bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Combining Wireline and LWD Borehole Seismic Data for Drilling HPHT Well: A Novel Approach
Authors: Lim Teck Kean , Ahmed Aqil , Gibrata Muhammad Antonia , Taslim Gunawan
Published: May 2016

A unique integrated borehole seismic technique was used to access and mitigate drilling risk on a Petronas Carigali highpressure, high-temperature (HPHT) exploration well offshore Sabah.

The approach combined wireline vertical seismic profiling (VSP) and logging-while-drilling (LWD) seismic surveys to look ahead for pore-pressure prediction, geostopping, and obtaining high-resolution seismic imaging below the well path. Three wireline VSP runs and one seismic-while-drilling run were made. The first-run rig-source VSP at the 13 3/8-in. section was used to obtain an initial velocity model and early prediction ahead of bit and imaging. This was followed by a wireline vertical incident VSP (VIVSP) run at the 9 5/8-in. section to refine the pore pressure prediction and for target illumination. LWD seismic was deployed while drilling the following 8 3/8-in. section to provide real-time checkshots for pore-pressure constraint and geostopping above a key formation top to set casing. Both the wireline and LWD VIVSP showed minor faults that were not apparent on the 3D surface seismic; these faults explain the unusual kick encountered. This high-resolution image was used to decide the sidetrack path. The final rig-source VSP was logged at total depth (TD) to complement the pore-pressure prediction and seismic imaging.

In addition, the real-time checkshots while drilling aided in stopping drilling to within a stand (less than 30 m) above the key formation top. The depth uncertainty of the key formation was over 130 m prior to drilling.

Introduction

Integrating wireline and LWD borehole seismic information for drilling is a new technique in Malaysia, first applied by PETRONAS Carigali Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of PETRONAS. In this novel approach, we will demonstrate how borehole seismic data, which is conventionally used for geologic and geophysical interpretation, has added value for drilling and well planning.

The PETRONAS well, drilled in 2008, is located off the coast of Sabah, East Malaysia. The target reservoir, in contrast to most other reservoirs in the region, is deeper, hotter, and at much higher pressures than normal. Pore pressure ramps and depleted sands in the field had previously made drilling difficult, generating hazardous incidents including stuck and lost-inhole pipe, losses, and kicks. These incidents had resulted in stopping drilling prematurely of the wells at great cost to PETRONAS, and also left the ultradeep targets unexplored. Studies by the PETRONAS sedimentologist suggested that this overpressure hazard is associated with undercompacted bathyal mudstone, and the well casing design required accurate prediction.

The well path was designed to avoid the regional fault that could complicate pore-pressure prediction. Existing surface seismic and distant well-based velocity control was inadequate for this purpose.
A geological view into Permo-Triassic Khuff reservoirs from outcrop analogues in the United Arab Emirates
Authors: Maurer Florian , Hillgartner Heiko , Martini Rossana , Rettori Roberto , Cirilli Simonetta
Published: May 2016

Introduction

The availability of outcrops to study reservoir-scale geobodies is key for a successful exploration and exploitation of subsurface hydrocarbon accumulations. The increased development of giant gas fields in the Permian Khuff Formation in the Persian Gulf calls for more geological work in such outcrop equivalents. Next to the known outcrop analogues in Saudi Arabia (Vaslet et al., 2005) and Iran (Insalaco et al., 2006) we present outcrops from the Musandam Peninsula (Ras Al Khaimah, UAE) with close affinity to the reservoir geology of Khuff gas fields.

Data and methods

A lithological log with scale 1:100 including lithology, carbonate textures, macrofossils and sedimentary structures and covering the 500 m thick stratigraphic interval of interest has been compiled in the field (Figure 1). Along the logged section a sample for microfacies and biostratigraphic analysis has been taken every 2-3 m. Selected clay layers were sampled for X-ray diffraction and palynological analyses. Gamma ray radiation was measured at 1m-intervals in the lower part of the outcrop using a hand-held gamma ray spectrometer which produced separate logs for emitted Uranium (U), Thorium (Th) and Potassium (K), as well as a bulk gamma ray log converted to standard API gamma ray units.
Development & Usages of Geographical Information System (GIS) at Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatar Petroleum, Qatar.
Authors: Kumar Pahala
Published: May 2016

Figures contained in the paper are partially illegible. Clearer graphics are not available.

Information systems which allows processing and presentation of location specific graphic and non-graphic data are technically termed as Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Geography matters a lot in industrial (gas infrastructure) business city wherein its out side plant infrastructure assets are spread on geographic layout plan. At QP-RLIC GIS has been developed as a vital business tool for locating, planning and managing its sprawling industrial infrastructure layout with immense infrastructure on ground and utilities buried below.

