bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improving the Safety Performance of Large Scale Onshore Pipeline Projects
Authors: Barber S , Allison P , Allinson J , Morgan B
Published: December 2007

BP is currently at the front end engineering (FEED) stage of the Main Export Pipeline (MEP) project, which includes a 1760 km 46-inch diameter oil pipeline between Baku, Azerbaijan on the Caspian Sea and Ceyhan, Turkey, on the Mediterranean Sea, passing through Georgia.

BP's stated business goal is "no accidents, no harm to individuals, no damage to the environment". Industry-wide experience has shown, however, that this goal is extremely difficult to achieve on pipeline projects of this scale. MEP management committed to making a step-change in safety performance for this project. They identified the need, at the conceptual design stage, to determine the key safety drivers to ensure that the maximum safety benefit could be derived.

Genesis Oil and Gas Consultants was commissioned to work with BP on this study which involved extensive interaction with the industry including interviews and a specially convened workshop.

The study found clear recent historical evidence that the risk of serious accidents from major onshore pipeline projects is unacceptably high. The two major causes of fatality and serious injury on pipeline construction projects are: Moving Vehicle and Transportation risksGeneral Construction Site risks such as struck by moving objects, electrocution, falls etc.

Within these categories, some further interesting conclusions can be drawn from the research: Construction workers are twice as likely to be killed in a motor-vehicle accident as the average workerInjury prevention efforts have had limited effect on motor-vehicle related deathsThe occupation most likely to be killed is the supervisor or foreman. Research has shown that many accidents have occurred when the foremen have seen unsafe acts but failed to intervene, and that they do not follow safety procedures themselvesPeople are most frequently killed when they are on foot walking or running near machinery on construction sitesThose operating machinery are frequently killed; putting their own lives and others at riskProject pace and constant changes in work environment and employer/workforce relationships are particular problems for the construction industry.

This paper discusses the study findings further and also describes the way in which the findings have been implemented on both the MEP and another major pipeline project - the Shah Deniz gas pipeline.
Drilling and Waste Management
Authors: Morillon Anne , Vidalie Jean-François , Hamzah Udi Syahnudi , Suripno S. , Hadinoto Eddy K.
Published: December 2007

Oil and Gas Companies are increasingly confronted with problems related to the disposal of drilling waste. To be in compliance with regulatory constraints, and also to respect the concept of environmental responsibility, Oil and Gas companies need to set up a comprehensive environmental management system. The following paper presents the TotalFinaElf approach for the management of wastes produced by drilling activities.

This approach implemented in all affiliates and particularly by the Indonesian affiliate, includes a management plan establishing appropriate procedures, environmental awareness, training of personnel, and a whole set of technical measures: –Installation of the site: all equipment must be designed so that any effluent is caught and avoid it to be discharged directly in the environment.–Protection of surface and ground water: protection through an accurate knowledge of the local geology and hydro-geology validated by survey undertaken during the environmental baseline study.–Choice of drilling fluids: recommendation about the use of Water Base mud or Low Toxicity Oil Base mud.–Management of chemicals: an effective management system of authorised chemicals is set up with a storage system, safety data files and a good stock management system.–Reduction of waste volumes at source: water consumption, optimised recycling of mud, reduction of cuttings volumes.–Treatment of drill cuttings: set up of a cuttings management plan, inerting (stabilisation, solidification, encapsulation), incineration, controlled landfill, thermal desorption, cuttings re-injection, biological treatment.

This paper aims at demonstrating that there is no unique solution for managing the drilling wastes.

Our Company with the collaboration of its Indonesian affiliate gives constant and careful consideration to all treatment processes and, through various research projects, has a wide range of possibilities associated with the flexibility required to find the right answers to the questions raised by the "drilling waste" issue.
The Hearts and Minds Program: Understanding HSE Culture
Authors: Hudson Patrick T. W. , Parker Dianne , van der Graaf Gerard C.
Published: December 2007

The Hearts and Minds program is intended to move the basis for HSE performance past the mechanical implementation of HSE Management Systems. This paper describes an evolutionary approach to HSE culture and reports on a brochure that enables organisations and individuals to understand the HSE culture and their personal behaviours in the context of the culture. The paper gives examples of characterisations of organisational and personal behaviours and discusses how improvement can be generated and maintained in organisations.
Rap Project: An Innovative Approach to the Risk Assessment of Pipeline
Authors: Mazzucchelli Luca , Pizzorni Domenico , Comini Andrea , Scanarotti Nadia
Published: December 2007

Environmental risk management has become a main issue in general and in particular where certain materials such as chemicals, oils, gases and other hazardous waste are involved. This includes the pipeline industry where the transfer of materials such as oils and gases are concerned. The pipeline accident risk is a key point in the environmental communication of the pipeline company, because it represents a social and competitive issue. The idea is to find a statistical correlation between accident and the boundary conditions recorded in sites where the accident took place. Once having found these correlations, the boundary condition data are collected for the whole pipeline system: it will be classified as far as is concerned the risk of accident with a statistical model. The pipeline route is divided into sections of 50 meters length. Each pipeline section will be classified by a statistical model as: Risk-of-accident,No-risk-of-accident,

without using any subjective scoring methodology. The model is trained using an accident history: the statistical tool for the model estimation is the discriminant analysis.

