Variable Nozzle–Based Inflow Control Device Completion: Inflow Distribution Comparison, Analysis, and Evaluation

This paper presents a study of horizontal well completions equipped with inflow control devices (ICDs) in a large, unconsolidated sandstone reservoir in Saudi Arabia. The focus is the improved production performance gained through a completion using ICDs with variable nozzle settings across the openhole section vs. that from a cemented, perforated liner completion and uniform nozzle setting ICD completion performance. Discussion includes an overview of ICD and intelligent completions and their components, and the advantages and limitations of both uniform/variable types of ICDs completion design methods. Results from two wells in Saudi Arabia show that the major advantages of completions using ICDs with variable nozzle settings are the operator’s ability to make adjustments at the wellsite; to balance the inflow from areas of differing permeability; to reduce the pressure drop across the completion; and to better controls water production compared with uniform nozzle setting ICD completion. Inflow Control Device (ICD) technology has been developed to overcome horizontal well production/injection challenges. ICD completion with packers segregates openhole (OH) horizontal section into compartments to balance inflow/outflow along the well and control undesirable water/gas production. There are various types of ICDs such as tube, helical, orifice and nozzle ICDs. The advantages of orifice/nozzle ICDs (Fig. 1) are their viscosity independence and the nozzle installation at the wellsite according to the attained while drilling properties/openhole logs that might change ICD completion design optimization. The optimum ICD completion is one which balances influx from heterogeneous reservoirs and control water/gas production and simultaneously without creating a huge pressure drop across the completion.