Smart wells a key enabler for oilfield developments in Brunei
Authors: Turner Robert John 
Published: May 2016

In 1999 Brunei Shell Petroleum (BSP) completed its first Smart Well, leading to over 100 Smart Wells being installed over the subsequent decade. BSP defines Smart as having remotely operated control devices in the completion string; a well only containing a downhole pressure gauge is not considered Smart.

Typical wells in Brunei intersect multi-layered reservoirs containing oil, water and/or gas, many of them oil rims. The relatively low hydrocarbon volume per reservoir requires each well to develop numerous reservoirs in order to be economic. Smart completions allow flow to be controlled on a per zone basis, enabling different dynamic reservoir responses to be managed over the field life (e.g. by controlling drawdown or optimising gas development). This ability, particularly for oil rims, has enabled BSP to develop fields that would not have been sanctioned otherwise.

Obtaining optimum value from Smart Wells is demanding. Additional resources are required as more data needs to be reviewed and more frequently, in order to perform the many zonal optimisations necessary for optimum reservoir management. Workflows become more complex, additional interfaces with other disciplines are required and new work competencies need to be acquired.

The challenge for operators contemplating the use of Smart Technology is that Smart Capabilities are required in all major company departments. Subsurface teams need to justify Smart requirements in Field Development Plans, Well Engineering want to standardise Smart completions, Production Departments require processes to efficiently maximise lifecycle production, whilst IT personnel have to provide reliable two way communications between the wells and head office.

Smart completions lend themselves to being able to prove to stakeholders that fields are being optimally managed, particularly with regards to reserves recovery. In the future having Smart Field capability may become a requirement as opposed to an option, possibly turning it into a licence to operate.

Introduction

The Smart Fields work sequence is shown in its simplest form in Figure 1, with the individual elements described in detail in this paper. The starting point and focus must be the Reservoir Management Requirements, identifying what needs to be monitored, managed, controlled and how frequently; which then leads to the Smart Field Justification. This process is illustrated by describing Smart Field case histories from Brunei.

Smart Installation Learnings covers the knowledge gained in the design and installation of Smart equipment; from running downhole Smart completions, to installing surface control equipment, to providing reliable communication systems that enable remote access. BSP has gained this Smart Fields in-house expertise by having completed more than 100 Smart Wells in the last decade and currently completes over 20 Smart Wells each year. Interface Management learnings are important due to the large number of different parties, both internal and external to BSP, required to implement Smart Fields. Experience has shown that having a Senior Manager acting as a Smart Field Champion can help facilitate these Interface Management issues, so that Smart Fields can move forwards as a company initiative as opposed to a series of individual departmental projects.