Optimize Development Strategy of Upper Burgan Reservoir Through Multilateral Well with Inflow Control Device in Raudhatain Field, North Kuwait

Abstract

Abstract Development in drilling technology allows horizontal and multilateral wells to increase hydrocarbon recovery and accelerate production from high water mobile reservoir by increasing the reservoir contact surface. In coning situations, such as production of oil reservoir with a bottom aquifer, multilateral wells reduce the coning affect and hence prove to be more cost effective. To address these challenges, first multilateral well with Level-4 junction combined with Inflow Control Device (ICD) was planned, designed and drilled in Upper Burgan Reservoir of Raudhatain Field, North Kuwait. The Upper Burgan Formation is layered sandstone–shale sequence deposited in deltaic settings having very fine to fine grained marine influenced channel sand as reservoir rock. Geosteering and evaluating these wells is very challenging without using a proper LWD technology. Indeed, the resistivity anisotropy is a major issue, especially if it occurs with influence of other bed boundary effects like resistivity of adjacent beds or polarization horn effects. Water coning issues in the field makes it even worse to interpret the resistivity data as they become spiky. To overcome these challenges the drilling bottom hole assembly was designed in the way to include the distance to boundary and the new Multi-function LWD sourceless technology. The capture gamma ray spectroscopy and formation sigma in real time has improved the petrophysical evaluation of this complex resistivity environment with mixed lithology in wells that are difficult or even costly to consider TLC wireline logging. The Lower Lateral of 2145′ with 8½" hole diameter was drilled through very fine grained sandstone in UB3 Lower zone and completed with 5" open hole ICD. The Upper Lateral of 1757′ was placed in UB3 upper zone having very good reservoir quality. This lateral was completed by 4½" open hole ICD. The production is comingled as the pressure difference between the two laterals was not more than 100 psi. The well operated under Electrical Submersible Pump (ESP) produced more than the estimated rate of oil during initial production. The success of the well not only addressed the issues related to enhancement of oil production and premature water break through but also opens up a new chapter of drilling multilateral wells in coming days in Raudhatain Field, North Kuwait. The paper covers the main challenges while well placement during geosteering to stay in the best quality of reservoir rock in structural and depositional complex settings and with the smart completion design for increase oil production and rate of recovery.