As Spatial Data developing, integration and updating are the backbone of any GIS, RLIC's Survey/CAD/GIS team with the participation of its potential users has been working hard in developing the Geospatial Data i.e. Geodatabase of RLIC. The consolidation of As-built plan drawings derived from various Project contract works carried out over a decade since the inception of RLIC has formed the core input for RLC GIS Geodatabase development. In order to authenticate the spatial data Land Surveys were conducted where cross checking was necessary and to validate or update the Asbuilt infrastructure presented in the contract asbuilt drawings. The RLIC GIS has topographic data derived from aerial survey and backdrop of time lapse aerial/satellite images. The developed RLC Geodatabase have over 100 geographic feature layers falling in a dozen category of thematic datasets. The GIS geodatabase is continually being updated for its as-built and under plan information.

The evolving RLC Geodatabase has been customized using ArcGIS Arcview package catering to the needs of RLC planning and maintenance engineers. The RLC GIS data as maps are shareable within the QP-RLC departments, enduser companies and contractors operating at RLIC for their project needs.

At RLIC the ongoing port expansion, west-side multipurpose support services zone development and End-users on plot and off plot utility infrastructure development will all have huge inputs to the RLC Geodatabase data development, information integration, map generation and usages.
Drill Cuttings Injection and Monitoring for a Remote Pad Drilling Operation on an Environmentally Sensitive Site in Peru
Authors: Marinello Stephen Arthur , Ghoneim Ibrahim Mohamed , Zaki Karim S. , Abou-Sayed S. , Airoldi Cinthia , Cassanelli Juan Pablo , Pierce Dale , Suarez Carlos Roberto
Published: May 2016

This reference is for an abstract only. A full paper was not submitted for this conference.

Assurance of a successful and environmentally sound long-term cuttings injection program requires monitoring and periodic analysis of injection performance response. Such a program provides for operational oversight and the ability to identify changes in performance response or trends, thereby providing for modification of operating parameters to optimize performance and minimize the negative impact of unexpected responses.

An implementation of this process has been instituted for a remote, pad-drilled site located in a nature preserve in the Amazonian rainforest of Peru. The development of natural gas reserves at Camisea has extreme environmental sensitivity and injection of the generated drill cuttings was recognized as a technically and environmentally acceptable alternative for drilling location waste management.

The paper will discuss the issues encountered in implementing and operating the DCI project at Cashiriari. Higher than anticipated initial injection pressures were indicative of the stress regime of the region and required an adjustment in thinking with respect to operating parameters and performance expectations. Performance has been contingent on successful inhibition of the reactive clays adjacent to the relatively thin sandy target zones. Continuous monitoring has allowed projections of the closure pressure increases associated with batch injection through time, providing a prediction of future performance and disposal capacity. Information gathered from monitoring operations has allowed for performance improvement and/or minimization of potential problems identified. At this point in time, the operation has successfully injected nearly 200,000 bbls of cuttings through careful management of batch attributes and adaptation to operating realities.

Recognition of the need for well designed and implemented programs to monitor injection performance is critical for the industry in the future. Operational and environmental assurance derived from such programs provides long term operational viability and social acceptance of cuttings injection as a safe means of waste management.
Water Sustainability and the Petroleum Industry
Authors: Adham Samer , Minier-Matar Joel
Published: May 2016

Water is becoming an increasingly important issue in the world and particularly for the petroleum industry. The purpose of this paper is to outline some of the challenges before the petroleum industry and their need to play a key role to ensure water sustainability.

As an oil and gas industry, we are both producers and consumers of water. In the future, it may become an important license—to—operate issue. On the upstream side, we generally produce more water than oil (worldwide about three times more). Historically it has been a nuisance by-product that we pay to dispose of. With environmental regulations tightening and as we pursue more Enhance Oil Recovery (EOR) projects, water supply and quality cannot be overlooked. On the downstream side of the business, we are primarily a user of water — both as process water in the desalter units and as cooling water. In some communities we do business at, we are already starting to compete with the domestic and agriculture users of water. Therefore, we must focus on water much more than we have in the past.

ConocoPhillips Global Water Sustainability Center in Doha (Qatar) will coordinate our effort to develop and evaluate innovative solutions. Any solutions that benefit ConocoPhillips (COP) will also benefit Qatar Petroleum (QP) and the industry in general.

Introduction

Two third of our planet is mainly water and 97.5% of it is salty (sea water); only 2.5% is fresh water and not all of it can be used for direct human uses. From the 2.5% of fresh water, approximately 70% is frozen as glaciers or polar ice; leaving only less than 1% of the total volume of fresh water accessible for human uses (e.g. rivers, lakes and groundwater) and most of the times, water sources are not clean enough.(1) Moreover, the availability of fresh water in the world is not evenly distributed. In places like deserts, the rainfall is very low and the water sources are scarce, so new water treatment strategies as well as water conservation programs are required.

