Subsurface engineers (also known as "completion engineers") are a subset within

Petroleum Engineering Petroleum engineering is a field of engineering concerned with the activities related to the production of hydrocarbons, which can be either crude oil or natural gas or both. Exploration and production are deemed to fall within the ''upstrea ...

and typically work closely with

Drilling engineers Drilling engineering is a subset of petroleum engineering. Drilling engineers design and implement procedures to drill wells as safely and economically as possible. They work closely with the drilling contractor, service contractors, and complianc ...

. The job of a Subsurface Engineer is to effectively select equipment that will best suit the subsurface environment in order to best produce the hydrocarbon reserves. Once the hardware has been selected, a Subsurface Engineer will monitor and adjust the equipment to ensure the well and reservoir produces under ideal circumstances.

Overview

Subsurface engineers must design a successful well completion system by selecting equipment that is adequate for both downhole environments and applications. Considerations must be given to the various functions under which the completion equipment must operate and the effects any changes in temperatures or differential pressure will have on the equipment. The completion system must also be efficient and cost effective to achieve maximum production and financial goals. Another factor in the selection of specific completion equipment is the production rates of the well. The typical job duties of a Subsurface engineer include managing the interface between the reservoir and the well, including perforations,

sand control Sand is a granular material composed of finely divided mineral particles. Sand has various compositions but is usually defined by its grain size. Sand grains are smaller than gravel and coarser than silt. Sand can also refer to a textural cl ...

artificial lift Artificial lift is the use of artificial means to increase the flow of liquids, such as crude oil or water, from a production well. Generally this is achieved by the use of a mechanical device inside the well (known as pump or velocity string) or ...

, downhole flow control, and downhole monitoring equipment. Additional responsibilities of a Subsurface engineer include: performing a cost and risk analysis on the design, contacting vendors for the rental, purchase, and shipment of equipment, and working closely with fellow employees (

geologists A geologist is a scientist who studies the structure, composition, and history of Earth. Geologists incorporate techniques from physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, and geography to perform research in the field and the laboratory. Geolog ...

reservoir engineers Reservoir engineering is a branch of petroleum engineering that applies scientific principles to the fluid flow through a porous medium during the development and production of oil and gas reservoirs so as to obtain a high economic recovery. The w ...

drilling engineers Drilling engineering is a subset of petroleum engineering. Drilling engineers design and implement procedures to drill wells as safely and economically as possible. They work closely with the drilling contractor, service contractors, and complianc ...

, and production engineers). The

Society of Petroleum Engineers The Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit professional organization. SPE provides a worldwide forum for oil and natural gas exploration and production (E&P) professionals to exchange technical knowledge and best prac ...

(SPE) has technical disciplines which allow SPE members to focus their attention on the technical activities that most interest them. Drilling and Completions historically have been intertwined work within

. In 2016, SPE split the Drilling and Completions technical disciplines so SPE members would be able to focus more on Drilling or Completions. SPE continues to publish the SPE Drilling & Completions journal, it has been publishing the journal since 1993. SPE illustrates the technical activities of Drilling and Completions on its website and also hosts a page about SPE offerings related to Completions engineering. SPE also has many on demand webinars on Completions topics.

Design Components

The design components considered to perform a well completion may include: *Cost and risk analysis *Determining the specifications for the wellbore clean-out *Use of specific Packer assemblies *Determining specific tool selection to operate equipment within the well *Assess possible equipment load specifications and incorporation of safety factors *Best use of flow control accessories (sliding sleeves and safety valves) *Determining the appropriate perforating shots per foot and charges based on the target formations *Acidifying the formation to inhibit flow of hydrocarbons *Sand Control operations to increase production *Prevention of formation sand production with the use of wire screens *Review Well logs to determine equipment placement within the well *Determination of specific production pipe regarding well flow rates *Selection of equipment to maintain well stability *Oversee completion operations

References

Clegg, Joe Dunn. ''Production Operations Engineering''. Richardson, TX: SPE, 2007. Print. {{Petroleum Industry Engineering occupations Petroleum engineering

Overview

Design Components

Suggested Reading

References