SPE 97561

Completion Challenges for Ultra HPHT Completions

David Copeland, SPE, Anadarko

Copyright 2005, Society of Petroleum Engineers Inc.

This paper was prepared for presentation at the 2005 SPE High Pressure/High Temperature Sour
Well Design ATW held in The Woodlands, TX, U.S.A., 17 19 May 2005.

This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE Program Committee following review of
information contained in a proposal submitted by the author(s). Contents of the paper, as presented,
have not been reviewed by the Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject to correction by the
author(s). The material, as presented, does not necessarily reflect any position of the Society of
Petroleum Engineers, its officers, or members. Papers presented at SPE meetings are subject to
publication review by Editorial Committees of the Society of Petroleum Engineers. Electronic
reproduction, distribution, or storage of any part of this paper for commercial purposes without the
written consent of the Society of Petroleum Engineers is prohibited. Permission to reproduce in print
is restricted to a proposal of not more than 300 words; illustrations may not be copied. The proposal
must contain conspicuous acknowledgment of where and by whom the paper was presented. Write
Librarian, SPE, P.O. Box 833836, Richardson, TX 75083-3836, U.S.A., fax 01-972-952-9435.

Proposal
Operators are looking at drilling and completing wells in the Gulf
of Mexico that could have wellhead pressures close to or
exceeding 20,000 psi. A comparison of GOM deep shelf
conditions to traditional HPHT completions is shown. A large
variation in potential design conditions needs to be considered
due to the uncertainty of reservoir pressure, completion depth and
fluid composition that may be encountered in these deep
exploration wells. New equipment will be required to complete
these high rate wells in an offshore environment. Issues
associated with completing these challenging wells is presented.
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