Application of a Novel Hybrid Workflow with Data Analytics and Analog Assessment for Recovery Factor Benchmarking and Improvement Plan in Malaysian Oilfields
Authors: Masoudi Rahim , Jalan Shlok , Sinha Ankaj Kumar 
Published: November 2020

Securing long-term energy supply for Malaysia is one of the prime responsibilities of PETRONAS; and Malaysia Petroleum Management (MPM) has been entrusted to shape the industry and enable efficient exploitation strategies and optimal development planning of Malaysian hydrocarbon assets. Production sustainability and reserve growth/addition are among the key focus area in MPM; hence, strategies and efforts are being formulated to improve the average oil field RF to more than 40%. Objective assessment of field performance, identification of recovery gaps and defining roadmap to improve field's ultimate recovery factor are critical steps to maximize the field potential ad ultimate value. This paper demonstrates the application of a hybrid workflow, comprising of data analytics-based performance benchmarking and Field Development Plan (FDP) analog assessment, to identify potential development and field management opportunities for improving economic recovery factor of an oilfield.

This novel workflow consists of three key steps. First step involves reservoir performance assessment through application of diagnostic plots, decline trends and pressure/production/injection history to validate existing reserves classified as ‘No Further Activity’ (NFA). NFA reserves along with maturity assessment of undeveloped/contingent resources will provide validated recovery factor for the field. Second step is gap analysis of validated recovery factor against benchmark RF computed through data analytics carried out in Reservoir Performance Benchmarking (RPB) tool. The third and final step focusses on monetizing the RF gap and replicating best development practices through assessment of analogue reservoirs and Field Development Plans (FDPs). Analogue development cases can be from reservoirs within same field or reservoirs with similar complexity index based on RPB tool. This step involves making various cross-plots to identify opportunities like infill drilling, secondary recovery requirement, optimal producer to injector ratio, waterflood & production optimization and operational excellence.

This workflow has been successfully applied to various oilfields (mature & greenfield) within Malaysia and results have been presented in this paper. The workflow has helped to identify numerous development opportunities to improve economic recovery factor e.g. new producer/injector wells, monetization plan for minor oil reservoirs, waterflood optimization and voidage management plans. These opportunities (subsurface/well/surface) are being matured for execution through MPM's enabling processes like Asset Value Framing (AVF), Asset Development Integrated Review (ADIR) and Asset Management Integrated Review (AMIR).

Application of recovery factor improvement workflow coupled with reservoir benchmarking results has facilitated opportunity identification in Malaysian oilfields and defined roadmap to augment nation's oil reserves base and improve the average oil field RF to more than 40%. Using this workflow, RF gap identification in existing oilfields can be completed in relatively short period of time and actionable plans can be framed for maximizing recovery factor of the respective field.