Electric Line Deployed Shifting of Inflow Control Devices in a Herring Bone Completion and Ultra Sour, High Temperature Environment

Abstract As the depth and complexity of wells increase, the challenge to perform remedial interventions also increases. Extreme depth, tortuous trajectory wells with Herringbone completions in ultra-sour, high temperature environments are some of the most challenging wells in which to intervene. However, intervention is critical to ensure optimum production from each of the Herringbone laterals. This is achieved by mechanical manipulation to the desired state of the Inflow Control Devices (ICDs) in the mother-bore completion. Reaching the target depth and successfully performing such operations in these wells is extremely challenging as significant conveyance force is required in conjunction with high force, precise mechanical shifting of the ICDs. Traditional intervention operations with coiled tubing (CT) in such wells may not be possible due to lockup from frictional forces and the inability to apply the required shifting force even if the target can be reached. In this paper we provide an overview of such challenges faced by an operator in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and a wireline conveyed solution able to reach extreme depths to provide high force, precise, instrumented ICD manipulation. The approach required evaluating the history of mechanical interventions in the location to understand why previous attempts to shift ICDs failed. A lack of real-time downhole data, higher-than-expected shifting force, the presence of debris or corrosion, tortuous well trajectories and ultra sour environments were identified as contributing factors. A combination of technologies provided a comprehensive solution with the following methods: Production logging to obtain the inflow profile to identify the target ICDs to shift Conveyance and tension modelling of tortuous horizontal wells Using hydrogen-sulfide-resistant slim tractor and mechanical intervention tools with a high-strength electric-line cable Modelling and testing via surface integration tests (SITs) to shift the ICD and establish a baseline shifting signature Developing a slim-rotary mechanical-cleaning tool to remove debris from the ICDs Post-production logging to confirm successful shifting and the resulting production profile The electric line-deployed mechanical cleaning and ICD-shifting tools enabled efficient closure of ten ICDs in an ultra-deep Herringbone completion well to allow targeted acid stimulation of the remaining open compartments and improve production. The lightweight deployment of this electric line solution significantly increased the efficiency of such an operation compared with traditional CT methods. The purely mechanical cleaning solution also allowed for localized cleaning of the target ICDs without requiring time consuming and expensive chemical treatments. The real-time instrumentation and downhole measurements integrated into the tools enabled precise manipulation of the ICDs during shifting with 0.1″ accuracy of the displacement. The independent measurements of shifting force and displacement gave total confidence in successful shifting and helped to identify any sleeves which required more, or less, force to shift than expected. This successful deployment of electric line mechanical cleaning and ICD shifting tools opens opportunities for performing this type of intervention in even the most extreme wells.