Completion engineering transforms a drilled and evaluated well into a controlled production or injection system, connecting selected reservoir intervals to the wellbore while maintaining integrity and operational control.
Well completion
Drilling creates access to the subsurface. Completion engineering determines how that access is converted into a controlled connection between the reservoir and the surface production or injection system.
The completion must reflect the reservoir characteristics, expected production behaviour, well integrity requirements and the operating strategy established during field development.
Completion workflow
Completion decisions integrate formation evaluation, reservoir behaviour, well integrity and production objectives before the well is handed over for testing and production.
Translate the reservoir, well and production objectives into a completion architecture suited to the expected downhole conditions.
Key activities
Confirm the productive intervals and evaluate the formation and well conditions before installing the completion.
Key activities
Select the equipment and configuration required to establish a reliable connection between the reservoir and the production system.
Key activities
Where required, prepare the reservoir and wellbore to establish or improve productive communication with the target interval.
Key activities
Install and verify the completion while maintaining the required well barriers and integrity throughout the operation.
Key activities
Prepare the completed well for testing and production by confirming the well, completion and surface interfaces are ready.
Key activities
Integrated disciplines
Completion decisions must account for both the behaviour of the formation and the requirements of the well and production system.
Completion decision
Which reservoir intervals should be completed?
What completion architecture best matches the reservoir and production objective?
Is stimulation or sand control required?
How will the completion maintain well integrity throughout the well's life?
How will production or injection be controlled and monitored?
What evidence is required before the well moves into testing and production?
Engineering chain
Next stage
With the well completed, testing establishes how the reservoir and well actually behave under flow and pressure conditions.