Use of Obturating Pills Combined with Low Concentration Acid Pills to Overcome Differential Stuck Challenges in Highly Deviated Wells

In 2020, A Major Offshore Operating Company in UAE faced a high differential pressure stuck event. This took place, during the execution of formation evaluation with a conveyed pipe sampling BHA. It is well known that after a differentially stuck pipe event happens, the success ratio will be time dependent (i.e. the less time a pipe remains stuck, the more chances there will be for it to become released) and the chances of releasing the BHA are always limited to the logging tools tensile limitations. One of the most common and successful methods to release differentially stuck BHA's specifically in limestone formations is by pumping and soaking acid pills. However, under such a high differential pressure environment, the use of acid may induce losses in the so called "thief zones", causing worse problems. The standard release procedure started by working the string within the tensile limits, followed by pumping acid pills (using the available volume mobilized before spudding each drilling section). During the first acid pills pumped to attempt to release the stuck pipe, loss volume pump rates, acid pill position(s) and coverage in the annulus was assessed and evaluated. Based on the results it was observed that the thief zone was in direct contact with the Pipe Conveyed circulation port, at the latching assembly. This then created a situation whereby, the acid pills were lost immediately after the acid came into contact with the formation. Utilizing low acid concentration pills also had the same effect. The solution was to pump an Obturating pill made-up of a weighting agent as a spacer behind the high volume, low concentration acid pill with crosslinking divergent chemicals, pumped at a high flow rate. This solution reduced the acid losses across the thief zone and once the Obturating pill came into contact with the loss zone, it facilitated the seal and cured the losses, by allowing the acid to move up the annulus until it reached the differentially stuck point and soaked across the problematic area. Once the acid pill was successfully placed at the required location using this method, the string was worked and successfully released. This combination of low concentration acid along with crosslinking divergent chemicals coupled with the Obturating pill behind the acid helped a major offshore operating company to pump the acid pill under partial losses only, to regain full circulation after only 10 bbl. of Obturating pill had entered inside the annulus. It allowed the acid pill to react across the stuck point, while keeping the string under low torque and compression. The operator was able to release the sampling BHA and bring it back to surface avoiding a lost in hole cost of around 4 MM$. The Obturating pill combined with low concentration CDC acid pill is proven to be a successful method in drilling operations when trying to release differentially stuck BHA's within a wellbore.

A Critical Evaluation of South Sudan’s Policy Framework for Health and Safety Management in the Oil and Gas Industry in Paloich- Melut County: A Case Study of Dar Petroleum Operating Company

The paper conducted a critical evaluation of South Sudan’s policy framework for health and safety management in the oil and gas industry in Paloich- Melut County with interests in Dar Petroleum Operating Company. Specifically, the study assessed the effect of government policy, the organizational practices that affects the health and safety management of community and to explore the challenges affecting the implementation of policy frameworks for health and safety management practices by Dar Petroleum Operating Company. Descriptive survey research design was used to collect quantitative and qualitative data thus following mixed method approach. Quantitative data was collected using questionnaires while Qualitative data was obtained from in-depth interviews. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis. The results revealed that government policy and organizational practices are positively and significantly related to health and safety management practices among oil exploration companies. However, organizational challenges and health and safety management practices among oil exploration companies is negatively and significantly related. The main challenges were lack of resources, poor leadership and corruption. The study concluded that an increase in adoption of Government Policy and organizational practices led to a significant increase on safety management practices among oil exploration companies. The study recommended that the oil and gas exploring companies strengthen the capacities of all concerned to achieve the sound management intellectual capital, exploration and production waste minimization, sound management of oil fields and hazardous wastes at all levels. Keywords: Health and Safety Management Practices, Government Policy, Company Policy, Organizational Practices & South Sudan

Geological modeling of a hydrocarbon reservoir in the northeastern Llanos Orientales basin of Colombia

