A study was conducted to determine the optimal recompletion for an offshore Abu Dhabi well. The candidate well was completed as open hole in a complex carbonate reservoir with faults and fractures and suffering from rapid increases in water cut. To quantify the value of recompleting the well with inflow control device (ICD) completions, a dynamic simulation modeling and optimization workflow was applied.

To evaluate the best completion design, the dynamic model was refined and history matched in the sector area of the well using multisegmented well technique. The number of downhole compartments (sections between packers), location of packers, and ICD flow area were simultaneously optimized to determine the best completion options for the candidate well using an objective function that included both the value of oil and the cost of water. The ICD flow area per compartment was reverse engineered into an appropriate number of ICD joints and set of nozzles as part of the completion design process.

The workflow provided a quantitative method for choosing the most appropriate horizontal well completion and demonstrated significant value for installing downhole flow control devices. The presentation of the results in terms of oil gain and water reduction for the different objective functions provided a clear indication about the best completion options, depending on the cost or aversion for water production versus the value of oil.