Development and Qualification of a Unique ICD Completion Design to Improve Operational Well Efficiency

Abstract

Inflow control device (ICD) completions are becoming a crucial part for many green and brown field developments. However, a typical ICD completion requires a washpipe or inner string to provide fluid circulation, displacement and setting of openhole hydraulic-mechanical packers, which increases operational time, risks and costs.

A typical installation process has to follow a series of operational steps to ensure successful deployment of ICD completions. Those necessary operational steps are traditionally achieved using washpipe or an inner string that is run inside the lower completion bottomhole assembly (BHA). This unique and advanced ICD completion design uses proven sliding-sleeve technology that will be run in the closed position to provide fluid circulation, displacement and setting of openhole hydraulic -mechanical packers, and then hydraulically activated to the open position to allow for reservoir-to-well communication. It also incorporates a mechanical-shifting mechanism for future reservoir management and control.

The new and advanced ICD completion has undergone a rigorous testing program to ensure the design will deliver those operational requirements and perform appropriately under the worst well operational conditions that are expected during the field life. Following completion of the testing program, the advanced ICD completion was deployed flawlessly in a carbonate reservoir well in the Middle East, representing the first successful deployment globally. The system has functioned as expected with clear surface indication throughout the different operational steps and the final establishment of reservoir-to-well communication which was evidenced by the increase in the well head pressure (WHP). Furthermore, the individual ICD open or closed-sleeve status was verified through production logging (PLT) and coil tubing (CT) shifting operations.

The paper describes a comprehensive qualification testing program for the advanced ICD completion design to best serve those well-installation requirements without the need of washpipe. Furthermore, it details the actual well deployment which resulted in improved overall well completion design and operational efficiency.