Challenge: Prevent loss of completion fluid and potential formation damage in two Gulf of Mexico (GOM) sand control completions. Save time and cost of fluid-loss pills and treatments for produced completion fluid
Solution: Install FIV™ formation isolation valve in conjunction with sand control equipment, enabling isolation of the zone during completion operations
Results: Averted fluid loss and formation damage. Client saved an estimated USD 1 million
Completion fluid losses cost time and money, an estimated USD 200,000 per well in the GOM. An operator approached SLB for techniques to reduce fluid loss, prevent formation damage, and save costs in treating produced fluid in wells requiring gravel packs for sand control.
SLB installed FIV tools and sand control equipment in the two wells. After the gravel pack, the shifting tool on the bottom of the washpipe closed the valve on the FIV tool. With the valve closed, the lower completion was protected, and fluid loss and formation damage were averted.
Without FIV tools, similar wells have fluid losses costing USD 250,000 to USD 750,000 during completion. In general, controlling losses in medium- to heavy-loss situations requires up to three CaCO3 pills per well, at a cost of USD 50,000 each. Furthermore, completion fluid lost to the formation must be collected and treated during production, potentially upsetting the surface production system and costing USD 200,000 per well for fluid collection, filtering, and disposal.
The FIV isolation technique prevented fluid loss and subsequent formation damage, saving the operator about USD 1 million in treatment costs on these two wells.
Contact your local SLB representative to learn more.
