PETROENG 3023 - Well Completion & Stimulation

North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2015

The objective of this course is to provide students the broad understanding of petroleum well completion process. The course covers the fundamental principles of the design and evaluation of well completions, casing design in various loading condition with various downhole situations; placement of casing, liners and well tubing; cementing techniques; perforation techniques; gravel packing; sand control and measurement, use of different sand control devices; fundamentals of fracturing including acid fracturing and hydraulic fracturing; and matrix acidizing. This course also covers the broad overviews of various completion techniques, tools, and wellhead types, and surface gathering systems.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code PETROENG 3023
    Course Well Completion & Stimulation
    Coordinating Unit Australian School of Petroleum & Energy Resources
    Term Semester 2
    Level Undergraduate
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Up to 5 hours per week
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange Y
    Prerequisites PETROENG 2010
    Assumed Knowledge Higher Maths, Physics, Chemistry
    Restrictions Available to BE(Petroleum) students only
    Course Description The objective of this course is to provide students the broad understanding of petroleum well completion process. The course covers the fundamental principles of the design and evaluation of well completions, casing design in various loading condition with various downhole situations; placement of casing, liners and well tubing; cementing techniques; perforation techniques; gravel packing; sand control and measurement, use of different sand control devices; fundamentals of fracturing including acid fracturing and hydraulic fracturing; and matrix acidizing. This course also covers the broad overviews of various completion techniques, tools, and wellhead types, and surface gathering systems.
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Dr Alireza Salmachi

    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    1 To learn, understand and be able to recall the main terminology, concepts, and techniques that applies to Well Completion and Stimulation
    2 Apply a critical-thinking and problem-solving approach towards the design of a well completion
    3 Apply theoretical and practice skills in real problems through case studies
    4 Analyse, and devise relevant solutions to problems posed within the course, individually and with team mates
    5 Interact with other students to practice teamwork and communication skills
    6 Engage and participate in class and online discussions
    7 Evaluate and provide feedback on your own learning experience
    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)
    Knowledge and understanding of the content and techniques of a chosen discipline at advanced levels that are internationally recognised. 1, 2, 3, 4
    The ability to locate, analyse, evaluate and synthesise information from a wide variety of sources in a planned and timely manner. 2, 3, 4
    An ability to apply effective, creative and innovative solutions, both independently and cooperatively, to current and future problems. 2, 3, 4, 5
    Skills of a high order in interpersonal understanding, teamwork and communication. 4, 5, 6, 7
    A proficiency in the appropriate use of contemporary technologies. 2, 3
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources

    Not applicable

    Recommended Resources

    No specific textbook is recommended. However, a list of suggested references follows. Materials drawn from various texts and technical papers will be presented.

    Most materials will be provided through “MyUni” and handouts during the lecture.

    1. ‘Casing Design Theory and Practice’ by Rahman and Chilingarian, 1995
    2. ‘Petroleum Production System’ by Economides, et al. 1994
    3. ‘Well Completion and Servicing’ by Dennis Perrin, 1995
    Online Learning

    The course will be available through MyUni site 'WELL COMPLETION AND STIMULATION (3120_PETROENG_3023)'

    It will provide valuable resources and course information, such as announcements, lecture material, assignments, discussion boards, etc. The material will be released over the semester, and the course will be made available from the start of the semester.

    Students are expected to check their Uni emails and check the announcements frequently on MyUni site.

  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes

    Lectures are supported by solved examples, problem-solving tutorials, and real case studies.

    Online learning is also available through MyUni.

    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    The standard undergraduate workload for a full-time student is 48 hours per week which equates to approximately 12 hours per 3 unit course. The workload associated to this course involves 5 hrs of lectures and tutorials per week. You would be expected to spend an approximately twice the number of hours outside class-revising notes, reading more widely about the topics covered, practicing examples, finishing exercises, homework etc. The University Learning and Teaching Committee has recently agreed that 3 unit courses are required to have a minimum workload of 150 hours regardless of the length of the course.

    Learning Activities Summary

    Tentative topics in Sequence:

    Part 1: Casing, Cementing and Perforating
    1. Overview and Introduction: Week 1

    • Objectives of well completion
    • Introduction to well completion

    2. Casing Design: Week 1-2

    • Casing design for maximum load (surface/ intermediate/production/liner)
    • Casing design for directional well

    3. Cement and cementing process: Week 2-3

    • Multiple stage cementing process
    • Remedial cementing process

    4. Perforation : Week 3-4

    • Methods
    • Perforation skin effect
    • Horizontal well damage skin effect

    Part 2: Completion types
    5. Downhole Completion : Week 5-6

    • Basic well completion
    • Completion components
    • Completion techniques
    • Wellhead and its accessories

    6. Gravel pack completions: Week 6-7

    • Sand production and measurement
    • Gravel pack placement
    • Gravel and screen design
    • Productivity of gravel packed wells

    Part 3: Fracture - Stimulation
    7. Hydraulic Fracturing: Week 8-10

    • Objectives of well stimulation
    • In-situ stresses and fracture direction
    • Hydraulic fracture geometry
    • Fracture length, conductivity and equivalent skin effect
    • Fracture fluid volume, proppant schedule and propped fracture width
    • Proppant selection for fracture design
    • Slurry (fracture fluid-proppant) concentration

    8. Acidizing and Acid Fracturing: Week 10-12

    • Acid/rock interactions
    • Sandstone acidizing
    • Carbonate acidizing
    • Acid penetration in fractures
    • Acid fracture conductivity
    • Productivity of an acid-fractured well
    Specific Course Requirements

    Not applicable

  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary
    The course will be assessed with a weighting of 40% on assignments, and 60% based on the results of the final exam. Lecturers for each of the three sections will provide further details during class.
    Task TypeAssessmentWeightingLearning Outcomes
    Sum-Form Assignments/Numerical problems on selected topics 40% • Analyse, and devise relevant solutions to problems posed within the course, individually and with team mates
    • Apply theoretical and practical skills in real problems through case studies

    Summative Final exam 60%
    There is a hurdle for the final exam in this course. You must achieve at least 45 out of 100 in the final exam to pass the course.
    Assessment Related Requirements

    Not applicable

    Assessment Detail

    Further details on assignments will be given during class or through MyUni at least two weeks in advance of the submission date.

    Submission

    You will be advised of the date, time and location for physical submission of all assignments during class or through MyUni

    Submission of Work for Assessment
    Practical class exercises should be submitted in hardcopy with a completed copy of the assessment coversheet that is available from the school office. This should be signed to indicate you have read the university policy statement on plagiarism, collusion and related forms of cheating.

    Extensions for Assessment Tasks
    Extensions of deadlines for assessment tasks may be allowed for reasonable causes. Such situations would include compassionate and medical grounds of the severity that would justify the awarding of a supplementary examination. Evidence for the grounds must be provided when an extension is requested. Students are required to apply for an extension to the Course Co-ordinator or lecturer before the assessment task is due. Extensions will not be provided on the grounds of poor prioritising of time.

    Penalty for Late Submission of Assessment Tasks
    Assessment tasks must be submitted by the stated deadlines. There will be a penalty for late submission of assessment tasks. The submitted work will be marked ‘without prejudice’ and 10% of the obtained mark will be deducted for each working day (or part of a day) that an assessment task is late, up to a maximum penalty of 50% of the mark attained. The Course Co-ordinator or lecturer / examiner may elect not to accept any assessment task that a student wants to submit after that task has been marked and feedback provided to the rest of the class.

    Provision of Feedback to Students
    Feedback will be provided to students within four weeks of a test and assignments submission.

    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.