Quartz 4.
School for Well
Procedures Site Supervisors
for Inducing Flow
Module – 13
Work Over Operations
Section – 4
Procedures for Inducing Flow
C. Alvarez Quartz School. Module 13: Work Over Operations / Section 4: Procedures for Inducing Flow 1/18
4. Procedures for Inducing Flow
Contents
1. Introduction
2. Flow induction when perforating casing
¾ Perforating in under balanced conditions
¾ Perforating and stimulating simultaneously
3. Flow induction in over balanced conditions
¾ After well completion with over balanced perforating (well static)
¾ After a major conventional work over (well static)
4. Flow induction with nitrogen
5. Flow induction by swabbing the well
C. Alvarez Quartz School. Module 13: Work Over Operations / Section 4: Procedures for Inducing Flow 2/18
4. Procedures for Inducing Flow
1. Introduction
Conventional completion and work over operations in a producer
well require the well to be in static conditions so the strings
and tools can be run or pulled with the well exposed.
Once the completion or well intervention is finished, the well 2. 9 2. 1
2. 2.
2. 1821
needs to be put in production by inducing the flow from the 2. 2. 210
reservoir into the well bore and to surface 248 53
There are several techniques and procedures that can be used
to initiate the well flow. All of them are based on the reduction
of the bottom hole pressure below the formation pressure that
allows the formation fluids to flow into the well bore.
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4. Procedures for Inducing Flow
1. Introduction
Besides the under balanced condition already mentioned, there
are two other conditions that must exist for the well flow:
presence of fluids in a porous media (saturation) and the
existence of permeability and communication path between the
reservoir rock and the well bore
2. 9 2. 1
2. 2.
2. 1821
The procedures for inducing flow assume that there are fluids in 2. 2. 210
the reservoir with a formation pressure higher enough to 248 53
overcome the hydrostatic column of fluids in the well bore from
bottom to surface
Four general procedures are discussed in the following slides:
two applied during casing perforating and two other applied
after the conventional completion of work over operations are
finish with the well static in over balanced conditions:
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4. Procedures for Inducing Flow
2. Flow induction when perforating casing
Perforating in Under Balanced Conditions:
• An under balanced condition is created in the well bore
BEFORE perforating the casing string. The UB can be get in one
of the following three ways:
2. 9 2. 1
2. 2.
2. 1821
• Displacing the control fluid inside the well bore by 2. 2. 210
another fluid of low density before running the production 248 53
string
• After running and setting the completion string, a sliding
sleeve is open and the control fluid in the well bore is
totally or partially displaced by a low density fluid
• Retrieving fluid column from the tubing string with
swabbing equipment.
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4. Procedures for Inducing Flow
2. Flow induction when perforating casing
Perforating and Stimulating Simultaneously
• Spot an acid pill in front of the interval to be perforated.
Verify that an over balanced condition exists on the pill.
• Upon the perforating of casing the acid mixture is forced
to flow into the open tunnels and to the formation rock
• The acid performs a clean up of perforation tunnels and
removes the skin factor in the invasion zone
NOTES:
• The acid pill may be spotted in front of the intervals to
perforate before or after running the production string
• The procedure is applicable when perforating with TCP or
ácido
TT guns
C. Alvarez Quartz School. Module 13: Work Over Operations / Section 4: Procedures for Inducing Flow 6/18
4. Procedures for Inducing Flow
3. Flow Induction in Over Balanced Conditions
Applications:
Flow induction of wells that have been in static
conditions (over balance) while performing completion
or major work over operations:
2. 9 2. 1
2. 2.
2. 1821
• After finishing conventional completion operations 2. 2. 210
the production tubing and accessories is run and 248 53
the Christmas tree installed and tested. The next
step is induce well flow
• After finishing conventional work over operations
the producing string and accessories is run and the
Christmas tree installed and tested. The next step
is induce the flow
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4. Procedures for Inducing Flow
3. Flow Induction in Over Balanced Conditions
General Procedure:
•Open one sliding sleeve installed deep in the drill string
to communicate the tubing with the annulus
•Pump low density fluid into the tubing and displace the 2. 9 2. 1
control fluid from the tubing string to the annulus 2. 2.
