Enhancing production from thin oil column reservoirs using intelligent completions

Intelligent completion have been proven to be an efficient reservoir management tool, with rapid deployment in various reservoirs environments, value have been established for the use of inflow control valves (ICVs) and different downhole sensors. One of the difficult environments to manage is the thin oil column reservoirs, where issues of rapid and simultaneous gas and water breakthrough affect ultimate oil recovery. This study investigates the opportunities that intelligent completions provide for efficient oil recovery from thin oil column reservoirs. Three wells located in an offshore field were studied to show the benefit of intelligent completions in different reservoir behavior. The study shows that using intelligent well completion can increase the total oil production from a well by controlling the gas and water production. The value is clearer in wells where the gas or water constraint is reached early in the well life, causing cessation of production. The ICV control strategy chosen illustrates how emphasis should be placed on delaying the gas/water breakthrough rather than controlling the production of unwanted fluids if choking reduces the well's deliverability. It also highlights the importance of applying conventional well design and reservoir engineering prior to the consideration of using intelligent wells. Copyright 2007, Society of Petroleum Engineers.