Water uses can be classified in three main categories: agriculture, industrial and domestic. Around the world, on average, 8% of water is used for domestic, 22% is used for industrial applications, and 70% is used for agriculture. However, the developed world uses more water for industries than for agriculture as shown in Figure 1. (2)
ExxonMobil Production Company Gas Management System
Authors: Pedrick Larry E. , Symes Peter Ernest , Miller David
Published: May 2016

This reference is for an abstract only. A full paper was not submitted for this conference.

The paper will provide an overview of the system developed and adopted by ExxonMobil for managing the risks to sustained gas delivery in our upstream operations. The paper will cover the guiding principles, the breadth of scope, key elements and processes, and the interface coordination and workflows associated with the Gas Management System (GMS). It will also discuss critical success factors for effective implementation and lessons learned.

Unplanned downtime and the resulting disruption of product supplies to customers can have significant financial and reputation impacts on a producing company. Sustaining reliable gas deliveries requires disciplined identification of potential risks to production, processing, and delivery systems. Addressing these risks in a systematic way is a multifaceted challenge. The integrity of the physical assets, the ranges of potential variations in production and the environmental conditions including contingency planning, personnel readiness, and customer systems all need to be understood to manage what can be sudden and rapidly changing events in response to internal or external initiating factors.

An effective management system focuses appropriate resources on higher risk areas while ensuring other supporting management systems manage lower and medium risks. Training and competency assurance for operations and maintenance personnel are tracked at the same level of oversight as for other integrity-critical processes and systems that monitor asset performance and health. Clear delineation of responsibilities and interfaces for technical support are also established. The GMS also monitors seasonal changes, such as owned and customer asset readiness, chemical and logistical readiness, and the impacts of all changes to existing systems and any new operations on gas deliverability.

This paper provides an overview of the structure, discipline, and coordination associated with sustaining gas deliveries utilizing a GMS. It will highlight development of the system, a typical implementation strategy, and challenges with achieving a truly institutionalized management system for consistent performance over the asset life-cycle. The application of a gas management system will likely be of interest to gas marketing professionals, Operations management and technical staff.
Deployment Strategies to Reduce Risk in the Acquisition of Formation
Authors: Kuchinski Robert
Published: May 2016

This reference is for an abstract only. A full paper was not submitted for this conference.

Effective reservoir management requires sound decision making that is based on formation evaluation data acquired during all stages of the life of the well. Without this data, reservoir understanding is compromised, which can impact long term well productivity. Given the increasing challenges of acquiring data in today's geometrically complex wells, new methods of data acquisition are constantly being developed and refined. This has led to a new area of oilfield innovation called conveyance. This paper is an analysis of the risks associated with the acquisition of formation evaluation data.

These risks are generally classified as follows:Non Productive time due to the inability of logging tools getting to bottom. (bridging)Non Productive time due to delays associated with making last minute arrangements for alternative logging methods when bridging problems become too severe.Lost in hole charges associated with permanently sticking logging tools due to challenging hole conditions.Unsound decision making throughout the life of the well, because challenging hole conditions, made the acquisition of formation evaluation data impossible.

The risks outlined above can also be assessed depending upon the data requirements and the conveyance method employed. A new risk assessment will be presented that discusses the risks associated with acquiring the data that provides insight into the six main formation properties required by the industry to understand reservoirs. Several conveyance techniques that assure the acquisition of data will be discussed along with case history's of some of these applications. This paper will serve as a means to understand and assess the risks associated with the acquisition of formation evaluation data. It will also increase awareness of the techniques that exist for acquiring data, and ultimately allow for developing the best strategy to acquire formation evaluation data.
Dual Pod ESP's Completion Mitigates Risk And Maximizes erformance For Al-Khalij Field, Offshore Qatar
Authors: Combellas Roland , Cuadros Isaza Ernesto Jose , Elazabi Said Mohammed , Terre Christian , Szymkowski Bertrand , Al-Suwaidi Abdulla Ahmad , Jaafar Mohd Rushdan
Published: May 2016

Over the last decade, TOTAL E&P Qatar had taken every opportunity to enhance the performance of Al-Khalij field while mitigating operational associated risks by implementing the new technologies offered by the Oil and Gas industry.

The recent technology implemented by TOTAL E&P Qatar, in October 2008, is the DuaLife Pod system. The aim of implementing this technology is to gain the following benefits:·Reduce operational costs by decreasing the number of wells workovers.·Reduce deferred production by having a redundant ESP in case the main ESP fails.·Well-protected ESP, increasing the run life of the well completions.·Prevent further degradation of damaged or corroded production casing.

