Application of multilateral technology, to improve productivity by maximizing reservoir contact, is expected to become a common practice. The prime objective is delineation of reservoirs with fewer wells by accessing additional reserves and accelerating production. Planning such wells requires extensive numerical modeling, which brings simultaneous optimization of well placement, total length and branch configuration. Currently there is no systematic workflow to perform these tasks. In this paper a streamlined workflow for designing complex wells is presented. Validation of the workflow, which entails evaluation and quantification of the benefits of drilling a complex well, was performed for a Middle East reservoir. Smart well capabilities were also incorporated, aiming to maximize oil recovery through better management of the different contacted areas. The base platform for the workflow was a numerical reservoir simulator that rigorously couples wellbore and reservoir flows. Further optimization was achieved by employing a neural network. As a result of this investigation, it was demonstrated that well deliverability is strongly influenced by number, length and position of laterals, as well as the characteristics and behavior of the injection waterfront. Consequently, it was possible to identify the best configuration of the well to maximize deliverability, at the same time reducing the number of laterals and optimizing the use of smart control devices that ensures economical feasibility. Introduction During the last decade, and facing constant challenges in terms of reservoir development, the oil industry like any other industry has developed new technologies. One of the technologies that have had faster advance is drilling. Nowadays, drilling technologies have made possible to extend reservoir contacts in an ever-increasing number of trajectories and configurations. In addition the industry have witnessed a substantial progress in Loging While Drilling LWD. Such technology, combined with the latest drilling advances have made possible geosteered wells within narrow pay zones, and obtain petrophysical information in real-time. Technical description and benefits arising from the use of such technology have been well documented.[1,2,3] With the ability to contact more reservoir volumes with a single well[4,5] (either a single horizontal, or a well with multiple laterals), the need for a much more sophisticated flow control has become mandatory. Now, completion technologies have made available "advanced completions" in response to wells that are becoming increasingly complex. Most of the applications of "advanced completions" have been in commingled production cases where multiple pay zones are targeted. In essence, the main advantage of "advanced completions" from the reservoir engineering perspective is the ability to improve oil recovery through better flow management of the different sections of reservoir contacted. This flow control is achieved by analyzing down-hole information from the producing zones obtained from reservoir monitoring sensors. Based on the real-time information acquired, it is possible to define a control strategy to maximize the life of the well. Thus, application of such technology can be extended to cases for reservoirs with coning tendencies, or cases where it is necessary to control fluid fronts advance reducing the need for intervention. As a result of extending the reservoir contact, managing the different contacted sections, an increased recovery, and production acceleration can be expected.[6,7] With increased complexity on well configuration, and completion also comes an increased investment not only in drilling and equipment, but also in operating cost. Such investment must then be compensated and justified by an improved (increased and accelerated) recovery of the contacted areas, and reduction on number of development wells, reducing the need of well intervention. Given the complexity of the problem, it is essential to develop numerical models to help in the designing of such wells. Common reservoir simulation tools have made it possible to model the performance of wells with complex geometries, and completions ("complex" wells).[8] Numerical models are rigorously coupled reservoir dynamics and flow inside the wellbore for simulating the behavior of such wells.
It is challenging to find optimal well placement and completion design for maximum reservoir contact (MRC) wells in heterogeneous oil and gas reservoirs. Saudi Aramco initiated a new workflow in collaboration with a service company, to achieve such objectives based on integrated software packages of Petrel™ and Saudi Aramco's POWERS™ simulator. This workflow can conduct simulation runs optimizing well architecture, smart completions with inflow control devices (ICD/ICV), lateral and vertical shift of the well, to obtain maximum oil and gas recovery applying sensitivity and optimization algorithms. The new workflow proved to have robust functionality and provided significant cost savings and optimal oil and gas recovery. Three case studies are discussed in this paper. The new workflow assessed the proposed side track and concluded that it was not a good option due to faster water influx from the west flank. This workflow moved the side track lateral to 207 meters to the east and designed to equip the well with ICD and blank pipes. The optimized side track provided 50% more oil recovery than the well that was not moved. The second case was to propose the best location and complex well design for a dual-lateral maintain potential well. The most sensitive parameters were moving the well to the north and vertical locations, motherbore's length and oil rates. Shifting dual laterals to 750 meters north, optimized ICDs, and 1750-meter motherbore length provided double the cumulative oil production than the single well manually designed and completed. The third case discusses a tri-lateral well optimization for an oil field that is under development. Based on the sensitivity analysis and shifting well locations have the most significant impact to provide higher oil recovery and delayed water breakthrough for several years.
It is challenging to find optimal well placement and completion design for maximum reservoir contact (MRC) wells in heterogeneous oil and gas reservoirs. Saudi Aramco initiated a new workflow in collaboration with a service company, to achieve such objectives based on integrated software packages of Petrel TM and Saudi Aramco's POWERS TM simulator. This workflow can conduct simulation runs optimizing well architecture, smart completions with inflow control devices (ICD/ICV), lateral and vertical shift of the well, to obtain maximum oil and gas recovery applying sensitivity and optimization algorithms. The new workflow proved to have robust functionality and provided significant cost savings and optimal oil and gas recovery.Three case studies are discussed in this paper. The new workflow assessed the proposed side track and concluded that it was not a good option due to faster water influx from the west flank. This workflow moved the side track lateral to 207 meters to the east and designed to equip the well with ICD and blank pipes. The optimized side track provided 50% more oil recovery than the well that was not moved.The second case was to propose the best location and complex well design for a dual-lateral maintain potential well. The most sensitive parameters were moving the well to the north and vertical locations, motherbore's length and oil rates. Shifting dual laterals to 750 meters north, optimized ICDs, and 1750meter motherbore length provided double the cumulative oil production than the single well manually designed and completed.The third case discusses a tri-lateral well optimization for an oil field that is under development. Based on the sensitivity analysis and shifting well locations have the most significant impact to provide higher oil recovery and delayed water breakthrough for several years.
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