bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Big Problem-Small Solution: Nanotechnology-Based Sealing Fluid
Authors: Todd Larry , Cleveland Matthew , Docherty Kevin , Reid James , Cowan Kenneth , Yohe Christopher 
Published: October 2018

Abstract
A nanotechnology-based sealing fluid was developed to solve compromised integrity in pathways too small, smaller than 120 μm, for conventional methods such as cement squeezes. Well integrity and environmental stewardship are at the forefront of our industry's relation with the public as oil and gas fields continue to encroach toward urban centers and the places we live and work. This push towards improved well integrity and a growing number of mature wells requires new and novel technologies and materials to achieve our goals.
The nanotechnology-based sealing fluid is capable of penetrating small gaps, as small as 20 μm, and seals through a reaction from either set cement or brine in the leak path. Candidate wells were selected based on very low injectivity rates that conventional remediation techniques could not tackle. Six candidate wells were selected, and of them, two were selected to cure a leaking gas microannulus causing sustained casing pressure and four were selected to cure a pinhole leak in the casing to pass the Texas Railroad Commission H-5 pressure test. For the pinhole leak, the nanosealant was placed across the leak point, and pressure was applied at surface continually until leakoff was minimized. The leaking gas microannulus was squeezed from surface until the leakoff was eliminated.
The nanotechnology-based sealing fluid was successful in each case. For the leaking microannulus wells, hesitation squeeze schedules were applied, and both leaks were sealed with a projected penetration greater than 500 ft. These wells were then tested with light detection and ranging (LIDAR) to ensure no gas leaks were occurring at surface after the treatment. For the candidates selected with casing leaks, all passed the regulatory Texas Railroad Commission H-5 pressure test and were put back into service. Three of the wells resulted in a final pressure drop of 0 psi/min based on the hesitation squeezes, and the other one well resulted in a pressure bleedoff reduction more than 25 times the original bleedoff rate.
The activation mechanism based on contact with annular materials is a significant breakthrough in squeeze operations because it removes all complexity from the fluid design, which historically required extensive laboratory testing. It also removes time-based boundaries on placement, and ultimately, it eliminates or reduces the drillout time compared to conventional or resin applications. Conventional remedial placement techniques can be used with the sealant, thus further simplifying the job execution. This combination of simplified execution techniques and the lack of necessary laboratory testing and well condition input allows for a quick fit-for-purpose implementation as problems arise, which saves both time and money.
Pore-Scale Imaging to Investigate Wettability and Recovery Mechanism for Surfactant/Polymer Flooding
Authors: Ahmed M. Elmuzafar , Sultan Abdullah S. , AlSofi Abdulkareem , Al-Hashim Hasan S. , Hussaini Syed R. 
Published: October 2018

Abstract
Surfactant-polymer (SP) flooding is a promising chemical enhanced oil recovery method in carbonates with high salinity brines especially where an existing waterflooding infrastructure is in place. SP flooding improves both the microscopic and macroscopic sweep efficiencies. The polymer viscosifies the injection water to control mobility, while the surfactant reduces the oil-water interfacial tension, and possibly alter wettability, to mobilize trapped oil. In this work, we investigate SP flooding recovery mechanisms in carbonates at the pore-scale.
Two polymers were used in this work: a Thermo-Viscosifying Polymer (TVP) and an Acrylamido tertiary butyl sulfonate (ATBS) with an acrylamide (AM) copolymer. Surfactants utilized were different grades of an amphoteric carboxybetaine. A set of four coreflooding experiments were performed at 90°C with a high-salinity injection brine (57,000 ppm). The first two corefloods investigated the independent performance of the chemicals (i.e. polymer flooding and surfactant flooding). The remaining two investigated the combined effects of SP flooding. The effects of different aging times were studied, too. Furthermore, micro-CT imaging were conducted at different steps both before and after flooding to evaluate saturation distributions and the chemicals effects on recovery. The images were also processed to segment the different phases which allows further evaluation of recovery mechanisms at the pore-scale.
Based on fluid occupancy maps, samples aged for one week exhibited strong water-wetness while samples aged for two weeks exhibited moderate water-wetness. In samples aged for one week, the final fluid occupancy was (i.e. remaining oil existed as) buckets of oil surrounded by water. While in samples aged for two weeks, the remaining oil was weekly attached to the surface of the pores. In terms of the recovery performance of the independent processes, the polymer flood showed better recovery than the surfactant flood. This supports the conclusion that in water-wet media the effect of surfactant alone is not significant if not coupled with mobility-control. In general, this work also demonstrates the utility of Micro-CT scanning in providing better understanding of recovery mechanisms at the pore-scale. With more accurate segmentation of the different phases, it can also provide a mean for in-situ contact angle measurements.
Stability of Biopolymer and Partially Hydrolyzed Polyacrylamide in Presence of H2S and Oxygen
Authors: Al-Murayri Mohammed Taha , Kamal Dawood Sulaiman , Garcia Jose Gregorio , Al-Tameemi Naser , Driver Jonathan , Hernandez Richard , Fortenberry Robert , Britton Christopher 
Published: October 2018

