Intelligent completions for better reservoir management

摘要

First conceived as alternatives to costly or technically difficult interventions, intelligent wells that can be monitored and controlled remotely have evolved into a powerful reservoir management tool. As a result, after initially slow industry-wide uptake, their number is projected to increase fivefold in the next five years. At the heart of intelligent wells are surface-actuated downhole valves, used to regulate flow from individual zones or laterals, and permanent downhole temperature and pressure sensors. Today, downhole control valves range from those with simple on-off controls to hydraulically actuated and electrically controlled, infinitely variable-setting chokes. These innovations permit engineers to design valves that can be remotely adjusted within a range of cross-sectional flow areas matched to a zone's production profile. Schlumberger now reports a 97% reliability rate for its second-generation valves.