Review of Intelligent Well Technology Application in Stacked Niger Delta Reservoirs

Abstract Niger Delta is a para-sequence of marine deposits ranging from shoreface to channel deposits. The reservoirs are stacked in levels with widely varying rock and fluid properties and hydrocarbon pore volumes. It is common practice to target more than one zone with one well bore using dual completions or intelligent well technology. Intelligent wells are wells equipped with the capability to monitor and control production from two or more zones in the same well. This capability is enabled using inflow control valves and permanent downhole gauges. The third and equally important downhole requirement is the internal zonal isolation using feedthrough packers, to ensure that inflow only occurs through the ICV and to eliminate crossflow. The interface with the topside facility (mainly power and communication infrastructure) is equally critical for the success of an intelligent well-completion project. The first successful application of intelligent well technology in onshore Niger Delta was delivered in 2012. A 3-zone well equipped with interval control valves (ICVs), dual-sensor permanent downhole gauges, and feedthrough zonal isolation packers. The well achieved the target production potential while demonstrating the critical functionality of zonal control, zonal monitoring, and zonal isolation and became the pilot project that secured approval from regulators for controlled commingling from two or more reservoirs. Following the success of this well, subsequent projects have replicated the design enabling the economic development of pockets of stacked hydrocarbon resources across the delta. Six other wells have now been completed, tested and are in production. Several wells are also planned and are currently in different phases of maturation. However, there have been challenges with the adoption of intelligent well technology. These challenges can be broadly grouped under people and processes. The people-related challenges have to do with intelligent well day-to-day operational competence while the process-related issues include speed of adoptions of related technology that enables the full utilization of intelligent well capabilities. Recently, however, the focus has gradually shifted towards the adoption of digital oilfield technology-a platform that complements the capabilities of intelligent well technology towards maximizing value for producing assets.