Case Study: a large oil drilling service provider achieves successful zonal isolation and gravel packing with SLB's PRIMO-SWELL system

PRIMO-SWELL System Enables Advanced Multizone OptiPac Screen Job in Sensitive Reservoir

SLB worked with a large oil drilling service provider in Colombia that needed zonal isolation before gravel packing in a sensitive reservoir. The challenge was to use an OptiPac Alternate Path openhole gravel-pack screen with a 100% oil-base fluid so the fast oil-swell packers would activate while still maintaining hydrostatic pressure and compatibility with the water-base filtercake left by drilling.

SLB recommended and deployed the PRIMO-SWELL oil-swellable packer activation system, an all-oil fluid designed to stay compatible with water-base filtercakes and meet the required density. The fluid was lab-tested at 8.6 lbm/gal and 180°F for 20 hours with no significant phase separation or screen plugging, then pumped on location with 80 bbl spotted in place; the well was shut in for 24 hours to let the packers swell, and the OptiPac gravel-pack screen job was completed successfully with well control maintained throughout.