Petroleum Wells

Name: Petroleum Wells
Author: KnowledgeCity

Discover the fundamentals of petroleum wells

Preview the first lesson free — get full access to all 7 lessons.

Course: On-Demand

Testing a well. During the drilling of a well, being able to record the conditions of the well and formation is important, so that during the drilling, several tests can be performed. A drill stem test, or DST, is usually performed with a closing tool inside the well that allows the well to open and close at the bottom with a valve operated from the surface. It is customary to mount one or more pressure gauges inside the DST tool that are read and interpreted after the test is over. The tool includes a packer driven from the surface that can isolate the formation of the existing ring between the drill string and the jacketing, thus forcing any fluid that is produced to enter only through the drill string. Closing the well at the bottom, post flow is minimized and analysis is simplified, especially for formations with low flow rates. Sometimes the drill string is filled with inert gas, usually nitrogen, to perform these tests. Petrophysical records are activities that are carried out to test the well and the formation. One such activity is a cement bond log, or CBL, which is responsible for recognizing the cementation of the well. These records are also able to quantify the number of pipes in the well by emitting an identifying image when passing in some union of pipe or thread. Different types of records are made to measure the conditions of the formation, such as the gamma ray, resistivity of formation, density, neutron, mineralogical and special records. These provide insight as to the characteristics of the well, like the amount of clay present in the formation, the existence of water and crude in formation, the existence of gases, the density of the rock, and the minerals present in the formation. Pressure integrity tests are carried out on wells to ensure that the sub-ground equipment is in optimal condition. To carry out this test, a plug that occupies the lower part of the pipe is thrown into the cemented well, coated with pressurized fluid and pressurized to the point of maximum resistance by the bottom equipment, such as casing, pipe, and cement. Pipe encasing manufacturers advise working with 80% of the total strength of metals. LOT drip tests and XLOT extended drips are tests carried out directly to the formation with the cemented well. Fifteen feet of formation is drilled and a gasket is placed into the lowest part of the lined pipe, leaving only the bare hole available for testing. It is then pumped under pressure to know the fracture of the formation for the LOT. And in the XLOT, it is performed several times to know the projected pressure of the fracture.

Essential Provider : KnowledgeCity 7 Lessons · 14m in Arabic, English

Course Description

An oil well is a boring created in the Earth by specialized equipment known as a drilling rig which is designed to bring petroleum oil hydrocarbons to the surface. Rotary drilling techniques have enabled wells to be drilled to depths of more than 30,000 feet. If testing shows that a well will be commercially productive, then it is prepared for the continuous production of oil or gas.

There are several factors that determine the design of well completion. The type of completion affects the productivity of a well as well as its future productive life and the work carried out during it. This course on Petroleum Wells is designed to increase your understanding of well testing, types of wells, well completions, subsurface conditions, as well as problems that can occur while drilling wells.

What You'll Learn

Identify the activities carried out during well testing
Analyze problems that can occur at the surface of wells and during well drilling
Distinguish between different types of wells
Explain the process of completing a well and the factors affecting completion design
Describe the process of abandoning a well
Examine subsurface conditions and dry hole outcomes

Key Takeaways

An oil well is a boring created in the Earth by a drilling rig designed to bring petroleum oil hydrocarbons to the surface.
Rotary drilling techniques have enabled wells to be drilled to depths of more than 30,000 feet.
If testing shows that a well will be commercially productive, it is prepared for the continuous production of oil or gas.
The type of well completion affects the productivity of a well, its future productive life, and the work carried out during it.
Several factors determine the design of well completion.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this course cover?

This course on Petroleum Wells is designed to increase your understanding of well testing, types of wells, well completions, subsurface conditions, and problems that can occur while drilling wells.

What skills will I gain from this course?

The course builds skills in drilling, oil fields, oil rig, oil well, oil well workover, and well drilling.

What topics are taught in the lessons?

Lessons cover testing a well, subsurface conditions, problems while drilling, dry hole, completing a well, types of wells, and abandoned wells.

Will I learn how a well is abandoned?

Yes. One of the learning objectives is to explain the process of abandoning a well, and there is a dedicated lesson on abandoned wells.