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Numerical Modelling for the Optimum Design of Horizontal Well Completions with PSCs in Water Drive Reservoirs

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Abstract

The problem of water coning is a key factor in the development of horizontal wells in water drive reservoirs, and the autonomous phase selection controller (PSC) is a new water control tool for controlling bottom water coning. A PSC is based only on the fluid properties and flow paths to distinguish fluids and limit water production without any moving parts. This paper discusses the problem of water coning and offers a potential solution for horizontal wells completed with PSCs. A 3D dynamic simulation model of two-phase flow for a horizontal well with a PSC completion has been developed and solved by coupling the reservoir heterogeneity, anisotropy, drilling damage, well trajectory, tubing flow and annular flow. The simulation results indicate that horizontal wells with PSC completions can experience improved production performances compared to those of open hole completions. In addition, a large number of sensitivity analyses have also been performed, including the number of PSCs, packers and different locations of the PSCs. Finally, an optimization design methodology of a PSC completion in a horizontal well has been proposed.

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Abbreviations

\(S_\mathrm{o},~S_\mathrm{w}\) :

The saturation of oil and water, respectively (%)

\(\rho _\mathrm{o},~\rho _\mathrm{w}\) :

The density of oil and water, respectively (kg/\(\hbox {m}^{3}\))

\(k_{\mathrm{ro}},~k_{\mathrm{rw}}\) :

The relative permeability of oil and water, respectively, mD

k :

The permeability, respectively (mD)

\(\mu _\mathrm{o},~\mu _\mathrm{w}\) :

The viscosity of oil and water, respectively (mPa s)

\(p_\mathrm{o},~p_\mathrm{w}\) :

The pressure of oil and water, respectively (Pa)

\(q_\mathrm{o},~q_\mathrm{w}\) :

The mass flow rate of oil and water in the reservoir, respectively (kg/d)

\(p_{\mathrm{oi}}\) :

The initial oil pressure (Pa)

\(S_{\mathrm{wi}}\) :

The initial water saturation (%)

\(p_{\mathrm{li},j,k} \) :

The pressure of the grid block of the well (Pa)

\(p_{\mathrm{wf}}\) :

The bottom hole flowing pressure (Pa)

\(\hbox {PI}_l\) :

The production index (\(\hbox {m}^{3}\)/d/Pa)

\(\rho _{\mathrm{mix}}\) :

The mixture density (kg/\(\hbox {m}^{3}\))

g :

The acceleration of gravity (m/\(\hbox {s}^{2}\))

\(\theta _i\) :

The inclined angle of section i of the horizontal well (rad)

\(C_{\mathrm{ann}}\) :

The correction coefficient of the friction coefficient of section i of the annulus flow of the horizontal well, dimensionless

\(f_{\mathrm{ann}}\) :

The friction coefficient of section i of the annulus flow of the horizontal well, dimensionless

\(Q_{\mathrm{ann}}\) :

The flow rate of section i of the annulus flow of the horizontal well (\(\hbox {m}^{3}\)/d)

\(q_i\) :

The reservoir inflow of section i of the annulus flow of the horizontal well (\(\hbox {m}^{3}\)/d)

\(D_{\mathrm{well}}\) :

The wellbore diameter of the horizontal well (m)

\(D_{\mathrm{tube},\mathrm{o}}\) :

The tubing diameter of the horizontal well (m)

Re:

The Reynolds number of the oil and water mixture, dimensionless

\(\mu _{\mathrm{mix}}\) :

The mixture viscosity (mPa s)

\(v_{\mathrm{mix}}\) :

The mixture flow rate (m/s)

D :

The annulus hydraulic diameter (m)

\(\varepsilon \) :

The average absolute roughness of the pipe wall

\(Q_{\mathrm{tube},i}\) :

The flow rate of section i of the tubing of the horizontal well (\(\hbox {m}^{3}\)/d)

\(D_{\mathrm{tube},\mathrm{in}}\) :

The inner diameter of the tubing of the horizontal well (m)

\(f_{\mathrm{tube}}\) :

The friction coefficient of the tubing of the horizontal well, dimensionless

\(Q_{\mathrm{psc}}\) :

The flow rate of the PSC (\(\hbox {m}^{3}\)/d)

\(\lambda _L\) :

The frictional pressure loss coefficient of annular channels, dimensionless

\(\zeta \) :

The local pressure loss coefficient, dimensionless

\(C_{\mathrm{DN}}\) :

The pressure loss coefficient of nozzles, dimensionless

e :

The pressure loss coefficient of the control chamber, dimensionless

\(C_{\mathrm{DS}}\) :

The pressure loss coefficient of flow slots, dimensionless

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the National Science and Technology Major Project of China (Nos. 2016ZX05021005, 2016ZX05009003-011-002 and 2016ZX05017005-003) and the Talent Introduction Project of the Sichuan University of Science and Engineering (No. 2017RCL40).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sichuan University of Science and Engineering, Zigong, 643000, Sichuan, China

    Mingjun Yang

  2. State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu, 610500, Sichuan, China

    Mingjun Yang, Haitao Li, Yongqing Wang & Rui Jiang

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Correspondence to Mingjun Yang.

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Yang, M., Li, H., Wang, Y. et al. Numerical Modelling for the Optimum Design of Horizontal Well Completions with PSCs in Water Drive Reservoirs. Arab J Sci Eng 44, 5215–5232 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-019-03790-1

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