Petroleum Engineering Summer School Hole.

H M
Dubrovnik, Croatia.
Workshop #26 June 9 – 13, 08 June 2008

GEOTHERMAL WELL COMPLETION TESTS

Hagen Hole
Geothermal Consultants NZ Ltd., Birkenhead, Auckland, New Zealand.

• A casing condition survey, to obtain an initial

ABSTRACT graphical image of the casing in the well.
This paper reviews the measurements that are typically
made in a well immediately after drilling is completed IDENTIFICATION OF PERMEABLE ZONES
– the Completion Tests. The initial tests carried out in the well after completion
The objective of these tests is to determine the are designed to identify the location and thickness of
properties of the reservoir, and of the reservoir fluid the permeable zones; and to quantify the associated
near the well. A significant amount of information that permeability in relative terms. This is usually carried
will add to the characterisation of the reservoir and the out using an electronic spinner (flow velocity indicator)
well, can only be obtained in the period during and tool, either a real time electric wireline tool, or a slick
immediately after drilling activities are completed. line memory tool – usually temperature and pressure
transducers are also incorporated into this tool.
INTRODUCTION With a constant volume flowrate of water pumped to
Immediately after completion of the drilling of a the well, the spinner instrument is lowered into the hole
geothermal well, a slotted or perforated liner is run into at a constant velocity, and then retrieved, again at a
the open hole production section of the well; the blow constant velocity. The spinner measures the liquid
out preventer stack is removed from the wellhead; and, flow velocity in the well over the range of depth that
if not previously fitted, the master valve is attached to the instrument is run, changes in flow velocity not
the wellhead. At this point drilling operations are associated with hole diameter changes (either passing
finished, but it is usual practice to carry out a series through a casing shoe, or through an area of enlarged
tests on the well, utilising the drilling rig equipment, or washed out formation) indicates either an inflow or
and in particularly the rig pumps, before rigging down outflow at that point. It is usual that spinner runs are
and removal of the rig from the wellsite. These tests, carried out at two or three different pumping rates, as
the completion tests, are designed to identify potential well as at a zero pumping rate to identify if there any
feed zones in the well, to provide an estimate of the internal flows within the well that can distort the
total effective permeability of the well, and to establish pumped volume flowrates. This data, correlated with
a baseline dataset of the casing condition. the temperature and pressure data collected on each
run, will allow reasonable characterisation of the
OBJECTIVES permeability in the well.
A typical set of downhole spinner data, collected from
For the geothermal reservoir engineer the objective of
Well MK-11, Mokai geothermal Field, New Zealand,
the completion tests is to determine the properties of
was carried out with two pumping rates, one double the
the reservoir, and of the reservoir fluid in the proximity
flowrate of the second, and is illustrated in Figure 1
of the well. In addition there is generally a wide
below. Data is collected only in the open hole
interest in the ability of the well to deliver fluid to the
production section of the well, below the production
surface, which to a large extent will depend on the
casing shoe, which in this case was set at 748 m depth.
reservoir and well properties.
For the geothermal production engineer the objective is
Downhole
MK11 Spinner
completion fullData
flow
to obtain a ‘thumbprint’ of the well casings in their ‘as
3
new’ condition in the well, for comparison at a later Full flow
Half flow
date to determine if there has been corrosion or failure 2.5

of any of the casing components.

2
The suit of tests carried out that comprise the
Fluid velocity

‘Completion Tests’ typically involve: 1.5

• a spinner test to identify the location of the
permeable zones within the well and to 1

quantify the relative permeability of each of 0.5

the zones identified. In addition, the spinner
tool also measures and records the downhole 0
500 750 1000 1250 1500 1750 2000 2250
temperature and pressures as well. Depth
• A water pumping test to obtain an ‘injectivity’
and thus the gross permeability of the well. Figure 1. – Downhole Spinner Data. Well MK-11
Mokai.

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Hole. H M Petroleum Engineering Summer School
Dubrovnik, Croatia.
June 2008 Workshop #26 June 9 – 13, 08
The down hole temperature data recorded at the same QUANTIFYING THE PERMEABILITY
time is illustrated in Figure 2. below. A simple indicator of the likely productivity of a well
may be gained by evaluating the stable down hole
Water
MK11 Loss
water Temperatures
loss temperatures
pressures at a constant depth, against a number of
160
Half flow
injection flowrates. This stable pressure – flow
140
Full flow relationship provides the ‘injectivity’, which has been
120
shown to be a reasonable reliable index of well
100
performance.
Temperature

