples can be used to illustrate the
benefits of these features in the low mobility formations we have
encountered in the Arta fields.
Example 1: Low Pretest Volume As previously indicated, the
conventional wireline formation tester had been run to measure
formation pressures and to acquire a mobility profile. The Nukhul
formations, however, exhibited extremely low mobilities, making
formation evaluation challenging and often resulting in dry tests.
A formation evaluation campaign using the XPT* was initiated to
overcome this challenge. By exploiting XPT* extreme limits of lower
volume and rates as compared to conventional formation testers, the
operator successfully obtained valid pretest measurements compared
to the dry or tight tests by conventional formation testers.
The following section is showing field cases of acquiring
formation pressures in low mobility formations. The XPT*
(PressureXpress*) was proposed to overcome conventional
formation tester challenges (high drawdown pressure associated with
relatively high drawdown volume). A total of nine pressure points
were taken with 100% success ratio. Four points that originally
resulted in dry tests were repeated with low volume resulting in
valid pressure data. Pretests mobilities were in the range of 0.01
to 4 mD/cP.
In Fig. 5 earlier measured Dry or Tight points by conventional
parameters were successfully converted to valid pretest of
high and moderate quality by utilizing the PressureXpress* (Fig.
6-7). A usual scattering is observed in pressures acquired in Arta
field due to its thinly laminated nature, also observed on the
FMI-HD* image; coupled with some supercharging and depletion that
add to the scattering effect.
Figure 5: Pressure vs depth plot showing an overview of the
tested interval.
Conventional Parameters
XPT* Parameters
Reservoir Response on Pressure Derivative
Dry Test Flowline Storage response
10 ft
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6 SPE 164593
(a) (b) Figure 6: Pressure vs Time plots showing: (a) dry test
as a result of taking 5cc pretest volume the typical volume taken
with a conventional WFT tool and (b) the same point was repeated
with a low 0.15cc pretest volume and resulted in valid repeated
pressure point.
(a)
(b)
Figure 7: Pressure vs Time plots showing: (a) dry test as a
result of taking 5 cc pretest volume, (b) the same point was
repeated with a low, 1 cc pretest volume and resulted in valid
repeated pressure point
Delayed formation pressure response, usually concluded as Dry or
Tight.
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SPE 164593 7
Pretest Volume = 1 cc Rate = 0.17 cc/sec
Volume = 0.1 cc Rate = 0.04 cc/sec
In Fig. 8, it is observed that in the first pretest excessive
pretest volume resulted in undesirable long build-up. At 400 s the
engineer retracted the tool, set again, and started taking pretests
at small volumes and rates. This process was repeated until
build-up demonstrated a response, not until the fifth test. The
sixth pretest is performed to confirm the pressure.
Figure 8: Pressure vs Time plots showing tight pretest after
taking 1cc volume, it was repeated with two valid pretests of 0.1cc
each.
In Fig. 9, we observe that the first and second pretests are
valid and repeating when small 3 cc pretest volume is taken.
However, when followed the test with a large volume of 30 cc
pretest, a dry test resulted.
Figure 9: Pressure vs Time plots showing two repeated valid
pretests of 3 cc at 130 s and 180 s. At 420 s a 30 cc test was
taken resulted in a dry test Example 2: Heavy Oil Sampling in East
Arta Field This section is showing a field case where downhole
samples have been collected with MDT* dual packer module in a cased
hole environment. An exploratory well in East Arta concession (5 km
east of Arta field in Eastern desert) was drilled in September
2011, 5 km east of the main Arta field. The well was drilled with
11.6 ppg water based mud and the primary objective from the
formation testing program was to collect a representative formation
oil sample.
The open hole logs indicated low permeability in the zone where
sampling was planned. Conventional sampling with an MDT* single
probe was attempted but was unsuccessful. A huge drawdown pressure
was observed due to the high viscosity, heavy oil and low formation
permeability. As a result, a non-PVT quality sample was acquired at
124 psi flowing pressure, approx. 450 psi below bubble point
pressure. After pumping 41 liters in 4.1 hrs the sample was still
82% water contaminated from the WBM filtrate. DFA results are shown
in Fig. 10 and explained in detail in Badry (1994)
1
2
3
4 5 6
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8 SPE 164593
Petrodara then planned an (IPTT) Interval Pressure Transient
Test concept utilizing MDT* dual packer option to capture PVT
quality sample in the cased hole environment at same depth. Pre job
models were prepared to simulate expected
drawdown pressure on multiple permeability scenarios. Based on
this it was decided to perforate 1.5 ft of interval using 4 high
shot density casing guns.
Job execution involved the MDT* dual packer with a 1 m
spacing (Fig. 11) and an extra high pressure pumpout module.
After pumping for 6.6 hrs, PVT samples were collected (Fig. 12).
Lab results indicated the bottles contained 94% oil.
Pressure data acquired during sampling indicated sampling
pressure was 1580 psi and therefore well above the saturation
pressure of the oil.
Conclusion The acquisition of formation pressures using WFT
tools can be very problematic in low mobility environments. We have
shown through modeling that the key to surmounting these problems
is a clear understanding of the effects of pretest volume and
flowline decompression on the measurement results. We show field
results based on the implementation of our findings and demonstrate
that WFT tools with small volumes and low compressibility can
achieve superior results in low mobility environments when correct
test design procedures are implemented.
Additionally, we show the improvement in sampling success when
operations are performed in cased hole environments with dual
packer as opposed to operations with a single probe in open hole
References Edelman J, Maghrabia K, Semary M, Mathur A, Zaki, A S,
Bernechea J M,; 2013; Rod-shaped Proppant Provides Superior
Proppant Flowback Control in the Egyptian Eastern Desert, SPE
Middle East Unconventional Gas Conference, Muscat, Oman, 2013
Badry R, Fincher D, Mullins O, Schroeder B, Smits T; 1994;
Downhole Optical Analysis of Formation Fluids; Schlumberger
Oilfield Review Volume 6, Number 1 January 1994 Manin Y,
Jacobson A and Cordera JR; 2005; A New Generation of Wireline
Formation Tester; SPWLA Paper M Presented at
the 25th Annual Logging Symposium, New Orleans Lousiana USA,
June 26-29 Moran JH, Finklea EE, 1962 Theoretical Analysis of
Pressure Phenomena Associated with the Wireline Formation Tester
SPE
Journal of Petroleum Technology, August 1962; SPE 00177
Figure 10: DFA results from probe sampling attempt showing very
high filtrate contamination.
Figure 12: DFA result during cased hole sampling, showing clean
oil
Figure 11: Schematic of cased hole dual packer
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SPE 164593 9
Weinheber P, Boratko E, Contreiras K, VaDunem F, Spaeth R,
Dussan EB, Rueda M Gisolf, A; 2008; Best Practices for Formation
Testing in Low Permeability Reservoirs; SPE Paper 115825 presented
at SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition held in Denver,
Colorado, USA, 2124 September
Table 2: PressureXpress* Tool Specifications