Selection Methodology for Passive, Active, and Hybrid Inflow Control Completions

Abstract

Well completions with downhole inflow control technologies are used to defer and control water or gas breakthrough thereby maximizing recovery. Active and passive inflow control devices dominate this technology. The paper presents the performance of these technologies in different well conditions and provides recommendations on their selection. Passive inflow control devices (ICDs), combined with compartmentalization of the wellbore, balance inflow along the wellbore by creating a desired pressure regulation and prevent high-permeability sections from dominating the inflow. ICDs delay water and gas breakthrough and extend well life. Active inflow-control completions consist of well equipment with multiple downhole packers and valves that segment the wellbore into multiple sections. The valves can be operated during the life of the well to regulate or shut off inflow from the section(s) that experience water or gas breakthrough while producing the remaining sections. The active valves may range from conventional sliding side doors to intelligent completions with remotely operated downhole valves and sensors. Hybrid Completions integrate active control features with passive device systems within a single wellbore to leverage the value for both technologies to enhance well performance. Simple static wellbore analysis and advanced transient analysis coupling of reservoir simulators to wellbore models was performed to review the performance of different completion technologies. The simulations cover different completion options from a base design of screens in barefoot completions to more advanced passive, active, and Hybrid Completions. Different reservoir and well conditions were simulated to analyze the performance of the completion systems. The proposed methodology will help in selecting a fit-for-purpose completion design for the life of the well ensuring that the performance objectives will not only be achieved, but also that the completion type selected has not been " over-designed?? for its intended purpose. INTRODUCTION The completion design for a horizontal well begins with an inflow control requirement at the sandface. Typical reasons for inflow control are significant permeability contrasts, presence of lost circulation or fracture zones, high frictional losses, and thin oil columns bounded by water and gas zones with high coning tendency and/or significant viscosity/mobility variations along the zones. In newer, undeveloped reservoirs, the inflow control is selected by analytical, semi-analytical assessments or based on parametric sensitivity-based modeling. Alternatively, in developed fields, inflow control requirements are more accurately determined by field experience, from the historical performance of adjacent wells. Several papersi (Al-Khelaiwi et.al, 2010 and Birchenko et.al 2009) have presented methodologies for selecting inflow control technologies based on factors like bore hole size, production rates, number of zones etc.

Downhole flow controllers in mitigating challenges of long reach horizontal wells: A practical outlook with case studies

“…The mechanical conformance technologies were fast developed both in technology and number of deployment in proportion to the huge increase in the number of long horizontal wells drilled and completed (Lauritzen et al, 2011). The long reach wells access a much bigger portion of the reservoir than the vertical and deviated wells, and thus, are exposed to higher permeability heterogeneity.…”