Multi Zone Hydro Fracturing at Lukoil
Between 2013-2015, LUKOIL plans to drill 449 horizontal wells using multi-zone hydrofracturing (HW with MZHF). During 2011, 96 of these wells were drilled and by the end of 2012, LUKOIL will have drilled a further 108. Using this technology has proved highly effective on the difficult reserves of Western Siberia. Indeed, one of the reservoirs at the Uryevskoye field in Western Siberia increased daily production from 22 to 68 tonnes of oil per day. In 2012, an 8-zone MZHF was performed at one of the wells of Uryevskoye field for the first time in Russia. Having implemented this technology, oil production increased to 91 tonnes per day. Based on the on the data obtained, we designed a geological hydrodynamic model for the entire field development. The calculations determined that that using HW with MZHF would result in a production increase for new wells from 17 tonnes to 46 tonnes per day. Due to increased oil recovery, our recoverable reserves rose to 4.8 mln tonnes, with capital expenditure for these wells decreasing by 38% and economical performance indicators for deposit development improve by 1.6.
In 2012, LUKOIL started drilling HW with MZHF in Perm Kray and the Komi Republic. In particular, LLC LUKOIL-Perm commissioned a number of such wells with production rates of between 40-46 tonnes per day. LUKOIL had also obtained positive results when testing HW with MZHF for gas assets at the Pyakyakhinskoye field in Yamal-Nenets Autonomous region. Production rates on gas were 2 times higher than that for horizontal wells with conventional completion.
In Western Siberia, and for the first time in Russia, LUKOIL successfully performed multi-stage hydrofracturing (HF) on a sidetracked well using a unique technology of sand-water perforation and HF AbrasiFRAC from Schlumberger. This technology allows sand-water perforation trough flexible tubing with subsequent HF in one operation, which makes it possible to decrease the average well development time, ensure its timely commissioning and also boost hydrocarbon production from the reservoir.
To date, five wells have been commissioned using AbrasiFRAC technology at Povkhovskoye, Nong-Yeganskoye, Tevlinsko-Russkinskoye and Uryevskoye fields. Daily production of these wells grew on average two fold from 17 to 34 tonnes per day.
Also for the first time in Russia, LUKOIL performed a test HF operation offshore at well #8 at the Vladimir Filanovsky deposit in the Northern Caspian. Based on exploration drilling at V.Filanovsky deposit in 2005, three accumulations had been highlighted: gas condensate field in the Albian, gas condensate and oil type in the Aptian and gas and oil type in Neocomian superstage of the lower Cretaceous. An Exploration well, #8, was drilled in 2011 for additional field exploration. Before HF, the maximum oil influx during productive reservoir testing in well #8 comprised 3,7 tonnes of oil per day. After HF, the influx increased 20 fold.
Based on HF results for well #8, calculations were made in order to develop oil reserves in the Aptian accumulation. The results demonstrated that the development of this formation using HF in producing wells will result in an additional 44 mln tonnes of reserves.
We also drilled 4 horizontal wells at the Yuri Korchagin field n the Caspian sea, ranging from 2 to 5 km with initial production rates ranging from 4 to 10 thousand barrels per day. These wells, based on their parameters, are grouped in the toughest category under international classification.
During drilling operations, we set a new Russian national record by drilling the horizontal section to 3770 m. We plan to drill 4 more horizontal wells at Yuri Korchagin during 2012, and the well may indeed exceed 6 km. Based on results of our exploration work in 2012, the Company expects a significant increase of recoverable oil reserves at Y. Korchagin field of about 50% to a total 360 mln. barrels.
