United Nations Framework Classification (UNFC) for Energy and Mineral Resources is a unique instrument for harmonizing industry business processes, efficient capital allocation with policy framework and government oversights. The core competency of UNFC is focusing on objectives of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) while managing the natural resources required for the present and future needs of society. The company manages the upstream oil and gas sector, with significant expertise in managing exploration and production of hydrocarbon resources in diverse geological, engineering, and commercial environment. Present day activities span a large spectrum from pure reconnaissance for resources to producing from very mature fields with increased geologic, engineering, and commercial complexities. KOC uses Resource and Reserves Management System (KOC-RMS) for accounting and reporting of reserves and resources, which is based on principles of Petroleum Resources Management System (PRMS). PRMS [AZ1]is a framework for classifying and categorizing estimates of petroleum reserves and resources and it is used by most of the upstream oil and gas companies worldwide. UNFC provides common language for classification and reporting of solid mineral and petroleum resources, with main emphasis on socio-economic viability, technical feasibility, and maturity of a project. There have been continued efforts for bridging the gap between PRMS and UNFC systems, including the mapping of PRMS guideline updated in 2007 being to the UNFC system updated in 2009. This effort produced clearly marked similarities between the two systems and there is an effort currently underway to map the PRMS guidelines updated in in 2018 to the recently updated UNFC. This integration will help in comparing renewable energy resources with non-renewable energy. The objective of the present case study is to assess the applicability of UNFC for Energy and Mineral Resources management system for a mature oil reservoir. The results of this UNFC case study identified producing, justified for development, and contingent projects with limited social or environment impediments to development. The novelty of this study is the first known application of the UNFC approach to a petroleum reservoir of the Middle East and shows applicability to similar oil fields around the world. This approach can assist in the identification of all technical and non-technical aspects, such as social and environmental issues associated with development, and may be used to reflect the hydrocarbon resource maturation and reserves progression framework of a reservoir.
Cyclic steam stimulation (CSS) was tested in some of the wells of a Kuwaiti heavy oil field. It was observed that the produced water-oil ratio of the CSS wells was much less than the expected range of 0.5 to 1 in a first cycle and up to 2 in a second cycle. High water retention was diagnosed in the formation which led to further investigation to confirm it and to find out its causes. The analysis presented is based on several approaches. Field injection and production data of each well were analyzed to estimate water-oil ratio. Temperature survey was carried out during soaking period to observe vertical movement of steam, if any. Laboratory steamflood experiments were performed on composite plugs. It was followed by oil injection (drainage) to mimic the CSS process and to quantify the water retention and to compare it with the field data. Moreover, detailed geological analysis is discussed to understand the nature of the formation. The analysis reveals that the baffle located just above the oil formation becomes active at high pressure and allows steam to pass through it. Heat is transferred upwards not only by conduction but also by convection. Migration of steam into baffle and an upper horizon was confirmed by temperature surveys taken in the CSS wells during soaking period. Baffle acts as a thief zone and retains a great deal of water and not allowing water to come back during production phase even when pressure goes down. In summary presence of baffle is the main reason behind high water retention in the formation. The above methodology has been adopted for the first time in the field under consideration. This will help in optimizing the steam injection strategy in future CSS wells.
In a thermal Enhanced Oil Recovery project of Kuwait, the static reservoir description uncertainties were identified based on initial static description. The associated development impact and possible risks to the project is then evaluated using a commercial uncertainty analysis tool through simulation studies. Field dynamic testing results from the ongoing Cyclic Steam Stimulation(CSS) pilots and other dynamic testing data were then used to evaluate the static description uncertainties, for an improved reservoir description. The observation from the study is extremely important in not only having an improved understanding of the reservoir description of the subject field but has wider implications in similar reservoir set ups in other parts of the globe. The observations from the pilot operation and simulation history matching clearly demonstrates that local reservoir set up plays a crucial role in each thermal project and understanding them is extremely important for success of the project. The results of the study demonstrate the importance of integrating dynamic cyclic steam stimulation testing results with preliminary static description, to arrive at an improved reservoir description. The technology of thermal Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) is an old concept but its application in different reservoir set ups give rise to new learning that widens the knowledge base in the industry. The reservoir being developed in Kuwait is considered a challenging one from many of the classical screening concepts. The success of some of the experiments tried in this project and the learning from their success has wider potentials in similar complex thermal developments.
