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Decisions regarding problem conceptualization, search approach, and how best to parametrize optimization methods for practical application are key to successful implementation of optimization approaches within georesources field development projects. This work provides decision support regarding the application of derivative-free search approaches for concurrent optimization of inflow control valves (ICVs) and well controls. A set of state-of-the-art approaches possessing different search features is implemented over two reference cases, and their performance, resource requirements, and specific method configurations are compared across multiple problem formulations for completion design. In this study, problem formulations to optimize completion design comprise fixed ICVs and piecewise-constant well controls. The design is optimized by several derivative-free methodologies relying on parallel pattern-search (tAPPS), population-based stochastic sampling (tPSO) and trust-region interpolation-based models (tDFTR). These methodologies are tested on a heterogeneous two-dimensional case and on a realistic case based on a section of the Olympus benchmark model. Three problem formulations are applied in both cases, i.e., one formulation optimizes ICV settings only, while two joint configurations also treat producer and injector controls as variables. Various method parametrizations across the range of cases and problem formulations exploit the different search features to improve convergence, achieve final objectives and infer response surface features. The scope of this particular study treats only deterministic problem formulations. Results outline performance trade-offs between parallelizable algorithms (tAPPS, tPSO) with high total runtime search efficiency and the local-search trust-region approach (tDFTR) providing effective objective gains for a low number of cost function evaluations. tAPPS demonstrates robust performance across different problem formulations that can support exploration efforts, e.g., during a pre-drill design phase while multiple independent tDFTR runs can provide local tuning capability around established solutions in a time-constrained post-drill setting. Additional remarks regarding joint completion design optimization, comparison metrics, and relative algorithm performance given the varying problem formulations are also made.
Decisions regarding problem conceptualization, search approach, and how best to parametrize optimization methods for practical application are key to successful implementation of optimization approaches within georesources field development projects. This work provides decision support regarding the application of derivative-free search approaches for concurrent optimization of inflow control valves (ICVs) and well controls. A set of state-of-the-art approaches possessing different search features is implemented over two reference cases, and their performance, resource requirements, and specific method configurations are compared across multiple problem formulations for completion design. In this study, problem formulations to optimize completion design comprise fixed ICVs and piecewise-constant well controls. The design is optimized by several derivative-free methodologies relying on parallel pattern-search (tAPPS), population-based stochastic sampling (tPSO) and trust-region interpolation-based models (tDFTR). These methodologies are tested on a heterogeneous two-dimensional case and on a realistic case based on a section of the Olympus benchmark model. Three problem formulations are applied in both cases, i.e., one formulation optimizes ICV settings only, while two joint configurations also treat producer and injector controls as variables. Various method parametrizations across the range of cases and problem formulations exploit the different search features to improve convergence, achieve final objectives and infer response surface features. The scope of this particular study treats only deterministic problem formulations. Results outline performance trade-offs between parallelizable algorithms (tAPPS, tPSO) with high total runtime search efficiency and the local-search trust-region approach (tDFTR) providing effective objective gains for a low number of cost function evaluations. tAPPS demonstrates robust performance across different problem formulations that can support exploration efforts, e.g., during a pre-drill design phase while multiple independent tDFTR runs can provide local tuning capability around established solutions in a time-constrained post-drill setting. Additional remarks regarding joint completion design optimization, comparison metrics, and relative algorithm performance given the varying problem formulations are also made.
Horizontal well technology has been used in the Pattani Basin to target oil and gas reservoirs since the late 1990’s. As of today, the Chevron Operated B8/32 block and Platong fields have been producing from 70 horizontal wells. While about 80 % of the horizontal wells in Platong have been completed barefoot, the use of ICD’s has been increasing since 2010. Recently, in the Platong field, two ICD equipped horizontal wells were used initially for primary production of a major reservoir, following which one of the two wells was converted into a water injector to enhance total recovery from the reservoir. The ‘Z’ reservoir located in Platong field has significant barrels (in the millions) of oil in place with an initial gas cap and a water leg. The reservoir was initially appraised and tested with a single deviated wellbore. This well confirmed the reservoir potential and identified gas and water coning, together with sand production as the major risks to optimising oil recovery. To manage potential oil and gas coning, a reservoir development plan, based around a pair of horizontal well completions, was developed. Both well completions were designed with sand control screens incorporating ICD’s to optimize inflow along each horizontal wellbore. The wells were drilled and completed in early 2012. After collecting surveillance data and modeling the primary production performance of the reservoir, a waterflood opportunity to increase total recovery was planned. The asset team implemented the in-situ conversion of one of the horizontal wells into a waterflood injector in August 2013. Response to the water injection has been confirmed in the second well of the pair and incremental oil of >50 MBO has been recovered. This case study presents an analysis of the target reservoir, the development strategy and then captures the lessons learned from the performance of horizontal producers with ICD completions during primary production and during the later waterflood phase. The main challenges for future horizontal wells applications in Platong are relatde to thin fluvial sands and depletion. The use of ICD’s will continue to be proposed for new horizontal targets based on the positive incremental production impact.
Inflow Control Devices (ICDs) are typically deployed as parts of the lower well completion in horizontal wells to equalize the pressure drop along the drain length and to achieve a uniform flow through the formation. Therefore, ICDs can delay undesired water or gas breakthroughs and maximize the reservoir recovery, particularly when producing from heterogeneous reservoirs. However, by imposing additional pressure drops across segments, ICDs can reduce the production potential in the early stages of well life. This paper presents a novel design methodology, using dynamic reservoir modeling, to make ICDs responsive to the well flowing conditions and to eliminate the pressure drops across segments in early well life by using the shifting technique. The reservoir contains several sublayers and exhibits significant contrast in rock and fluid properties. The horizontal oil producer targets all sublayers simultaneously. A five-spot water injection pattern is planned to maintain the reservoir pressure. Usually, ICDs are designed based on well models that do not cover the entire expected well life. In our methodology, we rely on the dynamic reservoir model to predict changes of pressure and fluids along the drain and to find the optimal ICDs design that can respond to these changes. Sliding sleeves are combined with ICDs to allow choking back unwanted water production over time. Moreover, the design is tested with a systematic sensitivities approach for different well and reservoir conditions to ensure a robust design against reservoir uncertainties. The proposed completion design methodology was successfully implemented in a horizontal well crossing a layer-cake heterogeneous carbonates reservoir in offshore Abu Dhabi. The well deliverability analysis suggests that the well cannot produce more than 25% water cut without artificial lift. Sensitivities were conducted at varying water cuts for each ICD compartment in addition to specific sensitivities for the high permeability compartments. To reach the optimal completion design, reservoir simulations were used to evaluate the benefits of various combinations of ICDs and nozzles sizes and their overall impact on well performance. The optimal design consisted of five compartments in the horizontal section with 14 ICDs and proved to be more effective in delaying water breakthrough into the compartments with high permeability without affecting the initial production rates. The benefits of ICDs are well known in the industry to equalize the well flux based on permeability contrast by choking production selectively. The novel technique presented in this paper eliminates the choking effect on proction during the early well life while retaining the full benefits of ICDs for later stages; using the shifting technique, the offending layers can be choked back or closed completely to maximize oil production rates and reserves.
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