The Pierce Field, Blocks 23/22a and 23/27, UK North Sea

2020 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. 550-559 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Hale ◽  
R. Laird ◽  
J. Gavnholt ◽  
P. F. van Bergen

AbstractThe Pierce Field lies 250 km east of Aberdeen, in the UK sector of the East Central Graben. The field comprises twin salt diapirs, forming the trap for oil and free gas in the Paleocene–Eocene Forties Sandstone Member reservoir. The diapirs exerted a strong influence over the sedimentation of the reservoir, with the construction of multistorey sandstone bodies forming a complex reservoir geometry further complicated by a hydrodynamic aquifer.The field currently produces to the Haewene Brim floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) installation, and has undergone several phases of development as the understanding has matured. It was initially developed with six subsea horizontal oil producers tied back to the FPSO, with produced gas reinjected through two gas injectors. In 2004–05, water injection was introduced to South Pierce to provide increased pressure support and improve sweep. To maximize recovery, four additional oil producers were drilled between 2010 and 2016, with the final (third) gas injector drilled in 2010. Production is primarily constrained by topsides gas compression capacity leading to gas/oil ratio optimization being the focus of the current field management strategy.The final phase of field development, included in the original field development plan, involves depressurization of the field with the installation of a gas export line.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Al Jumah ◽  
Abdulkareem Hindawi ◽  
Fakhriya Shuaibi ◽  
Jasbindra Singh ◽  
Mohamed Siyabi ◽  
...  

Abstract The South Oman clusters A and B have reclassified their Deep-Water Disposal wells (DWD) into water injection (WI) wells. This is a novel concept where the excess treated water will be used in the plantation of additional reed beds (Cluster A) and the farming of palm trees (Cluster B), as well as act as pressure support for nearby fields. This will help solve multiple issues at different levels namely helping the business achieve its objective of sustained oil production, helping local communities with employment and helping the organization care for the environment by reducing carbon footprints. This reclassification covers a huge water volume in Field-A and Field-B where 60,000 m3/day and 40,000 m3/day will be injected respectively in the aquifer. The remaining total excess volume of approx. 200,000m3/d will be used for reed beds and Million Date Palm trees Project. The approach followed for the reclassification and routing of water will: Safeguard the field value (oil reserves) by optimum water injectionMaintain the cap-rock integrity by reduced water injection into the aquifer.Reduce GHG intensity by ±50% as a result of (i) reduced power consumption to run the DWD pumps and (ii) the plantation of trees (reed beds and palm trees).Generate ICV (in-country value) opportunities in the area of operations for the local community to use the excess water at surface for various projects.Figure 1DWD Reclassification benefits Multiple teams (subsurface. Surface, operations), interfaces and systems have been associated to reflect the re-classification project. This was done through collaboration of different teams and sections (i.e. EC, EDM, SAP, Nibras, OFM, etc). Water injection targets and several KPIs have been incorporated in various dashboards for monitoring and compliance purposes. Figure 2Teams Integration and interfaces It offers not only a significant boost to the sustainability of the business, but also pursues PDO's Water Management Strategy to reduce Disposal to Zero by no later than the year 2030 This paper will discuss how the project was managed, explain the evaluation done to understand the extent of the pressure support in nearby fields from DWD and the required disposal rate to maintain the desired pressures. Hence, reclassifying that part of deep-water disposal volume to water injection (WI) which requires a totally different water flood management system to be built around it.


2020 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. 479-487 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew G. Couch ◽  
Samantha Eatwell ◽  
Olu Daini

AbstractThe Huntington Oil Field is located in Block 22/14b in the Central Graben of the UK Continental Shelf. The reservoir is the Forties Sandstone Member of the Sele Formation, and oil production is from four production wells supported by two water-injection wells, tied back to the Sevan Voyageur FPSO (floating production storage and offloading unit). Initial estimates of oil-in-place were c. 70 MMbbl and the recovery factor at the end of 2017 after 4.5 years of production was 28%, which reflects the weak aquifer and poor pressure support from water injection. The Huntington reservoir is part of a lobate sheet sand system, where low-concentration turbidite sands and linked debrites are preserved between thin mudstones of regional extent. Within the reservoir, three of the thicker mudstone beds can be correlated biostratigraphically on a regional basis. This stacked lobate part of the system sits above a large-scale deep-water Forties channel that is backfilled by a system of vertically aggrading channel storeys. Despite the relatively high net/gross of the reservoir, the thin but laterally extensive mudstones in the upper (lobate) part of the system are effective aquitards and barriers to pressure support from water.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vil Syrtlanov ◽  
Yury Golovatskiy ◽  
Ivan Ishimov

