Novel Dual Completion Architecture Improves Oil Production and Boosts Secondary Recovery with Minimal Surface Footprint

Abstract

Abstract The novel dual electric submersible pump (ESP) completion was designed to maximize oil recovery by improving waterflooding efficiencies while minimizing capital expenditures (capex) and surface facilities. The design enables the operator to produce oil and formation water from the same well. The injection of water, produced from the same oil producer, is part of a waterflooding project to boost secondary recovery. Based on the dual concentric completion (DCC) concept, this novel solution integrates an inverted flow architecture to provide the upper ESP with direct access to the lower reservoir zone, which is the water-producing zone. This single ESP is then used as the only equipment to lift the produced water and then provide sufficient pressure for direct injection into a neighboring well, without the need for surface treating and handling facilities. Oil production is lifted by the encapsulated lower ESP. The complete solution includes a monobore anchor with an automatic release tool to eliminate oil-zone damage during the completion phase and maximize water-zone productivity. The upper reservoir expected to produce approximately 700 BOPD with 1% water cut; after the successful implementation and commissioning of this novel architecture and its impact on the secondary recovery process, the recorded production reached more than 1,000 BOPD, with an overall 35% oil production increase in the field. Using a monobore anchor with an automatic release tool to perforate the lower sand allowed to combine the underbalance technique with clean perforations system and high impact penetration charges, which resulted in greater water zone productivity and improved pump efficiency, reducing power consumption by 33%. Considering that the project was implemented with a local diesel generator, the total CO2 emissions reduction was approximately 700 metric tons per year in just one well. Because the novel inverted DCC solution does not require the construction of traditional surface facilities for water injection, which include horizontal pumping systems (HPSs), capex was significantly reduced. In addition, because this solution was developed, designed, and implemented in far less time than a traditional method would have been, production was increased earlier than otherwise possible, helping the operator meet production targets and increase cash flow.