This paper has been reviewed and edited by Elan Rizaldi Manoppo and Peter Adam

IPA21-E-21

PROCEEDINGS, INDONESIAN PETROLEUM ASSOCIATION

Forty-Fifth Annual Convention & Exhibition, September 2021

CASE HISTORY OF MATRIX ACID STIMULATION FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE

CARBONATE FORMATION AND LONG INTERVAL SECTION

Mukhamad Denica Elsa*

Anak Agung Gde Iswara Anindyajati*
Ardiyanto*
Hafidz Kurniawan**
Reyhan Syaiful, former**

ABSTRACT acidizing can be applied safely and successfully to

stimulate high temperature gas wells which have
Alur Siwah field is located onshore in Block A PSC long interval open hole section completed with pre-
of PT Medco E&P Malaka, Aceh Province. Six of the drilled liner without water loading issue.
ten drilled wells proved significant gas column in
Peutu limestone and Tampur dolostone. Well tests This paper covers the application of acid stimulation
indicated gas rates in the range of 0.2 – 42 MMSCFD in Alur Siwah field, well completion, post treatment
from selected intervals in both formations. Estimated well performance, best practices and lessons learned.
permeability values from well tests are in range of
0.6 – 3.7 mD. INTRODUCTION

During drilling campaign in 2018 three wells was Alur Siwah field is located in onshore Block A - PT
drilled with total depth around 9,500 ft TVD. AS-9A, Medco E&P Malaka, East Aceh - Aceh Province
AS-11 and AS-12 wells penetrated Peutu Limestone (Figure 1). This field demonstrated significant gas
and TD was 213 ft TVD above common GWC. potential in Block A area. The gas in Alur Siwah
These three wells were completed with open hole and field was trapped in an anticline structure made up
pre-drilled liner, the interval length ranging from 300 by limestone of the Peutu Formation. Carbonate
to 500 ft-MD. mound is majority of the Alur Siwah facies and is
believed to exist within several parts of the crestal
Since Peutu limestone has low permeability the areas. The stratigraphy is shown in Figure 2.
reservoir needs stimulation to increase productivity,
maintain gas sales according to GSA (Gas Sales The main productive zones in Alur Siwah field are
Agreement), and optimize reservoir depletion. Peutu Limestone and Tampur Dolomite. Peutu
Matrix acidizing treatment was applied to remove formation contains the majority of gas reserves (over
formation damage. The method was proven 90%). Ten wells have been drilled (1970-1997) in
successful in previous well at Alur Siwah field in order to delineate and test the Alur Siwah structure
1990’s. for gas production. The structure map of Peutu is
shown in Figure 3. Of these wells, only six wells
Peutu limestone challenges are high temperature prove significant gas column sufficient for
(360 degF), high CO2 (up to 25%), high H2S content commercial development.
(up to 12,000 ppm), long interval open hole section
(300-500 ft-MD), and water encroachment risk from In 2018 three wells was drilled with total depth
water bearing zone. High temperature will accelerate around 9,500 ft TVD. AS-9A, AS-11 and AS-12
acid reaction, and premature reaction might occur wells penetrated Peutu Limestone and TD was 213 ft
before reaching the reservoir. High CO2 & H2S might TVD above common GWC (-2920 mSS). These
cause corrosion at completion string. Penetration into wells were completed open hole with pre-drilled
water bearing could cause water encroachment and liner to optimize drilling cost and well completion
water loading issue. based on open hole length sensitivity evaluation. The
optimum length of open hole for pre-drilled liner is
With proper fluid selection, acid placement method, 60-70% of estimated net gas pay thickness. Design
volume treatment design and execution, matrix of pre-drilled liner should accomplish requirement of
* Medco E&P Malaka, PT.
** Halliburton Indonesia, PT.
casing integrity (max 10% of total liner area) and RESULTS
well deliverability (min flow efficiency is 200% of
tubing flow area). Therefore, 0.5 inch hole diameter Throughout drilling campaign, Y-1 become the first
and 80 hole per foot applied for AS-9A, AS-11 and well that is applied matrix acid stimulation. Prior
AS-12 wells which is 9.2% of total liner area and stimulation, Y-1 unloaded and cleaned up through
2,685% of flow efficiency. The typical well surface test equipment. Gas-liquid rate is measured
schematic is shown in Figure 4. at 15 MMscfd with choke size 64/64”. Then matrix
acid is applied with 475 bbls of Organic Acid Blend
From logging job, it was confirmed that the or 40 GPF (gallon-per-foot) of acid volume treatment
downhole temperature is 360 degF (considered as using coil tubing at 1.5 BPM. It is then soaked for 2
high temperature reservoir). It was also confirmed hours while pulling out coil tubing to 1000 ft as
during clean-up period that these three wells has CO2 preparation for unloading if the well cannot flow
content up to 25% and H2S content up to 12,000 ppm. naturally. After two hours soaking, the well could not
Peutu Limestone were completed open hole with pre- flow naturally so nitrogen is pumped to unload and
drilled liner, the interval ranging from 300 to 500 ft- continue to clean-up. The well flowed through test
MD. From welltest the permeability showed 0.6 – 3.7 separator, gas rate recorded 27 MMscfd at choke size
mD. 64/64”. This success result is show in Figure 5.
Eventhough there is gain about 80%, welltest
Since the reservoir quality is generally poor, it is analysis still indicated positive skin (Figure 6).
susceptible to formation damage caused by drilling
and completion fluid. Matrix acidizing is considered To improve well productivity in second and third
as one of the options to bypass near wellbore damage wells, more volume of acid treatment was applied
and creates wormhole in the reservoir to increase the and also the pumping rate. In AS-11 well, total
productivity.1 However, because the limestone is pumped acid was 637 bbls or 60 GPF with pumping
very thick and high temperature, consist of CO2 and rate 1.7 BPM. The result was gas rate increase of
H2S, it is quite a challenge to apply matrix acidizing 81% from 16 MMscfd to 29 MMscfd. Then in AS-
in Alur Siwah field. 12 well, total pumped acid was 380 bbls of 80 GPF
with pumping rate 1.6 BPM. The result was gas rate
METHODS increase of 650% from 2 MMscfd to 13 MMscfd.
Welltest analysis of these two wells showed negative
Considering reservoir condition and past acidizing skin (Figure 7).
experience, solubility test is performed using organic
acid blend which consist of formic and acetic acid CONCLUSIONS
with expectation this composition of acid should
retard the reaction until the acid reach the formation. Matrix acidizing using organic acid blend
Drilling cutting at various depth was used for application was successful in Peutu Limestone which
solubility testing to represent all opened depth in the has acid solubility of 67% - 96%. Coil tubing
wells. The results of solubility test is shown in Table application used in these three wells to cover all
1. Moreover, corrosion inhibitor also added to the section area (high and low permeability) with acid
formula to restrain corrosion effect to the tubing volume treatment 40-80 GPF. Moreover, coil tubing
string. Final formula of organic acid blend is shown is used for well unloading since these wells cannot
in Table 2. flow naturally. Various gas improvement was
achieved from 80% to 650% and also showed
For optimum fluid placement and complete zonal negative skin from well test analysis result.
coverage which has long interval, an effective
diversion method must be applied to help remove ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
formation damage.1 For these three wells coil tubing
application is applied to cover all section area. CT The authors would like to thank the managements of
can be easily run in and out of the hole2 to give PT Medco E&P Malaka, Subsurface Team, Drilling
optimum acid treatment volume and time in all & Completion Team and also Halliburton Team for
section area. great teamwork during the project.

