ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF THE KUTUBU RESERVOIR MANAGEMENT STRATEGY

1995 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 121
Author(s):  
T.N. Magner

In spite of all the of the studies and analyses conducted since the initial oil discovery in 1986, considerable uncertainty existed over the expected performance of the Kutubu reservoirs prior to initial production. Extensive use of reservoir simulation during the field development helped overcome technical challenges in the development phase. Continued modelling work has increased understanding of reservoir behaviour, identified additional development opportunities and further enhanced field economics.Since First Oil in June 1992, over 100 MMSTB of light, sweet Kutubu crude oil have been produced and exported {through October 1994). At present, the field produces approximately 120,000 STBO/D from 27 vertical wells and two horizontal wells. Reservoir pressure maintenance is provided by gravity-stable re-injection of produced gas into five wells.On the whole, the reservoirs have met or exceeded expectations to date. This is in part due to the effective planning and implementation of a strategy to manage the Kutubu reservoirs. This reservoir management strategy combines an aggressive program of reservoir surveillance, data collection, computer simulation and continuous reassessment of previous assumptions.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oswaldo Espinola Gonzalez ◽  
Laura Paola Vazquez Macedo ◽  
Julio Cesar Villanueva Alonso ◽  
Julieta Alvarez Martinez

Abstract The proper exploitation for a gas condensate reservoir requires an integrated collaboration and management strategy capable to provide detailed insight about future behavior of the reservoir. When a development plan is generated for a field, the reservoir management is not performed integrally, this is, different domains: geology, reservoir, drilling, production, economics, etc., work separately, and therefore, an adequate understanding of the main challenges, leading to issues such as an over dimensioning of surface facilities, excessive costs, among others. Through this paper, a methodology to improve the conventional field development plan is described, which contains 4 main pillars: Collaborative approach, Integrated analysis, engineering optimization and monitoring & surveillance. The methodology involves the description of a hybrid workflow based on the integration of multiple domains, technologies and recommendations to consider all the phenomena and compositional changes over time in the whole production system, aiming to define the optimum reservoir management strategy, facilities and operational philosophy as part of the Field Development Plan (FDP). Conventionally, the used of simplistic models most of times do not allow seeing phenomena in the adequate resolution (near wellbore and porous media effects, multiphase flow in pipelines, etc.), that occur with high interdependency in the Integrated Production System. With this methodology, the goal pursued is to support oil and gas companies to increase the recovery factor of gas condensate fields through the enhancement in the development and exploitation process and therefore, reducing associated costs and seizing available time and resources.


2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammed Al-Habsi ◽  
Augustine Ikwumonu ◽  
Khalid Khabouri ◽  
Keith Rawnsley ◽  
Ibrahim Al-Ismaili ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Obinna Somadina Ezeaneche ◽  
Robinson Osita Madu ◽  
Ishioma Bridget Oshilike ◽  
Orrelo Jerry Athoja ◽  
Mike Obi Onyekonwu

Abstract Proper understanding of reservoir producing mechanism forms a backbone for optimal fluid recovery in any reservoir. Such an understanding is usually fostered by a detailed petrophysical evaluation, structural interpretation, geological description and modelling as well as production performance assessment prior to history matching and reservoir simulation. In this study, gravity drainage mechanism was identified as the primary force for production in reservoir X located in Niger Delta province and this required proper model calibration using variation of vertical anisotropic ratio based on identified facies as against a single value method which does not capture heterogeneity properly. Using structural maps generated from interpretation of seismic data, and other petrophysical parameters from available well logs and core data such as porosity, permeability and facies description based on environment of deposition, a geological model capturing the structural dips, facies distribution and well locations was built. Dynamic modeling was conducted on the base case model and also on the low and high case conceptual models to capture different structural dips of the reservoir. The result from history matching of the base case model reveals that variation of vertical anisotropic ratio (i.e. kv/kh) based on identified facies across the system is more effective in capturing heterogeneity than using a deterministic value that is more popular. In addition, gas segregated fastest in the high case model with the steepest dip compared to the base and low case models. An improved dynamic model saturation match was achieved in line with the geological description and the observed reservoir performance. Quick wins scenarios were identified and this led to an additional reserve yield of over 1MMSTB. Therefore, structural control, facies type, reservoir thickness and nature of oil volatility are key forces driving the gravity drainage mechanism.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Boucher ◽  
Josef Shaoul ◽  
Inna Tkachuk ◽  
Mohammed Rashdi ◽  
Khalfan Bahri ◽  
...  

