Summary

This paper discusses the benefits, potential operational efficiencies, and cost savings that are anticipated with the elimination of the current standard of using coiled-tubing to open Outflow Control Devices (OCDs) used in Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) wells, instead using ball-activated sleeves with degradable balls.

The ball-activated OCDs are activated by pumping degradable balls from surface to land in the OCD. Once landed, the tubing is pressured up to the predetermined shifting pressure, the sliding sleeve shifts open, and the ball disengages from the seat and continues to the end of the tubing string. This process is repeated with progressively larger balls for all the installed OCDs.

Product qualification has been completed to ensure SAGD service requirements are achieved and these results are shared. This includes ball degradation tests in boiler feed water, flow loop ball shift testing at ambient and elevated temperature, and mechanical tool shifting tests.

Through the elimination of the coiled-tubing intervention, significant operational efficiencies and cost savings are anticipated. In addition, the expected efficiency gain will minimize well down-time, resulting in less reservoir cooling and impact to production.