Subsea Well Completions Final

SUBSEA WELL COMPLETION
METHODS
PET536
GROUP 4
Adelaja Samuel, Bayode O. Favour, Dan-Sule Andrew, Eze

Chineme Raphael, Macaulay-Gbogidi Oghenerukevwe,
Omosowoeni Ifeoluwa, Owolabi Israel.
November 29, 2022

ABSTRACT
The purpose of this paper is to understand the various subsea well completion
methods that are present in the oil and gas sector. This paper takes us through the
study of various ways in which subsea completions has taken place in different parts
of the world and references to other papers written on this topic. By the end of this
paper, we will arrive at a common ground on why subsea well completions are
important.
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Table of Contents
ABSTRACT .......................................................................................................................... 2
CHAPTER ONE ................................................................................................................... 4
1.1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................4
CHAPTER 2 ......................................................................................................................... 6
2.1 BREAKDOWN OF SUBSEA WELL PRODUCTION ............................................................6
2.2 UPPER COMPLETION ..........................................................................................................6
2.3 LOWER COMPLETION ........................................................................................................8
2.4 PRODUCTION TREE ............................................................................................................9
CHAPTER 3 ....................................................................................................................... 11
3.1 ECONOMIC BENEFITS ...................................................................................................... 11
CHAPTER 4 ....................................................................................................................... 12
CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................................... 12
REFERENCES ................................................................................................................... 13
TABLE OF FIGURES
Figure 1 subsurface safety valve (SSSV) .................................................................7

Figure 2 the production packer ................................................................................8
Figure 3 Gravel-pack packer ....................................................................................9
Figure 4 Subsea Christmas tree .............................................................................10
Figure 5 Subsea Christmas tree valves ..................................................................10
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CHAPTER ONE
1.1 INTRODUCTION
The process of turning a single borehole into a functioning system for the controlled
recovery of subterranean hydrocarbon resources is known as completion.
"Completion" is a common word in offshore oil & gas activities. A well completion
is the process of transforming a single borehole into a functional system for the
controlled recovery of subterranean hydrocarbon resources. Installation of the final
well casings, which prevent fluid movement down the borehole's length, and the
insertion of perforated sections as needed to collect hydrocarbons from the geologic
reservoir into the production casing are included in these procedures.
When the producing well lacks a vertical conduit leading from the wellhead back to
a permanent access structure, the completion is referred to as subsea. Normally, a
subsea well has a production tree to which a flowline is attached, allowing
production to go to another structure, a floating production vessel, or sometimes
back to a land-based plant.
Both deep and shallow water may be utilized with subsea completions, and they can
have any pressure and temperature rating, including high-pressure, high-temperature
(HPHT) values. A production tree that is installed on the ocean bottom, an upper
completion that connects the production tree to the lower completion, and a lower
completion that is built across the producing intervals make up a subsea completion.
The creation of technology that enables simpler yet effective subsea well access to
conduct operations in a more complicated environment is one of the amazing
achievements of the upstream offshore petroleum sector.
Despite an increase in complexity, advances in subsea well access and completion

technology have made it possible to drill more complex well patterns to greater
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depths. This has allowed for the development of additional hydrocarbon resources
farther away from the drilling or production structure, allowing for the production
of more energy with less negative environmental impact.
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CHAPTER 2
2.1 BREAKDOWN OF SUBSEA WELL PRODUCTION
An upper completion, a lower completion, and a production tree are common
components of subsea completions. Improvements in materials, pressure, and
temperature ratings were followed by improvements in upper and lower completions
(Maldonado, Arrazola, & Morton, 2006). However, with the advent of one-trip
installation of multiple-zone systems, major improvements in gravel packing the
lower completion were made. The latter development decreased operating expenses
and made it possible to create more stratified reservoirs using a single-trip method
(Burger, Grigsby, Ross, Sevadjian, & Techentien, 2010).The next section provides
more explanation on the various components. Traditional vertical trees and
horizontal trees are examples of the production trees.
2.2 UPPER COMPLETION

The production tubing from the tree to the subsurface safety valve (SSSV) and
from there to the production packer installed in the production casing make up the
top completion. SSSV kinds differ according to how they are installed. The
common manner is within the tube and placed along with the completion for
conventional wells. The SSSV can be put on wireline in a specifically designed
profile inside the tubing string if the circumstances call for it. Other SSSV
differences include the mode of operation (hydraulic vs. electric), and numerous
varieties based on building techniques (opening method, sealing mechanism, etc.).
The metallurgy of the production tube changes depending on the fluid environment
and well loads. The preferred mode of retrieval determines the manufacturing
packer. Retrievable packers may be recovered from the wellbore whereas
permanent packers need to be drilled out (usually with a dedicated pulling tool).
The connection to the tubing string (ratch-latch with seal assembly, tubing
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connection, or polished bore receptacle), as well as the packer/slip geometry, are
further variants of the packer. If needed, the majority of manufacturers provide an
HPHT package.
Figure 1 subsurface safety valve (SSSV)
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Figure 2 the production packer
2.3 LOWER COMPLETION

