Zonal Water Injection Technology for Highly-deviated Wells

Case Studies
Basic information of Well NP32-X3025 in Jidong Oilfield
Maximum deviation angle 50.7 Formation temperature 116.71C
Artificial hole depth 3,614m Tubing pressure 11MPa
3-layers/3-stages Casing pressure 0MPa

The downhole valves are fully open. Before the use of this technology,
eccentric string was used to conduct separate layer water injection at three
stages. Downhole valves were run and fished via a wireline to implement
measurement and adjustment.

Flowrate allocation program

Layer 1 3451.0-3470.0m No water injection initially
Layer 2 3507.6-3559.4m Water injected at a rate of 50m3/d
Layer 3 3624.0-3671.0m Water injected at a rate of 50m3/d

Operation process

1. On-line packer seal test 2. On-line measuring and adjusting of layer flowrate
50.0 120.0 50 48.3
Tubing Pressure Ball Pressure
Layer 2
41.6m3/d
50 40.2
40.0 96.0
56.4m3/d
Temperature C

Formation Pressure
Pressure MPa

Pressure MPa
40 32.2
Flowrate m3/d

Layer 3

Zonal Water Injection Technology

30.0 72.0
30 24.1

Temperature
20 16.1
O

20.0 48.0
0m3/d

for Highly-deviated Wells

10 8.0

10.0 24.0 Layer 1

0 0.0

0.0 0.0 -5
0.0 15.2 30.3 45.5 60.6 75.8 90.9 106.1 121.2 136.4 151.5 0 1 2 3 3.9 4.9 5.9 6.9 7.9 8.9 9.8

Time/min Time/min

Flowrate measurements

Allocated flowrate (m3/d) Actually measured Surface water Tubingpressure

water flowrate (m3/d) flowrate (m3/d) (MPa)

Full hole 100 98.0

Layer 1 0 0
100 13.48
Layer 2 50 56.4

Layer 3 50 41.6

Result of NP32-X3025 on-line water allocation measuring and adjustment

www.cnpc.com.cn
9 Dongzhimen North Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100007, P. R. China
 Zonal Water Injection Technology for Highly-deviated Wells

Water flooding is the most cost-effective proven method to maintain reservoir pressure so as to stabilize output
of oilfield and enhance development efficiency. As to highly heterogeneous reservoirs with high water cut, CNPC
has developed the zonal water injection technology for highly-deviated wells to further improve oil recovery by
water displacement.
By far, this technology has been applied in 11 wells, with the maximum deviation angle of 55, maximum
pressure of 56MPa and maximum temperature of 135C.
Technical Principle and Features
Downhole adjustable regulator
The regulator works downhole permanently to allocate flowrate at each layer. It is composed of locating
mechanism, adjustment structure, adjustable valve and bridge channel. The valve is integrated with the
regulator to eliminate the need for running and fishing.
Concentric connection and adjustment ensures high connection success rate in highly-deviated wells.
Eccentric valve with a small size has a maximum leakage of 0.5m3/d (22MPa) when the valve is fully closed.
Regulation torque is low and the valve is easy to regulate under the same differential pressure.

CNPCs zonal water injection technology for highly-deviated wells is based on a bridge concentric structure.
Concentric connection and adjustment between control instrument and regulator is adopted to ensure
successful connection for highly-deviated wells. The innovative eccentric valve features low leakage and low
regulation torque, making water regulating easy and convenient. Bridge channel is employed to enable direct
flowrate measuring for each layer and ensure measurement accuracy in highly-deviated wells.
Bridge channel is designed to eliminate inter-layer contradiction to ensure high efficiency.
During water allocation, the valve core moves in straight line without rotation, avoiding long-term impact.
Concentric adjustment

This technology enables on-line direct reading and measuring of multiple downhole parameters such as Eccentric valve
flowrate, tubing pressure, formation pressure and temperature for each water injected layer. Also it enables
downhole flowrate dynamic adjustment automatically with no need to run and fish downhole valve. A steel cable Bridge channel
with single core is employed for two-way data transmission. Flowrate measuring and adjusting at each layer can
be done efficiently and accurately with low cost and low operational risk. Downhole adjustable regulator

Cable measuring and adjusting instrument

It can obtain multiple downhole parameters such as layer flowrate, tubing pressure, formation pressure and
Zonal Water Injection System temperature in a real-time manner, and enables downhole flowrate dynamic adjustment automatically. The
instrument is composed of cable head, pressure sensor, support arm, high-precision electromagnetic flowmeter,
The zonal water injection system is composed of downhole regulator (including adjustable valve), downhole
two electrically controlled balls, regulating mechanism and weight bar (optional).
control instrument and surface control system. Concentric connection and adjustment between control
instrument and regulator is adopted to enable real-time monitoring of layer parameters, automatic measuring
and adjusting of flowrate and on-line packer seal test.

Pressure Monitor Control Circuit Support Arm Flow Meter Balls Down-sliding Mechanism Regulating Mechanism

Cable measuring and adjusting instrument

Downhole packer seal test instrument

It is conveyed in hole via a steel cable to be concentrically connected with the regulator. The instrument can
complete all packer seal test operations on line in just one trip. The instrument is composed of cable head,
support arm, seal balls, pressure sensors (tubing pressure, formation pressure and ball pressure), control circuit,
piston pump and weight bar (optional).