The development of the vast viscous oil resources of Kuwait is considered a very important strategic goal of the country. The first phase of development plans is under implementation to meet a target production of 60 M bopd by a combination of cold flow and cyclic steam stimulation (CSS) followed by steamflood to have optimum recovery from this resource. The thermal development plan for the viscous oil resources, targeting high recovery factor from this resource, is considered to be the first EOR project in Kuwait. The thermal project starts with Cyclic Steam Stimulation followed by steamflood. To optimize the process and maximizing recovery, three pilots have been planned for evaluation of these technologies in this field. A detailed plan was developed to ensure quality surveillance information is obtained to support this pilot performance interpretation. This present paper summarizes the salient features of that surveillance plan and how the planned data can be interpreted, to obtain maximum value from the pilots. First the impact of known reservoir uncertainty parameters was evaluated through simulation studies and field testings, to evaluate their potential to become major risk parameters for the project. A commercial uncertainty analysis software to identify risk factors was used for this study. A comprehensive surveillance plan for evaluation of the potential risk parameters in the pilots was then firmed up, based on available technologies in the industry. The study identifies that an integrated approach is needed involving the completion plan, surveillance options and project goals to optimize learning from the pilots. A realistic surveillance plan, which caters to the different completion plans being evaluated in the pilots, was firmed up. The study also recommends frequency and resolution needed in the surveillance data, for meaningful interpretation of results. A comprehensive surveillance plan in the pilots is considered a key success factor in EOR projects. With increasing demand for fossil fuels in future, evaluation of EOR technologies through pilots would continue to remain a desired option, to reduce project cost and risk. The risk assessment approach elaborated in this study is expected to have relevance in similar EOR projects all over the globe.
This paper presents the results of a multi-scenario approach that involves the simulation of chemical EOR processes (polymer- and surfactant-based) for the Ratqa Lower Fars heavy oil (200-1000 cP) field in Kuwait, in order to evaluate the viability of implementing an appropriate chemical EOR strategy. Both technical and economic results are discussed. The approach used involves the simulation of various chemical EOR scenarios (injection of chemical slugs with different durations and concentrations) using several wells patterns (inverted 5-spot, inverted 9-spot, inverted 7-spot with vertical wells, line-drive with horizontal wells) covering various sizes in terms of area. Preliminary simulations of depletion and waterflooding scenarios were also conducted, as base cases to be compared to. Hundreds of EOR scenarios were hence simulated and compared using economic indicators such as the final recovery factor and the cost of chemicals per additional barrel of oil produced, compared to the waterflooding base case scenario. The analysis of the different simulated scenarios shows that due to injectivity issues (low maximum injection pressure to prevent the shale cap rock from being fractured), inverted patterns (inverted 9-spot and especially inverted 7-spot) had to be considered to enhance overall performance and reach promising recovery factors using chemical EOR methods. It is also shown that the impact of the pattern area for the same pattern type (inverted 7-spot configuration) is of paramount importance to the final recovery factor obtained after a fixed simulation duration (20 years in the present case). While the overall efficiency of each EOR process - in terms of recovery factor as a function of the injected solution expressed in pore volume - is kept similar when varying the pattern area, the pattern size is directly linked to the final recovery. Indeed when the pattern area is increased, a smaller volume (in terms of pore volume) of chemical solution can be injected in a fixed timeframe. Finally, the use of simplified economic indicators allowed comparing different EOR processes (polymer and surfactant-polymer) and potential patterns in order to find the most promising configuration in preparation for field implementation. The proposed approach is new as it presents and discusses for the first time the results of a detailed simulation study to evaluate the potential application of chemical EOR processes at the Ratqa Lower Fars heavy oil field in Kuwait. The results of this study are promising and clearly demonstrate the potential applicability of chemical EOR processes in similar heavy oil reservoirs.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.