Having obtained the risk rating reliably and objectivly, the adoption of effective preventive measures by pipeline managers, proactive policy of risk management, is supported through a cost benefit analysis.

Data and algorithms, are gathered in a GIS application (ArcView® 3.2), integrated with an MSAccess97® database and SPSS® applications, as far as is concerned the statistical analysis (see www.safepipeline.com)
Why Do We Report Occupational Illnesses?
Authors: de Valk R. H. W.
Published: December 2007

This paper discusses our experience with establishing a system of reporting: how we define occupational illnesseswhy we collect occupational illness datatraining of Medical and Line staff to recognise occupational illnessesproblems with strength of datapresentation of information to managementTotal Reportable Occupational Illness Frequency (TROIF) as an indicatorconfidentiality of datadifficulties with obtaining data from contractor companiesoccupational illnesses within the HSE Management Systemexamples of reported diseases and follow- upimprovements which can be madethe role of the Occupational Physician

The conclusion is that occupational illness reporting is an efficient tool in the management of occupational health risks.
Deep Well Injection of Mercury Contaminated Sludge in the Gulf of Thailand
Authors: Yod-In-Lom Wiwat , Doyle Bernard A
Published: December 2007

Since petroleum production started in Thailand two decades ago, disposal of generated waste has been an issue of concern. In 1995, 1,499 drums of contaminated sludge were disposed of through deepwell injection. At that time there was no universally acceptable method of disposal available within Thailand. This remains the case today. Since the 1995 disposal, the sludge has been collected and stored in a purpose-built secure warehouse in a remote, unpopulated area in Songkhla province. As of August 2001, a total of 2,548 drums of sludge have been accumulated, filling the warehouse to capacity.

In December 2000 a project team was formed within the business unit to plan the disposal of the accumulated sludge through deepwell injection into existing depleted gas wells. Primarily, the team was charged with providing an injection method acceptable to, and approved by, the Government agency. To obtain this approval, the overriding objectives were safety and the environment, while cost effectiveness is a main business factor.

At the end of this project, results will make it possible to conclude whether deepwell injection disposal can become a standard operating practice. If so, this practice would then be exercised more regularly, avoiding hazards and costs of accumulation.

This paper will cover the project planning and the operation of Deep Well Injection of Mercury Contaminated Sludge in the Gulf of Thailand.
Managing Non-Compliance: Moving from Theory to Practice
Authors: Hudson Patrick , Parker Dianne , Lawton Rebecca , Graaf Gerard C. van der
Published: December 2007

Rules and procedures form a major part of the system of barriers and controls As there is the assumption in a HSE _Management System that the rules and procedures will be followed, rule-breaking and other violations constitute a major threat to HSE management. This paper reviews earlier work on why people violate and introduces the ‘Lethal Cocktail’ four factors that predict and promote violation, Expectation, Powerfulness, Opportunity and Planning, as well as the counter effect provided by good personal norms.

This paper describes the philosophy and application behind a brochure "Managing Rule-Breaking – the Toolkit" that supports the management of violation in operations in a stand-alone manner. The structure of the brochure and the procedures proposed to identify and remedy procedural and compliance problems are introduced. There is a discussion of the factors that can lead to failure even if the supporting material is good.
Financial Assurance Bonds: An Incentive Mechanism for Environmental Compliance in the Oil Sector
Authors: Ferreira D. F. , Suslick S. B.
Published: December 2007

The present paper describes different financial assurance systems (bonding systems) used to provide economic incentives for environmental compliance within the oil sector. Bonds may be applied in all phases of oil projects to reduce the risk of accidental, continuous, and, mainly, ex post environmental damages. The most common application of bonds is aimed at guaranteeing or funding end-of-leasing obligations, including closure and decommissioning operations. Currently, there are several forms of instruments available that could satisfy bonding requirements. This paper discusses some of the main characteristics and attributes of such instruments according to the perspectives of both regulators and industry. Since bonding requirements are currently present in several parts of the world, based on a hypothetical scenario, this paper proposes a model to enable lessees to anticipate and measure potential financial impacts of such requirements on the cash flow of oil projects. In order to provide optimum flexibility for lessees, the model offers four instrument options: (1) surety bonds, (2) a paid-in cash account, and (3) a special account allowing periodic payments. This methodology identifies surety bonds as the best instrument choice, allowing NPV maximization under the hypothetical regulatory regime.
Using the Oil & Gas Producers Guidelines on Strategic Health Management: Achieving Sustainable Healthcare Improvement
Authors: Weinberg A. D. , Laufman L. , Parish D. , Crossett T.
Published: December 2007

