Pressure issues force Byron to reduce rates in Gulf of Mexico well

U.S. oil company Byron Energy has reduced production from the F2 well in the South Marsh Island Block 71 (SM 71) oil development in the Gulf of Mexico due to pressure fluctuations.

To remind, Byron announced on Monday, March 26 that oil production had started on the SM 71 F platform from the F1 and F2 wells.

On Wednesday Byron said that the F1 well was producing from the D5 sand and was flowing oil at a stable rate of 2,055 bopd and 937 mcfpd on a 22/64″ choke at 1,500 psi of flowing tubing pressure.

According to Byron, the rate and pressure was consistent over the past 48 hours.

The company further stated that it noticed fluctuations in the SM71 F2 well B65 sand completion. The production choke was reduced on March 25 to 14/64″ which resulted in a rate of 468 bopd and 410 mcfpd at 1,380 psi flowing tubing pressure. Oil rates remained relatively stable, and the flowing tubing pressure continued to decline.

“Byron’s SM71 F2 and F3 wells demonstrate that the F2 well is very close to the updip depositional boundary of the B65 Sand which may affect the production profile. As evidenced by downdip well control, the B65 Sand may become finer grained away from the wellbore which may affect oil as it migrates to the wellbore. Either of these factors could contribute to the observed pressure drop and although the well is capable of higher rates it is being managed to produce at a rate appropriate for the reservoir conditions,” the company said.

With the reduced rate from the SM71F2 well, oil and gas sales averaged at 2,517 bopd of oil and 1,363 mcfpd of gas after platform usage over the first two full days of production for both wells.

SM71 F3 Well

Byron’s SM 71 project also includes the F3 well, which was supposed to be brought to production as well, however, the company has encountered a problem during completion operations of this well. Namely, after what appeared to be a successful job based on all surface pressure readings, the drill-pipe became mechanically stuck across the packer, leaving drill pipe and other completion equipment in the wellbore. This happened in early March and Byron has been working since then to resolve it.

On Wednesday, Byron said that fishing operations to remove stuck completion tools and assemblies in the SM71 F3 well were progressing. Two of the three stuck components were removed from the wellbore and work to remove the last portion started.

The company perforated a 184-foot measured depth interval of D5 Sand and completed sand control measures before the tools became stuck. According to Byron, the SM71 F3 well had the thickest D5 Sand development of any well drilled by the company in the SM71 reservoir.