Deepwater Production Systems for the Bay of Campeche

Abstract

This paper wee selected for presentation by an SPE Program Cmmmtiee following rewiew of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(a). Contents of the paper, as presented, have not bean reviewed by the Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject to arectionby the autfwr(s). The material, es presented, does not neceaewily reflect any poeit"on of the sociity of Petroleum Engineers, its officers, or members. Papare presented at SPE meetings are subjaot to publication review by Editorial Committees of the Sooii of Petroleum Engirwaa. Permission to copy is restricted to sn abatmcf of not more than 300 words. Illustrations may not be oopiad Ttw abstract should contain conspicuous acknowledgment of where and by whom the paper is preeanted, Write Librarian, SPE, P.O. Sox S33S36, Richardson, TX 75063-3S36, U.S.A. Telex 1S3245 SPEUT. ABSTRACTDeepwater produtilon systems are considered for the 300-500 m water depth range in the Bay of Campeche. In comparison with the notihem Gulf of Mexico, the physical environment is found to have similar seafloor soils; similar winter storms; no Loop Current; less severe hurricanes; and weak eafihquake-induced groundmotions.Oil reservoirs are expected to be larger than those in the northern Gulf, and well flow rates greater. Under these conditions, and based on industry experience in various offshore oil provinces, steel piled jackets, compliant piled towers, tension leg platforms, and floating production systems, alone or in Connetilon with subsea produtilon systems, are all judged to be technically viable candidates for full-field development with permanent structures. So far, production of the prolific reservoirs in the Bay of Campeche has been limited to water depths less than 200 m (Figure 1). These reservoirs are characterized by heavily faulted limestones having high veftical and horizontal permeabilities (France, 1978). Saturated oil column thickness is typically several hundred meters and areal extent of the larger reservoirs ranges from 10-90 square km (Santiago and Bare, 1990; Downer, 1978), References and illustrationsat end of paper Well production rates are high. Wells in the Akal and Nohoch fields produced an average of 35,000 bopd in their earty years (Rintoul, 1981). Rates of 16,000 bopd have been common throughout the Campeche fields (Baker, 1985). While most of the oil is the heavy Maya crude, with an API gravity of around 20 to 30, some of the fields have the lighter Istmo crude, with an API gravity of around 30 to 40 (Madeley, 1981; Santiago and Bare, 1990). The gas/oil ratio averages about 650 scf/bbl (Santiago and Bare, 1990).The gas contains H2S (Anonymous, 1979). Production platforms are steel piled jackets.Gas, oil, and water are separated on the platforms, and then oil and gas are piped to shore for further processingand disposition.It is anticipated that similar reservoim will be discovered in the deeper continental slope water to the west of the known reservoirs, as shown in Figure 1. These reservoirs .rn =YPAWI to hwe heavier crude (23-30...