C-FERTechnologies

Drilling & Completions

AdvancingEngineeringFrontiers

C-FERTechnologies Printed April 2017

Corporate Profile

C-FERTechnologies

For more than 30 years, C-FER has helped identify, evaluate and implement the best available technologies in the oil and gas, pipeline and other industries. C-FER operates as a not-for-profit, self-sustaining Research and Technology Organization with two large-scale testing facilities in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Improve Safety and Efficiency• MANAGE RISK through the application of quantitative risk analysis and application of rigorous engineering models to

understand the factors that contribute to risk and to evaluate and optimize activities to manage risk

• OPTIMIZE OPERATIONS by reviewing current practices and comparing to best practices and best available technologies

• INVESTIGATE FAILURES with combinations of analysis and testing to identify root causes and develop new equipment, procedures or standards to avoid future incidents

De-risk Technologies• QUALIFY EQUIPMENT by developing customized testing equipment and procedures to address the specific needs of the

application

• TRACK PERFORMANCE by developing standardized data collection processes and pooling information from across industry to provide a centralized data source that can be utilized by industry to make operational and purchasing decisions

Integrated Expertise: C-FER combines fundamental expertise in Engineering Analysis, Full-scale Testing and Risk Management. This approach ensures that solutions follow robust engineering principles, are validated with representative testing and consider inherent uncertainties.

Partnership Approach: C-FER works with its clients to develop solutions that are best suited to the client’s needs. In most cases, this consists of a customized approach to suit the requirements of one client for a specific application. For broader industry challenges, C-FER assembles Joint Industry Projects that leverage contributions, experience and data from industry and government agencies to develop comprehensive solutions that impact the entire industry.

C-FERTechnologies

...finding innovative solutions to tough drilling and

completions problems.

Drilling & Completions

Casing Strings• Thermal Well Casing Design • Connection Qualification • Casing/Formation Interaction • Casing Drilling

Downhole Equipment• Intelligent Completions • Coiled Tubing • Power Sections • Packers & Completion Tools • Sand Control

Operating Practices• Critical Sour Wells • Underbalanced Drilling • BOP Reliability • Well Abandonment • Wells Through Permafrost

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Drilling & Completions

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• Operations Enhancement Studies – Analysis of Field Data – Assessment of Alternative Practices • Risk & Reliability Assessments – Quantitative Analysis of Failure Probability and Consequences • Failure Investigations – Engineering and Laboratory Simulations – Root Cause Analysis – Field Practices Review

Engineering Consulting

• Surface & Downhole Tool Development – Concept Development – Prototype Design – Performance Verification • Software Development – Well Xplore™ - Pipe Deformation Characterization

Applied Research & Development

• Hostile Environments – Sour/Explosive Gases – High/Low Temperatures – High Flow Rates – High Pressures • Static/Fatigue/Torsion Loading

Full–Scale Testing

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Well Xplore

Identifying Well Deformation Features Analysis results are useful in identifying several types of well tubular deformation features including:

• Collapse

• Shear

• Buckling

• Other combined loading, formation and operation driven deformations

Well Xplore provides easy to use and accurate evaluation of wellbore deformation that operators use to monitor threats to wellbore integrity and safety in severe operating environments such as Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage. Operators use this information to reduce costs associated with well failures and gather better information to support future well design.

Full-scale testing and field studies have demonstrated that multi-finger caliper data can be used to accurately determine the local trajectory in well tubulars. The data provides insights that are useful in a wide range of applications including:

• Enhanced thermal recovery

• Tectonically active or activated wells (hydraulically fractured)

• Subsidence in cold heavy oil production

• Salt cavern, subsalt and permafrost applications

The deformed shape of the tubular and wellbore provides critical information, including:

• Form and magnitude of the deformation

• Potential access limitations

• Indications of wellbore structural integrity

• Potential loss of hydraulic isolation

• Underlying mechanisms responsible for the deformation

• Benchmarking and boundary conditions for wellbore deformation and geomechanical models

C-FERTechnologies www.cfertech.com

Well XploreCalculated Wellbore Trajectories Well Xplore uses the caliper tool geometry and the measured eccentricity relative to the pipe centre to calculate the local curvature of the pipe at each reading station. The curvature and well orientation is also determined and then is combined to describe the local well trajectory.

