Tendeka, a leading completion solutions provider, has successfully deployed the world’s first slimhole inflow control device (ICD) completion in a sandstone reservoir in the Gulf of Mexico.

Due to a severely depleted reservoir with difficult drilling conditions, the well was planned as a re-entry out of a 5” liner with a 4 1/8” openhole which negated the use of conventional technologies.

Offset wells with sand control equipment installed experienced very high completion skin and used a variety of high rate water packs, frac-packs and expandable screens.

Tendeka’s solution consisted of inflow control screens and swellable packers installed in a 4 1/8” openhole section. Coarse metal mesh sand screens were used to minimise the plugging of sand and mud during well flowback, and the swellable packers were of a slip on sleeve design that are simple and quick to install.

The technology used was based on a successful 3 7/8” openhole re-entry completion previously deployed by Tendeka in the Middle East. Tendeka’s new FloRight 2 3/8” ultra slim hole ICD screen system was used across the 170 metre zone at a depth in excess of 4000 metres.

Benn Voll, Area Manager said: “We are delighted that the installation of our slimhole ICD completion has proved so successful, and we look forward to completing further projects in the future.”