Challenges:

Kuwait’s conventional reservoirs have been developed predominantly using conventional vertical wells and completions. Infill drilling activities to target undrained portions of reservoirs increasingly require horizontal and multilateral wells in view of surface space constraints. ICDs are commonly used and are required to be flexibly deployed to manage increasing water production. In addition, exploration activities are targeting deep, high pressure gas-condensate reservoirs with high level of H2S necessitating the use of specialized materials for drilling and completions equipment, along with amended techniques. As activities increasingly target non-conventional reservoirs, hydraulic fracturing of horizontal wells, and other stimulation methods, will become commonplace, and drilling techniques will need to be developed to minimize formation damage and maximize productivity from tight reservoir sections.

Research Objectives:

The key research objectives included under the Drilling & Completions Platform are:
  • To develop drilling methods to efficiently access remaining volumes in conventional reservoirs
  • To develop approaches for the drilling of HPHT wells with high H2S content
  • To establish approaches to drilling and completion that maximize productivity from tight reservoirs
  • To develop optimum approaches to well completion to minimize water production from conventional reservoirs

Research Programs:

The Drilling & Completions Platform comprises of three Programs:
  1. Drilling: Comprises research into new drilling methods (radial drilling, casing whilst drilling etc.), horizontal and multilateral well drilling, and the techniques required to effectively drill HPHT and tight reservoirs.
  2. Completions:Comprises research into Inflow Control Device configurations and deployments, and other completions equipment and procedures.
  3. Stimulation:Comprises investigation of procedures for the stimulation of tight carbonates and shale’s, including hydraulic fracturing.