TAQA unveils advanced M4 inflow control system

TAQA has launched its next-generation M4 Inflow Control System. This system allows operators to optimise reservoir performance while sustainably managing fluid production.

The M4 Inflow Control System regulates the flow of unwanted fluids like water and gas, preventing the binary (open/close) effect that can lead to instability or halting production. The system excels in controlling water in ultra-light and light applications and enhances gas production control, offering stability and flexibility across various reservoir conditions.

One of the system’s standout features is its advanced pilot control system, which is highly sensitive to density, making it suitable for a wide range of oil types, including ultra-light, light, medium, and heavy oils. Additionally, its multi-phase control capabilities allow the device to perform efficiently, regardless of its orientation in the wellbore.

Flexibility at sites

TAQA’s M4 Inflow Control System offers seamless ‘plug and play’ integration with its entire portfolio of inflow systems, optimising performance across all well and reservoir types. The design incorporates features such as last-minute capacity adjustments and the ability to circulate to the bottom, ensuring ease of installation and flexibility, even at the rig site.

The system is engineered to maintain an open operating point for oil while being highly restricted for water, based on precise force field analysis confirmed through single and multi-phase flow testing. It has undergone rigorous testing in state-of-the-art multi-phase loops, evaluating the flow behaviour of water, oil, and gas mixtures under various conditions.

Although the system is not limited by oil viscosity, it has performed exceptionally well with oil viscosities as low as 0.5cP, tested alongside water to establish the optimal operating and control points at different water cuts. A comprehensive qualification matrix, including debris, erosion, and cycle testing, has also been completed.

Current market technologies often struggle to control water effectively when oil viscosities drop below 1cP, and there is a risk of turning into a “binary” open-close system, shutting off zones prematurely. TAQA’s new device overcomes both of these issues, ensuring reliable and efficient operation across a range of challenging conditions.

Dr Mojtaba Moradi, subsurface engineering manager of TAQA, said, “With the largest portfolio of inflow control systems more than 20 years of inflow control devices expertise, the M4 Inflow Control System represents the pinnacle of our innovation so far. This new generation offers water control by gradually reducing inflow as water production increases, avoiding premature well shut in.

Its main benefit is precision control based on reservoir production. The device allows operators to maximise output without risking shutting wells in, so they can manage production continuously and efficiently, which translates into obvious financial benefits.”