An operator in the Deepwater trend, Gulf of Mexico (GOM) needed a weighted fracturing fluid to help counter high bottomhole pressures in a large six-zone completion. Since the job had to be pumped in one trip, the operator asked Baker Hughes for a frac and pack solution.

The first requirement was to develop a weighted fracture fluid for the completion. Starting with the Baker Hughes PrimeStar™ family of fracturing fluids, which was designed for use in deepwater well stimulation applications, staff at the Baker Hughes Technology Center in Tomball, Texas, analyzed well data and the operational parameters of the stimulation.

Working with that data, engineers developed a recipe and breaker package that would meet both the well conditions and the customer’s time requirements. The fluid was a 10.5-lbm/gal (1.25-kg/l) sodium bromide fracturing fluid that would allow for 120 minutes of stability above

200 cP and give a complete break within 30 minutes of the desired stability time.

The job was pumped from the Baker Hughes Blue Dolphin stimulation vessel. The technology and enhanced capabilities of the Blue Dolphin provided room for enough proppant and Baker Hughes chemicals for all six zones of this completion with no planned trips to the dock to resupply. Since contamination was a potential problem, a flushing plan for the dockside facilities, supply vessels, and the Blue Dolphin was implemented before loading and during operation to keep all equipment and vessels clean to prevent contamination.

The vessel carried 3 million lbm (85048 kg) of total proppant, including a combination of two different heavyweight proppants, along with 78,000 gal (295262 l) and 24,000 lbm (10886 kg) of fracturing and acidizing chemicals. The Blue Dolphin carried the maximum amount

PrimeStar Fracturing Fluid Provided Frac and Pack Solution for Deepwater OperationsLargest successful multizone frac and pack treatment in GOM

Benefits nn Developed and applied a custom-engineered fracturing fluid for deepwater application

nn Completed a six-zone completion in one trip

Background and challenges nn Deepwater well, Gulf of Mexico

nn Six-zone completion requiring weighted fracturing fluid pumped in one trip

nn Weighted fracturing fluids

– are sensitive to contaminants in water

– have to be very stable for at least two hours

nn Develop fluid to meet customer requirements

nn Implement a complex and demanding pumping operation

Baker Hughes solution and resultsnn Recommended PrimeStar family of fracturing fluids

nn Incorporated research and development program at the Baker Hughes Technology Center in Tomball, Texas

nn Utilized Baker Hughes Blue Dolphin

nn Engineered and tested breaker package to meet customer fracturing requirements

nn Developed and implemented aggressive plan to eliminate dockside and onboard contamination sources

CASE HISTORY| bakerhughes.com

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© 2014 Baker Hughes Incorporated. All rights reserved. 39462 02/2014

of base brine, while three additional supply vessels carried 37,000 bbl (5882 m3) of 10.5- ppg sodium bromide base brine.

The Baker Hughes PrimeStar fluid met all the operator’s expectations on all six zones, with no fluid issues during the job. Since the gel could be mixed on the fly, the operator didn’t have any expense for unused fluid. The efforts of the Baker Hughes Technology Center and vessel operations made for

an easy transition from regular KCl-based brines to the more complicated NaBr-based fracturing fluid.

During the 24 days the Blue Dolphin was on location, the crew managed simultaneous logistical issues of vessel-to-vessel transfers of fuel, brine, water, and chemicals. The vessel was staffed with an additional crew to perform maintenance on the equipment between each zone. This was particularly important part of

the project since harsh material was being pumped in roughly 500,000 lb increments, more than 35 bpm, and at more than 8,000 psi operating pressures.

The fracturing fluid and vessel operations met all the operator’s goals and earned Baker Hughes praise for the high quality of the overall job.

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BJ Blue  Dolphin  ( STBD 1+ PORT  2 + 12.5  gpt  GW -3L)  + 2 gpt  NE-945 + 2 gpt  Flo  Back  30 + 2.5 - gpt  25% Caustic  + 1 + 2.5 gpt  XLW -24 + .25 gpt  XLW -32+ 1 gpt  GBB -1 

Shear  Rate Viscosity  1 Sample  Temp

Vessel Break Test During Job

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BJ Blue  Dolphin  ( Baseline  - 10.5#  NaBr + 12.5  gpt  GW -3LE)  + .25gpt  Alpha  125 + 2 gpt  NE-945 + 2 gpt  Flo  Back  30 + 2.5 gpt  25% Caustic+  2.5 gpt  + XLW -24 + .25 XLW   32  

Shear  Rate Viscosity Sample  Temp

Temperature

Vessel Baseline Test During Job

Blue Dolphin (Baseline - PrimeStar 5000 in 10.5 ppg NaBR) Alpha 125 + 2 gpt NE-945 + 2 gpt Flo Back 30

Blue Dolphin (Baseline - PrimeStar 5000 in 10.5 ppg NaBR) Alpha 125 + 2 gpt NE-945 + 2 gpt Flo Back 30

CASE HISTORY