A gravel-pack packer, sand control screens, and a lower sump packer are all parts
of the lower completion, and they are all connected by production tubing. The
bottom completion is secured inside the production casing by the gravel-pack
packer, which is mounted above the screens. There are many kinds of packers
depending on how the well is packed with gravel and the intended release
mechanism. Depending on the kind of formation and the location of the intended
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productive interval, different sand control screens and an associated gravel pack or
frac pack are used. There are many different kinds of screens, such as wire mesh,
wire wrapped, and pre-packed screens. To maximize the internal diameter of the
screen base pipe's remaining pipe, expandable sand screens may also be fitted.
Figure 3 Gravel-pack packer
2.4 PRODUCTION TREE

A land or platform tree's functional needs are roughly comparable to those of a
subsea tree:
• It is an essential part of the barrier envelope protecting the well integrity.
• It fastens to the wellhead and directs flow to the flowline through a number of
valves.
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• The choke, which is often attached to the tree downstream of the wing valves,
controls flow and is used to separate flow from the well.
• It also enables access for well intervention procedures.
Subsea trees vary from surface trees in a number of crucial ways, including:
• How the tree is connected to the wellhead;
• The tools needed to install the tree;
• Remote operation must be possible for all tree functions.
Figure 4 Subsea Christmas tree
Figure 5 Subsea Christmas tree valves
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CHAPTER 3
3.1 ECONOMIC BENEFITS
When a resource is developed, less time is spent over the hole, fewer resources are
used, less capital equipment is needed to develop the field, etc. Subsea completions
provide environmental advantages both during resource development and during
production and eventual disposal of the production equipment (platforms, manifolds,
etc.)
Comparing subsea completions to other field development options like bottom-

founded structures, they offer an economic benefit (e.g., platforms). With increasing
sea depth, this advantage grows, and in certain circumstances, the sheer scale that
such a building could need prevents bottom-founded structures from being built.
Currently, the cost of an FPSO is around half that of a bottom-founded structure. In
comparison to satellite subsea trees, which cost $25,000 per month to operate, an
FPSO costs about $250,000.
Rig expenses are crucial during well building and subsea completion installation.
Currently, daily expenses range from $200,000 to as much as $750,000. Operators
looking to increase profitability seize any chance to speed up well construction and
completion, and they reward contractors that achieve these goals. This entails cutting
back on unnecessary visits to finish installations as well as on lost time caused by
them. In order to reduce the number of trips required to finish the well, certain
bottomhole completion procedures have developed (Satterlee, et al., 2011).
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CHAPTER 4
CONCLUSION
The future of subsea well access and completions are bright, both in terms of outlook
and vision. More efficient resource recovery will be possible thanks to ongoing
improvements in materials, sensing technology, and control systems. Field and well
architecture advancements, such as multilateral wells and extended-reach drilling,
also present additional opportunities. Potentialities for full field development,
production, and control, including subsea processing, re-injection, and potential
waterflooding, all controlled automatically and adhering to a predefined model of
field drainage, are possibilities that can be added to those advancements.
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REFERENCES
Burger, R., Grigsby, T., Ross, C., Sevadjian, E., & Techentien, B. (2010). Single-
Trip Multiple-Zone Completion Technology Has Come of Age and Meets
the Challenging Completion Needs of the Gulf of Mexico's Deepwater
Lower Tertiary Play.
Maldonado, B., Arrazola, A., & Morton, B. ( 2006). Ultradeep HP/HT
completions: Classification, design methodologies, and technical challenges.
Satterlee, K., Smith, D. L., Barringer, J. J., Blythe, B. J., Brzuzy, L. P., Campbell,
C. E., & Gooding, J. L. (2011). Subsea Drilling, Well Operations and
Completions. 1-45.
FlexPac Packer. SLB. (n.d.). Retrieved November 27, 2022, from
https://www.slb.com/reservoir-characterization/reservoir-testing/downhole-
reservoir-testing/downhole-test-tools/reservoir-testing-packers/flexpac-
packer
Subsurface_safety_valve_sssv. subsurface safety valve (SSSV) | Energy Glossary.
(n.d.). Retrieved November 27, 2022, from
https://glossary.slb.com/en/Terms/s/subsurface_safety_valve_sssv.aspx
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SUBSEA WELL COMPLETION

Adelaja Samuel, Bayode O. Favour, Dan-Sule Andrew, Eze

November 29, 2022

Figure 1 subsurface safety valve (SSSV) .................................................................7

Despite an increase in complexity, advances in subsea well access and completion

2.2 UPPER COMPLETION

Figure 1 subsurface safety valve (SSSV)

2.3 LOWER COMPLETION

Figure 3 Gravel-pack packer

2.4 PRODUCTION TREE

• It is an essential part of the barrier envelope protecting the well integrity.

• It also enables access for well intervention procedures.

• How the tree is connected to the wellhead;

• The tools needed to install the tree;

• Remote operation must be possible for all tree functions.

Figure 4 Subsea Christmas tree

Figure 5 Subsea Christmas tree valves

Comparing subsea completions to other field development options like bottom-

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