Many applications for Inflow Control Devices (ICDs) are designed to delay water breakthrough in new wells and for remediating wells shut-in because of water encroachment. The ICDs for carbonate reservoirs typically are combined with wire-wrapped screen (WWS) strainers on 13-ft basepipe. Many wells also have been compartmentalized with swellable packers. Passive inflow control technology has been used extensively in horizontal wells in the Norwegian section of the North Sea and in the Middle East for approximately a decade. This paper discusses first usage of a new tube-type ICD combined with swellable packers to control water in fractured carbonate reservoirs in Asia. Traditionally, horizontal wells in the Poleng field in East Java, Indonesia were completed with slotted liners and struggled with early water breakthrough and high water-cut production. Since highly productive fractures are thought to be the main conduit for water, and slotted liners do not provide control for fluid inflow to the wellbore, resolving high water cut has challenged offshore production significantly.To combat these challenges, a new completion strategy using ICDs and swellable packers for both delaying and minimizing water breakthrough has been developed.Production performance of 5 horizontal wells completed with the ICD/swellable packer concept will be compared to production of 8 wells completed traditionally. This project marks several world firsts in tube-type ICD technology with its first installation in Indonesia.

Many gas wells in unconsolidated sandstone reservoirs have been completed with stand-alone screens (SAS) that use either wire-wrapped screens (WWS) or mesh screens. This method is a cost-effective sand-control method for completions, especially in horizontal (Hz) wells where gravel packing (GP) may not be attractive for economic, operational, or logistical reasons. Because there are annular-flow failure concerns with this type of completion, a simple well-modeling study was conducted to look at the potential for application of inflow control devices (ICDs) to minimize annular velocity in Hz gas wells. This paper will discuss the annular flow results. The purpose of the study was to investigate methods that could mitigate ‘hot spotting,’ a type of screen failure that can occur in an SAS completion, especially in high-rate gas wells. This type of failure occurs when fluid flow carrying abrasive particles is concentrated over a small area such that the entrance velocity is above the threshold for erosion. Swellable packers have been used to compartmentalize the SAS completion into many segments in an attempt to control annular movement of abrasive particles by minimizing annular velocity. However, the well modeling study discussed in this paper has shown that compartmentalization alone may not be sufficient. This paper discusses the nodal-analysis software modeling tool that was used to build the well hydraulic models and to investigate the following flow behaviors: Annular velocityEffect of compartmentalization on annular velocityAnnular velocity in SAS-ICD completionEffect of compartmentalization on annular velocity in SAS-ICD completionEffect of ICD resistance on annular velocity The study will show that 1) an SAS-ICD completion can be effective in minimizing annular flow, and 2), it appears to be the most effective means of minimizing annular flow in gas wells, ultimately reducing the chance of failure.

New technology has been called upon in Ecuador to help increase reserves and optimize the management of fluid in several reservoirs. Autonomous Inflow Control Devices (AICD) have provided increased oil production and decreased water production with installations in the Ginta field. When compared to neighboring wells completed with stand-alone screen technology and producing the same total liquid, the AICD installation initially produced more oil with a lower water cut percentage. Over several months, the water cut in the AICD installation eventually reached a similar level to that of offset completions; however, allowed significant more oil recovery prior to reaching that point. The heavy oil in these fields is approximately 60cP in viscosity. The wells are still in the evaluation phase; however, early data is of interest.Due to its autonomous sensing functionality, fluid viscosity dictates the path the produced fluid will take through the AICD. Higher viscosity oil takes a relatively non-restrictive path whereas low viscosity water is sent on a tortuous path causing a decrease in flow rate through that particular tool. A well completed with a system of AICDs and oil swelling packers for annular isolation restricts zones with high water ratios which in turn stimulates neighboring oil zones.This paper presents oil production data over time for two AICD heavy oil installations in Ecuador and compares the data to that from neighboring wells in the field. The benefit of AICD technology for reservoir management and production optimization will be discussed.

Gravel pack and stand-alone screens (SASs) are the two most commonly used sand-control methods for openhole (OH) well completions in unconsolidated formations. When comparing the two methods, gravel pack is considered the more robust for sand control and is expected to have a longer service life than SAS in similar reservoir and operational conditions. However, gravel pack costs more per foot than SAS, which limits its use to poorer-quality sands in projects with acceptable economics. The industry has developed accepted criteria for selecting these sand-control methods, and this documentation provides guidelines as to when SAS should be sufficient and when gravel pack is more appropriate, depending on sand quality, which is based on particle-size distribution (PSD) of formation sand samples.Unfortunately, many small oilfields with poor quality unconsolidated formations cannot be developed economically using gravel pack. SAS is the next best alternative, and often, the only option to bring those small oilfields online. The 'J' Field in Malaysia is an example of a small oilfield with marginal economics that was developed successfully using SAS completions despite the fact that the sand quality called for gravel packing. This paper discusses the methodology used in selection and sizing of the SAS design for the 'J' Field.The methodology involves two major processes: 1) review of PSD information for initial screen micron rating selection, and 2), retention-plugging testing of wire-wrapped screen (WWS) and mesh screens for screen-type selection and screen micron rating optimization. Using this methodology, the operator and service company were able to design a completion strategy for eleven (11) wells that fulfilled the economic needs of the development project while resolving the sand-control needs.

Many small oilfields in poorly sorted and highly non-uniform unconsolidated formations with high fines content cannot be developed economically using the preferred sand control method, gravel pack. ‘J’ Field in Malaysia is a small oilfield with marginal economics that was developed successfully using stand-alone screen (SAS), a cost-effective open hole (OH) sand control method. Deployment of SAS in ‘J’ Field does not meet the industry-accepted criteria for sand control methods but provided the operator adequate sand control while fulfilling its economic needs. Recent advances in OH sandface completion technologies such as multi-layer mesh screens, inflow control devices (ICDs), and zonal isolation using swellable packers provided improved performance and reliability of recent SAS installations. This project marks a few firsts in sand control screen technology: World's first installation of multi-layer mesh screenMulti-layer mesh screen is the current state-of-the-art in premium mesh screen technology. It uses several layers of woven metal mesh filters of gradually decreasing micron rating and diffusion-bonded together, which creates a filter that provides better plugging resistance and solids retention capacity.Malaysia's first installation of tube-type ICDICDs are passive flow control devices that are used in OH horizontal (Hz) wells to delay the onset of water breakthrough and minimize its effect by balancing inflow from toe to heel or between high-perm and low-perm zones. ICDs are integrated with sand control screens for use in unconsolidated formations. Swellable packers are used in ICD completions to provide compartmentalization. This paper highlights the recent success of utilization of these cost-effective OH sandface completion technologies in the development of ‘J’ Field.