Horizontal-completion techniques for the Gulf of Mexico

Since the early 1990's, horizontal-openhole screen completion have gained acceptance as viable techniques for U.S. Gulf of Mexico (GOM) high-permeability, soft-rock completions. Advances in directional and horizontal drilling, measurement while drilling, and fluid systems were the enabling technologies for drilling and completing long horizontal-openhole intervals. Specialized completion systems were developed and deployed successfully. The viability of these completion techniques is now being questioned as a result of the increasing number of completion failures. Some completions have experienced production-rate declines, water coning, and sand production.