This paper will discuss the processes implemented from conception, design, preparation and procedures for the successful completion of this DuaLife system implemented recently in one of TOTAL E&P Qatar wells. Also the paper will highlight the best practices and lessons learnt from this initial implementation for future implementations.
Underground Blowout Control in Iranian Offshore Oil Field
Authors: Torki Mehdi Abbas , shadravan Arash , Roohi Abbas
Published: May 2016

An underground blowout occurs when formation fluids flow from one subsurface zone to another in an uncontrolled manner. The results range from being indiscernible to catastrophic. An underground blowout can result in minor transfers of fluids that may never be identified or in flow which reaches the sea floor or ground surface. If the flow reaches the surface, a crater, loss of equipment, and sometimes loss of life may result. A major complication in handling underground blowouts is the difficulty in diagnosing what is actually happening in the subsurface. Once an underground blowout is identified, the risk of surface cratering must be considered. Another major difficulty is the lack of a systematic approach to analyzing and controlling the flow. These are aggravated by the relative lack of coverage of underground blowouts in conventional industry well control training. This difficult and complex subject usually accounts for less than 5% of the time or material covered. Overall, it is our opinion that shortcomings exist in all areas relating to underground blowouts: training, prevention, identification, diagnosis, control, and verification of control. An Iranian offshore oil field is located 75 km west of kharg island containing three main production platform AA, AB and AC, with the total capacity of 220000 BPD, each about 80000 BPD. 67 wells out of 107 wells drilled in this oil field, are oil producer now. There are 20 wells on A-11 which produce oil from Ghar and Damam formation. Costly underground blowouts result in mud losses, wasted rig time, often ineffective remediation materials and techniques, and sometimes lost holes, sidetracks, abandoned wells, relief wells, and lost petroleum reserves. The underground blowout can be the most difficult, dangerous, and destructive situation in well control. If the blowout is shallow, cratering can result and endanger the lives of all involved. The underground blowout is often denied since the usual manifestations of a blowout are hidden from view. It is imperative that the blowout be recognized and diagnosed as soon as possible in the early of recent year, while drilling17 1/2" hole of well no. A-11-20, at depth 383m, huge flow of gas was observed and after closing the well, as the formation below shoe was fractured, due to increase pressure to above MASP, gas flowed from seabed, in addition, gas and water flowed from 30" conductor pipe of A-11-17 to lower deck up to 8 meters height. Underground blowout was controlled by engineering planning with no fire after 60 days. It was designed base on three main concepts: Surface blowout control to allow continues work safely on the platform Identify source of gas flow Underground blow out control. In this paper underground blowout control in Abozar oil field will be discussed in detail procedure.
Application of Chelatants in the handling of ASP Produced Fluid
Authors: Cheng Jiecheng , Wu Di , Liu Wenjie , Meng Xiangchun , Sun Fuxiang , Zhao Fengling , Zhao Qiushi , Jiang Neng
Published: May 2016

Suspended solid (SS) particles in the produced water of X2M ASP flooding project were separated by membrane filtration and identified to consist mainly of alkali earth metal carbonates and silica precipitates. A compound formulation of chelatants was developed to stabilize the water phase of ASP flooding produced fluid and prevent or reduce precipitation of both alkali earth metal carbonates and silica. The compound chelatant was put into a limited field trial in the surface production system of X2M ASP flooding project to evaluate its effects on the quality of treated produced water. The averages SS content of treated ASP flooding produced water was decreased to below the 20ppm SS specification limit for re-injection by a dosage of chelatant at 480ppm or above. Scale removal performance of the compound chelatant was also observed during the field trial.

1. Introduction

Alkaline-surfactant-polymer (ASP) flooding has been proven to be a promising recovery method to extract large volume of oil remaining in the ground after conventional oil recovery methods have been implemented. The incremental oil recovery efficiencies of 11 completed ASP flooding field tests ranged from 19 to 34 % of OOIP[1, 2]. ASP flooding is now considered to play an important role in improving the oil recovery and ultimately extending the life of numerous mature reservoirs throughout the world. However, ASP flooding is still facing some major obstacles in produced fluid handling on its way to commercial application. While significant decrease of water-cut of produced liquid and increase of oil production have been achieved, ASP flooding has resulted in tremendous increase of suspended solid (SS) particles in produced fluid, causing great troubles in produced water treatment and re-injection, as well as scale deposition in tubing and surface production facilities[3, 4]. The state-of-art produced water treatment processes such as gravity settling, electrocoagulation, IAF, DAF, biological treatment and bed filtration were not effective enough for the removal of some of the tiny particulate contaminants in the produced water of X2M ASP flooding project. Chemical coagulation and flocculation of ASP flooding produced water was found to be unacceptable due to extremely high dosage, high expense, and disposal of huge amount of toxic sludge[5, 6]. It is thus necessary to search for new treatment methods for ASP flooding produced water based on the sources and characteristics of SS in the troublesome produced water.
Environmental Management Process for Major Projects
Authors: Krishna Paul P. , Moynihan Kelly J. , Callon Douglas R.
Published: May 2016

New oil and gas resources are increasingly challenging to access and many are situated in remote areas or require the construction of pipelines over significant onshore lengths to bring products to market. Environmental aspects are usually abundant and are frequently related to socioeconomic and health challenges. For the purposes of this paper, references to environmental aspects will include socioeconomic and health aspects.

