Review of Permian Completion Designs and Results

Abstract

Abstract One of the most significant elements in the successful development of an unconventional multi-layered horizontal shale play, such as the Permian Basin Wolfcamp and Spraberry shales, is the continuous refinement of completion design programs in order to account for the specific geological characteristics of the target formation and spatial considerations. This paper examines a number of well completions, a large percentage of which are multi-stacked, over a four-year period in the Permian Basin. In this paper, we describe the ways in which a completion design program has been constantly refined in the development of Wolfcamp and Spraberry formations over certain areas of Midland Basin. Key performance drivers, such as regional pore pressure, rock properties and stresses, well spacing, etc. along with multidisciplinary data sets such as microseismic, tracers, bottom hole reservoir pressure, and production history are incorporated into modeling the completion designs. Details of the workflow, analysis of results and implementation of the Permian multi-stack design optimization plan are presented. The paper includes lessons learned from early vintages to modern completions, parent/child mitigation strategies, and future ideas to further optimize the operations. Information presented in this paper will help multi-disciplinary asset teams, consisting of engineers, geologists, analysts and managers; design a workflow for selecting appropriate design solutions for their individual shale assets.