Inflow control device in openhole horizontal well

Abstract

An Inflow-control device (ICD) is a permanent completion hardware that is installed as part of well completions which often known as an equalizer or choking device. It offers numbers of unique benefits especially in the horizontal application, but it is not adjustable or non-retrievable hardware. Frictional pressure drops caused by fluid flow in horizontal section resulted in higher drawdown pressure at the heels section which causing an unbalance fluid distribution profile. Hence the main challenge of horizontal wells is an early water and/or gas breakthrough near the heel section which leads to a loss in production and reserves extraction, and ultimately, a decrease in profitability. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to develop the best ICD modelling design for a specific case study (Well ETA-06) and to investigate the effect of few important parameters towards the performance and functionality of the ICD along horizontal wellbore. ICD modelling was developed using NEToolTM software for appropriate number of open-flow ports and the optimum length and/or numbers of ICDs required for evenly distributing the flow profile along the screen length in order to achieve the proactive functionality of the ICDs. A sensitivity study has been run towards the best resulted ICD parameters, namely (1) ICD size, (2) flow port size, (3) swell packer usability, (4) flow rate, (5) ICD roughness, and (6) discharge coefficient in simulating influx along the horizontal wellbore by coupling fluid flow through porous media and hydraulic flow into nozzle type of ICD completion architecture. In the homogeneous reservoir, the heel section tends to produce more oil compared to the toe section thereby will allow water or gas production in a brief period. On the other hand, the ICD has reduced or choked the fluid inflow at the higher permeability section and produces more at the low permeability area. In general, ICDs are unchangeable; once installed downhole in the well, the location of the device and the relationship between the rate and pressure drop are fixed. Consequently, the best design of a well completion and ICDs is extremely crucial in order to ensure the functionality and effectiveness of the ICDs in obtaining the optimum production at lesser water or gas production.