Advanced Technique In Designing An Inflow Control Device Completion for The Development Of A Giant Offshore Oilfield In The UAE

Abstract

An integrated completion design modeling approach has been implemented for development wells in a giant offshore field to maximize asset value and recovery. The modeling approach enables the selection of lower completion inflow control devices and well path compartmentalization strategy for every well based on predefined criteria.The development of the field under consideration is progressing with a water flood recovery scheme that requires the use of new technologies to achieve higher oil recovery and controlled water production. Since the only contact with reservoir is the wellbore, efficient reservoir sweep and recovery can only be achieved by putting the right well equipment in the right location.In this paper, the design process which has been adopted for well completion design using Inflow Control Devices (ICDs) will be shared and explained. An interactive loop is used to optimize the number of ICDs and nozzle sizes using reservoir simulation coupled with specialized well and completion modeling software.A number of ICD well completion design examples are presented. From these examples, predefined design criteria are applied in an iterative manner targeting optimal sweep and maximum recovery as an objective function. The key criteria elements are:• Predicted water flow mechanism from nearby injectors into the well. • Reservoir pressure contrast along the well path and variation over time to account for additional pressure drop imposed by ICDs. • Permeability contrast along the well path. • Effect of nearby producers, if within the same drainage area.When concluding the detailed completion design, the outcome is shared with the Drilling operation team for fine-tuning, materials selection, materials procurement, and implementation. Further modeling work will be discussed covering the impact of the stimulation design resultant skin on predicted recoveries.