Due to major commercial production potential on Sakhalin Island in the Russian Federation, oil and gas industry scenarios project a significant workforce of 10,000 – 30,000, plus dependants and subcontractors. Such a large workforce will require major healthcare support, which the local delivery system cannot currently provide. The Sakhalin-Alaska Consulting Group, LLC (SACG) and the Chronic Disease Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine are undertaking an industry-funded initiative to achieve participation, critical alignment, consensus, and commitment among stakeholders for sustainable improvements in Sakhalin healthcare. We are using the Oil & Gas Producers Strategic Health Management: Principles and Guidelines as a template. To date, no other project worldwide has attempted to implement these guidelines in a formal, structured fashion. This approach will create a framework that will also enable the participation of future stakeholders as the project progresses.
Implementing an Operator-Service Company Common HSE Management System in Nigeria
Authors: Abifarin O. , Heck M. A. , Meachen S.
Published: December 2007

The social and environmental impacts associated with major incidents and a desire to reduce risks in oil and gas E&P activities in the Niger Delta compels the operator to develop and implement health, safety and environmental management systems. The OGP1 (former E&P forum) model typically provides the framework for developing these programs. Service companies actively support E&P operations in the Niger Delta providing a complex diversity of services to the industry and having varied levels of competency in the development and implementation of HSE management programs. Where a service company has overseas affiliations, the HSE management programs are typically modeled after the parent organization's. These programs typically meet international standards2–3, the OGP model inclusive. However, for indigenous companies, their programs are typically ‘off-the-shelf packages approaching, but not meeting elements of the OGP model.

There ia a compelling business case to reduce acccidents and incidents by helping all service providers adopt recognized processes and prosedures that will ensure successful implementation of HSE programs.
An Initiative for Children of the Niger Delta: an Effective Partnership Between a Local NGO and an International Oilfield Service Company
Authors: Fayiga Adedoyin , Ogbuigwe Akpezi
Published: December 2007

International companies operating in the Niger Delta experience frequent disruptions of operations by restive host community members. As tensions mount over the demand for resource control, host communities threaten investments in the oil and gas sector. A partnership involving collaborations and associations that are mutually beneficial to all stakeholders is the only viable way of ensuring a sustainable future. This paper addresses the issue of partnership from a practical perspective of the local children. It focuses on a working relationship that started through employees' initiatives and evolved over the years into a strong partnership between an international oilfield service company and a local nongovernmental organization (NGO) in Nigeria. This paper shares the experiences of this relationship through: voluntary participation and support of stakeholders in workshops and seminarsa free Safety Training Outreach to increase safety awareness and improve attitudes among workforce of indigenous contractors and host communities reduce accident rates by increasing. This will eventually translate to reduced accident ratesFifty for the Future Program—an intervention program to enhance science education in the host community's secondary schoolsan annual Oil & Gas Workshop/Science Exhibition/Competition for secondary schoolsquarterly publication of the Young Scientist, a magazine on science, environment and civic education distributed free to secondary schoolsan Internet connectivity grant to the NGO to reach underprivileged educational institutions with the Internet.This partnership has benefited local contractors, school children and teachers from more than 50 community schools in the 6 oil-producing states and touched lives in the remotest areas of the Niger Delta. It points the way for future initiatives. Interesting lessons can be learned from how the relationship evolved, as well as the variety of projects, impacts on the target audience and sustainability strategies.
Near Miss Reporting, A Cost Effective Way Of Controlling Losses
Authors: Man Salim B.
Published: December 2007

The only cost of near miss reporting is "misplaced pride"

Over the years, many "people that matter1" in the industry have lost sight of the original intention of safety programs or to be exact, the "loss control programs". What was started as a program to curb accidental losses has become a "score card competition".

Ironically, when the company becomes obsessed with the "statistics" and the "score", the accidental losses increase. When the players fix their sights on the scoreboard, not the playing field, they lose the game.

When the losses increase, more programs are introduced to arrest the losses. The problem is, more programs mean more work, which tend to frustrate the employees. After more investment and effort the management also get more frustrated when the expected result is not achieved, and the cycle continues.

Since the oil and gas industry is interdependent between the contractor and the operator, no one side can address this challenge alone. Partnership can provide better control of accidental losses, which will benefit both sides. However, cooperation can only be achieved if there is common understanding and focus from both sides.

