Learnings from Inflow Control Devices (ICD) Design Optimization Utilizing Dynamic Reservoir Simulation Modeling

The objective of this paper is to present learnings from designing inflow control devices (ICD) of numerous wells at reservoirs with gas cap with various settings. Key aspects and an efficient ICD design workflow will be presented. The evaluation is based on the application of nozzle ICD for single lateral horizontal well. A synthetic simulation model is utilized to demonstrate example cases. A horizontal well installed with ICD completions improves well performance by equalizing production along the horizontal section to delay water/ gas breakthrough for an oil reservoir with gas cap and aquifer. We utilized an in-house reservoir simulator with advanced complex well options. The first step is to develop an ICD completion design workflow, which includes understanding reservoir permeability heterogeneity, its magnitude and well flow behavior under open-hole completion. At well level, this step is to estimate future major gas and water contribution. Optimum well rate is sensitized for the ICD design. The next step is to focus on ICD design optimization which includes numbers of ICD requirements and compartments, ICD choking. The performance of horizontal well placed under a gas cap was analyzed. An early gas production easily occurs especially for well with high production rate. Controlling gas and water production showed an improvement on oil recovery. We developed the workflow of an ICD completion design optimization for the evaluation. Simulation model with different reservoir properties vertically were created for ICD design case. The ICD design optimization cases with combination of these two factors are evaluated to identify conditions for ICD installation that provide best benefits. Results showed that installation of ICD provides good performance improvement and more even gas oil contact and water oil contact movement toward the wellbore. The ICD design workflow provides a guideline to do the ICD design systematically utilizing reservoir simulation model for an oil rim reservoir. Learnings obtained from the results provide an understanding on the optimal conditions for ICD installation with the goal to ultimately deliver long-life wells while controlling water and gas production in different levels of reservoir heterogeneity and well lengths.