A Comprehensive Review of Techniques Enabling OHGP Completions in Low Frac Window Environment

Openhole gravel packing has proven to be one of the best sand control completion methods in the industry with high reliability and low skin. As more and more wells are being drilled in challenging environment (long drain lengths, depleted formation, wellbore stability concerns, presence of faults, etc.) with low fracture window, the ability to fully pack the openhole sections constrains the wider use of the method. Many techniques have been used to overcome the low fracture window challenge both in alpha beta and shunted gravel packing. This paper will review the techniques used in both gravel packing approaches, highlight their working mechanisms, and provide a comparison of these methods. Techniques such as packing with friction reducer, BOP open, use of lighter carrier fluids, running diverter valves, wash-pipe less Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA), managed pressure gravel packing etc. have been successfully used depending on the available fracture margin, well configuration and gravel packing technique. The paper will briefly touch on the challenges leading to low fracture margin and the necessity to utilize one or a combination of the techniques to fully pack wells. It will then describe the working principle of each of the techniques, provide the advantages and disadvantages of the techniques. This will be complemented with several case histories showing how these wells were successfully completed despite the low fracture pressure window.