This paper is intended to: Present case studies on how and why a simple program such as Near Miss Reporting is an effective way of controlling losses.Highlight challenges that most organizations are facing in successfully implementing this program.What "anyone" in the company can do to shift the mindset and start the ball rolling for better reporting and hence, better safety performance.
Effects of the Harmonised Mandatory Control System (OSPAR Decision 2000/2) on Service Companies
Authors: Killaars J. , Tholens R.
Published: December 2007

The regulatory body in charge of the North Sea environment is the Oslo Paris Commission, and the key document agreed by the signatory countries is the OSPAR Convention, which came into force in 1998.

In June 2000, OSPAR introduced Decision 2000/2, describing a Harmonised Mandatory Control System (HMCS) for the use and reduction of discharge of offshore chemicals. At the heart of this Decision are Recommendations 2000/4 (concerning a Harmonised Pre-screening scheme for offshore chemicals) and 2000/5 (on a Harmonised Offshore Chemical Notification Format, or HOCNF). This Decision and the Recommendations it contains entered into force on 16 January 2001. Decision 2000/2 serves to co-ordinate and harmonise the regulation of offshore chemicals within the convention area.

These new regulations have a significant impact on the oil industry operating in the North Sea, and the associated service companies have to put significant effort into complying with these regulations.

The major features introduced are: The Harmonised Pre-screening SchemeA new HOCNF formatThe ‘CHARM’ model to calculate HQ valuesObligatory fish tests

Although the HMCS was set-up to harmonise the regulations in the convention area, each country implements the regulations differently.

The paper describes how Halliburton Energy Services has implemented these changes, how they have influenced the development and registration of products, and how implementation of the regulations by different countries varies.
A Major Operator's Global Review of Drilling Safety
Authors: Karish John M. , Smolen Brad C.
Published: December 2007

Safety performance in BP Drilling and Wells operations was significantly worse than BP's Upstream average in 2000. As a result, BP's Technology Vice Presidents of Drilling and Wells Operations and HSE commissioned a global review of Drilling and Wells Operations safety performance and efforts in 4Q 2000. A review team was formed and visited 11 BP Business Units, focusing primarily on feedback from wellsite leaders and the workforce in the field to deliver seven findings and recommended interventions in February 2001. A detailed communications plan was developed and implemented to ensure the organization was informed of the results. Action plans were developed to address each of the findings and are in various stages of implementation. Through 3Q 2001, BP Drilling and Wells' safety performance has improved dramatically as measured by both Days Away from Work Case Frequency (DAFWCf) and Total Recordable Injury Frequency (TRIF)
Foundations for World Class Safety Performance
Authors: Berube D. H.
Published: December 2007

To successfully compete in today's global marketplace, companies must achieve world-class performance in all business areas including safety as measured against their peers. While accident statistics have been used to measure safety performance, safety management systems are more accurate indicators. However, the effect of safety management systems on safety performance is determined by the level of compliance, which is driven by the organization's safety culture. Therefore, achievement of World Class Safety Performance requires two major foundations: world-class safety management systems and world-class safety culture.
Local Radiation Safety Officer Training for a Global Company
Authors: Woods S. E. , Brown D. D.
Published: December 2007

The management of a multi-national radiation safety program for a global corporation mandates that certain key individuals have defined core competencies in all areas that support and enhance the radiation safety program. Each facility globally must appoint and maintain a Local Radiation Safety Officer for each product service line that uses radioactive materials. These individuals must complete a rigorous training session that addresses all aspects of a local radiation protection program. This local radiation safety program must address not only corporate commitments, but the local regulations as well. The training program must address and implement the following key components: Radiation Worker training specific to the specific tasksMulti-modal Dangerous Goods TransportationImportation and Exportation ensuring that local and international regulation regulations are addressedLicensing and Registration to ensure compliance with local and international regulationsCorporate Radiation Safety Procedures and Program requirementsCorporate mandated Radioactive Material Quarterly and Random Regulatory Compliance Audits

After successful completion of this training program, the participants may implement and maintain a premier local radiation protection program. Companies that invest the necessary time and energy to ensure the implementation of such a training program will see a dramatic increase in the efficiency and effectiveness of their local and global radiation protection program.
Design and Construction of New Projects in Oil and Gas Industry in Mexico
Authors: Herrera Fernando
Published: December 2007

This paper describes the technical and legal problems have had in the design and construction of several projects in the oil and gas industry in Mexico and propose a methodology in order to avoid that.

Traditionally the people in charge of the projects have been people with a lot of experience in different areas of the company but the knowledge in legal and technical aspects of the projects is limited. These last two aspects are the key in the solution of the common problems.

The proposed methodology is based on the experience through 18 years in the design and construction of several oil and gas installations and it is complemented with the analysis of legal and technical regulations.
Reservoir and Surface-Network Simulation of Tight Gas Reservoirs in the North of Mexico
Authors: de Swaan A. , Berumen S. , Rodriguez F.
Published: December 2007

Applications of a commercial numerical reservoir simulator1 to several large tight-sand compartmented gas reservoirs are illustrated. The applications include connecting well-pipelines networks with intermediate gathering and compression stations connected to gas transmission line nodes. The study was focused on a large gas fields-complex, which has 550 wells producing from 840 completions, and a surface gathering network with more that 1300 kilometers of pipelines. The applications of integrated reservoir-surface network simulation were oriented to support the field production strategy by designing long term forecasting and modification and/or allocation of additional surface facilities.

