Geology and Development of Kiskadee Field, Offshore Trinidad
Authors: Rosen Michael A. 
Published: October 2008

The commercial success at Kiskadee field and understanding of the geology are partly attributed to a multidisciplinary effort to integrate 3D seismic, well logs, core analyses and well performance. The field, located in offshore eastern Trinidad, is a gas-condensate accumulation within multiple Pliocene sandstones. Core analyses and biostratigraphy show that the reservoir sandstones were deposited as Pliocene deltas of varying depositional energy. Seismic attributes and maps of well data support the depositional model.

Drilling and 3D seismic data show gas trapped in numerous faulted closures near 9000 feet below sea level (bsl) and a deeper structural nose at the level of the main reservoir between 15,000-16,000 feet bsl. In both the shallow accumulations and the main pay zone, faults form an integralpart of the trap. However, in the deep trap, reservoir deterioration and possible pinchout are indicated by log character and seismic attributes. The disruption of seals in traps at Kiskadee is evident through residual hydrocarbons found in several sandstones.

The main reservoir exhibits exceptional quality for its great depth. Quality is demonstrated by core measurements of porosity, permeability and capillarity as wells as the production performance of wells, which can sustain a dailyflow rate over 45 million cubic feet of gas and 1800 barrels of condensate.

Introduction

Kiskadee field is located 40 kilometers from the eastern coast of Trinidad in the offshore lease of the Southeast Coast Consortium or SECC (fig. 1). The field was discovered in1977 by a Texaco-lead consortium, which found gas and condensate in the exploratory wells, Kiskadee-1 and Kiskadee-2. The three zones tested in those wells were the development targets for an Enron-operated consortium that includes the Petroleum Company of Trinidad and Tobago (petrotrin) and the National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago (NGC).

Development began in early 1993 with seismic acquisition. A survey of 13,014 line kilometers was shot covering the entire SECC license. Acquisition parametersincluded 12.5 by 50 meter spacing with in lines oriented northeast or parallel to structural dip. The final processed bin size was 25 by 25 meters.

While seismic acquisition and processing were underway, the consortium refurbished a production/drilling deck and facilities capable of processing 150 million cubic feet of gasper day (mmcfgpd) and 10,000 barrels of condensate per day (bcpd). A new jacket was constructed to support the Kiskadee A deck in approximately 225 feet of water.

Since setting the Kiskadee A platform in August, 1993, development advanced through the drilling of eight wells, including seven completions from the Kiskadee A (KA) platform, and significant upgrades to the KA facilities. In addition, the Banyan platform was set by Amoco about four kilometers southeast of KA. In a cooperative venture between the SECC consortium and Amoco, two wells were drilled from Banyan with Amoco as the platform operator. One of these wells, KB-I, was drilled to the SECC concession and completed in the main reservoir, the Kiskadee Sand.