A Preliminary Study Of The Hibernia Field
Authors: Handyside D.D. , Chipman W.I. 
Published: March 2010

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Petroleum Directorate, in conjunction with INTERCOMP has conducted a preliminary investigation of various depletion schemes for the Avalon and Hibernia reservoirs within the Hibernia Field.

Five wells have been drilled in this field to date which confirm the existence of substantial quantities of oil and gas reserves in at least two major reservoirs. A description of each reservoir was based on interpretation of the existing seismic. geological, petro physical and production test data. Reservoir simulation models were constructed for each reservoir to examine the effect of various recovery mechanisms. The results presented in this study are considered to represent only a minimal degree of optimization due to the limited reservoir description presently available.

This paper focuses on the results of the reservoir simulation study. A brief description of the major geological and fluid characteristics and a discussion of the impact of these characteristics on depletion strategies for each reservoir are provided. In addition, the major uncertainties and potential problem areas which may require further investigations are identified. The simulation results with respect to production rates and recovery are also presented for typical development strategies for each reservoir.

Preliminary studies of this nature are considered as the beginning of a series of progressively more complex studies which are essential to the efficient and optimum development of offshore reservoirs.

Introduction

The Hibernia Field is located approximately 320 km southeast of St. John's, Newfoundland, as shown in Figure 1. The water depth in this region is approximately 80 metres. The Hibernia Field was discovered in September 1979 with the drilling and completion of the well Chevron et al. Hibernia P-15.

Four subsequent wells Mobil et al. Hibernia 0-35, B-08, G-55A, and K-18 have been drilled confirming the existence of major hydrocarbon-bearing sandstone units in sediments of Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous age. These major sandstone units have been identified as the Jeanne d'Arc zone in the Jurassic sands, and the Hibernia, Avalon and the Seismic B-Marker (Catalina) zones in the Lower Cretaceous sands. The potential hydrocarbon-bearing zones encountered in each of the wells are summarized in Table 1.

F1GURE 1. Hibernia Field location.(Available in full paper)

TABLE 1. Summary of hydrocarbon-bearing zones-Hibernia Field (Available in full paper)

Productivity potentials of 2485–3180 m3/D per well have been indicated based on the drill-stem tests results from the wells P-15 and O-35.

The differences in reservoir development encountered in the five wells confirm that the hydrocarbon accumulation consists of multiple, possibly non-communicating, sand layers within a complex structure that is folded and faulted. Based on the results of the five wells, the majority of the hydrocarbon reserves are interpreted to be located in the Avalon and Hibernia reservoirs. The subject matter of this paper is therefore based on a study of these two reservoirs.

As the title of the study suggests results and conclusions presented herein are preliminary. The subject study includes data which were available on April 30, 1981 and does not include data acquired from Mobil et al. Hibernia K-18 and J-34 or the 3-D seismic program.