The results showed that an advantage of this integrated reservoir-network modeling is that it takes into account the effect of several reservoirs sharing a surface network on the field and wells deliverability. Conventional reservoir simulation generally ignores these effects. Integrated simulation offered useful insights in planning and support of the reservoir management in developing tight gas reservoirs in the North of Mexico.
Coupled Modeling of Borehole Instability and Multiphase Flow for Underbalanced Drilling
Authors: Hawkes C. D. , Smith S. P. , McLellan P. J.
Published: December 2007

Underbalanced drilling techniques have been applied to avoid or mitigate formation damage, reduce lost circulation risks, and increase the rate of penetration. However, drilling with a bottomhole pressure less than the formation pore pressure will usually increase the risk of borehole instability due to shear or tensile failure of the rock adjacent to the borehole. The extent of rock failure is very sensitive to the pressure in the annulus between the drill pipe, collars or BHA and the formation. The capacity of the drilling fluids to effectively circulate cuttings and cavings to surface is also strongly sensitive to the annular flow velocity. This paper describes the coupling of two popular software packages STABView™ and WELLFLO7™ to solve the complex interaction of borehole instability, rock yielding, collapse, detachment, and wellbore hydraulics during underbalanced drilling operations. In particular, a profile of the average borehole diameter can be predicted that accounts for hole enlargement in weak rock formations, and its consequences for annular pressures and flow velocities.

The use of these two models running in a coupled mode is illustrated with two examples. The first one is a case study of a sidetracked well that was drilled underbalanced using coiled tubing technology in western Canada. Severe tight hole problems and poor hole cleaning had been experienced during drilling operations, and ultimately the bottomhole assembly became stuck. Subsequent borehole stability analyses indicated that significant hole enlargement was occurring in two weak shaley intervals. Wellbore hydraulics analyses showed that the liquid velocities achieved in the enlarged intervals of this well were low, which led to an accumulation of cuttings and cavings, thus resulting in the stuck pipe. A second, hypothetical horizontal well case is also described in order to illustrate the procedures for characterizing the operating envelope (i.e., optimal annular pressures and flow rates) prior to drilling an underbalanced well. This example demonstrates additional features of the two software programs for simulating the complexities of hole failure, erosion and enlargement in an annulus with a two-phase fluid for both strong and weak rock cases.
Optimization of Spacer Rheology Using Neural Network Technology
Authors: Théron B. E. , Bodin D. , Fleming J.
Published: December 2007

This paper presents a new method to design the optimum composition of a spacer fluid used for mud removal in a cement job. The method integrates two steps: determining the ideal spacer properties from the knowledge of well conditions, mud and cement properties; and designing the fluid composition to achieve these properties. The first step is based on well-accepted requirements for spacers, including friction pressures and density-hierarchy criteria. The second step is based on a neural network model developed from an extensive database of fluid properties, where all key variables were moved: composition, spacer density, and temperature. A software module simulates and displays the mud-removal performance of the proposed design.

Two field examples demonstrate successful application of the method. They compare the uses of the new method with the conventional one, demonstrating the timesaving of the new method. They also show the efficiency of the new method in designing optimal spacers for the full range of pumping conditions.

Several years of field experience demonstrate this integrated method has advantages in two areas. First, displaying mud-removal performance graphically enables better and faster job design. Second, the method achieves fluids with the required properties in significantly less time than conventional methods because fewer fluid samples are mixed.
Support Requirements and Innovative Solutions for a Remote Location With Difficult Cementing Challenges
Authors: Piot Bernard , Lamb Keith , Blessen Elton Al L. , Schafers Rick , Zhukin Aidar , Ferri Alain
Published: December 2007

This paper describes the planning and engineering of a cement slurry design in Kazakstan's remote North Buzachi field. The engineered slurry design solution required the innovative implementation of a new cementing slurry technology based on engineered Particle Size Distribution (PSD) of the slurry.

The application of the PSD technology occurred from the result of an unexpected lost circulation problem during the Phase II appraisal-drilling program conducted in 2000.

The Phase II drilling program, appraising undefined areas of the Field, experienced unanticipated fluid losses. This problem combined with gas influx problems from abnormally pressured sands, well design requirements, and the shallow depth of the wells resulted in a difficult cementing challenge.