An hydrocarbon reservoir was characterized via a detailed geologic model, which allowed estimation of the original oil in place. The study characterizes a hydrocarbon reservoir of two fields of unit C7 of the Carbonera Formation within the Llanos Orientales basin of Colombia. This was done using well logs, the structural surface of the regional datum of the area, segments of the Yuca fault and a local fault of the reservoir, the permeability equation, and J functions of the reservoir provided by the operating company. With this information, a two-fault model and a grid with 3D cells was created. Each cell was assigned with a value of facies and petrophysical properties: porosity, permeability, and water saturation, to obtain a 3D model of facies and petrophysical properties. Subsequently, we used the constructed models and oil-water contacts to calculate the original oil in place for each field. Field 1 has a volume of six million barrels of oil and field 2 has 9 million barrels.

Building the Digital Workplace on SharePoint to Support Drilling and Completion Activities

Over the last five years, the oil market has experienced its most significant downturn since 1990s which resulted in the greatest immediate impact on the exploration and development drilling segment of the industry. With the objective to counter the influence of this potentially long period of downturn in global oil price, oil & gas operators have opted for different approaches to secure their future recovery and growth. The digital transformation across their drilling and completion activities could be a solution which helps to improve the drilling efficiency, shorten the well time, and cut down the well cost to the tolerable investment. In addition to that, the need of switching to a digital environment has recently became an urgent requirement, especially when everywhere in the world applies the social distancing and work from home concept during Covid-19 pandemic. Therefore, establishing a digital workplace has set an approach in a way drilling and completion teams handling internal and external communications, collaborations and content management to support drilling and completion activities. In order to understand more in depth, this paper, as a part of the digital transformation project carried out by Phu Quoc Petroleum Operating Company (PQPOC), the Operator of Block B Gas Development Project (Blocks B&48/95 and 52/97) located offshore of the South West of Vietnam, will make clear how to build a digital workplace on SharePoint, what features should be included in this platform, and how it can support drilling and completion activities.

Countrywide Integrated Capacity Model – Enabling Production Planning and Performance Management Leveraging Big Data and Digitization of Engineering Workflows

Production planning and performance management imply diverse challenges, mainly when dealing at corporate level in an integrated operating company. Production forecast considers technical capacities, available capacities, and operationally agreed target capacities. Such complex process may hinder taking advantage of market opportunities at the right time. Proactive scenario management and information visibility across the organization are key for success. This paper intends to share the lessons learned while rolling out a countrywide integrated capacity model solution supporting corporate production planning and performance management. The rollout processes aimed at digitizing the monthly and yearly production forecasting. In addition, these processes shall enable formulating proactive scenarios for avoiding shortfalls, maximizing gas throughput, production ramp up, and minimizing operating cost from existing capacity. Abu Dhabi's Integrated Capacity Model is an integrated production planning and optimization system relying on a large-scale subsurface-to-surface integrated asset model system; in this paper, we focus on the incremental progress of the challenges derived from the various rollout efforts. The rollout of such a complex solution relies on basic tenets for managing the change across a large organization. The first tactic is about continuous stakeholder engagement through value demonstration and capabilities building. Engagement is achieved by continuously providing information about proactive shortfall and opportunity identification within the installed asset capacity. Monthly asset reviews provide the basis for user interaction and initiate the basis for establishing ad-hoc production maximization scenarios. Establishing a data governance and performance metrics were also key for embedding the solution in the business processes. The solution delivers tangible and intangible value. From the tangible point of view, it contributes to production efficiency gains by compensating during specific proactively identified shortfalls and after-the-fact events. As a result, our solution has been instrumental in deriving cost reduction scenarios and profitability gains due to optimum GOR management. In addition, the system use has reported various intangible gains in terms of better data utilization, enhanced corporate database quality and reduced overall human load in managing production capacity. The solution described in the paper implements a simpler way the production planning and performance management at corporate level in a large integrated operating company. The in-house developed tool and its implementation is a novel approach in terms of integration, complexity, and practical application to the fields in Abu Dhabi.