From the raw log, the location of a deformation can be identified (figure a), but using Well Xplore to accurately recreate the well trajectory, the mechanism of the failure can be quantified and better understood (figure b). The ability to magnify changes in radius, trajectory and cross-section eases interpretation of these features.

Well Xplore’s processing algorithms have been validated and enhanced through full scale trials at C-FER’s testing facility.

(a) Raw Log (b) Well Xplore Processed Log

Well Xplore Development User Group C-FER has established a development user group that has immediate access to new versions of the software. Planned upgrades to Well Xplore include conversion to a newer programming language, a new user interface and improved features and capabilities. The group meets regularly to share well integrity experience.

Looking to see more...

A demo version of Well Xplore is available that allows users to experience Well Xplore’s full functionality on an example case.

To get more extensive documentation, contact us at j.heseltine@cfertech.com.

Roller centralizer

Roller centralizer

Caliper �ngers

C-FER Technologies has offered industry advanced FEA consulting services since 1984. The

company specializes in non–linear structural and solid mechanics problems.

Advanced Finite Element Analysis

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Typical Projects

C-FER’s capabilities include modeling of non-linear materials, large deformation of structures, contact problems and structural dynamics. In some cases, C-FER has developed its own models which were verified through full–scale testing in its laboratory.

Drilling and Completions • FEA based well completion design • Casing and connection modeling and analysis • Well failure investigation • Well production analysis • Primary, CSS and SAGD well analysis

Our Technology C-FER uses state–of–the–art workstations with the following software packages: • ABAQUS® • ANSYS®

Pipeline Engineering • Bending, buckling and collapse analysis • Pipe-soil interaction

Offshore Engineering • Offshore platform modeling • Deepwater pipeline analysis

Structural and Material Engineering • Elastic–plastic constitutive modeling of steel, elastomers, concrete & soil • Composite structures • Static, dynamic and impact analysis

Casing-Soil Interaction Analysis

• ADINA®

• SolidWorks®

Modeling of Ship/Structure Collisions

Modeling of Buckle in Pipe

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The reliability of a sand control completion is influenced by

factors such as reservoir conditions, well configuration and

operating practices. To date, little information has been available

on how these and other factors influence the service life.

SCC–RIFTS JIP Sand Control Completions–Reliability Information & Failure Tracking System

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Benefits Participation in the project will provide operators with the tools required to: • Accelerate the learning curve associated with new sand control applications and technologies; • Improve sand control performance in terms of both well productivity and reliability; and • Identify technology gaps.

• Phase 1B launched May 2006. • Website online www.sccrifts.com • Participants – BHP Billiton Petroleum – Chevron Corporation – ConocoPhillips – Saudi Aramco – Shell

Objectives The objective of the SCC-RIFTS JIP is to develop a web-based system that will: • Facilitate sharing of sand control performance and failure information among operators; • Ensure quality and consistency of the data in the system; and • Incorporate user friendly tools to analyse and visualize the data.

StatusDevelopment Plan The initial development plan for SCC-RIFTS includes the following tasks: • Establish data protocols, SCC-RIFTS website and database structure; • Develop website with analysis tools to allow online queries and statistical evaluations; and • Populate database with C-FER qualifying the original data provided by the Participants.

Once the system is established, annual membership fees will ensure ongoing data processing and enhancements to the analysis tools and other system features.

The SCC-RIFTS program gathers information on each well in participants’ fields. C-FER qualifies the data and enters it in the database. Participants are then able to review the database, conduct their own queries, and perform statistical and “what-if” analyses online.

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Casing & Connection Evaluation

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Background

• More than 20 years experience with extreme service applications • Analysis and testing including material behaviour and full–scale specimens • Testing according to international and company–specific standards (including ISO) • Reliability engineering basis • Projects worldwide – Thermal production of heavy oil – Compacting reservoirs – HPHT wells

Technology Status

• URAP® imaging of contact stresses in seals • Advanced FEA for connections and pipe body – seals, threads, bending, buckling, collapse, creep, high temperature • Thread compound evaluations • Full–scale testing – temperature, internal/external pressure, axial and bending loads – sour environments • Make–up control software • Completion tool evaluations – packers, bore seals, bridge plugs • Casing deformations from caliper surveys • Connection qualification programs

Multi-string thermal cycle test with eight connections per string.

