Case Study: Controlling Injection in Horizontal Waterflood Wells Utilizing a Novel Inflow Control Devices: Challenge, Application, and Lessons Learned

Abstract This paper examines the implementation of Inflow Control Devices (ICDs) that have been used in horizontal water injection wells to balance outflow injected fluid performance along the lateral which Improves sweep efficiency and reduces the risk of early injected fluid breakthrough in producer wells. As erosion and plugging issues may accrue when fluids injected with high velocity and pressure drop across standard nozzle Inflow Control, a novel design featuring enhanced flow areas, the novel ICD, that provides a higher flow area which allows gradual pressure drop across ICD with much lower fluid velocity reducing the erosion/plugging risk. The novel design of ICD Cassette utilizes advanced geometry to achieve desired flow restrictions that are equivalent to the conventional nozzle-based ICD. The novel ICD Cassette has four times the open flow area compared with equivalent nozzle-based ICDs, which leads to lower fluids velocities through the device, reducing erosion, and making the design less susceptible to plugging. In addition, the gradual pressure change through the novel ICD Cassette helps to reduce scaling tendency in the device, and therefore minimizing the number of cleanout intervention operations required throughout the well lifecycle. Design optimization for ICD completion involved compartmentalization using open hole logs for two wells considering targeted injection rates. Each injection compartment was equipped with adjustable flow control devices and isolated with packers to ensure injected fluid goes into desired zones. The ICD joint was equipped with sliding sleeves to enable operators to modify injection profiles or isolate compartments as needed, and by that adding flexibility to operations. As the operation commenced in heavy oil reservoir with a high variety of permeability, the effectiveness of the novel ICD in achieving balanced injection distribution across multiple compartments was demonstrated. With the challenge of uncertainty in permeability profile and fluid saturation of would affect injection performance, utilizing equal choking strength cassettes allowed for decent distribution across injection compartments. Operator can modify compartment injection flow area since novel ICD joints are equipped with sliding sleeve or future complete shutoff of any intervals that prematurely breakthrough to producer wells. Injectivity test was performed after each sleeve was opened to confirm flow and to set a baseline to identify any future plugging of the flow control devices. During producing stage, unexpected variations in oil viscosity, measuring between 400 to 1,000 cP, and along with varying oil saturations profiles, quality, caused inaccurate model pressure predictions. Despite these challenges, injectivity confirmed the operational integrity of the devices, allowing for compartmental specific flow adjustments and if necessary, isolating the underperforming zones. Lessons learned from this deployment, for future wells installations and introducing a new design philosophy, Include the need for enhanced reservoir characterization using advanced logging techniques to refine the permeability profiles. This can also be performed by collecting samples to ensure accurate fluid properties and saturation. In future designs, using variable compartment injection flow area instead of uniform injection flow area distribution especially with enhancing used data for design optimization would ensure better alignment between operational outcomes and design expectations. The paper is showcasing the advancements in water injection technology, by implementing the novel ICD design that mitigates the challenges erosion and plugging while offering improved scalability that is considered as a step changer in operational efficiency and reservoir management. This approach supports more sustainable waterflood operations by reducing maintenance and intervention needs while providing beneficial insights for optimizing future installations.

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