Optimizing the Waterflooding Performance of a Carbonate Reservoir with Internal Control Valves

Interval Control Valves (ICVs) are important tools for managing production challenges such as localized water or gas breakthrough, particularly in multilateral wells and horizontal wells with open-hole completions. This paper describes an automated workflow designed exclusively for wells with intelligent completions that use ICVs and real-time sensors for both down-hole and surface data. The workflow was designed to provide right-time production monitoring, well diagnostics, and ICV optimization for those intelligent wells equipped with ICV and multiple downhole pressure and temperature sensors. The automated workflow performs several tasks: collect and condition production data, provide local history matching, generate several optimization iterations to estimate the best valve setting, and use numerical simulation to generate a number of scenarios where the ICV positions are changed over simulation time. To perform these tasks, the workflow models fluid mechanics between the ICV and a heterogeneous reservoir using next generation software such as steady-state hydraulic applications and a numerical simulator that accounts for the ICV settings. Tracking and visualization of streamline trajectories was used to add value of optimization process particularly the calculation of well distribution factors. The horizontal well in this study has 5 ICVs positioned at different locations. The reservoir model is dual porosity-dual permeability. Local Grid Refinement (LGR) is used to model the horizontal section. The reservoir is subjected to a waterflooding process with more than 10 years of history. Two injectors are associated with a horizontal producer. The workflow operates in two ways: reactive mode and proactive mode. Reactive mode is activated when water cut increases and oil rate or flowing bottomhole pressure (BHP) decreases, at which point the workflow performs local history matching to update the well performance model and optimize the settings of the 5 ICVs to obtain the minimum water cut and maximum oil rate at given constraints. Proactive mode occurs every month or quarter when the numerical simulation runs hundreds of scenarios to obtain the best combination of ICV settings to maximize oil recovery and minimize water injection and production. The workflows described in this paper demonstrate the potential to manage ICV settings to substantially increase oil production while managing water influx.

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Workflow Application for Advanced Well Completions to Meet IOR/EOR Challenges in Malaysia

Masoudi

Chan

Karkooti

et al. 2015

Day 1 Tue, August 11, 2015

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Advanced well completions in Malaysia have been installed since 2003. Recently, advanced well completions have been gaining increased attention for possible deployment in improved oil recovery/enhanced oil recovery (IOR/EOR) projects. This attention has resulted from recognition of values, such as reduced capital cost, improved productivity, operational flexibility, well/reservoir management/monitoring, and increased ultimate recovery. Controlled and selective injection and production through advanced well completions improve the conformance control and the sweep efficiency in IOR/EOR projects. The technology implies the application of an inflow control device (ICD) or intelligent completion or a combination of both. Application of intelligent and ICD completions have been identified and evaluated by multiple operators for multiple fields under IOR/EOR in Malaysia. This paper addresses field-wide challenges and proposes advanced completion technology solutions for productivity enhancement and improvement in ultimate recovery from these fields. The focus of completion technologies’ evaluation was to determine the need for zonal flow control requirements for multizone and multilateral applications for producer and injector wells. Further evaluation was performed to determine fit-for-purpose flow control equipment for individual well applications. Detailed well and reservoir modeling was performed to demonstrate added value with application of advanced well technologies (Kokal and Al-Kaabi 2010). Moreover, a quantitative value screening was performed to assess productivity/injectivity gain and estimated ultimate recovery (EUR) from the fields. A selection and design methodology is presented for advanced well completion with flow performance modeling and anticipated results with proposed completion technologies. Two advanced completion designs were proposed for these offshore wells that intercepted stacked or compartmentalized reservoirs, thin-oil rims, and water zones being used for IOR. Additional consideration was given during completion design for water injectors to accommodate switching to water-alternating-gas (WAG) flooding techniques during later well life if required. The need for appropriate sand control methods were identified and presented to meet sand control challenges in these fields.

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Optimizing the Waterflooding Performance of a Carbonate Reservoir with Internal Control Valves

Cited by 8 publications

References 11 publications

Smart Wells and Techniques for Reservoir Monitoring

Smart Wells and Techniques for Reservoir Monitoring

A Smart Flow for SmartWells: Reactive and Proactive Modes

Workflow Application for Advanced Well Completions to Meet IOR/EOR Challenges in Malaysia

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