Optimization efforts at 14-29 well have yielded sales of 900 barrels in 16 days; SNV is advancing second horizontal location nearby
CALGARY, Canada (June 18, 2024)—From mid-January to mid-June.
From a launch in minus-55°C temperatures, to 900 barrels of heavy oil sales in just over two weeks.
From slowdowns and sand-ins caused by bitter cold, to near-100% runtime since early April.
Through multiple challenges faced at its 14-29 horizontal wellsite near Kerrobert, Saskatchewan, Sonoro Energy has been rewarded for its persistence and its belief that CHOPS (Cold Heavy Oil Production with Sand) can be successfully applied to horizontal wells.
At Sonoro, we believe we’re leading the way in the development of additional multi-lateral lined horizontals, using a proprietary junction tool—and that we’ve proven out further economical development of this area.
‘We can take these learnings forward’
“Our experience over the past few months has allowed us to better understand our reservoir, the heavy oil characteristics and optimal selection of lined-vs.-open-hole completions,” says David Leung, Sonoro’s Chief Operations Officer.
“Given our experiences with this first horizontal well, Sonoro is confident that we can take these learnings forward as the company develops—achieving higher production rates, reducing our expenditures and enhancing the economics.”
Work yields foamy oil production, continuous sand, control of sand bridging
Challenges at the 14-29 wellsite—a 4-leg, multilateral, multi-lined horizontal well—were numerous over the first three months of production. They included:
Extreme cold causing sanding-in of the well after it was put on production Jan. 10
Service rig delays caused by that extreme weather, preventing early-stage daily well flushing, repair of a hole in tubing on Feb. 28, and well downtime
Lower production in April due to a high recycle rate during spring breakup
However, optimization efforts since May—lowering the recycle rate, optimizing fluid rate, adjusting casing pressure and maximizing inflow capacity—have paid off handsomely at the 14-29 wellsite. These adjustments have allowed for continuous sand and foamy oil production, while also controlling sand bridging.
During the first half of June, in particular, the well has produced as much as 70 barrels of heavy oil a day, and Sonoro needed only 16 days to achieve sales of 900 barrels.
Sonoro Energy 14-29 Well Production Table
Advancing second horizontal location
While Sonoro has been optimizing its 14-29 well, the company is analyzing how best to take the technical learning from 14-29 and apply it to an advanced well design for its second horizontal well location in the same area.
Based on updated seismic analysis, production and tracer results to date from the line and open-hole sections of the 14-29 well, Sonoro has identified a location to the east of the 14-29 site—and is in the process of engineering plans to drill a 3-leg, multilateral, multi-lined horizontal well, with the well’s lateral section to be placed lower in the formation.