Industry Article: Intelligent Completions For Better Reservoir Management
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.
Publication: E&P
Publication Date:
01/01/2009
Intelligent wells that can be monitored and controlled remotely are a powerful reservoir management tool. At the heart of intelligent wells are surface-actuated downhole valves for regulating flow from individual zones and permanent downhole temperature and pressure sensors. Saudi Aramco engineers drilled and completed a maximum reservoir contact well that was put on production with minimal water production. In less than one year, water cut had reached about 23%. Available drawdown and overall production were reduced, and treatment and disposal costs rose. The operator needed a solution to control water production. Schlumberger designed and deployed an intelligent completion system with multiposition, downhole flow control valves and surface flow-rate measurements to selectively manage water production from each of the three zones. Through optimization of the downhole control valves, water cut was reduced from 23% to almost zero. Saudi Aramco engineers reported that without the intelligent well approach, the well would have watered out and ceased production.
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