Gazprom Neft said that its subsidiary Gazpromneft-Orenburg has commissioned a well based on multi-storey drilling technology at the Orenburg oil and gas-condensate field (VU ONGKM) in Russia.
Image: Gazprom Neft completes first multi-storey well at Orenburg field. Photo: courtesy of Gazprom Neft PJSC.
By implementing the multi-storey drilling technology, it is possible to see an increase of more than 40% in the initial production, said Gazprom Neft. Further, the technology also helps in increasing surface efficiency and efficiency in development drilling.
The Orenburg field, which is located in the Vostochny license block, has been in production since 1974. The gas and condensate field’s new multi-storey well is a type of multilateral well with multiple branches from the main wellbore.
According to Gazprom Neft, the multi-storey well is characterized by the replication of horizontal wells in a single azimuthal direction, all over the entire oil-saturated layer.
The Russian oil and gas producer believes that the type of construction used for the horizontal section helps in achieving increased sweep efficiency, oil recovery, and drilling efficiency.
It further said that addition of new multi-storey wells is expected to increase the initial flow rate to a significant extent and also for slowing its reduction thereafter.
Gazpromneft-Orenburg CEO Irek Khabilov said: “Gazpromneft-Orenburg is consistently improving efficiency throughout all of its assets, involving cutting-edge industry developments as well as successfully creating and implementing its own solutions.
“The company plans to increase oil production at the VU ONGKM, as well as constructing dozens of new wells. Multi-storey drilling technology will be in considerable demand, creating considerable potential for additional profit without requiring significant additional costs.”
The first well to feature the technology has been constructed at Gazpromneft-Orenburg till now, with four horizontal wells running to lengths in the range of 150-500m.
Commercial oil flow from the well was achieved last month, at a level 40% more than the initial flow rate, said Gazprom Neft.
A second well is being planned to be constructed at the Orenburg field by deploying an enhanced multi-storey with fracking (MSW-frac) technology that involves multi-stage drilling along with hydraulic fracking.
The oil and gas firm expects the MSW-frac technology to drive technological and cost-efficiency improvements in production drilling. After completion of tests on initial multi-storey wells, Gazpromneft-Orenburg will decide on whether to introduce the technology for the subsequent field development.