Mature fields
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Intelligent completions could improve many of the world’s oil and gas wells, but not all are suited to the technology. There is another option.
This paper addresses how close collaboration has enabled the development of a robust and cost-efficient solution for the Ormen Lange project by using carefully selected technology elements and an accelerated qualification process to mature them.
As Africa’s top oil producer, Libya is ramping up momentum—offering 22 exploration areas and welcoming BP back to Tripoli with a major deal.
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In maturing oil wells, oil production is often restricted as reservoir pressure depletes. Two case studies highlight the application of two-screw multiphase pump systems in to extend well life. -
The Samarang oil field, offshore Sabah, Malaysia, is undergoing a redevelopment project with integrated operations. Several work flows were designed and deployed in order to achieve an early milestone of providing real-time well-performance monitoring, surveillance, and optimization.
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The surge in unconventional completions has created a substantial accumulation of previously hydraulically fractured wells that are candidates for hydraulic refracturing.
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A matured field is currently producing with greater than 85% water cut (WC) and has significant levels of uncertainty with respect to oil/water contact (OWC), flank structure, depth of spill points, production allocation, and residual oil saturation.
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One of the most promising targets for resource-rock stimulation in South America is the Vaca Muerta (VM) shale in western Argentina.
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The surge in unconventional completions over the last decade has created ample candidates for hydraulic refracturing, which has been demonstrated to be a viable alternative to the more expensive endeavor of drilling and completing new wells.
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Mature fields still have value, and technology can help to capture that value through increased efficiency and reduced costs.
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Europe’s largest onshore oil field, the Patos-Marinza in southern Albania, has been given a new lease on life after seeing production soar from 600 B/D just over a decade ago to more than 20,000 B/D this year.
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The development and upgrade of mature facilities is ultimately driven by the significant shift in the composition of the arrival fluids, mainly the increasing water cut and solids production.
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The SPE Separations Technology Technical Section (STTS) hosted a special session titled “Unlocking Hidden Production Potential in Existing and Mature Fields” during the recent ATCE.
