Value Creation Through R&D:
Autonomous Inflow Control Valve (AICV®)
‘Autonomous gas/water shut-off
in field with gas/water breakthrough’
Vidar Mathiesen, Dr.ing
Founder & CEO
InflowControl AS
OG21 Forum, December 4th 2013
The Challenge
• Long horizontal wells to ensure maximum reservoir contact
– Friction inside the well
– Heterogeneous reservoirs (permeability and formation variations)
• Non-uniform well drainage creates gas/water breakthrough
– Reduced oil production
– Reduced recovery
– Requires large gas/water handling systems
Gas
Oil
2
Water
"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger,
more complex, and more violent. It takes a
touch of genius - and a lot of courage - to
move in the opposite direction.“
Albert Einstein
AICV® - Autonomous Inflow Control Valve
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Autonomous; requires no external power or control
Simple; uncomplicated with low risk of failure
Effective; can stop the gas/water completely
Reversible; allow oil production after an earlier breakthrough
Distributed; no limit in number of zones
Retrofitable; can be installed in new and old wells
Compatible; with standard completion (screens)
Flexible; can be adjusted to fit the reservoir strategy
The Troll Case
SPE 159634, Increased oil production at Troll by autonomous inflow control with
RCP valves, Halvorsen et al. (2012):
“RCP valves have been successfully tested and implemented in three wells at the Troll field. The production experiences
from the branch completed with RCP valves in P-13 and in addition from the well P21 with RCP in both branches are
very encouraging. As for April 2012, almost 1,5 years of production, the GOR in the branch completed with RCP valves is
1/3 of the GOR in the branch completed with ICD’s. The cumulative oil production is approximately 20 % higher in the
branch completed with RCP valves. The wells completed with RCP valves are producing at a high oil rate for a longer
period of time prior to gas breakthrough compared to typical Troll wells.”
What is the most simple and efficient way to
stop unwanted gas and water production?
1. Produce the gas/water, and then separate
the gas and water at the platform.
2. Build a subsea factory where you
separate the gas/water.
3. Stop the gas and water in the reservoir.
Application Areas of AICV®
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Stop gas in oil fields
Stop water in (heavy) oil field
Stop steam in bitumen production
Stop CO2 in EOR
Our experience - Technology Development
• To get research & development funding is easy
• To find investors/capital is easy
• To find oil companies in Norway that wish to pilot
new technology is hard
• To find oil companies in Middle East that wish to
pilot new technology is easier
• To qualify oil technology in Norway is (too) hard
• Oil companies in Norway doesn’t like smaller
companies
• Many doesn’t welcome new technology
• Technology development and innovation is
challenging, but very funny
Thank you!
Vidar Mathiesen, Dr.ing
CEO, Inflowcontrol AS
+47 93 09 61 93
[email protected]
www.inflowcontrol.no