Offshore Stimulations with Portable Equipment: Operational Flexibility for Time and Cost Reduction

Abstract

OBJECTIVES/SCOPE: The advantages of performing stimulations and other pumping treatments with portable equipment are presented compared with Stimulation Vessels on offshore operations and how these can help to reduce operational times. METHODS, PROCEDURES, PROCESS: Conventionally, the marine offshore stimulations in Mexico have been carried out with stimulation vessels, which transport everything necessary to mix and prepare in situ the necessary treatment systems designed for the pumping, such as the base acid and base solvent, additives, mixing pumps and recirculation tanks, as well as the pumping equipment necessary to perform the operations, among others, however, this operational scheme entails certain disadvantages with respect to operational times and risks involved. The treatment operations we have performed with portable equipment avoid these disadvantages and improve operational times, having as an additional benefit the reduction of costs. RESULTS, OBSERVATIONS, CONCLUSIONS: Perform the stimulations with portable equipment installed directly on the platform or structure, reduces the operational disadvantages of stimulation vessels and makes them advantages. This paper shows those differences based on multiple historical cases of operations of acidizing matrix stimulation, Wellbore and Near- Wellbore Clean out and cleaning of tubing among others, accumulated for more than two years operating with this scheme in the fields of naturally fractured carbonates and some in consolidated sands oil producers and injectors in the marine region of Mexico, without sacrificing quality in the treatment systems or in the operational execution, including monitoring and transmission of data in real time to shore customers.

AAPG Datapages/Search and Discovery Article #90335 © 2018 AAPG 47th Annual AAPG-SPE Eastern Section Joint Meeting, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, October 7-11, 2018