A subsea well in the Gulf of Mexico was completed with two zones. The two zones contained sliding sleeves for the purpose of closing off one zone in case of early water breakthroughs. The customer’s goal was to gain an in-depth understanding of the harsh downhole environment to identify completion equipment failure.

Subsea wells are characterized by high subsurface uncertainty, including high pressure, high temperature, corrosive fluids and abrasive conditions. Changes in reservoir conditions, such as pressure and temperature fluctuations, can impact the behavior of completion equipment. This poses significant challenges for completion equipment durability and the ability to inspect and diagnose relevant issues.

Chemical tracers in solid form were integrated into the sand face completion at both locations.  Chemical tracers can be strategically injected into the reservoir to identify the specific location of equipment failure, allowing the operator to analyze the movement of tracers to pinpoint the source of issues. Tracers offer additional unique advantages as they can be installed into standard sand screens during manufacturing without modification to the screen. At each location, the tracer rods release a unique chemical compound into the oil flowing from the interval. Sample analysis was used to determine the concentration of each unique tracer compound from each interval.

Chemical tracer technology is an efficient method for monitoring fluid flow within reservoir completion systems. Anomalies in tracer movement can indicate changes in flow patterns, helping operators identify regions of reduced or altered fluid movement associated with equipment failure. Changes in tracer behavior can be detected before noticeable changes occur in well performance, allowing for proactive intervention and maintenance to address potential completions of equipment failure. Tracers present a cost-efficient and non-invasive alternative to high-cost and risky interventions on a flowing well.