A real time solution to the cementing program was required. The service company's area client support laboratory engineered several new slurries that were designed to provide zonal isolation, circulate a full column of cement to the surface, and maintaining well control of the pressured gas sands. The window between loss of primary well control and losing circulation was 50 psi. This extremely tight pressure window, and the speed the wells were being drilled, demanded cement slurry that could be adjusted at the last moment. A flexible cement program was designed that:

Improved mud removal Incorporated pre-blended low-density slurry Enable field personnel to select cement slurry weight without having to last minute test the specific slurry weight, while maintaining optimum slurry properties. Meet all of the well design criteria

The PSD slurry design was used on the last four wells of the drilling program. The slurry density varied from 1460 to 1580 kg/m3 (12.2 ppg to 13.0 ppg). The results from these four wells were among the best obtained in the campaign, as determined by the cement bond logs (USIT & CBL), production testing, and the ability to circulate cement to surface. The review also reduced the occurrence of post cementing annulus pressure at the surface.

The program's post well review concluded that cementing design and operations based on optimum particle size distribution is effective in designing and engineering a slurry that allows last-minute weight variances while maintaining optimum slurry property performance.

This demonstrates that innovative solutions for drilling problems can be developed offsite, concurrently with the drilling operations, for implementation in remote areas having no local support.
A New Method of Evaluating the Filter-Cake Removal Efficiency
Authors: Miranda C. R. , Leite J. C. , Lopes R. T. , Oliveira L. F.
Published: December 2007

The removal of the filter-cake formed during the drilling operation is essential for a successful cementing job. Nowadays the use of synthetic base fluids brings the necessity of proceeding new evaluations of the efficiency of the washes in removing the filter-cake and to guarantee the wettability inversion of the formation from oil to waterwet.

It is presented here a new method of evaluating the filter-cake removal efficiency performed by different washes. This method uses a natural core with a perforation, where a filter-cake is formed by circulating a drilling fluid. The wash is circulated through this perforation and the filter-cake removal efficiency is measured precisely by Computer Tomography Scanning.

This method enables the filter-cake removal visualization during the wash circulation through the formation. From the data obtained from the X-Ray Tomography it is possible to select the most appropriate wash for a given drilling fluid, as well as to predict the necessary contact time between the wash and the formation to achieve an appropriate filter-cake removal.
World's First Benchmarking of Drilling Mud Hammer Performance at Depth Conditions
Authors: Tibbitts Gordon A. , Long Roy C. , Miller Brian E. , Arnis Judzis , Black Alan D.
Published: December 2007

Operators continue to look for ways to improve hard rock drilling performance through emerging technologies. A consortium of Department of Energy, operator and industry participants put together an effort to test and optimize mud driven fluid hammers as one emerging technology that has shown promise to increase penetration rates in hard rock. The thrust of this program has been to test and record the performance of fluid hammers in full scale test conditions including, hard formations at simulated depth, high density / high solids drilling muds, and realistic fluid power levels. This paper details the testing and results of testing two 7 ¾" diameter mud hammers with 8 ½" hammer bits. A Novatek MHN5 and an SDS Digger FH185 mud hammer were tested with several bit types, with performance being compared to a conventional (IADC Code 537) tricone bit. These tools functionally operated in all of the simulated downhole environments. The performance was in the range of the baseline ticone or better at lower borehole pressures, but at higher borehole pressures the performance was in the lower range or below that of the baseline tricone bit. A new drilling mode was observed, while operating the MHN5 mud hammer. This mode was noticed as the weight on bit (WOB) was in transition from low to high applied load. During this new "transition drilling mode", performance was substantially improved and in some cases outperformed the tricone bit. Improvements were noted for the SDS tool while drilling with a more aggressive bit design. Future work includes the optimization of these or the next generation tools for operating in higher density and higher borehole pressure conditions and improving bit design and technology based on the knowledge gained from this test program.
Case Studies of Casing Deformation due to Active Stresses in the Andes Cordillera, Colombia
Authors: Markley Marvin E. , Last Nigel , Mendoza Sandra , Mujica Santiago
Published: December 2007

Ultrasonic logging has been used extensively in Colombia, in the Andesfoothills, to quantitatively evaluate casing wear and deformation. Casingstrings can be lost to casing buckling, shearing and excessive wear. Activestresses applied to the casing strings from the active movement of faultscontribute to the degradation of casing integrity and strength.

These deformations are very costly and often cause the well bore to beabandoned or re-drilled. Imaging of the casing in planar view, 2D cross-sectionand in 3D perspective view are often helpful to better understand thedeformation extent, location, and possible causes.

A number of somewhat extreme examples of casing deformation due to activestress regimes are analyzed to demonstrate the circumstances that differentsize casings may be subjected to in areas of high lateral stresses. Some ofthese examples illustrate casing that appears damaged beyond repair, but isstill holding pressure and allows entry into the well. Other casing deformationis much less extreme, but reduces the casing strength very substantially.

