Halliburton installs 300th FlexRite System in North Sea
HOUSTON -- In 2012, an operator required a solution for achieving new levels of zonal control in its multilateral wells. Traditionally, many multilateral wells have consisted of multiple branches commingled in a completion solution that provides greatly increased reservoir exposure, but with limitations on control over individual branches and zones. A new completion solution was required that would address challenges such as water and/or gas breakthroughs in laterals, and allow for greater productivity and well life.
Halliburton worked with the operator to develop the FlexRite Multibranch Inflow Control (MIC) System, which was the first TAML Level 5 junction of its kind to allow upper completion components to be run through the junction – thus representing a step change in the possibilities for advanced completion solutions.
The FlexRite MIC system allows a multilateral well to be completed with sand screens, swellable packers, inflow control devices (ICDs), and interval control valves (ICVs) to help increase reservoir exposure and maximize production from each multilateral leg. It allows individual branch control of stacked (three legs or more) multilateral wells, and a single-trip completion system consisting of multiple slim-hole ICVs can be deployed through stacked TAML Level 5 multilateral junctions. Using the FlexRite MIC system, an unlimited number of MIC junctions can be installed into a given well. Now, production or injection can be managed and controlled at each individual lateral totally independent of all other lateral legs.