The pressure element must be set at some

80
representative depth down the well, and ideally this is
60
at the depth of the major permeable zone – which of
40
course is not always confirmed at the time this test is
20 carried out, however, data from the previous ‘spinner
0 tests’ can provide a good indication.
500 750 1000 1250 1500 1750 2000 2250
Depth
It is usual that water is pumped to the well at three or
four different pumping rates, with the duration of each
Figure 2 – Downhole Water Loss Temperatures. Well step sufficient to allow a stable downhole pressure
MK-11, Mokai. condition to have been established – typical the
durations of each step is in the order of one hour.
The interpretation of this type of data is not simple, and
often not conclusive. For the ‘injectivity’ tests for Well MK-11, Mokai, the
There is considerable detail and complexity in both well as indicated above, the pressure element was set at
spinner runs, and either an enlarged wellbore down to a depth of 1980 metres depth in the well. The test was
1500m or inflow exists at around 1500m. The commenced with water being pumped to the well at a
temperatures, shown in Figure 2 argue against any rate of 12 litres per second for a period of 1 hour. The
inflow at 1500m. They also support a major loss at pumping rate was then increased to 24 l/s for one hour,
2000m. The variations in fluid velocity with depth are 36 l/s for one hour, then 48 litres per second for one
consistent between the two runs (the larger flow has hour. The pumps were then shut off and the instrument
proportionately larger velocity) over 700-800m, and left in place for one more hour.
below 1400m, but show contrasts over 800-1400m that The stable pressures for each of the pumped rates
are not readily explained. were:-
The greater temperature gradient above 2000m in both Flow Rate Pressure at 1980 m.
runs is best explained by minor inflow over this depth. (l/s) (MPa)
This is supported by the reduction in gradient with 12 16.168
24 16.264
increasing injection rate.
36 16.360
The major loss zone is therefore at 2000m, with minor 48 16.456
fluid gain above 2000m in both runs. The strong
variations in velocity above 1600m indicate major INJECTIVITY
variations in wellbore diameter between the casing 16.5

shoe at 700m and 1600m. The wellbore is contracted to

normal diameter at 1010m and over 1450-1550m, but 16.45

is otherwise enlarged over 700-1600m.

16.4
Prior to the development of electric wire-line tools
suitable for deployment in geothermal conditions, this
test was carried out using mechanical slick-line 16.35

Pressure
instruments, and typically only temperature and (Mpa)

pressure measurements were carried out. A water loss 16.3

test was carried out by stopping pumping water to the

well for a period to allow a mild heating in the well. 16.25

With a mechanical temperature and pressure recording

instrument (Kuster or Amerada) in the well, pumping 16.2
Slope = "Injectivity"= 125 kg/Mpa.s
with pressure element located at 1980 m
of cold water was commenced at a constant rate, and depth.

by moving the temperature instrument up and down the 16.15

well, the advancing cold front of fluid could be tracked 0 10 20 30

Injection Rate (kg/s)
40 50 60

down the well. Permeable zones were identified at the Figure 3. The relation between injection flowrate and
points where advancement of the cold front ceased (in downhole pressure at the major permeable zone.
the case of a single permeable zone) or slowed in the
cased of multiple permeable zones. The method The “Injectivity” is the slope of the plot of stable
allowed only an indicative and rough characterisation pressure versus flow.
of the permeability. The pressure differences between the four injection
rates at the depth of 1980 metres gives an injectivity of

2
Petroleum Engineering Summer School Hole. H M
Dubrovnik, Croatia.
Workshop #26 June 9 – 13, 08 June 2008
125.0 kg/MPa.s, which in this case is good to excellent.
With an expected temperature of the production zone
of over 300oC as measured in nearby wells, and by
comparison with previous well injectivity results, a
stable flow of around 300 tonnes per hour was
estimated.

DOWNHOLE CASING CONDITION

The production casing string in a geothermal well is the
primary conductor of the geothermal production fluids
from the formation to the surface and is thus subject to
extreme conditions both from thermally induced stress
conditions and from continuous exposure to formation
fluids both internally and externally.
In the past, monitoring the condition of these casing
strings has been extremely difficult and limited to
occasions when the well has been totally quenched
with cold water to allow introduction of
instrumentation such as callipers and tele-viewers.
Recently an electromagnetic tool, capable of being Figure 4. HHCC Plot (after Stevens L, Century Drilling &
operated in hot well conditions – 300°C for several Energy Services (NZ) Ltd, “Monitoring of Casing Integrity in
hours, has enabled the accurate measurement and Geothermal Wells”, WGC paper R0253.
periodic monitoring of both the internal and external
condition of the casing string. The casing collars can be clearly identified on the
The Hot Hole Casing Corrosion (HHCC) tool, phase trace. The calliper trace indicates a decrease in
developed by Century Drilling and Energy Services, of internal diameter at 405 m, and the roughness (RI)
New Zealand provides a capability of obtaining an ‘as trace indicates that the inside surface is corroded at
new snapshot’ of the casing condition immediately both the 397 m and 405 m depths.
after completion of the drilling activities, which can be
compared with subsequent surveys carried out on a
periodic basis throughout the well life – typically POST RIG MOVE TESTS
annually. When the spinner tests, water loss and injectivity tests
After the spinner - water loss tests, and the injectivity have been completed, the downhole casing condition
testing procedures have been completed, it is now usual survey is optionally carried out before the rig is moved,
practice to run a Casing Condition Survey to provide or can be completed using the rig lifting equipment to
this basis for later casing corrosion and condition simplify the operation.
monitoring. At this point the drilling rig is disassembled and moved
The Hot Hole Casing Corrosion (HHCC) tool is an from the wellsite, and the well is allowed to heat up.
electromagnetic instrument which measures the casing This heat-up period provides an additional opportunity
wall thickness, the internal diameter, and surface to collect data that may no longer be available one the
roughness of both the inside and outside surfaces of the system has been altered by discharge of the well. The
casing. heat up process is not linear with time, initially heating
occurs rapidly, then slows with passing time. It is usual
Figure 4 is an example HHCC plot of a section of 95/8” that the series of heating temperature and pressure
casing indicating metal loss at 397 m and 405 m. profiles are taken on an expanding time scale –
typically profiles will be run on days 1,2,4,7,15, and 28
after pumping water to the well has ceased.

