A Performance Comparison between Two Novel Multistage Completion Methods in Tight Gas Sandstone Formation from Ordos Basin

Abstract Efficiency, cost, and corresponding well performance are the primary concerns of multistage completions for tight oil and gas development. With the vision of continuous improvement in the industry, novel multistage completion methods such as dissolvable ball seat and sliding sleeve systems become significant technical progressions for multistage completions. Technology comparisons in a specific field help to identify the preferred solution for its reservoir and well construction features, so as to set guidelines for future improvement and planning in similar applications. Daji field is in the southeastern part of the Ordos basin. Comparing with the central part of the basin, the main formation here has relatively poor reservoir qualities, so it is expected that horizontal wells with multistage completion may help to unlock the production potential via better reservoir contact. Two different completion systems were installed in adjacent wells, one with a dissolvable plug-and-perf system, and the other with a coiled tubing activated sliding sleeve system. The purpose of the project is to evaluate the novel technologies and identify preferred options for future horizontal wells. Although adjacent, the two candidate wells perform differently during the execution phases. Continuous multistage pumping operations were conducted for both wells, while on-site execution found the dissolvable plug-and-perf system demonstrated much higher efficiency. Both completion methods are relatively new as multistage stimulation applications. The direct comparison in this field has helped to identify the pros and cons of each system and set up the preference for future development.