Successful Deployment of First One Trip Integrated Full-Bore Off-Bottom Cemented Closed System ICD Screens Completion
Authors: Looni Qadir D. , Humood Malik M. , Abu Faizal Syed , Al-Muzayen Abdullah 
Published: March 2023

Conventional Off-bottom Cemented (OBC) application with Inflow Control Device (ICD) presents several challenges for well completion operations. Operational and HSE risks, complexity of deployment with several hydraulic activated tools, excessive operational time, and associated costs being some of them. This paper presents first successful deployment of a new generation integrated off-bottom cemented closed system ICD completion installed in a challenging offshore sandstone environment in Middle East with proper engineering, HSE risks were reduced while saving considerable rig time compared to the conventional system.

To address the challenges posed by OBC with ICDs application a new system consisting of full-bore closed system ICD screens, full-bore mechanical open hole packers and a fit for purpose dual opening pressure activated cementing valve (DPACV) were developed. The system allows for installation of ICD screens and zonal isolation open hole (OH) packers with off-bottom cemented completion in one-trip with no dedicated work string run to set OH packers. Furthermore, the full-bore access allows drill-out of cement/plug and drifting lower completion in one clean-out run with 3.875" OD/ gauge bit, which was previously performed in two separate runs due to size limitations. The system brings significant cost-savings, reduced rig time, and expedited well delivery. This system also allows for reduced wellbore exposure time, more efficient displacement rates/volumes for dissolving filter cake, with better production ID and easier future well interventions.

The new system was deployed in a critical re-entry horizontal well in a sandstone reservoir. The objective of the completion was to isolate non-reservoir section and an active gas cap below the kick-off window with off-bottom cemented liner and completing the reservoir section with ICD sand screens and open hole packers. The challenge in deployment was due to unstable hole conditions, active shale & possible wash outs sections. The performance of the new system was evaluated by comparing it to a conventional system installed in the same field.

The off-bottom cemented ICD system was successfully deployed to target depth in challenging open hole conditions. The activation of all tools and the off-bottom cement job went as per plan. Performance comparison showed that the new system was completed 42% more efficiently than the standard conventional completion deployment time, saving significant rig time and cost. The most time saved was achieved by eliminating tripping in and out with wash pipe for setting the OH packers. Drill out of cement/plug and drifting of the lower completion was done in a single cleanout trip compared to two separate trips in a conventional system. Post completion, production and noise logging confirmed positive isolation of the gas cap from the reservoir section, confirming all packers sealing integrity, and the production log confirmed inflow from all ICD compartments as per design.

This paper presents the development and installation of a first of its kind integrated OBC with ICD screen system, which brings significant cost-savings and reduced rig time.