Abstract A gas condensate field in the Sultanate of Oman has been developed since 1999 with vertical wells, with multiple fractures targeting different geological units. There were always issues with premature screenouts, especially when 16/30 or 12/20 proppant were used. The problems placing proppant were mainly in the upper two units, which have the lowest permeability and the most heterogeneous lithology, with alternating sand and shaly layers between the thick competent heterolith layers. Since 2015, a horizontal well pilot has been under way to determine if horizontal wells could be used for infill drilling, focusing on the least depleted units at the top of the reservoir. The horizontal wells have been plagued with problems of high fracturing pressures, low injectivity and premature screenouts. This paper describes a comprehensive analysis performed to understand the reasons for these difficulties and to determine how to improve the perforation interval selection criteria and treatment approach to minimize these problems in future horizontal wells. The method for improving the success rate of propped fracturing was based on analyzing all treatments performed in the first seven horizontal wells, and categorizing their proppant placement behavior into one of three categories (easy, difficult, impossible) based on injectivity, net pressure trend, proppant pumped and screenout occurrence. The stages in all three categories were then compared with relevant parameters, until a relationship was found that could explain both the successful and unsuccessful treatments. Treatments from offset vertical wells performed in the same geological units were re-analyzed, and used to better understand the behavior seen in the horizontal wells. The first observation was that proppant placement challenges and associated fracturing behavior were also seen in vertical wells in the two uppermost units, although to a much lesser extent. A strong correlation was found in the horizontal well fractures between the problems and the location of the perforated interval vertically within this heterogeneous reservoir. In order to place proppant successfully, it was necessary to initiate the fracture in a clean sand layer with sufficient vertical distance (TVT) to the heterolith (barrier) layers above and below the initiation point. The thickness of the heterolith layers was also important. Without sufficient "room" to grow vertically from where it initiates, the fracture appears to generate complex geometry, including horizontal fracture components that result in high fracturing pressures, large tortuosity friction, limited height growth and even poroelastic stress increase. This study has resulted in a better understanding of mechanisms that can make hydraulic fracturing more difficult in a horizontal well than a vertical well in a laminated heterogeneous low permeability reservoir. The guidelines given on how to select perforated intervals based on vertical position in the reservoir, rather than their position along the horizontal well, is a different approach than what is commonly used for horizontal well perforation interval selection.


2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (03) ◽  
pp. 391-402
Author(s):  
Sunday Amoyedo ◽  
Emmanuel Ekut ◽  
Rasaki Salami ◽  
Liliana Goncalves-Ferreira ◽  
Pascal Desegaulx

Summary This paper presents case studies focused on the interpretation and integration of seismic reservoir monitoring from several fields in conventional offshore and deepwater Niger Delta. The fields are characterized by different geological settings and development-maturity stages. We show different applications varying from qualitative to quantitative use of time-lapse (4D) seismic information. In the first case study, which is in shallow water, the field has specific reservoir-development challenges, simple geology, and is in phased development. On this field, 4D seismic, which was acquired several years ago, is characterized by poor seismic repeatability. Nevertheless, we show that because of improvements from seismic reprocessing, 4D seismic makes qualitative contributions to the ongoing field development. In the second case study, the field is characterized by complex geological settings. The 4D seismic is affected by overburden with strong lateral variations in velocity and steeply dipping structure (up to 40°). Prestack-depth-imaging (PSDM) 4D seismic is used in a more-qualitative manner to monitor gas injection, validate the geologic/reservoir models, optimize infill injector placement, and consequently, enhance field-development economics. The third case study presents a deep offshore field characterized by a complex depositional system for some reservoirs. In this example, good 4D-seismic repeatability (sum of source- and receiver-placement differences between surveys, dS+dR) is achieved, leading to an increased quantitative use of 4D monitoring for the assessment of sand/sand communication, mapping of oil/water (OWC) front, pressure evolution, and dynamic calibration of petro-elastic model (PEM), and also as a seismic-based production-logging tool. In addition, 4D seismic is used to update seismic interpretation, provide a better understanding of internal architecture of the reservoirs units, and, thereby, yield a more-robust reservoir model. The 4D seismic in this field is a key tool for field-development optimization and reservoir management. The last case study illustrates the need for seismic-feasibility studies to detect 4D responses related to production. In addition to assessing the impact of the field environment on the 4D- seismic signal, these studies also help in choosing the optimum seismic-survey type, design, and acquisition parameters. These studies would possibly lead to the adoption of new technologies such as broad-band streamer or nodes acquisition in the near future.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document