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Additional support provided by AIME

Society of Petroleum Engineers

Distinguished Lecturer Program
www.spe.org/dl

Understanding the Roles of Inflow

Control Devices (ICDs) in Optimizing
Horizontal-Well Performance
Ding Zhu
Texas A&M University

Society of Petroleum Engineers

Distinguished Lecturer Program
www.spe.org/dl

Introduction
Inflow Control Devices are designed to control
downhole flow distribution for horizontal
producing/injecting wells
It is a passive control with a simple concept: creating
frictional pressure drop to increase flow resistance

pwf or q

Statement of the Problem

q Fluid

p Well
p Well w/ ICD
q Fluid w/ ICD
length

Horizontal well heel protection:

- Reduces early breakthrough at heel
- Increases reserve recovery

q, b/d/ft

Statement of the Problem

water
oil

L (ft)

Reservoir heterogeneity:
- Reduce early breakthrough of water
- Increase production

Inflow Control Devices

Channel Type
Nozzle Type
Orifice Type

Fiber Material
Other Designs

Physics Basis of the Problem

C 2 m qm fm
L
p f =
5
D
2

heel

toe

pICD = C 3q 2 m
q
pr = C1
kb

pf ~ pr, uneven flow distribution

pf > pwf, heel, reduced production rate
7

Principle of Deployment
Heel-toe distribution

Early water/gas breakthrough

Wellbore stability
When
applied correctly, can
Sand
control
improve
well/reservoir
Formation
damage

performance!
Heterogeneous
formation
Uneven flow distribution
Local early breakthrough

Examples: Heel-Toe Problem

Reservoir thickness
Well length
Horizontal permeability (kh=10kv )
Average reservoir pressure
Well flow pressure at heel
Oil viscosity

Case 1
100
8000
800
2930
2650
2

Case 2
120
4000
50
2950
2550
2

ft
ft
md
psi
psi
cp
9

Flow Rate for High-Perm Case

Oil inflow rate, stb/day/ft

6 months No ICD
6 months w/ ICD
3 years No ICD
3 years w/ ICD

4,5

1,5

0
0

2000

4000

6000

8000

Well distance from heel, ft

No inflow
10

Flow Rate for High-Perm Case

6 mon - w/ ICD
6 mon no ICD
3 yrs - w/ ICD
3 yrs no ICD

6
4
2
0

6000
2000
4000
distance from heel, ft

8000

oil rate, bpd/ft

water rate, bpd/ft

4.5

6 mon w/ ICD
6 mon no ICD
3 yrs w/ ICD
3 yrs no ICD

1.5
0
0

2000
4000
6000
distance from heel, ft

8000
11

Pressure Distribution Along Well

p res = 2930 psi

2950

p r = 0 psi

Pressure, psi

2900

p r = 380 psi

2850

2800

2750

6 months - No ICD
6 months - w/ ICD

2700

3 years - No ICD
3 years - w/ ICD

2650

2000

4000

6000

8000

Well Distance from Heel, ft

12

Effect of ICD on Production

2.000E+04

Oil w/ ICD
Water w/ ICD
Oil w/o ICD
Water w/o ICD

Cumulative Oil, stb

1.500E+04

1.000E+04

500E+04

0.000E+00
0

400

800

1200

Time, days

13

Evenly Distributed Pressure for

Low-Permeability Case
2560

6 months - No ICD
6 months - w/ ICD
3 years - No ICD
3 years - w/ ICD

Pressure, psi

2558

p r = 440 psi

2556

2554

p r = 450 psi
2552

2550
0

2000

4000

Well distance from heel, ft

14

Predicted Production History for

Low-Permeability Case
1

Oil No ICD
Oil w/ ICD
Water Cut No ICD
Water Cut w/ ICD

Reduced Oil
0,8

0,6
4
0,4

Reduced
Water

0
0

400

800

Water Cut

Cumulative Oil, MMSTB

0,2

0
1200

Time, days
15

Summary of Water Drive Case

Wellbore pressure drop has to be comparable to
reservoir drawdown for ICDs to be positively
effective
This will happen more likely in the reservoirs
with high permeability
In such a case ICD will decrease/delay water
coning and increase oil rate
If installed unnecessarily, ICD will also reduce
oil rate while delaying water breakthrough, and
it is non-changeable.
16