ExxonMobil is guided by its Environment Policy, expectations from the "Protect Tomorrow. Today." initiative, and management systems. This guidance is supported by processes and tools to ensure that the desired level of environmental performance is achieved when developing and constructing new upstream production/processing facilities. For major projects, significant environmental-related decisions need to be made during initial planning and concept selection. These early decisions can effectively reduce environmental impacts without significantly affecting a project's cost or schedule. Identification of potential environmental impacts early in the planning process can be essential to narrowing the scope of concept alternatives and developing appropriate environmental mitigation approaches. These early decisions help to optimize a project's environmental footprint by addressing energy needs, water usage, land use, air emissions, impacts on sensitive environments, and effects on local communities.

ExxonMobil Development Company ("EMDC") manages a challenging portfolio of opportunities. Totaling more than 100 projects, the Company's activities span the globe and cover many segments of the business from LNG to tight gas to oil sands. To consistently manage such a portfolio, EMDC has established an Environmental Management Process that covers the complete life cycle of a new development. This process includes a number of planning and decision-making tools and processes to address identified environmental challenges. Environmental risk assessments, alternatives analyses, and adherence to internal environmental standards provide guidance throughout the project planning and construction process. Once a concept has been selected and approved, an Environmental, Socioeconomic, and Health Impact Assessment ("ESHIA") is conducted. Endorsed environmental impact avoidance and/or mitigation measures are documented in subsequent project documents, most notably an Environmental Management Plan ("EMP"). Included in this plan are the roles and responsibilities of project-associated personnel, environmental-related regulatory requirements, and environmental performance expectations.

Upon completion of a project, operations personnel track environmental measurements to ensure that the project delivers the required level of environmental performance. At the end of a project's life, facilities are dismantled and reclaimed. A life cycle approach, from initial project concept to final decommissioning, ensures the proper stewardship of the environmental aspects of ExxonMobil's overall upstream operations.
Geological Borehole Image Technologies To Unlock Oman's Complex Gas Bearing Amin Formation
Authors: Lawatia Redha , Bildstein Joachim
Published: May 2016

This reference is for an abstract only. A full paper was not submitted for this conference.

In the northern part of Oman, gas and condensate have been discovered in the Amin formation at depths between 4,000 m and 5,000 m at pressures as low as 450 and more than 600 bar and reservoir temperatures of above 150 degC. The Amin formation is dominated by very heterogeneous Aeolian deposit reservoirs. Due to its age of more than 500 million years and its hard cementation, it poses challenges for the drilling equipment and the development concept. The reservoir reaches a thickness of 200 m and is very stratified with low-quality units: porosity < 5% and permeability < 0.1 mD, and high permeability streaks: porosity > 10% and permeability > 100 mD. Given the complexity and the challenges of this formation, the development started in a promising area with two fields, with good to moderate reservoir quality. At early stage of development, vertical wells were drilled and put into production and only small flow could be achieved without stimulation, leaving considerable hydrocarbon volumes not producible. Then hydraulic frac stimulations have been conducted in them to increase productivity. At 2007 Oman's first horizontal well in this tough rock was drilled. At a vertical depth of 4,033 meter subsea (4,578 meter along hole) the Amin tight sand reservoir was penetrated over a length of almost 400 m within the reservoir. The Image logs confirmed the presence of natural fractures almost perpendicular to the well orientation, which could enhance productivity. Conventional wireline and logging while drilling image logs were acquired to improve the geological understanding of the reservoir complexity. These logs showed important reservoir rock types and geological features such as natural fractures and other features were interpreted; such as type of bedforms that exist in eolian deposits that could correlate to different reservoir rock types and enabled to build geological description along the well, and in- situ stress induced features that indicated the stress concentrations around the wellbore. Production experience from Amin is limited, and there are still big challenges related to the understanding of the reservoir settings and characteristics. The first horizontal well in the deep Amin reservoir is now a major step forward to further developing the challenging Amin formation across the country. It allows exposing more reservoir sections along the horizontal well path to contribute to flow. The results are giving important insights into the lateral heterogeneity of the Amin formation and the existence of natural fracture systems, which could enhance well deliverability. The achieved successes so far from fracturing treatment demonstrate the value of further developing Amin formation.
An Outcrop Analog of Kharaib & Shu'aiba Reservoir: Example of the Urgonian Platform (Lussanenque Area, Gard, SE France)
Authors: Massonnat Gerard Joseph , Pabian-Goyheneche Cecile
Published: May 2016

Pipelines are at risk from external threats including third-party intrusion, societal development and ground movement in addition to the ongoing potential for leaks due to corrosion or other causes. Although the appropriate use of internal inspection practices and regular survey of coating and cathodic protection systems will give timely information on any deterioration in pipeline condition, external threats can be unpredictable.