URAP® scan of connection seal after make–up

Buckling of heavy well composite casing specimen

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C-FER has developed the URAP (Ultrasonic Reflection Amplitude Pressure) technology

that qualitatively evaluates the contact stress distribution on the radial seal surface of a

premium connection immediately after make–up. URAP is a non-instrusive way to verify

that manufacturing tolerances and connection make–up procedures result in a consistent

distribution of stress across the radial seal surface of a premium connection.

URAP–Real Time Premium Connection Evaluation

C-FERTechnologies

URAP Capabilities URAP provides a real time, high–resolution contact stress map around the full circumference of the radial seal surface.

Specific features that URAP can identify include:• Geometrical and Manufacturing variations: – Offset between pin and box seal axes – Mismatch between torque shoulder and pin face angles – Out–of–round seal surfaces – Radial waviness on seal surfaces (multi–lobe bending) • Make–up variations – Overdoping – Galling – Pock marks – Axial and circumferential scratches – Pin-top loading

In addition, URAP scans performed during connection load tests have shown changes to the contact stress profile on the seal surface which could affect connection sealability under various service conditions.

URAP Service Package URAP has been used extensively as an integral component of connection qualification test programs at C-FER.

The URAP service can become an integral component of a manufacturer’s standard QA/QC process as well as a valuable research tool for developing new connections. C-FER’s URAP specialists can perform scans of production run or specialty connections in the manufacturing facility.

Operators may wish to include URAP as part of specialized product or vendor qualification programs.

Stress map of effective connection seal

Stress map of ineffective connection seal

URAP Jig

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Objectives The first two phases of the project, phase A and B, were complted between 2003 and 2005. Phase A: High-Level Screening of Concepts included: (1) identified a number of concepts, determined their technical and economic feasibility, and ranked these concepts relative to current SAGD practices; (2) identified key uncertainties related to the top-ranked concepts.

Phase B: Economic Assessments of the top-ranked concept(s) identified in Phase A were conducted on an overall project basis which coupled the reserviors, wellbores and facilities to evaluate the impact of these concepts relative to current SAGD practices.

Next Steps: • Focused evaluation of key unknowns • Prototype design and testing • Field Trials

Until very recently, most SAGD projects have used a

combination of high-pressure steam injection, natural

steam lift, and gas lift to transport the produced fluids

to surface.

LP–SAGD: Wellbore Architecture Alternatives JIP

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However, in large regions of the Athabasca oil sands, the presence of a depleted or naturally low pressured gas and water bearing formation directly above the reservoir makes it necessary for producers to operate the producing and injection wells at much lower pressures to avoid steam chamber losses. Also, the high cost of natural gas and the added energy required to generate high-pressure steam are encouraging producers to move to lower steam injection pressures to reduce steam–oil ratios.

At these lower injection and production pressures, some form of artificial lift (AL) is required to bring the produced fluids to

surface. However, due to the challenging conditions, a technically viable, reliable AL technology has not yet been identified. As a result, operators are considering implementing different SAGD well architectures to improve low-pressure production conditions for one or more of the existing AL methods.

The LP-SAGD Wellbore Architecture JIP was initiated to address issues such as suitable wellbore designs, drilling and completion equipment requirements, effects on the SAGD production process, and matching of AL technologies with these well designs.

Status • Project launched January 2003 • Phase A completed September 2003 • Phase B completed January 2005 • Phase C in proposal stage

SAGD Process (courtesy of EnCana Corporation)

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Testing Programs • Cyclic loading • Corrosion fatigue • Environmental cracking • Slow strain rate

Full-Body Tubular Testing in Hostile Environments

Background • Full-body tubular specimens, diameter up to 4”, gauge length to 12”, elongation to 5” • Customized hostile environments (including H2S) • NACE • H2S, CO2 • Servo-hydraulic axial load application, up to 250,000 lb • Internal specimen pressure up to 4,000 psi • Computerized control and data acquisition

Configuration for Slow Strain Rate Testing

Applications and Benefits • Reliable and cost-effective assessment of full-body production specimens • Actual surface finish, material strength and thickness variability, inclusion of welds • Correlation of test results for full-body and standard coupon specimens • Qualification and fitness for purpose testing • Material performance ranking