2. 1821
2. 2. 210
248 53
•Close the sliding sleeve with shifting tool run with slick
line or CT
•The hydrostatic pressure on bottom of the tubing string
is lower than the formation pressure. This under balance
plus a good permeability allows the flow of reservoir
fluids into the well bore and to surface
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4. Procedures for Inducing Flow
3. Flow Induction in Over Balanced Conditions
General Procedure
Open Sliding Sleeve Displace Tubing with light fluid Close Sliding Sleeve Open Flowing Well
to the Annulus
2. 92. 1 2. 92. 1 2. 92. 1 2. 9 2. 1
2. 2.1821 2. 2.1821 2. 2.1821 2. 2.
2. 1821
2.
2. 2. 210 2.
2. 2. 210 2.
2. 2. 210 2. 2. 210
248 53 248 53 248 53 248 53
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4. Procedures for Inducing Flow
4. Flow Induction with Nitrogen
General Procedure:
Applicable to induce flow in static wells with high
over balance after performing work over operations or
conventional completion operations
• Install production string and accessories
• Install and test Christmas tress and surface
connections
• R/U and test Coiled Tubing Unit and systems
• Install nitrogen unit and connect lines to the CT
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4. Procedures for Inducing Flow
4. Flow Induction with Nitrogen
General Procedure – continued…
• Run CT thru tubing string simultaneously pumping
nitrogen at a given regulated injection rate
• Perform gas lifting of fluids inside the tubing with the
bubbles of nitrogen injected as is run H
O
• The well will flow when the BHP is reduced below N
the formation pressure as more column of fluid is
displaced and lifted by the nitrogen injected
D
A
• R/D Coiled Tubing Unit, disconnect Nitrogen Unit and
leave well flowing to the station
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4. Procedures for Inducing Flow
4. Flow Induction with Nitrogen
Example of flow induction with Nitrogen
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4. Procedures for Inducing Flow
4. Flow Induction with Nitrogen
Example of flow induction with Nitrogen
C. Alvarez Quartz School. Module 13: Work Over Operations / Section 4: Procedures for Inducing Flow 13/18
4. Procedures for Inducing Flow
5. Flow Induction by Swabbing the Well
Characteristics:
• Swabbing is a very dangerous procedure that is not
longer recommended to be used for flow induction
purposes
• Nevertheless, it is still used in some areas where more
efficient and safe methods cannot be put in place.
• The objective is to take fluid out of the tubing string to
reduce the column height and at the same time apply
suction against the formation with a set of rubber cups
run with strand line a given depth below the fluid level
inside the tubing.
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4. Procedures for Inducing Flow
5. Flow Induction by Swabbing the Well
Characteristics – Continued…
• The line is recovered at a moderated speed
expanding the cups against the tubing walls
and lifting the fluid column above to be
discarded at surface
• The well will start flowing when the fluid
column inside the tubing has decreased enough
to make BHP lower than the formation pressure.
• The flow is induced by the combined effect of
column height reduction and suction effect of
the rubber cups against the formation
• As it was stated, this a procedure with high risk
of personal injuries, fatalities, fire and damages
to the servicing unit
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4. Procedures for Inducing Flow
5. Flow Induction by Swabbing the Well
Cabeza de sello
Operational Procedure:
1. R/U the swabbing unit trailer or skid mounted or use the
secondary drawworks of a conventional work over unit Lubricador
2. Install lubricator and flow manifold on the uppermost valve of
the Christmas tree. Install accessories: oil saber, wire line
BOPs, depth meter for sand line, and flags in the sand line
3. Run the swab mandrel with a set of rubber cups attached to
the sand line at a moderated speed
Al tanque de pruebas
4. Carefully detect the fluid level inside the tubing and submerge
the mandrel from 200 to 500 ft in the fluid
Hydraulic Manual
Pump
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4. Procedures for Inducing Flow
5. Flow Induction by Swabbing the Well
Operational Procedure:
5. Spool the line into the drum pulling the swab mandrel at a
regulated but constant speed until it is positioned inside
the lubricator.
6. Be carefully when approaching to surface to avoid
accidentally hitting the oil saver head with the sinkers
bars attached to the mandrel
7. Let the swabbed fluid to be discarded into a calibrated
tank and measure its volume
8. Repeat steps 3 to 5 until flow is induced or the tubing
column is dry (meaning low or damaged rock permeability)
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4. Procedures for Inducing Flow
5. Flow Induction by Swabbing the Well
Hydraulic Oil Saver
Tools and Accessories for Swabbing
Hydraulic (manual) Pump
Rope Socket
Sinker Bars
Swab Cups
Swab Mandrel
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