In this paper we present the unique and innovative pipeline and flowline integrity monitoring system developed by Schlumberger in collaboration with BP. The system uses optical fiber distributed sensors to provide continuous, simultaneous distributed measurements of temperature, strain and vibration for the detection, monitoring, and location of events including:•Third-Party Interference (TPI), including multiple simultaneous disturbances•Geo-hazards for example landslides or subsidence•Gas and oil leaks•Permafrost protection

Optical fiber sensors are widely used and have over the past 20+ years built a track record in the Oil & Gas industry in applications including pipeline condition & leak monitoring, optimization of oil well productivity and LNG plant leak detection and cool-down process monitoring.

The solution provides a unique and proactive approach to pipeline integrity management. It performs analysis of a combination of measurands to provide the pipeline operator with an event recognition and location capability, in effect providing a hazard warning system, and offering the operator the potential to take early action to prevent loss.

Through the use of remote, optically powered amplification, an unprecedented detection range of 100 km is possible without the need for any electronics and therefore remote power along the pipeline. A system can thus monitor 200 km of pipeline when configured to monitor 100 km upstream and downstream from a single location.
Top-of-Line Corrosion Control in Large Diameter Wet Gas Pipelines
Authors: Pugh Dylan , Asher Stefanie , Berchane Nader , Cai Jiyong , Sisak William J. , Pacheco Jorge Luis , Ibrahim Faridah Chee , Wright Eric John , Dhokte Atul , Sunil Venaik , Robson David
Published: May 2016

Large diameter subsea pipelines are being used across the world for wet gas transportation over significant distances from offshore fields to onshore facilities. The ability to predict and control corrosion is necessary to ensure long term integrity of these pipelines. Large diameter wet gas lines operating in stratified flow pose unique challenges for top of the line corrosion which occurs when corrosive gases are found dissolved in condensed water at the top of the pipe. This paper will discuss a study undertaken by ExxonMobil1 and RasGas to establish a mechanistic understanding of sour top of the line corrosion and the operational guidelines developed to control its occurrence.

Introduction

Top-of-the Line (TOL) corrosion can occur in wet gas pipelines operating in stratified flow when low pH water--devoid of inhibitors that are usually present in the bottom of the line fluids--condenses on the upper half of the pipeline causing severe corrosion.

One of the first reported TOL corrosion occurrences dates back to the 1960's at the sour Lacq field in Francei. It occurred in low velocity lines with stratified or stratified-wavy flow regimes. The second reported case was in the sour Crossfield pipelines where again TOL corrosion occurred in lines with low velocities and stratified-wavy flow regimeii. Although the first reported cases of TOL corrosion were in sour fields, sour TOL corrosion has historically been treated as a sweet corrosion phenomenon. Sweet TOL corrosion has been investigated extensively in the literature and several models have been developed to predict its occurrence iii, iv, v, vi, vii. These models are based on the formation of a protective FeCO3 film at the TOL. Sweet TOL corrosion is therefore limited by the amount of iron that can be dissolved in the condensing water. The initial pH of the solution at the TOL will depend on the partial pressure of CO2 and the presence of volatile organic acids in the gas stream. As iron is dissolved in the condensing phase, the pH increases and leads to the possibility of protective iron carbonate formation. At low condensation rate, the accumulation of iron in the TOL solution will increase the pH and result in the formation of protective iron carbonate scale. At high condensation rates, the dissolved iron is continuously removed. This leads to a lower TOL solution pH and instability of iron carbonate scale, resulting in higher TOL corrosion rate. Thus, in sweet systems a critical condensation rate can be predicted below which TOL corrosion should not be significant. The critical condensation rate has been estimated to be between 0.15 g/m2s and 0.25 g/m2s viii.
When Polymer-based Acids can be used? A Core Flood Study
Authors: Gomaa Ahmed Mohamed , mahmoud mohamed , Nasr-El-Din Hisham A.
Published: May 2016

In-situ gelled acids that are based on polymers have been used in the field for several years, and were the subject of many lab studies. An extensive literature survey reveals that there are conflicting opinions about using these acids. On one hand, these acids were used in the field, with mixed results. Recent lab work indicated that these acids can cause damage under certain conditions. There is no agreement on when this system can be successfully applied in the field.

A core flood study was conducted using Indiana limestone cores (1.5 in. diameter & 20 in. long) at high temperatures and pressures. Propagation of the acid, polymer, and cross-linker inside the long cores was examined for the first time in detail. Samples of the core effluent were collected and the concentrations of calcium, cross-linker, and acid were measured. Permeability enhancement and location of any precipitation was detected using CT scanner to the core after, and before the acid injection. Different sections were cut from the core to investigate the propagation, and precipitation of polymer and cross-linker. Material balance was conducted to determine the amounts of cross-liker that retained in the core.

