BECH Products, the next generation “smart” well completion tools

Providing improved reservoir drainage, improved injection, and greatly improved proppant and sand placement.

We have the three new products for wellbore (downhole) integration:

1. BECH-AFD (autonomous flow control device) as described in the May 2010 issue of the SPE magazine JPT
   

2. BECH-FRAC
   

3. BECH-FAFD
   

These products are developed and provided through our spin-off company BECH Wellbore Flow Control AS in Norway.

BECH - STATOIL COOPERATION

September 12, 2011: BECH Wellbore Flow Control AS is developing an autonomous down hole flow control device, (BECH-AFD), that automatically adjusts its choke setting to required inflow or injection, as reservoir pressure changes with depletion/injection.

The project will include performing detailed engineering and design of our patented BECH-AFD, followed by piloting and testing/qualification of the complete autonomous valve system.

This is funded under Statoil’s LOOP product development program, which supports new innovative technologies that enhance their business areas. Partial funding is being provided by Innovation Norway and Skattefunn, while also the share holders of BECH contribute with a substantial funding.

BECH is pleased to work on this next generation self-adjusting “ICD” with Statoil, which is a leading user of inflow control devices.

Example photo at right shows ICD falling off to close to no flow, while AFD maintains original flow rate. (Fluid flowed through is viscous sun flower oil.)
dP across valves is 4 bar (59 psi) where AFT maintains a flow through of 23 liters/hour.

See also YouTube or Vimeo video. Click here to learn more what’s really happening and what benefits this has with respect to wellbore implementation.

The graph above illustrates very well how our AFD maintains the preset flow rate (Y-axis) with decreasing dP (being pressure differential from the reservoir to the wellbore) illustrated here in bar along the x-axis. Note the rapid drop off of flow rate through the ICD.

Each AFD mandrel can hold up to 4 AFD´s. Hence, above flow rates can be multiplied by 4. Note also that we can set the AFD to higher flow rates than illustrated if required.

BECH-AFD (Autonomous Flow-control Device)

ICD’s, (inflow control devices), have been incorporated into well completions for years. They are passive chokes set at surface prior to installation. Pressure drop will occur over time, which can greatly diminish the effectiveness of ICD’s.

This is exactly the function that we have implemented in the BECH-AFD, autonomous flow-regulating device: it is self-regulating and installed as an integrated part of the ICD completion tools and requires no lines to surface.

LEARN MORE:
See videos of BECH-AFD compared to standard type ICD, plus other information from Dr. Aadnoy about the use of such technologies.

Key features, BECH-AFD (autonomous flow-control valve):

1. Automatically adjust flow or injection rate to desired setting, to accommodate changing reservoir pressure, as well as individual changes in reservoir pressure at various locations throughout reservoir
   

2. Improves efficiency and value of ICD installations
   

3. Can be used in horizontal, as well as vertical wellbores
   

4. Can be used to control inflow from multilateral wellbore sections
   

5. Can be designed to be retrofitted into existing completion
   
   

AFD background:

Dr. Bernt Aadnoy, professor at the University of Stavanger, invented the BECH autonomous flow control valve. Bernt has published a number of SPE papers and has also authored the SPE book Advanced Drilling and Well Technology.

He has performed in-depth investigation and evaluation of ICD’s, and has found several shortcomings in the technologies offered today. From this, he came up with the patented method of incorporating an autonomous flow control valve (AFD) in the downstream location of the chokes. This solution, called the Rygervalve initially, provides significant advantages when reservoir pressure and/or pressure between the various reservoir locations along a horizontal wellbore, changes by depletion or injection.

See YouTube or video at bottom of this web page, where Dr. Aadnoy explains the function of the his valve design.

Dr. Aadnoy:
“From a production perspective the AFD will maintain nearly constant flow throughout the life of the well. The ICD chokes too much at low drawdown, which is not beneficial at the end of the wells life.  If you have a horizontal well with the OWC horizontal below, theoretically you can empty the reservoir before you get 100 % water cut.
The autonomous valve can play an important role in the field economy as it can drain the field at nearly half the time of the ICD, with an improved performance.”

BECH-FRAC (Frac sleeve)

BECH-FRAC is a new multi-position frac sleeve that increases production by keeping the proppant in the fractures to hold them open. Often we hear that fractures in the shale formations close quickly which contributes to rapid decline in production rates. The BECH-FRAC will help reduce that problem.

Key features, BECH-FRAC:

1. Separate outflow and inflow ports, that allows placement of proppants/sand into fractures while preventing flowback of this when producing well
   

2. •Prevent loss of proppants/sand when flowing well
   

3. •Minimize fracture collapse due to loss of proppants/sand
   

4. •Remove need for resin-coated proppants?
   

5. •Minimizes proppants/sand fill in horizontal borehole, reducing clean out cost and improving well intervention successes
   

6. The valve can as an option incorporate AFD functions into wells that are stimulated using “frac sleeves”
   

7. Introduce also the additional option to incorporate the BECH autonomous flow regulating valve
   

8. Ability to close off flow through valve, by well intervention
   

9. Can be adapted to frac sleeves from supplier of your choice
   
   

BECH-FAFD (“Smart” frac sleeve)

Our BECH-FAFD is a combination of above of the BECH-AFD and BECH-FRAC.

Key features, BECH-FAFD:

1. Introduce the ability to install AFD’s in unconventional resource (oil/gas) wells that are fractured with proppants/sand
   

2. Introduce an improved reservoir drainage
   

3. Improved water unloading from the individual stimulated zones to improve gas production
   

4. Can be closed by intervention to shut of gas or water inflow
   

Patents pending.

Additional reading:

The following papers, including several from SPE, relate to ICD’s and provide good information regarding history, function, and a detailed description of the autonomous flow device:

1. SPE paper 122824, Analysis of inflow control devices, by Bernt S. Aadnoy et al. Featured in the May 2010 issue of the JPT magazine, page 52.
   
   

2. A short note on inflow performance related to ICD´s and Facts and Fictions about Inflow Control Devices, by Bernt S. Aadnoy
   
   

3. A new inflow control device, the Rygervalve, by Bernt S. Aadnoy
   
   

4. SPE paper 124154, Practical consideration of an inflow control device application for reducing water production, by Liang-Biao Ouyang
   
   

5. SPE paper 124677, Understanding the roles of inflow-control devices in optimizing horizontal-well performance, by Preston Fernandez, Zhuoyi Li and D. Zhu
   
   

6. Effects of slug flow through ICD’s and AFD’s by Bernt S. Aadnoy
   
   

7. More online video’s
   

Sketches

HANSEN Energy Solutions LLC and two external partners have established the company BECH Wellbore Flow Control AS in Norway, where HANSEN is responsible for the BECH business. This company owns the IP described on this web page.

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HANSEN Energy Solutions LLC