Passive Inflow Control Devices and Swellable Packers Control Water Production in Fractured Carbonate Reservoir: A Comparison with Slotted Liner Completions

摘要

Many applications for Inflow Control Devices (ICDs) are designed to delay water breakthrough in new wells and for remediating wells shut-in because of water encroachment. The ICDs for carbonate reservoirs typically are combined with wire-wrapped screen (WWS) strainers on 13-ft basepipe. Many wells also have been compartmentalized with swellable packers. Passive inflow control technology has been used extensively in horizontal wells in the Norwegian section of the North Sea and in the Middle East for approximately a decade. This paper discusses first usage of a new tube-type ICD combined with swellable packers to control water in fractured carbonate reservoirs in Asia. Traditionally, horizontal wells in the Poleng field in East Java, Indonesia were completed with slotted liners and struggled with early water breakthrough and high water-cut production. Since highly productive fractures are thought to be the main conduit for water, and slotted liners do not provide control for fluid inflow to the wellbore, resolving high water cut has challenged offshore production significantly. To combat these challenges, a new completion strategy using ICDs and swellable packers for both delaying and minimizing water breakthrough has been developed. Production performance of 5 horizontal wells completed with the ICD/swellable packer concept will be compared to production of 8 wells completed traditionally. This project marks several world firsts in tube-type ICD technology with its first installation in Indonesia.