Pressures During Initial Heating

As the well heats up, the pressure gradient in the well
decreases. The pressure profiles pivot about a particular
pressure point, indicating the location of a single major
permeable zone, or at the mean permeability point
between two or more permeable zones.
Figure 5 illustrates the temperature and pressure
profiles of Well MK-14, Mokai Geothermal Field, New
Zealand. The pressure profiles clearly pivot about a
point at around 1650 m depth – the major permeable
zone in the well.

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Hole. H M Petroleum Engineering Summer School
Dubrovnik, Croatia.
June 2008 Workshop #26 June 9 – 13, 08

Temp 1st, 17/5

MK-14 Pressure and Temperature
Pressure 1st, 17/5
Recovery Profiles Temp 2nd, 17/5
Temperatures During Initial Heating 0
Pressure 2nd, 17.5
Temp 18/5

At the completion of the spinner, water loss and 200

Pressure 18/5
Temp, 20/5

injectivity tests, when pumping of cold water to the Pressure, 20/5

Temp, 24/5
well is finally ceased, the formations surrounding the 400
Pressure, 24/5
Temp, 31/5
well are in a cooled state. The impermeable zones Pressure, 31/5

have been cooled conductively, and the permeable 600

zones cooled by the acceptance of the drilling fluids

and the completion test fluids. 800

AS the well heats, there are four heating mechanisms

1000
that are occurring:-
• Conduction

Measured Depth (m RKB)

through the surrounding 1200

formation.
• Flow of fluid into the wellbore at one level 1400

and out into the formation at another –

interzonal flow. 1600

• Convection cells within the wellbore.

• Flow directly across the well bore.
1800

2000

The convective processes transfer significantly greater

quantities of heat than the conductive processes. The 2200

temperature profiles from a well heated with

predominantly conductive heating at all depths, which 2400

is most often seen in wells with little or no

permeability, will be smooth and featureless, and the 2600
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350

heating process will be very slow. Temperature (°C); Pressure (Barg)

Interzonal flow, the flow of fluid from one level in a Figure 5. Mokai, Well MK-14 Well Heating
well to another through the wellbore is indicated by Temperature and Pressure Profiles.
rapid but uniform heating of one section of the well
more quickly than other sections in the wellbore.
The temperature profiles of Well MK-14, presented
below in Figure 5, illustrates such an interzonal flow CONCLUSION
occurring between 1650 m, the major permeable zone, The “Completion Tests’ carried out on a geothermal
and 1800 m depth, were a second somewhat less wells immediately after completion of the drilling
permeable zone exists. activities provides for the collection of data which
Cross flow within a wellbore is characterised by a characterises the well, the formations surrounding the
single isolated temperature peak in the heating profiles well, and the geothermal resource into which the well
– this is not seen in the Well MK-14 profiles. However, has been drilled. These tests allow for an early
the very rapid heating rate occurring from 2200 metres assessment of the likely production or injection
depth to the bottom of the hole could be indicative of capacity of the well, for the development of
the cross flow phenomena. understanding of the characteristics of the geothermal
resource, and benchmark information on the casing
condition of the newly completed well.

4
Petroleum Engineering Summer School Hole. H M
Dubrovnik, Croatia.
Workshop #26 June 9 – 13, 08 June 2008

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS:
I thank Tuaropaki Power Company, owners and
operators of the Mokai Geothermal field, New Zealand,
for the use of field data and information.

REFERENCES.

Grant. M, Donaldson. I.G, Bixley. P,(1982).

Geothermal Reservoir Engineering. Academic Press,
New York.

Steven. L, (2005). “Monitoring of Casing Integrity in

Geothermal Wells”, World Geothermal Conference
2005. Paper R0253.

NZS 2403:1991, “Code of Practice for Deep

Geothermal Wells” Standards Association of New
Zealand.