Abstract
There are many oil reservoirs worldwide with substantial amount of H2S but otherwise very favorable conditions for polymer flooding such as low temperature, high permeability, and moderate to high oil viscosity. However, there is a legitimate concern about the chemical stability of polymers when there is dissolved oxygen in the injection water or injection facility and its high concentrations of H2S in the reservoir.
Several synthetic polymers and biopolymers were selected for stability testing under a wide range of conditions. We focused on identifying the concentration limits for co-presence of H2S and oxygen for which the synthetic and biopolymers are stable for an extended period, using different, widely available brine compositions. Experiments were conducted with and without standard polymer protection packages to evaluate their effects on stability and degradation under sour conditions. Viscosity of polymer solutions with varying concentrations of H2S and oxygen were measured and compared with the oxygen free or H2S free solution viscosities for a period of 6 months. Several methods of safely introducing H2S to the polymer solution were investigated and compared.
The laboratory results indicated that biopolymers were stable at all the concentrations of oxygen and H2S concentrations studied. Three synthetic polymers tested showed some degradation in the presence of oxygen and H2S but were stable when either species is absent. The results indicated that oxygen is the limiting reagent in the degradation reaction with partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) polymers under normal reservoir conditions.
We observed little-to-no difference in degradation between samples with 10 or 100 ppm H2S at 500 ppb oxygen concentration, so H2S is not the limiting reagent under these conditions. Additionally, HPAM exposed to 10 ppm H2S and intermediate levels of oxygen (~0.5 ppm) only partially degrades, while samples exposed to H2S and ambient oxygen completely degrade. We anticipate these results will be useful for operators evaluating the potential of polymer flooding in sour reservoirs to follow a stricter polymer preparation at the surface facility to minimize oxygen concenration.
Peoples in Voluntary Isolation, Hydrocarbon Exploration and Recommended Practices – 10 Years After
Authors: Benalcazar Fernando L. , Thurber Mark W. 
Published: October 2018

Abstract

Objectives/Scope
A case study about the interaction and management of PVIs with E&P activities in the upper Amazon basin of Ecuador was presented in an SPE paper at Rio de Janeiro Conference in 2010. We outlined the history of PVIs within the context of E&P activities in remote tropical rainforest, and the actions taken by stakeholders to understand and protect these vulnerable groups. This paper will provide an evaluation of the strategies that have worked or failed in protecting the PVIs during the past 10 years since the publication of our original paper.

Methods, Procedures, Process
This paper will draw on our own personal experience in the Ecuadorian Amazon, as well as interviews and publications on the PVIs since 2010. We will update the timeline of events and link those to specific policies that have been implemented by the government of Ecuador, operators in the oil company concessions, and other stakeholders. Interviews will be conducted with key decision-makers in the government, community relations professionals in the oil industry, academics and non-profit organizations (NGOs); to map out the evolving story of the PVIs and their prospects for the future. Information will be geo-referenced in a GIS system to better understand location of encounters with PVI, and how those may relate to E&P and other activities.

Results, Observations, Conclusions
The PVIs continue survive in a NoGoZone (Area Intangible) that is surrounded and superimposed by oil company concessions. There has been increased E&P activity in the buffer zone of the NoGoZone during the past 10 years - including seismic exploration and drilling, road building, and construction of production facilities, which has resulted in additional conflicts, including violent clashes between oil workers, settlers and PVIs, resulting in injury and death. The government of Ecuador, as well as oil companies, have implemented some effective measures to prevent conflict, but with mixed success. Although there is some improvement in management of PVIs since 2010, the issue is generally left unattended by petroleum companies until there is a violent clash.