Example 2: Thin Oil Rim with

Gas Cap
Reservoir Thickness, ft
Well Length, ft
Horizontal Permeability, md
Vertical Permeability, md
Average Reservoir Pressure, psi
Pressure at heel, psi
Oil Viscosity, cp
Gas Viscosity, cp

Case 3
40
4000
200
20
3360
3300
2
0.02

Case 4
40
4000
100
10
3240
3225
2
0.02

17

Inflow Rate for

High Permeability Case
Gas

Oil
Gas Rate, Mscf/day/ft

Oil Rate, stb/day/ft

0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
0

1000

2000

3000

4000

70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0

1000

2000

3000

4000

Distance from heel, ft

Distance from heel, ft

No inflow

18

Local Drawdown along the Well

60
6 months
6 months
1 years 1 years -

Local drawdown, psi

45

- w /o ICD
- w / ICD
w /o ICD
w / ICD

30

15

0
0

1000

2000

3000

4000

Well distance from heel, ft

19

Cumulative Oil and Gas Production

3.0E+05

Cumulative Oil, stb

20000

Oil No ICD
Oil with ICD
Gas No ICD
Gas with ICD

15000

Increased oil
2.0E+05

10000

1.0E+05

5000

Reduced gas
0.0E+00

Cumulative Gas, Mscf

4.0E+05

0
0

100

200

300

400

Time, days

20

ccumulative Oil and Gas

Production for Lower Perm
8000

Oil No ICD
Oil w/ ICD
Gas No ICD
Gas w/ ICD

Cumulative Oil, stb

3.0E+05

Reduced
Oil

7000
6000
5000

2.0E+05

4000
3000

1.0E+05

2000

Reduced
Gas

Cumulative Gas, Mscf

4.0E+05

1000

0.0E+00

0
0

100

200

300

400

Time, days

21

Summary of Gas Cap Case

When flow rate is high, and wellbore friction
is relevant, ICD can help to:
Reduce gas production
Increase oil production
No significant delay coning
If friction is small, ICD will slightly change
the rate distribution, and reduce both gas and
oil flow rate
22

Example 3: Heterogeneous Formation

Surrounding Aquifer

Surrounding Aquifer

250

500

750

1000

23
23

Effect of ICD in Heterogeneous Formation:

Water Cut and Cumulative Water
0,4

Water Cut

0,3

Cumulative Water, MMbbl

No ICD
w ICD
w ICD / 180 ft away

0,2

0,1

0
0

500

1000

Time, days

1500

No ICD
w ICD
w ICD / 180 ft away

0
0

500

1000

1500

Time, days

24

Effect of ICD in Heterogeneous Formation:

Oil Production

Oil Production Rate, bbl/d

16000

14000
No ICD
w ICD
12000

w ICD / 180 ft away

10000

8000

6000
0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

Time, days

25

It Has Been Proven

Oil Rate, Well w/ICD

Oil Rate, Well No ICD

Time

26

(SPE 123008, Daliva et. al.)

26

Conclusions
ICDs can be used to improve well
performance and increase recovery when
deployed correctly
The ratio of wellbore frictional pressure drop
to reservoir drawdown should be the criteria
to determine if ICDs are necessary
For high-perm oil reservoirs with water
aquifer drive, ICDs can delay early waterbreakthrough and balance flow distribution.

27

Conclusion
ICDs are helpful in thin-rim oil reservoir with
gas cap to delay early gas-breakthrough.
improve well performance
For heterogeneous reservoir, ICDs can delay
coning if installed at the desired location
If the problem is overlooked, the effect of
ICDs could be detrimental.

28

Thank you!

29