The Algorithm of a Game-Based System in the Relation between an Operator and a Technical Object in Management of E-Commerce Logistics Processes with the Use of Machine Learning

Machine learning (ML) is applied in various logistic processes utilizing innovative techniques (e.g., the use of drones for automated delivery in e-commerce). Early challenges showed the insufficient drones’ steering capacity and cognitive gap related to the lack of theoretical foundation for controlling algorithms. The aim of this paper is to present a game-based algorithm of controlling behaviours in the relation between an operator (OP) and a technical object (TO), based on the assumption that the game is logistics-oriented and the algorithm is to support ML applied in e-commerce optimization management. Algebraic methods, including matrices, Lagrange functions, systems of differential equations, and set-theoretic notation, have been used as the main tools. The outcome is a model of a game-based optimization process in a two-element logistics system and an algorithm applied to find optimal steering strategies. The algorithm has been initially verified with the use of simulation based on a Bayesian network (BN) and a structured set of possible strategies (OP/TO) calculated with the use of QGeNie Modeller, finally prepared for Python. It has been proved the algorithm at this stage has no deadlocks and unforeseen loops and is ready to be challenged with the original big set of learning data from a drone-operating company (as the next stage of the planned research).

High Energy Piping Walkdowns in Compliance With ASME B31.1

This paper discusses high energy piping (HEP) system walkdown requirements and guidelines in compliance with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) B31.1 Code. Chapter VII states that the Operating Company shall develop and implement a program requiring documentation of piping support readings and recorded piping system displacements. Guidelines for this program are provided in Nonmandatory Appendix V, para. V-7. The Code also requires that the Operating Company shall evaluate the effects of unexpected piping position changes, significant vibrations, and malfunctioning supports on the piping system’s integrity and safety. These requirements and guidelines have been developed for personnel safety and piping system reliability. The HEP system should be maintained to behave as expected in the original design analysis unless a field change is justified by qualified personnel. The walkdown program should be an integral part of an asset integrity management program, including observations, documentation, evaluations, corrective actions, and countermeasures. A thorough HEP system walkdown includes more than documented hanger readings. It should include visual assessments of possible sagging pipe, unusual pipe slopes, building structure damage, lagging/insulation damage, locked spring hangers, piping interferences, damaged spring coils, loose/missing support fasteners, unloaded rigid supports, bent struts, insufficient hydraulic fluid in snubbers, detached Teflon strips on sliding supports, and confirmation that the current supports are consistent with the original design specifications. If accessible, it should be confirmed that there are no gaps in the sliding supports. This paper illustrates that it is now possible to photographically document spring support position indicator readings from distances up to 30 feet (9.1 meters). Photographic documentation provides higher confidence in the position indicator readings and can resolve many visual documentation discrepancies, such as incorrect support readings, readings from opposite position indicator sides, and parallax issues. If accessible, closer inspections may confirm if a spring support is in fact internally bottomed-out or topped-out. Nonmandatory Appendix V provides recommended hot walkdown and cold walkdown forms. These forms provide additional space for applicable notes. Example photographs of many piping system anomalies and associated documentation are provided in this paper. ASME B31.1 requires that significant displacement variations from the expected design displacements shall be considered to assess the piping system’s integrity.

Daily fantasy sports and the law in the USA

This chapter examines legal, regulatory, and social issues surrounding the phenomenon of the daily fantasy sports (DFS) industry in the USA. Traditional fantasy sports contests largely involved groups of family or friends creating their own respective “fantasy” teams of real professional athletes, whose actual games results over the course of an entire season determined the success of one’s fantasy team. Fantasy sports contests were not considered gambling on sports, and federal legislation exempts “fantasy sports” from prohibitions against online gambling. As the name implied, DFS is a different product, offering users who pay the DFS operating company to select their team roster on a daily basis, competitions can occur over a day or a week depending on the contest, and among thousands of users, few of whom are consistent winners in the contests. The DFS commercials and advertisements are again blaring the airwaves. Major DFS operators are expanding their product lines and are now fully immersed in online, mobile, and casino sports gambling in states where legal. The DFS and sports gaming market is booming; the technology, analytics, user sophistication, financial stakes, and the distinction between DFS and gambling are increasingly blurred. This chapter considers the legal, regulatory, and social issues arising from the expanding DFS and sport gaming business.