Results

Stress–strain results of full–body Slow Strain Rate Test

C-FERTechnologies www.cfertech.com

SAGD Well Construction Best Practices

Project Objective

During the rapid growth of SAGD in Canada operating companies have developed a variety of in-house design and installation practices to address the challenges of constructing SAGD wells. These practices are generally designed for the specific reservoir conditions and equipment available to the operating company. Due to the rapid change in technologies offered by the service companies it is difficult to ensure that the well construction practices in use are the “best” available for a particular application. In addition, staff turnover in the office and on the rigs makes it difficult to ensure that the established practices are properly implemented and kept up to date.

The objectives for the Joint Industry Project are: • Complete critical review of current SAGD well construction practices based on broad industry input and independent technical evaluations • Establish a set of Best Practices for selected Drilling & Completion activities specific to SAGD wells that can have significant impacts on wellbore integrity • Enhance awareness among office and field staff of the importance of following established procedures • Identify current technological limitations and areas where improvements are warranted

Project ApproachThe project consists of a variety of data collection and analysis tasks to document current practices and identify the strengths and weaknesses of each. This effort includes the following tasks: • Review design approaches • Observe field practices • Review problems wells • Identify practices that avoid problems

Project TasksThe project addresses the following aspects of well construction: • Casing/Liner – Handling and inspection – Make-up and field repair – Running/Installation • Centralization – Centralizer type – Spacing • Hole Cleaning • Cementing • Well Integrity – Cement quality – Casing Leaks/Deformations

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LOAD FRAMES C-FER operates a variety of large-scale servo-hydraulic load frames to simulate complex loading scenarios representative of field conditions.

Auxiliary Equipment Example Tests

• Electric resistive or inductive heating systems • Hydrotest equipment• High pressure cooling system • Leak detection equipment• Bending systems• Torsion systems• Pass-through pressure vessels

• ISO / Thermal well casing connections • Biaxial Tension/Compression of line pipe• Four-point bend of line pipe • Wave loading on composite risers• Makeup of subsea pipeline collets• Drilling top drive assemblies • Crack growth in aerospace structural panels• Seismic building dampers

Universal Testing System Tubular Testing System

Connection Testing System

Horizontal Testing System

Maximum Specimen Dimensions

Length 6 mBase 2 x 18 m

Length 15 mDiameter 1.5 m

Length 11.6 mBase 2 x 2 m

Length 5.5 mDiameter 1.2 m

System can be reconfigured to accept larger specimens

Maximum Load

Compression 15 MNTension 15 MNDynamic 5 MN

Structurally capable of 22 MN with additional actuators

Compression 15 MNTension 15 MN

Compression 15 MNTension 15 MN

Tension 71 MN

Frame Orientation

Vertical Vertical Vertical Horizontal

Special Features

Maximum stroke rate 100 mm/sec

Bending capacity of 27 MNm

Bending capacity 27 MNm

Bending capacity 8 MNm

Sour service capability

Energy dissipation system for destructive testing

Laboratory Facilities

C-FERTechnologies www.cfertech.com

DEEPWATER EXPERIMENTAL CHAMBER Full-scale testing of deepwater pipeline and production equipment at working pressures, both internally and externally. State of the art instrumentation, control and video monitoring enables comprehensive documentation of system performance under extreme operational condition.

• Equipped with internal rams and reaction frames to apply tension, compression, torsion and bending loads to specimens while under pressure

• Working pressures to 55 MPa (8,000 psi)

• 10.7 m (35 ft) long with a 1.22 m (4 ft) diameter

High Temperature Experimental Flow Loop Allows evaluation of downhole pumping systems over a wide range of operating temperatures, pressures, flowrates and gas/liquid ratios. The flow loop consists of an 85 ft long, 244.5 mm OD (9 5/8”, 40 lb/ft), casing section; separator; and heating and cooling equipment.

• Accommodates downhole- and surface-driven pump systems up to 24.4 m (80 ft) in length, up to 12 m (40 ft) per section;

• Allows for downhole gas (steam and air) separation at the pump intake with a simulated submergence of approximately

• Pump intake pressure from 0.100 MPag to 5.515 MPag (15-800 psig);

• Pump discharge pressure to 12.410 MPag (1800 psig);

• Pump intake temperature from 60°C to 260°C (140-500°F).