Casing internal diameters, thicknesses, and the acoustic impedance of thematerial behind the casing are measured and interpreted. These measurements arethen visualized using 1D, 2D, and 3D displays of the data. Correlations togeologic and geophysical events are shown in 3D to illustrate and definepotential high-stress, problem areas and help in casing design for the severeenvironment.
Experimental Evaluation of Control Fluid Fallback During Off-Bottom Well Control: Effect of Deviation Angle
Authors: Flores-Avila Fernando S. , Smith John Rogers , Bourgoyne Adam T. , Bourgoyne Darryl A.
Published: December 2007

This study measured the liquid fallback during simulated blowout conditions. The purpose of the study was to establish a basis for developing a procedure for controlling blowouts that relies on the accumulation of liquid kill fluid injected while the well continues to flow. The results from experiments performed with air and water in an experimental 48 ft flow loop at 0°, 20°, 40°, 60° and 75° deviation angles from the vertical are presented. The results show that the critical velocity that prevents control fluid accumulation can be predicted by Turner's model of terminal velocity based on the liquid droplet theory by also considering the flow regime of the continuous phase when evaluating the drag coefficient, as well as the angle of deviation from the vertical. Similarly, the amount of liquid that flows countercurrent into and accumulates in the well can be predicted based on the concept of zero net liquid flow (ZNLF) holdup.
Horizontal Well Cleaning and Evaluation Using Concentric Coiled Tubing: A 3 Well Case Study from Australia
Authors: Kuchel Mike , Clark Jason , Marques Douglas
Published: December 2007

Some of the horizontal wells that were drilled in the Saladin field on Thevenard Island in Western Australia have produced below expectations or have experienced sharp production declines. The reasons for this were not known, although the following were suspected to be contributing factors: Reservoir quality could vary considerably.The horizontal sections were intentionally drilled in a sinusoidal shape and the low points could become traps for sand and heavy fluids.Formation damage may have occurred in some wells that were drilled with a water based mud and a high overbalance.

A specialized well cleaning system, which consists of a specially designed jet pump run on concentric coiled tubing, was determined to be a better method than conventional coiled tubing to clean the horizontal sections and investigate the causes of the production problems. The tool can be operated in a fines removal mode or a fluid removal mode which provides a localised drawdown at every point in the wellbore. The localized drawdown allows the mud-damaged zones, gas, oil and water intervals to be identified.

The well cleaning system has been successfully used to remove sand and drilling mud damage from horizontal wells in Canada, Venezuela and California. The well cleaning tool can be configured to work with different concentric coiled tubing sizes and a 1" inside 2" concentric string was designed for the Australia project.

This paper reviews the design and mechanism of the well cleaning system and provides results on the first 3 wells that were cleaned in the Saladin field.
New Downhole Tool Can Solve Depth Control Problems in Coiled-Tubing Fracturing Operations
Authors: Connell M. L. , Howard R. G.
Published: December 2007

Coiled-tubing fracturing (CTF) operations are proving to be a safe, cost-effective way to stimulate wells. But, the straddle packers attached to the end of the coiled tubing must be precisely placed over the intervals to be fractured or the stimulation can be compromised. A new tool has been developed to help ensure proper placement of the packers in the wellbore. A log of the casing collars is generated and then correlated to existing well logs. Once the depth corrections are made, fracturing operations can commence.
Polymer Effect on Gas/Water Flow in Porous Media
Authors: Elmkies Ph. , Lasseux D. , Bertin H. , Pichery T. , Zaitoun A.
Published: December 2007

The presence of hydrosoluble polymer or gel in porous media induces a selective reduction of permeability -called Disproportionate Permeability Reduction, DPR- i. e. a reduction of relative permeability to water much larger than the relative permeability to oil. Several experimental studies have been focused on oil/water systems with different cores, polymers and wettability conditions, confirming the DPR effect. The goal of our study is to investigate polymer effect on gas/water permeability in a wide range of flow rate, reproducing near well-bore conditions in water shutoff applications.

The experimental study presented here proceeds to water and nitrogen injections into sandstone cores before and after polyacrylamide adsorption. Both low-rate Darcy regime and high-rate non-Darcy regime were investigated during gas flow, the later one being modeled using the classical Darcy-Forchheimer formalism. In the Darcy regime, the DPR effect induced by polymer adsorption is more significant when observed on gas/water systems than on oil/water systems investigated under comparable conditions during previous studies. Polymer induces both a strong reduction of the relative permeability to water while affecting very little the relative permeability to gas, and a significant increase of the irreducible water saturation. In the non-Darcy regime, taking into account water saturation and permeability modifications, we observe a reduction of inertial effects when gas is injected after polymer. Experimental data are discussed and confronted with the different hypotheses put forth to explain DPR. Both DPR effect and the reduction of inertial resistance coefficients during gas flow may have important applications in gas well treatments.
Polymer Injection Projects in Brazil: Dimensioning, Field Application and Evaluation
Authors: de Melo Maria Aparecida , da Silva Ivonete P. G. , de Godoy Geraldo M. R. , Sanmartim Agda N.
Published: December 2007

Polymer injection in petroleum reservoirs aiming at the enhancement of oil recovery has been used worldwide for decades. Polymers act basically increasing the injected water viscosity and reducing the porous media permeability, then improving the vertical and areal sweep efficiency.

