Big Completions to Recover More Hydrocarbons from Oil Producing Wells with High Water Cut in Prolific Reservoirs - A Paradigm Shift

Abstract The selection of optimum tubing size is one of the most critical steps in achieving the desired well productivity and prolonging the well life to maximize the hydrocarbon recovery; and it becomes more important for the naturally flowing well. It is a common industrial practice to reduce tubing size for extending the well life when a naturally flowing oil or gas well ceased to flow post experiencing the water breakthrough. Contrary to this general belief, an extensive piece of work has been carried to assess the well performance in high productivity (prolific) oil reservoir. In this paper, an actual case study is presented which demonstrates the overall better performance of a well completed with the bigger tubing size in a high productivity (prolific) oil reservoir. The study also compares the performance of the well completed in low productivity reservoir in the same field, which shows that the use of the bigger tubing size is a better option for sustaining the well life, hence negating the traditional industry belief of reducing the tubing size post water breakthrough into a well, regardless of the prevailing reservoir characteristics.