A semi-implicit approach for the modeling of wells with inflow control completions

Abstract

In the last two decades, new technologies have been introduced to equip wells with intelligent completions such as Inflow Control Device (ICD) or Inflow Control Valve (ICV) in order to optimize the oil recovery by reducing the undesirable production of gas and water. To optimally define the locations of the packers and the characteristics of the valves, efficient reservoir simulation models are required. This paper is aimed at presenting the specific developments introduced in a multipurpose industrial reservoir simulator to simulate such wells equipped with intelligent completions taking into account the pressure drop and multiphase flow. An explicit coupling or decoupling of a reservoir model and a well flow model with intelligent completion makes usually unstable and non-convergent results, and a fully implicit coupling is CPU time consuming and difficult to be implemented. This paper presents therefore a semi-implicit approach, which links on one side to the reservoir simulation model and on the other side to the well flow model, to integrate ICD and ICV.

Editorial: Advanced modeling and simulation of flow in subsurface reservoirs with fractures and wells for a sustainable industry

“…Liu et al [13] formulated the numerical models for the common-used wells and related operations, including bottom hole pressure, water rate, oil rate, liquid rate, subcool, and steam control, and all these formulations were implemented in the in-house parallel thermal simulator. A semi-implicit multipurpose industrial reservoir simulator was proposed by Flauraud and Ding [14], to simulate wells equipped with intelligent completions taking into account the pressure drop and multiphase flow. Inflow Control Device (ICD) and Inflow Control Valve (ICV) were integrated in their simulator, and the semi-implicit coupling approach ensured the stability as well as efficiency.…”

Experimental Study on Stimulation of Horizontal Wells Filled with Film-Coated Gravel in Deep-Sea Bottom-Water Gas Reservoirs

“…As a result, effective water control is very important for deep-sea bottom-water gas reservoir development . Mechanical blocking, chemical plugging, ICD, AICD, variable density screen pipe, and other water control technologies all require a fine description of the reservoir and are both expensive and difficult to implement. In addition, the ICD and AICD water control equipment are blocked by sand particles due to the easy sand production in loose sandstone gas reservoirs .…”