Driving Artificial Lift Excellence in South & East Kuwait, Kuwait Oil Company
Authors: Al-Haddad Saud , Watyan Abdullah Al , Mahabirsingh Nalini , Al-Ragheeb Sara , Al-Ajmi Salem , Khaleefoh Ahmed , Al-Jadi Menayer , Bentoumi Sofiene , Duong Lea , Novruzov Kamran , Amr Mohamed , Fataliyev Vusal 
Published: October 2023

Greater than 65% of South & East Kuwait, oil production is from more than 1000 Artificial Lifted (AL) wells, mainly Electric Submersible pumps (ESPs). This is managed in three different Areas through a total of fifteen different facilities, with downhole Artificial Lift equipment from greater than five (5) different vendors and numerous subcontracts for the top side equipment to match the downhole requirement. S&EK is also on an active transition to 100% Artificial Lift. The magnitude of production, the large number of wells, variation in equipment, relatively widespread facility and company future plans can give a sense of the operations, engagement and networking required to streamline various aspects to deliver strategic business value systematically and repetitively.

The journey, processes and results of Artificial Lift technical excellence embedded in the organization will be shared in this paper. The importance of continuous integration, alignment across different directorates and affiliated key performance indicators (KPIs) across the business to realize win-win outcomes will also be illustrated.

S&EK technical expertise and bp have been embedding best in class processes, equipment and further developing in house expertise to enhance the Artificial Lift portfolio. The strategy adopted was to maximize production within the reservoir management strategy while collaboratively realizing additional value for other directorates involved in the process. Consequently, this resulted in win-win scenarios for S&EK, overall KOC and vendors. To be able to achieve this, some of the various aspects which the S&EK Field Development and bp partnership executed were: developed specifically tailored in house data analytics systems,hosted integrated workshops with Artificial Lift vendors and KOC cross functional teams,streamlined ESP systems,networked across directorates to increase well and reservoir surveillance,enhanced well and system modeling to influence ESP designs,took several key steps to preserve well integrity andsteps to reduce oil losses (both from natural flow and artificially lifted wells).

As a result of the integrated interventions taken, some of the results realized by S&EK, KOC were: Streamlining of ESP systems to a set of wide range ESPs with each ESP vendorSignificant, systematic increase in incremental oil from artificial lift optimizationsEnhanced ESP designsSystematic increase in the percentage of ESPs operating in the recommended operating rangeEnhanced ESP run lifePreservation of well integrity andEnhanced Artificial Lift expertise and integrated skill set to safely maximize production and enhance efficiency to effectively manage the current and rapidly increasing Artificial Lift portfolio andIntegration of the above to reduce oil losses in the asset.

Overall, as a result of the actions taken, in 20/21, 21/22 and 22/23, additional value of at least 14.1 million KWD (USD 46 million), 25.4 million KWD (USD 82.9 million) and 35 million KWD (114.3USD million) respectively was generated. This additional value could have gone unrealized without the appropriate interventions.