Page 85 - Well Control for Completions and Interventions

76 Well Control for Completions and Interventions

Figure 2.8 A tubingless completion.

The tubing only (packerless) completion is the most common method
of upper completion in use today, since it includes almost all rod pump
wells (Beam Pump and Progressive Cavity Pump) as well as many wells
equipped with Electrical Submersible Pumps (ESP). However, if the well
is capable of flowing to surface naturally, i.e., with the artificial lift pump
switched off, then integrity remains a concern. The wellhead and casing
will be exposed to reservoir pressure unless a packer is installed (Fig. 2.9).

2.2.9 Single production tubing string with production
packer (reverse taper configuration)

Adding a production packer to the string of tubing removes many of the
integrity concerns associated with the packerless completion.
• The casing above the packer is isolated from wellbore fluids, therefore
corrosion is much less likely to occur.
• The wellhead and casing (above the packer) are no longer exposed to
reservoir pressure.