Konferensartikel

Production of heavy oil requires the application of new technologies in order to handle the challenges associated with the production. The main challenges are early water breakthrough, resulting in high water cut and low oil recovery. Especially in heterogeneous reservoirs, early water breakthrough and high water cut lead to low productivity and high separation costs. Different types of inflow control devices (ICDs) have proven to be effective in delaying water breakthrough and the newer technology has also the ability to choke for water after breakthrough. The near well simulation tool, NETool, was used to simulate oil production from homogeneous and heterogeneous heavy oil reservoirs after water breakthrough has occurred. The oil and water production, using nozzle ICD and autonomous ICD (RCP) completion, has been simulated and compared. ICD is producing more oil than RCP, but it is also producing significantly more water. The well with ICD completion gave about 4 to 5 times higher water cut than the well with RCP completion. Estimates indicate that by utilizing the newest technology, autonomous inflow control valve (AICV), the water cut can be reduced significantly without reducing the oil production.

ICD, RCP, AICV, water cut, water breakthrough, heavy oil