Abstract In this paper the simplified way is proposed for predicting the dynamics of liquid production and estimating the parameters of the oil reservoir using diagnostic curves, which are a generalization of analytical approaches, partially compared with the results of calculations on 3D simulation models and with actual well production data.


2020 ◽  
pp. 57-60
Author(s):  
K.I. Mustafaev ◽  
◽  
◽  

The production of residual oil reserves in the fields being in a long-term exploitation is of current interest. The extraction of residual oil in such fields was cost-effective and simple technological process and is always hot topic for researchers. Oil wells become flooded in the course of time. The appearance of water shows in production wells in the field development and operation is basically negative occurrence and requires severe control. Namely for this reason, the studies were oriented, foremost, to the prevention of water shows in production well and the elimination of its complications as well. The paper discusses the ways of reflux efficiency increase during long-term exploitation and at the final stages of development to prevent the irrigation and water use in production wells.


Author(s):  
Sorin Alexandru Gheorghiu ◽  
Cătălin Popescu

The present economic model is intended to provide an example of how to take into consideration risks and uncertainties in the case of a field that is developed with water injection. The risks and uncertainties are related, on one hand to field operations (drilling time, delays due to drilling problems, rig failures and materials supply, electric submersible pump [ESP] installations failures with the consequences of losing the well), and on the other hand, the second set of uncertainties are related to costs (operational expenditures-OPEX and capital expenditures-CAPEX, daily drilling rig costs), prices (oil, gas, separation, and water injection preparation), production profiles, and discount factor. All the calculations are probabilistic. The authors are intending to provide a comprehensive solution for assessing the business performance of an oil field development.


1991 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. M. Stewart ◽  
A. J. G. Faulkner

AbstractThe Emerald Oil Field lies in Blocks 2/10a, 2/15a and 3/1 lb in the UK sector of the northern North Sea. The field is located on the 'Transitional Shelf, an area on the western flank of the Viking Graben, downfaulted from the East Shetland Platform. The first well was drilled on the structure in 1978. Subsequently, a further seven wells have been drilled to delineate the field.The Emerald Field is an elongate dip and fault closed structure subparallel to the local NW-SE regional structural trend. the 'Emerald Sandstone' forms the main reservoir of the field and comprises a homogeneous transgressive unit of Callovian to Bathonian age, undelain by tilted Precambrian and Devonian Basement Horst blocks. Sealing is provided by siltstones and shales of the overlying Healther and Kimmeridge Clay Formations. The reservoir lies at depths between 5150-5600 ft, and wells drilled to date have encountered pay thicknesses of 42-74 ft. Where the sandstone is hydrocarbon bearing, it has a 100% net/ gross ratio. Porosities average 28% and permeabilities lie in the range 0-1 to 1.3 darcies. Wireline and test data indicate that the field contains a continouous oil column of 200 ft. Three distinct structural culminations exist on and adjacent to the field, which give rise to three separate gas caps, centred around wells 2/10a-4, 2/10a-7 and 2/10a-6 The maximum flow rate achieved from the reservoir to date is 6822 BOPD of 24° API oil with a GOR of 300 SCF/STBBL. In-place hydrocarbons are estimated to be 216 MMBBL of oil and 61 BCF of gas, with an estimated 43 MMBBL of oil recoverable by the initial development plan. initial development drilling began in Spring 1989 and the development scheme will use a floating production system. Production to the facility, via flexible risers, is from seven pre-drilled deviated wells with gas lift. An additional four pre-drilled water injection wells will provide reservoir pressure support.


