Formation Evaluation Technique Provides Openhole Logs in any Well Trajectory, Reducing Costs & Risks
Article By Maurice Smith - Published in JWNEnergy June 8, 2017 - LINK TO ARTICLE
SIMMONS EDECO, a leading global oilfield service provider, announced it has joined forces with Cordax Evaluation Technologies to provide highly cost-effective “Logging While Tripping” (LWT) openhole formation evaluation services.
The Cordax patented formation evaluation technique is a low risk, very economic way of collecting industry-proven openhole formation logging measurements. It is the only openhole logging service that gathers downhole data without requiring a dedicated logging trip. Because measurements are taken from within the LWT drill collars during the regular tripping process, the openhole logging operation is considerably more efficient and cost-effective than traditional logging processes. The technology is capable of capturing quality evaluation from vertical, highly deviated and horizontal well bores.
Now in its 55th year of serving the global oil and gas industry, SIMMONS EDECO made the decision to invest in Cordax in direct response to customer demand for a more efficient, cost-effective logging solution. With Cordax’s field-proven LWT technology and hands-on experience derived from hundreds of successful LWT runs, SIMMONS EDECO customers can now obtain critical high-quality downhole data from all wellbores, even those that were previously deemed to be inaccessible or uneconomic.
Greater efficiencies reduce costs & risks
“Standard logging practices - such as logging-while-drilling, wireline- and drill pipe-conveyed - require that drilling activity be restricted or come to a complete standstill while logging equipment is run downhole,” says Tyler Longeau, Cordax Manager – Canadian Operations. “As a result, expensive-to-rent rigs and drilling crews must stand by during every logging run. However, because the LWT sources and sensors are pumped into specially designed collars, the LWT tools are retrieved along with the drill pipe as rig operations trip to surface. Being inside the drill pipe and fully retrievable greatly reduces any risk of losing expensive logging equipment downhole and eliminates separate pipe trips. It’s all carried out in one simple operation.”
The Cordax LWT method generates industry-accepted triple combo logs, including conventional and spectral gamma, compensated neutron, and formation density. It also features a choice of three types of resistivity measurements, namely induction, propagation and laterolog, based on project requirements. The Cordax log uses these measurements to clearly define the presence of water, oil and gas, and identify the rock type and basic rock properties, such as porosity and permeability. Advanced properties, including stress brittleness, actually “grade” the reservoir, identifying the best producing sections while avoiding sections that are prone to sanding off or other completion issues.
No “lost in hole” incidents
Since 2011, Cordax has logged over 700 wells without a single “lost in hole” incident. Wells in the USA, Canada, Cuba, Australia and Indonesia have been logged under many - often hazardous - conditions. From underbalanced to long multilateral horizontal and deviated wellbores, the typical logging run requires very little rig time and has minimal impact upon rig operations. For example, Cordax executed a “triple combo with spectral gamma ray” job that collected over 4000m of lateral formation data, requiring only approximately one hour of critical rig time to deploy the tools. The long and deep horizontal tripped as per normal, and even completed some reaming while the log data was collected. The Cordax crew was on location for just over 24 hours in total. The data was processed and used to select critical plug placement and cluster design for the 36-stage fracking operation. This data ensured that frac pressures and plug placement was matched with rock stress and properties.
“One Stop Shop”
By working together with Cordax, SIMMONS EDECO effectively becomes a “one stop shop” for comprehensive onshore drilling and evaluation services. “We’re extremely happy to be teaming up with Cordax. It has an excellent reputation for its formation evaluation technology and services, which they have used with great success,” says Rob Matheson, SIMMONS EDECO Vice President of Business Development. “Cordax LWT services are the perfect complement to our range of drilling, valve and wellhead maintenance, and asset integrity services. This new capability means that we are better able to serve our customers in Canada, Mexico, Europe, Albania, and throughout the world.”
Looking ahead, customers of both SIMMONS EDECO and Cordax will benefit, as they now have access to a wider range of services and support provided by the companies’ combined network of bases. Already, the two companies have received expressions of interest in their mutual services, and are in active discussions with operators and service companies in Argentina and Mexico.
About SIMMONS EDECO
SIMMONS EDECO provides specialist onshore drilling, wellhead and valve maintenance services, and asset integrity solutions to the global oil and gas industry. It is dedicated to helping its customers optimize production by managing asset integrity and improving their operations without compromising safety or quality. Founded in 1962, SIMMONS EDECO supports its customers from its headquarters in Calgary-Canada, and network of bases in Great Yarmouth-England, Reynosa-Mexico, Fier-Albania, and Muscat-Oman.
About Cordax Evaluation Technologies, Inc.
Cordax Evaluation Technologies, Inc. is an independent, privately-owned engineering and technology firm that provides innovative, cost-effective formation evaluation solutions to log critical well data for its customers that operate in the oil and gas industry. To achieve this, the company uses its proprietary conveyance and measurement technologies to help customers optimize well production. Cordax operates from its global headquarters in Calgary, Alberta, and bases in the USA, Argentina, Indonesia, and Cuba.
SOURCE: SIMMONS EDECO