Experimental results show that this acid system caused damage in some cases. At low shear rates, in-situ gelled acid formed a gel inside the core, as indicated by the cyclic behavior noted in the pressure drop across the core, and the acid changed direction inside the core several times. However, this gel significantly reduced the core permeability. At high shear rates, a smaller amount of gel was formed inside the core and the acid did change its direction inside the core. A significant permeability enhancement was achieved. Wormhole length increased as the shear rate was increased, while the diameter of wormhole increased as the cumulative injected volume of acid was increased. CT scan indicated the presence of gel residue inside the and around the worm hole. Gel residue increased at low shear rates. Material balance on the cross-linker indicated that a significant amount of the cross-linker was retained in the core. This amount increased at low shear rates.
Effects of Regional Charge History and PVT Conditions over Geologic Timescales on Local Refined Reservoir-Scale Models, Using a Petroleum Systems Modeling Approach
Authors: Derks Jan Frederik , Swientek Oliver , Fuchs Thomas , Kauerauf Armin , Al Saeed Mariam , Al Hajeri Mubarak M.A.H.
Published: May 2016

This reference is for an abstract only. A full paper was not submitted for this conference.

Herein we present a method of linking a regional charge model to a high-resolution prospect scale model including detailed geometry descriptions. The presented link includes full PVT controlled charge modeling from the regional- to the local high-resolution model. Our basin modeling workflow is combined with a detailed reservoir description, including geological-, geophysical- and geochemical information in an integrated approach on prospect scale. Pressure and temperature development through geologic time within the reservoir can now be modeled in more detail and re-migration within the reservoir can be described in much higher resolution without losing regional information that is not covered by the prospect scale model. The application of this approach in basin modeling is presented and examples are given where the linking of models with different resolutions is used to describe a well-explored petroleum system including migration more accurately. Over geologic timescales, the modeling of reservoir-scale features and processes are limited by the resolution of basin-scale petroleum system models. Maturation of source rocks and migration is normally described on scales of kilometers. On the other hand reservoir models cannot describe processes on geologic timescales leading to conditions before start of production. Linking a regional-scale basin model describing the charge of a petroleum system including migration to the prospect/field and a high-resolution geologic model on reservoir-scale describing the geometries and litho-properties of the reservoirs can help to solve this problem. In order to explain small-scale processes in reservoirs in oil provinces, knowledge of the geologic history of the reservoirs and respective petroleum system elements is needed. In particular the reconstruction of pre-production PVT-conditions and charge timing of a reservoir are of high importance to understand the reservoir system. The description of reservoir-scale features caused by processes over geologic time provides important information for improved production and long-term extraction strategies.
Zero-Gen Campuses Development In India - A Sustainable Promise Made To The Society
Authors: Bammidi Vidya Sagar , Rao Aradhana , Sharma Pratik
Published: May 2016

One of the issues which is of highest importance to developing countries is reducing the vulnerability of their natural and socio-economic systems to the projected climate change. India and other developing countries are facing the challenge of promoting mitigation and adaptation strategies for economic development. The most effective way to address climate change is to adopt a sustainable development pathway by shifting to environmentally sustainable technologies and promotion of energy efficiency, renewable energy, forest conservation, reforestation, water conservation, etc.

The paper looks into proper management of ?Energy Life Cycle? in a society by developing the Zero-Gen campuses that keeps the mother Earth healthy. The life's endurance on the energy resources should quickly be brought to light and the principles should be followed under sustainable guidance. Zero waste, Zero Emissions, Zero risk hazards, etc contribute to Zero-Gen.

People/ Organizations/Companies with a vision of ?Co-creation of wealth & sharing it with the society? strive towards this kind of strategic development. The thirst of a zero-gen campus has made the need for water resources management, e-waste management, energy management strategies, paper management, and green belt implementation and mainly zero risk management system.

Zero-Gen Campuses of various types and sizes in many regions of the country should set examples which make the people feel environmentally responsible. One of the best strategies to improve the environmental forecast is education and awareness. To bring in this awareness companies should set themselves as examples by following the norms. This paper addresses the challenges of sustainable development of offices or campuses with the implementation of the strategies from the best practices benchmarked in a case study.

The case study showcases the external challenges, business implications and some forecasting that effect the climate change.
Permanent Downhole Cable to Surface Gauges Technology and Real-time Monitoring System Optimizes Artificial Lift Wells Production Operations, B-Field Sultanate of Oman Case Study
Authors: Mirza Muhammad , Soegiyono Rini Eka A , Syaifudin Ahmad , Al Habsi Said Amor , ElSherif Tamer Ahmed
Published: May 2016

The principal considerations in designing a permanent gauge system are the accuracy, resolution and stability of the acquired data (pressure, temperature, flow) and the reliability with which this data can be transmitted to the end user. Cable to Surface gauges combined with the ISU, or ISP Unit can immediately satisfy metrological requirements for pressure and temperature data acquisition in real-time.