1994 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 92
Author(s):  
G. B. Salter ◽  
W. P. Kerckhoff

Development of the Cossack and Wanaea oil fields is in progress with first oil scheduled for late 1995. Wanaea oil reserves are estimated in the order of 32 x 106m3 (200 MMstb) making this the largest oil field development currently underway in Australia.Development planning for these fields posed a unique set of challenges.Key subsurface uncertainties are the requirement for water injection (Wanaea only) and well numbers. Strategies for managing these uncertainties were studied and appropriate flexibility built-in to planned facilities.Alternative facility concepts including steel/concrete platforms and floating options were studied-the concept selected comprises subsea wells tied-back to production/storage/export facilities on an FPSO located over Wanaea.In view of the high proportion of costs associated with the subsea components, significant effort was focussed on flowline optimisation, simplification and cost reduction. These actions have led to potential major economic benefits.Gas utilisation options included reinjection into the oil reservoirs, export for re-injection into North Rankin or export to shore. The latter requires the installation of an LPG plant onshore and was selected as the simplest, safest and the most economically attractive method.


Author(s):  
Robbie M. Lansangan ◽  
Mike Huffman

Abstract Nahcolite is a naturally occurring sodium bicarbonate mineral found in subsurface formations. American Soda LLP conducted field tests to prove that nahcolite can be deep mined using low-cost conventional solution mining method. The process involved the injection of hot, high pressure water down wells into a nahcolite deposit about 2,600 feet below the surface where the mineral is dissolved and brought to the surface for recovery. The monitoring and optimization of recovery efficiency based on scores of upstream process parameters, such as water injection rate, required the monitoring of produced liquid density. This was done initially with a mass meter located immediately downstream of the well head. Co-production of small amounts of gas, mainly methane and carbon dioxide, entrained in the liquid phase prevented the accurate measurement of the solution density using a Coriolis meter technology. Premier Instruments provided a remedy with a gas liquid cylindrical cyclone (GLCC© 1) separator properly sized and engineered for the process requirements. A gas control valve with liquid level feedback was used to eliminate the entrained gas in the liquid phase. This strategy proved to be functional which allowed American Soda to proceed with the field development. Today, 26 production wells employ the GLCC separator at each production well.


2020 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. 664-678 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Camm ◽  
L. E. Armstrong ◽  
A. Patel

AbstractThe Lower Cretaceous Britannia Field development is one of the largest and most significant undertaken on the UK Continental Shelf. Production started in 1998 via 17 pre-drilled development wells and was followed by a decade of intensive drilling, whereby a further 40 wells were added. In 2000 Britannia's plateau production of 800 MMscfgd supplied 8% of the UK's domestic gas requirements.As the field has matured, so too has its development strategy. Initial near-field development drilling targeting optimal reservoir thickness was followed by extended reach wells into the stratigraphic pinchout region. In 2014 a further strategy shift was made, moving from infill drilling to a long-term compression project to maximize existing production. During its 20-year history the Britannia Platform has undergone numerous changes. In addition to compression, production from five satellite fields has been routed through the facility: Caledonia (2003), Callanish and Brodgar (2008), Enochdhu (2015) and Alder (2016). A new field, Finlaggan, is due to be brought through Britannia's facilities in 2020, helping to maximize value from the asset for years to come.As Britannia marks 20 years of production it has produced c. 600 MMboe – surpassing the original ultimate recoverable estimate of c. 570 MMboe – and is still going strong today.


2020 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. 523-536 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zoë Sayer ◽  
Jonathan Edet ◽  
Rob Gooder ◽  
Alexandra Love

AbstractMachar is one of several diapir fields located in the Eastern Trough of the UK Central North Sea. It contains light oil in fractured Cretaceous–Danian chalk and Paleocene sandstones draped over and around a tall, steeply-dipping salt diapir that had expressed seafloor relief during chalk deposition. The reservoir geology represents a complex interplay of sedimentology and evolving structure, with slope-related redeposition of both the chalk and sandstone reservoirs affecting distribution and reservoir quality. The best reservoir quality occurs in resedimented chalk (debris flows) and high-density turbidite sandstones. Mapping and characterizing the different facies present has been key to reservoir understanding.The field has been developed by water injection, with conventional sweep in the sandstones and imbibition drive in the chalk. Although the chalk has high matrix microporosity, permeability is typically less than 2 mD, and fractures are essential for achieving high flow rates; test permeabilities can be up to 1500 mD. The next phase of development is blowdown, where water injection is stopped and the field allowed to depressurize. This commenced in February 2018.


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