The Integration of Intelligent Well Systems into Sandface Completions for Reservoir Inflow Control in Deepwater

Abstract

This paper describes the application of the integration of intelligent well systems into sandface completions for reservoir inflow control in deepwater. In deepwater subsea applications, the ability to remotely control the inflow of water eliminates costly rig intervention while extending well life and increasing recoverable reserves. In deepwater Brazil, open-hole horizontal gravel pack completions with mechanical open-hole isolation have been integrated with proven all electric intelligent well systems. The planning, testing and implementation of these technologies will be detailed in this paper. Deepwater Brazil continues to be a region where the need to improve economic performance in deepwater drives the implementation of new technologies. Horizontal gravel pack completions were implemented into deepwater subsea Brazil in 1998. To date, over 52 successful subsea horizontal gravel packs have been implemented for both production and injection wells. To further improving the economics of operating in deepwater, implementation of Level 5 Multilateral wells in the Campos Basin was initiated in 1999. As the success of open-hole horizontal gravel packing continued to show economic benefit, it was necessary to provide positive zonal isolation in conjunction with gravel packing. Application of diverter valve technology to achieve zonal isolation was successfully implemented in 5 subsea wells in the Campos Basin during the year 2001. The zonal isolation and long reach of horizontal wells provides the operator the ability to selectively drain a reservoir and achieve the lowest development cost per barrel oil equivalent (BOE). The fully electric intelligent well system consisting of 3–1/2" and 5–1/2" inflow control devices was deployed on land in the Mossoro Field. The purpose of the installation was to prove the technology before transferring the application into subsea wells. These valves were operated remotely from the office location. After months of successful actuation and data acquisition, the system was pulled and prepared for installation into a deepwater subsea well. During the land based well test, it was deemed necessary to modify the volumes of data stored. Software modifications were made to optimize the rate of data storage. In order to integrate the Intelligent Well System into the sand control completion, a process of optimization was necessary to meet well construction and operational requirements. This process was inclusive of well path design to reach the targeted well location while controlling the dogleg severity to allow placement of the intelligent well system and completion design to achieve inflow control and minimize operational risk during installation. This is the first application of an all electric remotely operated intelligent well system integrated into a sandface completion for the purpose of reservoir production management. Introduction Well designs for subsea field developments in water depths of 2000+ meters have unique requirements. Nearly 70% of Brazil's oil &gas reserves lie beneath deepwater (300–1000m) and ultra-deepwater (>1000m). The successful exploitation of these reserves depends on the processes and technologies by which they can be safely, yet economically be extracted in an environmentally safe manner. The economics of reducing well count while accessing the same targeted reserves and eliminating the high cost of re-entry initiated the ultimate goal of utilizing intelligent well systems in the Campos Basin. The process of integrating intelligent well systems into an environment requiring well life sand control and zonal isolation has required an evolution of technology.