New Inflow Control Device Provides Solid-Liner Functionality Throughout Installation and Fluid Loss Control During Completion

Abstract

Openhole horizontal completions in consolidated formations have been commonplace for a number of years. This type of completion has been very successful due to the relative simplicity of the completion design and ability to segment the horizontal production interval by using openhole hydrostatic-set packers. Using inflow control devices (ICDs) in this completion design allows a uniform inflow across the entire horizontal wellbore, which mitigates early water or gas coning into the wellbore. A newly designed ICD has been developed and field-trialed successfully that mitigates the need for an inner string during installation, allowing circulation through the liner while running in the hole as well as hydraulic setting of the openhole packers before pulling out of the hole with the workstring. This also provides an improved well control condition. A temporary valve system has been incorporated into the ICD design that provides pressure integrity in the liner until after the upper completion has been installed. Once the upper completion is in place, the valves are triggered hydraulically with applied pressure in the production tubing and opened once the differential pressure is removed, allowing the ICD to be reconfigured into the production mode. Once the valves have been opened the ICD performs normally for the operational life of the well. This completion technology also provides the added benefit of isolating the upper wellbore from the reservoir until after the upper completion is installed. This potentially prevents unwanted and costly fluid losses into the formation before the well is put on production. This paper will describe the new ICD design technology developed for the application and review initial case history well installations in Saudi Arabia.