Set against the industry demand, especially during the economic downturn, the objective of permanent downhole monitoring gauges with Cable to Surface (CTS) technology deployment is to optimize production and boost average recovery rates using a cost effective fit for purpose real-time monitoring system that involves technology (tools), people and process.

The B-Field was discovered in 1991 by exploration well B-01. Twelve wells have been drilled since then and started producing oil in 1994 from one vertical well and the rest are horizontal wells. There is no injection well in this field. Based on a simulation study for an optimum infill drilling case, oil rate is predicted to increase by three folds in 2009, with a recovery factor is estimated to reach 17.2 % of its original oil in place by year 2026.

This paper will describe applications and technical contribution of permanent downhole monitoring gauges using Cable to Surface technology digitally enabled with built-in sensors and linked to personnel with diagnostic and remediation skills, resulted pro-active measures and actions to improve equipment run life and well performance, as well as assist in reservoir management decision making. Examples include the use, methods and two field cases of the technology and system application in BM-17 progressive cavity pump (PCP) and BM-18 beam pump wells. Observation to the rest of the wells in this field is continuously performed to gain values from real-time optimization by reducing operating cost and restoring oil production.
Global Field, Pilot and Laboratory Experience of EOR-WAG Flooding- Will it Make A Difference?
Authors: Ghedan Shawkat G.
Published: May 2016

This reference is for an abstract only. A full paper was not submitted for this conference.

Primary and secondary drive oil production mechanisms are coming short in meeting the ever increasing global oil demand. Currently, many tertiary recovery-EOR projects are in the design or implementation stage in many parts of the world to help meeting the expected extra oil demand. The majority of these projects involve some kind of gas (CO2) injection. If injected below Minimum Miscibility Pressure, gas injection, however, suffers the problem of unfavorable mobility ratio which often reduces the chances of higher oil recovery in addition to adverse economic results due to gas recycling. To help match the technical results of these projects with their economic viability under the current oil prices, the industry should learn from the lessons of the available global experience of water alternating gas flooding to safeguard against un-optimized gas (CO2) injection projects. This should help to avoid unnecessary losses in time and money and to make the best incremental oil recovery possible. The results of large number of WAG flooding projects have been reported in the literature. Areas of application include the USA, North Sea, South East Asia, and Middle East. In this study, most if not all of the published literature on WAG process is reviewed and evaluated. Results related to the issues of screening studies, laboratory and modeling studies, and the evaluation of pilot and field applications are discussed and presented. Effort is made to show the pros and cons of the WAG process as opposed to only gas (CO2) injection. All these issues are presented in a comparative mode between the different global projects, resulting in best practices for studying WAG Flooding in the lab and via modeling, for pilot and field applications. Finally this paper makes recommendations for increasing oil recovery with less time and effort in the most economical fashion.
The Spirit of Socio-Economic Development
Authors: Al Hajji Sultan
Published: May 2016

Overview

The evolved frame of reference

The frame of reference for the energy companies has enlarged over a period with a change in the profile. The major change in profile emanates out of the philosophy to transform the commercial 'buyer-seller' or 'client-server' relations into socio-economic development as 'partners in inclusive growth'. Anthropology engineers coined a phrase Corporate Social Responsibility - CSR and made this an acceptable tool to gauge the performance of commercial establishments in their sphere of influence.

Definition of CSR

- CSR is a concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their interaction with stakeholders on a voluntary basis. (source: CSR Europe) - Corporate Social Responsibility is the continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as of the local community and society at large. (source: The World Business Council for Sustainable Development in its publication "Making Good Business Sense" by Lord Holme and Richard Watts) - Corporate social responsibility is the commitment of businesses to contribute to sustainable economic development by working with employees, their families, the local community and society at large to improve their lives in ways that are good for business and for development. (Source: International Finance Corporation, Member of the World Bank Group.)

There could be different wordings of the definitions; however, the spirit is common - The Spirit of Socio-Economic Development.

We have heard of sceptical remarks like "the corporate social responsibility of a commercial organization is to make profit". Such remarks do have an element of truth. Commercial organizations need to make profit and invest a share of that profit in social responsibility projects and activities. The bottom line is not profit alone. We refer to Triple Bottom Line (3BL or TBL)

Definition of 3BL (or TBL) (source: Wikipedia)

In practical terms, triple bottom line accounting means expanding the traditional reporting framework to take into account ecological and social performance in addition to financial performance.

The three bottom lines are People (human capital), Planet (nature capital) and Profit.