Pilot polymer injection projects for mobility correction are currently underway in three Brazilian fields operated by Petrobras, namely Carmópolis (Sergipe state), Buracica (Bahia state) and Canto do Amaro (Rio Grande do Norte state), the first and the second in full operation and the third in its initial stage. With these projects, Petrobras has acquired know-how actuating in all process steps such as the laboratory tests, the dimensioning and programming of the field operation, the field implementation and finally the analysis and interpretation of the results.

The present article describes Petrobras experience during the several phases of field projects implementation. The laboratory data for relevant parameters are presented and discussed. These data were essential to the polymer flooding projects design and serve as input data for simulation with IMEX™, which will be useful for the economical and technical evaluation of these projects.
Effect of Scale on Capillary Pressure Curves of Carbonate Samples
Authors: Wathab Mohammad
Published: December 2007

Capillary pressure curves are obtained for six pairs of carbonate core samples coming from a fractured reservoir in Iraq. Each pair of core samples consists of one large core sample and one small plug (that is recovered from the large core sample). Measurements are made using the porous plate method. For such measurements, synthetic equivalent formation brine and stock tank oil are used as the displaced and the displacing fluids respectively. Three types of tests are executed successively in this work; 1) large core samples at reservoir temperature (55°C), 2) small plugs at ambient temperature (about 20°C), and 3) small plugs at reservoir temperature.

Except for one sample out of the six pairs, the comparison shows that there is an upward shifting of the capillary pressure curves of the large core samples. Moreover, the irreducible water saturations obtained for large core samples are higher than those obtained for small plugs. A greater scatter is observed in the J-function for the large core samples in comparison with the small plugs. For each pair of samples, higher irreducible water saturations are obtained for core samples having wider pore size distribution (i.e. a smaller value of pore size distribution index).

The differences in capillary pressure curves, irreducible saturations and J-function are attributed to the differences in pore size distributions and scale effect. Therefore, using small plugs to measure capillary pressure could introduce severe errors in determining the capillary pressure curve and irreducible water saturation even when reservoir fluids are used.
Smørbukk field: Impact of Small Scale Heterogeneity on Gas Cycling Performance
Authors: Thibeau Sylvain
Published: December 2007

This paper is aiming at quantifying the interaction of small scale, permeability heterogeneity and flow performance. The work is applied to the Smørbukk gas-condensate producing field, and more specifically to its Tilje 1.1.1 formation, where injected gas is expected to expand first.

The key assumption consists in modeling small scale heterogeneity as vertical perturbations to the current petrophysical maps. Two types of data sources are used to generate these perturbations: permeability logs and mini-permeameter data. Vertically refined full field flow models are built to incorporate explicitly these perturbations.

The impact on the flow performance was evaluated in term of front developments in the reservoir; GOR evolutions at the wells and final recoveries.

Finally, an upscaling procedure is proposed to take into account the bypass of the gas cap gas by the injected gas. Analytical estimates are provided to better understand the phenomena.
Membrane Technology for Natural Gas Processing
Authors: Ohlrogge Klaus , Wind Jan , Brinkmann Torsten
Published: December 2007

The paper deals with the introduction of membrane based separation processes to treat natural gas according to pipeline specifications. Polymeric membranes have been tested in the frame work of a project sponsored by the European Union (Brite EuRam III, Contract No. BRPR-CT 98-0804). The focus of the work was the dehydration of natural gas streams by means of a glassy membrane and hydrocarbon dewpointing by means of an elastomeric membrane. Engineering aspects and experimental results will be discussed as well as the potential for technical applications.
A Comparison of Results of Three Different CO2 Energized Frac Fluids: A Case History
Authors: Tulissi Michael G. , May Richard E.
Published: December 2007

Over the past several years shallow gas reservoirs in southern Alberta have often been fracture-treated utilizing a blanket design, with the primary objective of minimizing completion costs on these marginal wells. Strategies such as simplifying logistics to take advantage of economies of scale, and reducing fluid and gas requirements have been successful in achieving this objective.

This paper discusses a pilot project, which examined ways to enhance the economics of both the Medicine Hat and Milk River formations. The ultimate goal of the project was to improve overall economics by increasing production, rather than relying solely on reduced costs. Successful trials were to provide justification for future down spacing of the field. The impact of varying the ratio of liquid CO2 relative to base fluid in twelve wells was observed.

Initial production results have proved exciting and strongly suggest the possibility of doubling production rates in the long-term.