Inflow Control Devices ICD – A Historical Performance Analysis

Inflow Control Devices (ICDs) and their variants autonomous inflow control devices (AICDs) have been deployed in horizontal wells in the onshore asset for more than thirteen years. The technology was adopted for their utility to manage: well inflows, sweep efficiencies, pressure drops along the well trajectory and delay fluid breakthroughs. Also, they are adapted to partially isolate fractures and or high permeability streaks which might introduce abnormal flow conditions in the production system-if unchecked. Horizontal wells were favourable target application, due to the notorious "heel-to-toe-effect" replete in horizontal wells, which ICDs are typically designed to remedy. In the onshore asset, approximately fifty-one horizontal wells have been completed with ICDs or combination of ICDs-AICDs and some of them fully equipped for future open/close intervention capability using sliding side doors (SSDs). In this paper, a full assessment of ICDs design methodology and post installation performance over the 13-year period of ICD completions history is conducted. The performance evaluations entails ascertaining the extent to which the key design objectives are achived and overall value addition. Value based decision criteria for future ICD completion/ deployment is advocated. A proposal is submitted for further investingation into formulating universal or objective performance index (which will be independent of production data) for all well types. Such studies will include a single objective function capable of utilizing cross correlation values irrespective of well type to generate single KPI fuction. Further recommendation (from experience) in the asset is that a do-nothing-after-completion scenario is not the best forward strategy. Greater value will be derived if ICDs completions have hindsight on ultramodern optimization post installation. Flexibility to optimize the wells in changing scenarios should be considered and built into the completion system from inception. Also the decision to adopt inflow control devices must simultaneously consider preperformance evaluation after installation. Hence data from offset wells, analougues or pre ICD performance of the study wells are input of utmost necessity for design and performance evaluation. Conclusively, a unified key performance indicator (KPI) for both ICD-completed producers and injectors is recommended for further investigation.