Today’s sand control challenges and the limitations of traditional downhole methods were the primary focus in the development of our unique hydraulic screen system.
As global energy demands increase, we are focused on executing and improving our core products to offer significant operational and production benefits to the operator.
PUMP FREE INSTALLATION
Endurance Hydraulic Screen® system removes the need for pumping compliant material and associated fluids. This simplifies well completion, reduces installation duration and personnel requirements onsite, minimising exposure to operational risk and Non Productive Time.
With easy integration to standard liner hangers and packers, our system is run to depth and hydraulically set against the wellbore using a controlled and non-aggressive activation. Positive wellbore support is achieved in one simple step, without the need for additional downhole tools.
360° WELLBORE SUPPORT
Endurance Hydraulic Screen system removes the annular gap between the screen and open hole. The unique activation method radially extends the system to conform to the borehole geometry and locks in pressure to maintain positive wellbore support.
Maintaining wellbore contact reduces the deformation of the near wellbore and prevents the mobilisation of problematic sands – preventing screen plugging, removing erosion concerns and protecting long term performance.
WELLBORE ACCESS & ZONAL ISOLATION
Maintaining original geometry of the selected base pipe size helps to deliver strength and easy interface with well operation strategies for the short and long term. The modular construction and optional valve arrangement provides flow-control, zonal isolation, shut off and selectivity benefits for both producer and injector wells.
LIFE OF WELL PERFORMANCE
Systems are selected on solid or pre-drilled base pipe platforms and are combined with an integral valve arrangement to deliver the desired level of functionality for your specific project needs. The result is a dramatically increased capability to support geo-mechanical loads during life of well.
We know this through our strict adherence to a harsh and robust qualification programme for each of our Endurance Hydraulic Screen products. Taking completion strength to a new level, qualification testing has proven our screen design can provide mechanical collapse strength beyond API base pipe ratings with ISO hydraulic collapse of 6,000psi achieved.
PRODUCT PORTFOLIO
Endurance100® Hydraulic Screen
Provides full radial wellbore contact with simplicity and inner strength, eliminating the complexity of pumping a gravel pack. An integral valve arrangement enables each screen to be activated and placed onto production using surface applied pressure.
Endurance200® Hydraulic Screen
Adds balance to inner strength with shut off, selective injection / production and inflow control capability. The valve arrangement allows the client to selectively bring the screens on to production after activation. It also provides zonal isolation capability during life of well for water shut off or from problematic reservoirs.
Endurance300® Hydraulic Screen
Adds flexibility to inner strength with project specific designs for harsh and extreme environments. Endurance screen technology with adaptability. HPHT systems and pre-drilled base pipe designs for water injectors or applications where clients prefer direct access to the screen jacket / sand-face for scale removal or other treatments.
FAQs
How do you run the Darcy system?
The Darcy Screens are run similar to a Stand Alone Screen completion with the Screens handled, torqued and run in hole using conventional equipment. At depth, the packer (or hanger) is set and internal pressure is applied to the hydraulic screens to set them against the wellbore.
Since screen activation is achieved using applied surface pressure, no additional tools are required; the system is suitable for shallow applications and long horizontals as reservoir coverage (quantity of screen joints) is not limited by the Darcy Screen activation process.
How is the screen set against the wellbore?
The key feature of our hydraulic screens is a series of activation chambers mounted on standard base pipe. When the screens are set hydraulically, the chambers are simply fluid filled to remove the annular gap between the screen and the wellbore. Contact and positive support of the wellbore is maintained once activation is complete.
After setting, how is wellbore support maintained?
The unique activation method radially extends the system to conform to the borehole geometry. Activation pressure is locked in to each individual chamber and remains there for the life of the completion providing continual support to the Sandface.
Is the base pipe expanded during setting?
No. The Darcy Screen base pipe is not expanded during setting, which ensures the strength of the base pipe is not compromised and a known internal diameter is maintained throughout to facilitate access for future well interventions.
Can zonal isolation and inflow control be achieved?
Yes, using standard premium connections the Darcy system is easily integrated into a completion design with open hole Isolation Packers. Each screen has an integral valve arrangement to allow activation to be completed, and provide a flow path for production or injection. The Endurance product range also provides the option to add integral Inflow Control Devices (ICD’s) and Shut-Off capability.
How does the Darcy system provide completion strength?
The Darcy patented design, with the activation chambers mounted directly onto the base pipe, results in a screen with high crush and collapse resistance (>6000 psi). This provides resistance for high production, geo-mechanical and depletion loading scenarios with the ability to maintain overall completion strength.
How does the Darcy system withstand high production drawdown and depletions?
The Darcy Screen system is hydraulically set against the wellbore with set pressures locked in to provide continual wellbore support. This continual wellbore support allows for high production drawdown pressures and provides strength under extreme depletion loads.
Can the Darcy system be run in low bottom hole pressures?
The Darcy system has been designed to replace Gravel Pack operations including in wells with low bottom-hole pressures. The Darcy system does not rely on circulation to achieve wellbore support. The lower screen completion is simply closed off at the shoe prior to applying internal pressure from surface to activate and set.
Can the Darcy system be used in injector wells?
Yes. In injector wells sands can re-arrange and become unconsolidated and mobile due to changes in pore-pressure, confining stresses, saturation, cohesive strength and dissolution or dispersion of grain cementing materials – many of which are accelerated by on / off Injection and resulting “water-hammer” and ballooning effects. The Darcy system, supporting the sandface with the appropriately sized filter at all times is therefore ideal in combatting these effects.
Sand control engineering specialist Darcy is gearing up for global interest in its downhole Hydraulic Screen following a successful installation in Statoil’s Statfjord oil field in the Norwegian Sector of the North Sea.
The system provides ‘pump free’ sand control delivering increased operational efficiency and simplifying logistics to reduce time and costs. For the first time in the industry, it utilises patented hydraulic technology that is easily activated from the surface to provide an alternative to gravel packing which is more time and labour intensive.
The mature Statfjord field faces challenges with continuous pressure depletion and reduced margins for pumping traditional open hole gravel packs. Integrating with Statoil’s completion equipment suppliers, the activation of the Hydraulic Screen took less than one hour of rig time. A reservoir isolation barrier was closed and tested prior to pulling out of the hole and completion operations concluded with production flowing from each of the screen joints confirmed.
Statoil recognises the use of Hydraulic Screen technology as the primary sand control system in a low bottom-hole pressure environment as an industry first.
Steve Bruce, CEO of Darcy said: “With 70% of mature and deep water oil and gas wells requiring sand control and experiencing costly challenges, we believe there is a significant market for the Hydraulic Screen due to its ease of installation and ability to cope with downhole geo-mechanical and production loading through the life of the well. We designed and developed the technology in response to industry concerns about the high failure rate and costs of gravel packing methods. Our hydraulic system offers a more efficient alternative and enables operators to complete wells which would be difficult or impossible using traditional sand control methods.”
The Hydraulic Screen is being rolled out to further wells on Statfjord and is suited to deepwater regions, mature fields and HPHT wells. Positive wellbore support prevents mobilisation of problematic sand, shale and coal. It provides the mechanical strength and collapse resistance for high geo-mechanical loads and extreme production conditions, whilst maintaining base pipe geometry. It also offers selective production, injection and shutoff.
The technology eliminates the need for specialist pumping crews or additional downhole tools required for gravel packing. It is easily integrated with standard completions equipment which provides logistical efficiencies on transportation and bed space. In the Statfjord example, only two Darcy engineers were present to install and activate the Hydraulic Screen and were down-manned within ten hours.