Autonomous Inflow Control Valves Restore Oil Production by Controlling Gas and Water Breakthrough in Acordionero Field, Colombia: A Case Study

Abstract

Abstract The Acordionero field is located in the Middle Magdalena basin of Colombia and produces from 2 main multilayered formations. Water injection is utilized to maintain reservoir pressures and improve recovery factors. API gravities vary between 14° and 24°. C&P vertical wells are drilled to access oil from several producing intervals. This inherently creates a challenging production environment, as injection water and/or formation gas can unpredictably breakthrough in any of the formation layers, impacting well performance and leading to well shut-ins and expensive workovers to re-establish production. Even though Inflow Control Devices (ICDs) and Autonomous Inflow Control Devices (AICDs) have been successfully deployed to control unwanted fluids in oil producer wells, its application in vertical wells have been limited. The challenging environment and the inability to identify the problematic intervals led to the selection of the AICD-Valve due to its ability to autonomously shut-off gas/water based on the fluid properties of each zone. This technology is sensitive to both fluid viscosity and density and can autonomously choke zones that have higher gas/water concentrations. A detailed study was conducted, including well simulations and analysis of production data, which determined the benefits of the technology, particularly to control gas breakthrough. A total of 6 wells have been retrofitted to date. Overall results have been positive with the AICD-Valves successfully restricting flow from intervals with unwanted fluids and applying a more effective drawdown to oil-rich zones. Gas production have been reduced to more than 50% in all wells and in some cases over 90%. The electric submersible pumps (ESPs) have shown a more stable behavior in comparison to pre- AICD-Valve installations, reducing gas locking events, leading to less common failures and well interventions. Water control is still under evaluation due to the obtained production results.