International Real Estate Review

Ambrose et al. (2007) find significant evidence of information spillover effects between index real estate investment trusts (REITs) and nonindex REITs in the US markets using the inclusion of REITs into the S&P general market indices in an event study. This study, however, examines the effects of REIT index inclusion events by using non-index real estate operating company (REOC) returns in the US and Singapore. The study finds that REOC returns are more correlated with the general market index returns after REIT index inclusion events, but the spillover effects are smaller for REOCs in Singapore. The spillover effects of the REIT inclusion events are larger on non-index REITs than non-index REOCs in the US. When examining REIT inclusion events in Singapore, we find evidence of increases in betas only in the REIT market, but the changes in REOC betas are insignificant. However, we find that the REIT index inclusions significantly reduce the systematic risks of REOCs that sponsor the index REITs.

Fluid Mapping-While-Drilling De-Risks Reservoir and Fluid Data Acquisition Workflow in a Brown Field

Located offshore Malaysia, Field A is a highly complex elongated anticlinal structure with hundreds of faults. It includes over 70 hydrocarbon bearing sands deposited in a lower coastal plain environment. Producing since the late 1970s, Field A has gone through several asset rejuvenation plans. The latest one aimed at appraising and draining several untapped fault blocks. Although no major surprises were expected in terms of lithologies, uncertainties remained on fluids’ nature in multiple sands and on the possible isolation of the fault blocks. This paper illustrates how an operating company introduced a new while-drilling downhole formation fluid data acquisition workflow to successfully de-risk and address these challenges. Conventional formation evaluation is challenging in these fluvial environments, as it includes laminated reservoir, variable permeability, and presence of light, potentially saturated, hydrocarbons. Lessons learned from the previous rejuvenation campaign highlighted the importance of formation testing and downhole fluid analysis (DFA). The planned campaign required drilling two complex 3D profile wells (80-degree tangent followed by 35-degree drop through the targets). Pre-drill discussion raised various concerns: potential well control issues due to pumping light hydrocarbons in the borehole; sticking risk due to complex well trajectory and potential depletion; in-situ evaluation of CO2 for well deliverability analysis; and the number of logging runs, wiper, and post-drilling cleaning trips. In addition, the financial constraints on infill development called for the need of early, real-time enabled decisions for perforation and completion optimization. The selected drilling bottomhole assembly consisted of an integrated multi-physics logging-while-drilling toolstring including fluid mapping-while-drilling (FMWD) technology to de-risk the fluid acquisition program. The integration of pressures and DFA measurements with petrophysical data helped to identify and understand the distribution of fluids and fault blocks connectivity. The campaign proved to be very successful. All sand horizons were pressure tested, providing a fluid pressure profile description yielding gradients where applicable, differential pressure estimation, and connectivity information. The uncertainty associated with petrophysical fluid identification was addressed, and the use of FMWD showed no free gas in the tested zones. Fault block isolation was proven. Reservoir fluid and mobility profiling helped to optimize the well perforation and completion strategy and assess the producibility of the wells. The acquisition sequence was safely performed in one trip from bottom to top with no overpull observed. No wiper or post-drilling cleaning trips were required due to continuous mud circulation during data acquisition. This paper describes how this operating company successfully introduced a new while-drilling downhole formation fluid data acquisition workflow in a brown field. The workflow positively impacted the field development decisions. The FMWD de-risked data gathering operation under tight economical constraints and addressed formation evaluation and drilling and completion challenges during the evaluation of untapped blocks in Field A.