• Liquid flow rate up to 1500 m³/d (9400 bpd)

• Water, oil or oil/water mixture

• Air injection up to 120 std-m3/h (70 scfm) at 4.140 kPag (600 psig) at the downhole pump intake.

Deep Well Simulator Designed to evaluate bottomhole drilling and production systems under field service conditions.

• Operating temperatures from 20°C (68°F) to 200°C (392°F)

• Coupled to a flowloop and able to handle a variety of fluids

• Control tests on pump systems with full pressure fluid mixing (single and two phase), flowmeters, and tankage

• Cased well bore 0.6 metres (2 ft) in diameter, providing 14 MPa (2,000 psi) containment capacity

• Easy access to electric and hydraulic power, fluid handling and instrumentation

• Accommodates concentric and multiple tubing/casing strings

• Maximum tool string and specimen configuration 46 m (150 ft) in length and 560 mm (22 inches) in diameter

Laboratory Facilities

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Laboratory FacilitiesSpecial Environments Laboratory (SEL) The SEL is utilized for tests demanding the safe containment of toxic and flammable gases and potential explosions. Consists of an in-ground primary containment chamber that houses the test specimen, and an above-ground secondary containment chamber that houses control equipment and provides expansion volume for any release from the primary containment chamber.

The internal dimensions of this facility accommodate testing at full–scale with a wide range of loads, pressures and fluid flow conditions, yielding results that are more representative of processes occurring under real field conditions.

Component Testing Allows evaluation of downhole pumping systems over a wide range of operating temperatures, pressures, flowrates and gas/liquid ratios. The flow loop consists of an 85 ft long, 244.5 mm OD (9 5/8”, 40 lb/ft), casing section; separator; and heating and cooling equipment.

• 1000 kN capacity servohydraulic MTS machine for coupon testing under a variety of load & temperature conditions

• 16,200 N-m torsion testing unit, with independently operated axial tensile load capacity to 1,300 kN

• Other self-contained computer-controlled load and pressure systems for serviceability and proof testing of hoisting equipment, couplings, valves, vessels, etc.

Pipeline Leak Detection In-Soil Leak Detection Tests

• Large-scale testing in a controlled laboratory environment

• Simulation of small leaks with realistic pressure, temperature and orifices

• Placement of soil, pipeline and detection sensors based on pipeline construction practice

• Cable-based or discrete in-soil sensors including distributed temperature sensing (DTS), distributed acoustic sensing (DAS), hydrocarbon-sensing cables (HSC) and vapour-sensing tube (VST) systems

Joint Industry Programs

• Jointly funded by multiple industry and government partners

• Different programs to evaluate in-soil, airborne and in-water detection technologies

• With a focus on external detection of small leaks from liquid hydrocarbon pipelines

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Contacts MANAGING DIRECTOR

780.450.8989 x253

Francisco Alhanati f.alhanati@cfertech.com

DRILLING & COMPLETIONS780.450.8989 x236Kirk Hamilton, Manager

k.hamilton@cfertech.com

EXPLORATION & PRODUCTION

780.450.8989 x328

Jorge Robles, Director j.robles@cfertech.com

ENGINEERING SERVICES 780.450.8989 x299

Paul Skoczylas, Manager p.skoczylas@cfertech.com

PIPELINES & STRUCTURES 587.754.2339 x215

Qishi Chen, Director q.chen@cfertech.com

DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION 587.754.2339 x259

Chris Timms, Manager c.timms@cfertech.com

INTEGRITY & OPERATIONS 587.754.2339 x308

Jason Skow, Manager j.skow@cfertech.com

C-FER FELLOW 780.450.8989 x252

Cam Matthews c.matthews@cfertech.com

CHIEF ENGINEER & C-FER FELLOW 587.754.2339 x207

Maher Nessim m.nessim@cfertech.com

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & PLANNING780.450.8989 x235Brian Wagg, Director b.wagg@cfertech.com

PRODUCTION OPERATIONS780.450.8989 x306Wayne Klaczek, Manager w.klaczek@cfertech.com

C-FERTechnologies Printed April 2017

C-FERTechnologies

200 Karl Clark Road Edmonton, Alberta Canada T6N 1H2

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