This paper presents the application of an integrated modeling approach to the facility design and construction stages of a mega-project for a giant oilfield offshore Abu Dhabi. The scale of the EPC task is unprecedented in the UAE and requires careful design to optimize the capital investment. In addition, the project uncertainties require that a high degree of flexibility be factored into the design process. The integrated modeling approach couples surface and subsurface flow models to achieve a complete system solution that incorporates many levels of constraints and realistically represents future behavior. This approach addresses a number of key issues. Firstly, multiple different quality reservoirs produce to a shared surface facility. Consequently, the field is highly sensitive to back pressure variation and so requires a rigorous treatment of well and surface physics. Secondly, the sub-surface uncertainties and sheer size of the investment requires a flexible approach to design, hence, many simulation scenarios are required to provide improved decision support. Finally, close collaboration is required between the sub-surface and surface teams to ensure optimization of facilities design and reservoir management for cost and recovery. The adopted methodology utilizes an integration framework which couples reservoir and topsides models into a predictive tool for development planning. This paper describes how the integrated modeling approach was utilized to provide input to design process for several aspects of the field development plan during the design and construction stages. This will include discussion of the phasing of the production facilities, requirement for temporary facilities, modular compression and separation units and the optimization of the drilling program for planned infill wells. The paper presents a best integrated modeling practice supporting facility design process which is applicable for similar scale projects, highlighting the role of integrated model as a means to foster collaboration between surface and sub-surface teams.
This paper demonstrates the value of collecting and interpreting real-time data for reservoir surveillance. We present three examples of real-time data acquisition and interpretation. The first example shows how formation pressure while drilling (FPWD) data provides permeability quantification for placement of a horizontal lateral. Initial performance of the pilot injector confirmed optimum placement of the well demonstrating value of information (VOI) from real-time data acquisition. In addition, pressure data helped in understanding the pressure distribution along the lateral due to support from a nearby gas injector and also in adjustment of mud parameters for drilling. The second example highlights the use of downhole fluid analysis (DFA) to confirm gas breakthrough detected earlier by open hole logs, to estimate gas oil ratio of the producer and help selection of fluid sampling point. Integrated analysis of logs, modular formation-dynamics tester (MDT) pressures, DFA results, flow test data and subsequent PVT analysis of oil provided indication of complex gas movement from injector to producer and provided insight on vertical sweep of gas. The third example demonstrates the use of permanent downhole gauges (PDHG) data for real-time performance monitoring of a maximum reservoir contact (MRC) well. Results of the analysis show clear evidence of voidage balance from nearby MRC injector and underscore the feasibility of field development with water injection in a lower permeability area. Combining the effective well length derived from production logging tool (PLT) data, the example also illustrates pressure /rate deconvolution analysis to determine permeability and skin. Additionally, rate-transient analysis (RTA) is done using rate and high-frequency long-term pressure data to compute permeability, skin and drainage area of the well.
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