The Impact of Downhole Surveillance: Well Production Reinstated to High Levels

Harald HWA-7 is a gas/condensate producer. Gas production has been declining continuously since the well's early days, however in 2017 it suddenly dropped and water production increased. Liquid loading from high water production together with high back pressure from neighboring wells resulted in production slugging and/or ceasing. In 2014 downhole surveillance (Production and Cased Hole Saturation logs) was acquired and interpretation was performed in 2018, integrating cement bond log and multi-finger caliper. A zonal isolation plan was proposed to set a downhole plug and isolate the water-bearing intervals.

Due to lack of recent surveillance data there was an uncertainty on the rise of the water level, however, based on the geological understanding, the decision to set the plug at the specified depth was based on best approach to reduce water encroachment.

The intervention was executed with close collaboration between Well Services and Subsurface which resulted in a successful operation given the narrow window of opportunity, the remote location and the geological uncertainty. The main objective of reviving the well was achieved and is currently producing ~23.5 mmscf/d of uninterrupted production, a gain of >20 mmscf/d. Strong cross-functional alliance ensued a success story with the well paying back within ~2.5 days.