After all acid pumped, then acid will be soaked for REFERENCES
1-2 hours and continue with pumping nitrogen
through coil tubing to unload the well if the well Fitria Dewi R., Rizky Andika, Timur M.
cannot flow naturally. Simanjuntak, Amritzar Aimar, Rio Wijaya,
Prihatiningdiah Abubakar.: “Matrix Stimulation of Thomas, R.L., Saxon, A. & Milne, A. W.: “The Use
Thick Carbonate Formation: High Rate Acid and CT of Coiled Tubing During Matrix Acidizing of
Acid Treatments – A Case History”, SPE 117145 Carbonate Reservoirs Completed in Horizontal,
presented at the 2008 Abu Dhabi International Deviated, and Vertical Wells”, SPE 50964-PA,
Petroleum Exhibition and Conference, Abu Dhabi, 1998.
U.A.E., 3-6 November 2008.
 TABLE 1
ACID SOLUBILITY RESULTS

AS-9A
Set A Set A Set B Set B
Interval Set (9160’ – 9440’) (9450’ – 9637’) (9160’ – 9440’) (9450’ – 9637’)
D D A A
Initial Weight 2.03 2.25 2.1 2.56
Paper 1.6 1.61 1.6 1.61
After soaking 1.96 1.77 2.31 1.81
(Paper +
Sample)
Percentage 82% 93% 67% 92%
Interval Set 9150’ – 9200’ 9200’ – 9250’ 9250’ – 9300’
Initial Weight 2.1 2.21 2.13
Paper 1.56 1.58 1.6
After soaking 2.13 2.31 1.89
(Paper +
Sample)
Percentage 73% 67% 86%
AS-11
Interval Set 9730’ 9800’ 9900’ 10000’
Initial Weight 2.39 2.19 2.37 2.34
Paper 1.04 1.04 1.05 1.04
After soaking 1.15 1.33 1.46 1.26
(Paper +
Sample)
Percentage 95% 87% 83% 91%
AS-12
Interval Set 9700’ 9750’ 9800’ 9850’ 9865’
Initial Weight 3.71 3.53 3.3 3.24 3.32
Paper 1.08 1.09 1.08 1.09 1.1
After soaking 1.66 1.24 1.27 1.27 1.3
(Paper + Sample)
Percentage 84% 96% 94% 94% 94%

*Note: Percentage is calculated by comparing reduction in sample weight after solubility test and
initial sample weight before solubility test

TABLE 2
FORMULA ORGANIC ACID BLEND

Chemical
Water (base fluid)
Corrosion Inhibitor
Iron Control
Organic Acid (Formic & Acetic)
Surfactant Agent
Mutual Solvent
Sulfide Cracking Inhibitor
 Figure 1 - Block A Location Map.

ez

Figure 2 - North Sumatra Basin Stratigraphic Column.

Figure 3 - Top Peutu Depth Structure Map.
Figure 4 - AS-9A Well Sketch.
Figure 5 - AS Well Performance – Pre & Post Matrix Acidizing Comparison.
 k: 1.03 mD
kh: 468 mD.ft
Skin: 0.87

Figure 6 - AS-9A Pressure Transient Analysis Post Stimulation.

k: 1.35 md
Kh: 515 md-ft
Skin: -2.6

k: 0.13 md
kh: 27 md.ft
Skin: -3.1

Figure 7 - AS-11 & AS-12 Pressure Transient Analysis Post Stimulation.

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