Technology Update: New Intelligent Completion System Enables Compartment-Level Control in Multilateral Wells

Abstract

Technology Update Although early inflow control devices and intelligent completions (ICs) were introduced almost 20 years ago, completion technology has not kept pace with advancements in drilling technology. Today, wells completed in multilayered reservoirs, multilaterals with compartments of varying pressure, and extended-reach drilling (ERD) with wellbores as long as 12 km are becoming common. In complex, hard-to-reach reservoirs and tighter formations, operators need to maximize reservoir contact in every well to optimize reservoir drainage and minimize costs. Yet the evolution of ICs has lagged, creating a technology gap with significant ramifications. IC reliability has been steadily increasing over the years, reaching more than 97% for the life of the well in many applications. Most permanent downhole monitoring and control solutions still consist of a separate “kit” of products rather than an integrated system. Traditional IC systems lack sufficient real-time measurements in individual producing zones to facilitate “cause and effect” decision making. Without detailed compartmental information and control in case of water or gas breakthrough, operators are forced to restrict production, intervene, and in some instances work over the entire well. Until recently, there has been no way to maintain production from other unaffected zones during the long diagnostic process of production logging, well testing, interpretation, and execution of an appropriate well intervention. The typical optimization cycle substantially raises operating costs while delaying vital production for weeks or months. Consider Saudi Aramco’s experience with ICs in remote oil fields, where tight formations and a shortage of suitable surface locations drove the need to dramatically increase reservoir contact per wellhead. Before 2007, the company had successfully drilled and completed a number of multilateral ERD wells, achieving more than 5 km (16,400 ft) of reservoir contact per well. These maximum reservoir contact (MRC) wells were completed with then state-of-the-art IC technology. Completions consisted of permanent downhole gauges (PDGs) and downhole flow-control valves (FCVs), which could be partially or fully opened or closed by hydraulic control lines from the surface. Monitoring and control stations were installed in the motherbore above the junction to each side lateral.

Research on power line carrier communication technology based on intelligent well completion

“…Intelligent completion technology has the ability to monitor and manage multiple reservoirs, which can greatly improve the recovery rate of oil and gas reservoirs [1][2][3] . Well completion technology is becoming smarter with the constant development of digital technology and automation.…”

Integrated production optimisation and monitoring of multi-zone intelligent wells

“…To the knowledge of the authors of this paper, there is no published study of integrated approach of monitoring and control in hydrocarbon reservoirs except the recent commercialised Manara production and reservoir management system developed by 8-year collaboration between Saudi Aramco and Schlumberger (Dyer and Bouldin 2016). Manara system presents the industry's first IWC platform to enable simultaneous, real-time monitoring and control of up to 60 compartments in multilateral wells or extended-reach sections longer than 12 km, using a single electric control line (Fig.…”

“…Then, the discussion section compares the Fig. 3 Manara real-time simultaneous monitoring and production control platform (Dyer and Bouldin 2016) performance of the two workflows to highlight the applications and advantages of ICM approach.…”