This paper describes a case history detailing design, planning, completions, testing, and production of the first worldwide Hydraulic Line Wet Mate (HLWM) connect system. The system was installed in combination with a pod type electrical submersible pump (ESP) in an intelligent completion (IC) dual lateral well in an offshore field in Saudi Arabia. In this field, most of the existing wells are horizontal oil producers drilled in a high-Darcy sandstone reservoir. Inflow control devices (ICDs) are run inside the open hole in both the mother bore and the upper lateral as a part of the lower completion. The upper completion includes IC inflow control valves (ICVs) installed in combination with an ESP. The engineering challenges facing such completions stem from the requirement for hydraulic control lines that are required by the IC for operation and how these control lines are installed as they need to pass the downhole ESP. While the hydraulic control lines could be considered permanent, the ESPs are not as they require periodic replacement whenever they fail. Therefore, the challenge of pulling the ESP system because of ESP failures while maintaining the integrity of the hydraulic control lines used for operating the lower IC is paramount. The HLWM connect system provides the solution to the challenges faced when integrating ESP operations with IC (ICVs, multiport packers, etc.). It provides the flexibility to replace the ESP without having to retrieve the IC, which saves both cost and time.

The HLWM connect system provides connections for hydraulic control lines in a two-stage intelligent well completion and allows combination of IC with an ESP. It can operate in highly deviated wells and allows multiple connect/disconnect cycles during tubing spaceout.

The appraisal and acceptance loop of the completion has been closed by having these wells completed, put on production, and tested. Approval of technology was achieved and the anticipated benefits are realized by actual performance of the flow control valves (FCVs) in the IC downhole through the HLWM connect system.

Leveraged knowledge from this pioneer installation has provided an insight into HLWM capabilities and implementation. Moreover, it has set the stage for other field's application of this technology within Saudi Aramco.