Design Advances of Ultra-HP/HT Completion and Production Tools

Abstract

This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper SPE 166231, ’Design Verification, Optimization, and Validation of Ultra-HP/HT Completion and Production Tools,’ by Guijun Deng, James Doane, Antonio Ruffo, SPE, Goang-Ding Shyu, and Scott Collins, SPE, Baker Hughes, prepared for the 2013 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, New Orleans, 30 September- 2 October. The paper has not been peer reviewed. Ultra-high-pressure/high-temperature (HP/HT) wells are currently being drilled in the Gulf of Mexico on the shelf and in deep water. Many of these wells have a total depth in excess of 30,000 ft, where reservoir pressures and temperatures approach 30,000 psi and 500°F, respectively. There are currently few packer-type devices that are considered fit for service in these applications. This paper gives an overview of the latest developments in how advanced finite-element- analysis (FEA) tools are used to verify, optimize, and validate ultra- HP/HT completion and production tools. Introduction The classification of HP/HT reservoirs has varied over time. In the past, HP/HT fields were attributed to any condition of greater than 10,000-psi pressure and greater than 300°F temperature. But over the last 20 years, equipment has become widely available for pressures below 15,000 psi and temperatures lower than 350°F; therefore, those fields were no longer classified as HP/HT fields. HP/HT conditions were defined as having pressures between 15,000 and 20,000 psi and temperatures between 350 and 450°F. Ultra-HP/HT conditions were defined as having pressures between 20,000 and 35,000 psi and temperatures between 450 and 550°F. Fig. 1 is the visual representation of the latest HP/HT designations, which were reached by common agreement among oil operators and service companies. There are several technological challenges that must be overcome for downhole service and completion tools to operate successfully in the ultra- HP/HT environment.