Rejuvenating Late Life Field Opportunities Through a Fast Track Full Field Re-Evaluation, Focused Idle Well Reactivation, Strategic Data Acquisition and Data Analytics in Peninsular Malaysia Waters
Authors: Zulkipli Siti Najmi , Harun Norhana 
Published: October 2019

Managing late life declining assets often called for a holistic approach and integrated efforts to safeguard the production funnel and finding the upside potential for field rejuvenation to sustain the economic life. Identifying the remaining hydrocarbon potential and monetizing it during late field life often pose a challenge in terms of limited data availability, complex reservoir characterization, complex well profile as well as job doability. To overcome the challenges, a strategic maturation plan and fast track action is required to accelerate the field potential prior to abandonment. This paper will showcase few case studies from Peninsular Malaysia waters on the successful paths taken to reap the full benefits of bypassed hydrocarbon potential by leveraging on proactive full field analysis, fit-for-purpose technology and data analytics for petrophysical evaluation and focused execution of the production enhancement plan which seems impossible under normal operating work scope.

Initiating proactive full field review (FFR) and fast track assessment on the remaining hydrocarbon potential prior to field abandonment had become the major enabler in identifying the untapped opportunities behind casing to prolong the field economic life. Commendable efforts to bring the opportunities into life also include advanced data acquisition to minimize uncertainty in the add-perf job, using data learning to assist shallow reservoir evaluation for work-over and infill drilling candidates, utilizing ceased production well for water injector slot and agile as well as adaptive workflow for safe job execution both for production enhancement and abandonment purposes.

Through aggressive subsurface study and multi-disciplinary work integration process starting from identifying the opportunities till realizing the barrels into production pipeline, a significant and sustainable production gain had been successfully achieved which helps to prolong the net positive cash flow of the fields involved. The success is replicated to the rest of other fields where a nimble workflow has been established to unlock the late life field potential. Partnership in technology has also triggered more focus in delivering the results and value to the operation in addition to increased collaboration in new uncharted area such as advanced formation evaluation tool technology, nanotechnology material, geoengineering of shallow unconsolidated formation properties and enhancing operational success based on data-driven approach. Besides, some lessons learned and best practices in planning and executing well abandonment operation will be also highlighted.

In a nutshell, field rejuvenation and exploiting maximum potential during late field life require a long projectile and strategic planning for value creation. Case studies demonstrated in this paper have provided an exemplary blueprint to best manage the late life declining assets by challenging the status quo and working through an integrated framework to bring in more barrels.