Cable Head Support Arm Balls Pressure Sensors Control Circuit Piston Pump

System configuration Downhole packer seal test instrument

 Zonal Water Injection Technology for Highly-deviated Wells

Water flooding is the most cost-effective proven method to maintain reservoir pressure so as to stabilize output
of oilfield and enhance development efficiency. As to highly heterogeneous reservoirs with high water cut, CNPC
has developed the zonal water injection technology for highly-deviated wells to further improve oil recovery by
water displacement.
By far, this technology has been applied in 11 wells, with the maximum deviation angle of 55, maximum
pressure of 56MPa and maximum temperature of 135C.
Technical Principle and Features
Downhole adjustable regulator
The regulator works downhole permanently to allocate flowrate at each layer. It is composed of locating
mechanism, adjustment structure, adjustable valve and bridge channel. The valve is integrated with the
regulator to eliminate the need for running and fishing.
Concentric connection and adjustment ensures high connection success rate in highly-deviated wells.
Eccentric valve with a small size has a maximum leakage of 0.5m3/d (22MPa) when the valve is fully closed.
Regulation torque is low and the valve is easy to regulate under the same differential pressure.

CNPCs zonal water injection technology for highly-deviated wells is based on a bridge concentric structure.
Concentric connection and adjustment between control instrument and regulator is adopted to ensure
successful connection for highly-deviated wells. The innovative eccentric valve features low leakage and low
regulation torque, making water regulating easy and convenient. Bridge channel is employed to enable direct
flowrate measuring for each layer and ensure measurement accuracy in highly-deviated wells.
Bridge channel is designed to eliminate inter-layer contradiction to ensure high efficiency.
During water allocation, the valve core moves in straight line without rotation, avoiding long-term impact.
Concentric adjustment

This technology enables on-line direct reading and measuring of multiple downhole parameters such as Eccentric valve
flowrate, tubing pressure, formation pressure and temperature for each water injected layer. Also it enables
downhole flowrate dynamic adjustment automatically with no need to run and fish downhole valve. A steel cable Bridge channel
with single core is employed for two-way data transmission. Flowrate measuring and adjusting at each layer can
be done efficiently and accurately with low cost and low operational risk. Downhole adjustable regulator

Cable measuring and adjusting instrument

It can obtain multiple downhole parameters such as layer flowrate, tubing pressure, formation pressure and
Zonal Water Injection System temperature in a real-time manner, and enables downhole flowrate dynamic adjustment automatically. The
instrument is composed of cable head, pressure sensor, support arm, high-precision electromagnetic flowmeter,
The zonal water injection system is composed of downhole regulator (including adjustable valve), downhole
two electrically controlled balls, regulating mechanism and weight bar (optional).
control instrument and surface control system. Concentric connection and adjustment between control
instrument and regulator is adopted to enable real-time monitoring of layer parameters, automatic measuring
and adjusting of flowrate and on-line packer seal test.

Pressure Monitor Control Circuit Support Arm Flow Meter Balls Down-sliding Mechanism Regulating Mechanism

Cable measuring and adjusting instrument

Downhole packer seal test instrument

It is conveyed in hole via a steel cable to be concentrically connected with the regulator. The instrument can
complete all packer seal test operations on line in just one trip. The instrument is composed of cable head,
support arm, seal balls, pressure sensors (tubing pressure, formation pressure and ball pressure), control circuit,
piston pump and weight bar (optional).

Cable Head Support Arm Balls Pressure Sensors Control Circuit Piston Pump

System configuration Downhole packer seal test instrument

 Zonal Water Injection Technology for Highly-deviated Wells

Case Studies
Basic information of Well NP32-X3025 in Jidong Oilfield
Maximum deviation angle 50.7 Formation temperature 116.71C
Artificial hole depth 3,614m Tubing pressure 11MPa
3-layers/3-stages Casing pressure 0MPa

The downhole valves are fully open. Before the use of this technology,
eccentric string was used to conduct separate layer water injection at three
stages. Downhole valves were run and fished via a wireline to implement
measurement and adjustment.

Flowrate allocation program

Layer 1 3451.0-3470.0m No water injection initially
Layer 2 3507.6-3559.4m Water injected at a rate of 50m3/d
Layer 3 3624.0-3671.0m Water injected at a rate of 50m3/d

Operation process

1. On-line packer seal test 2. On-line measuring and adjusting of layer flowrate
50.0 120.0 50 48.3
Tubing Pressure Ball Pressure
Layer 2
41.6m3/d
50 40.2
40.0 96.0
56.4m3/d
Temperature C

Formation Pressure
Pressure MPa

Pressure MPa
40 32.2
Flowrate m3/d

Layer 3

Zonal Water Injection Technology

30.0 72.0
30 24.1

Temperature
20 16.1
O

20.0 48.0
0m3/d

for Highly-deviated Wells

10 8.0

10.0 24.0 Layer 1

0 0.0

0.0 0.0 -5
0.0 15.2 30.3 45.5 60.6 75.8 90.9 106.1 121.2 136.4 151.5 0 1 2 3 3.9 4.9 5.9 6.9 7.9 8.9 9.8

Time/min Time/min

Flowrate measurements

Allocated flowrate (m3/d) Actually measured Surface water Tubingpressure

water flowrate (m3/d) flowrate (m3/d) (MPa)

Full hole 100 98.0

Layer 1 0 0
100 13.48
Layer 2 50 56.4

Layer 3 50 41.6

Result of NP32-X3025 on-line water allocation measuring and adjustment

www.cnpc.com.cn
9 Dongzhimen North Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100007, P. R. China