Novel/Additive Information
Proposals for specific solutions and more proactive stakeholder involvement and coordination will be presented, that need to be led by the oil companies and the government of Ecuador. It is hoped that this paper will generate more specific protective actions in Ecuador and in-depth discussions with SPE on how this complex issue should be managed worldwide by the O&G industry.
Determining Water Saturation in Permian Basin Intercalated Reservoirs Using NMR Log Data
Authors: Rojas Pedro A. , Bacciarelli Mark , Elkington Peter , Shokeir Ramez , Newsham Kent , Pumphrey Joe , Lopez Egleé , Morys Marian , Avdeev Dmitry 
Published: October 2018

Abstract
Alternating conventional and unconventional reservoir layers in the Permian Basin challenge the acquisition, processing, and interpretation of water saturation (Sw) using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) log data. A new-generation NMR wireline tool addresses these challenges using a specially designed conventional-unconventional activation sequence to enable construction of optimized maps of Longitudinal–Transversal Relaxation times (T1-T2 maps) at regular depth intervals.
T1-T2 maps are used to compute level-by-level Sw based on a multicomponent fluid model with appropriate statistical properties. Each spot in the T1-T2 space represents a fluid component from which a volume fraction is calculated. Integrating the volume fractions gives the total porosity. Because of the diverse relaxation mechanisms in the conventional and unconventional layers, oil spot positions with T1/T2 values greater than two reflect either viscosity (for bulk relaxation) or pore-size distribution (for surface/volume relaxation). Water tends to be close to the 1:1 T1/T2 diagonal line with T1/T2 values less than two. Low permeability means that mud-filtrate invasion does not appear on the T1-T2 maps.
NMR porosity matched expected values based on core and density-neutron log analysis. NMR fluid-typing-derived Sw—including clay bound water (CBW), capillary bound water (BVI), and free water—matched values from tested intervals. Results are in good agreement with reference values from production and core data within an uncertainty of one standard deviation. The resolution of fluid components in intervals where the components overlap can be enhanced by changes in the inversion parameters and map-grid dimensions.
This methodology for conventional-unconventional data acquisition followed by a multimodel approach for fluid typing will be applied to other wells. It enables a more accurate assessment of water saturation, especially when intercalated layers of conventional and unconventional reservoirs are present.
Effects of High Pressure on the Performance of Existing Two-Phase Flow Models in Wellbores
Authors: Daraboina Nagu , Chi Yuandao , Sarica Cem , Pereyra Eduardo , Scott Stuart L. 
Published: October 2018

Abstract
Multiphase flow is of vital importance to ensure the economic and safe transportation of unprocessed well streams from the reservoir to downstream process facilities. Several orders of magnitude higher pressures were experienced in the field compared to the near atmospheric laboratory conditions. In order to investigate the effect of high pressure on the two-phase flow and the performance of existing two-phase flow models, a systematic experimental study was conducted at high pressures (350, 550, 750 psig) in a vertical pipe. The positive frictional pressure gradient was observed and investigated under these high pressure conditions. In addition, statistical parameters were utilized to evaluate the model performance, and the uncertainties correlated with pressures were elucidated. It was found that most of the pressure gradient and liquid holdup data fall in the 20% error range.
Water Control Diagnostic Plot Pattern Recognition Using Support Vector Machine
Authors: Mukhanov Akhan , Arturo Garcia Carlos , Torres Henry 
Published: October 2018

Abstract
Petroleum engineers widely use Chan water control diagnostic plots to visually examine patterns for mechanisms behind excessive water production in petroleum wells. Distinct signatures reveal constant water-oil ratio (WOR), normal displacement of oil by water, multilayer channeling, and rapid channeling. Visual diagnosis requires extensive practical experience. High well counts amplify the need for timely relevant solutions. This study presents a supervised machine learning (ML) technique, support vector machine (SVM), to automatically identify Chan diagnostic patterns for timely detection and control of excess water production.
The project involved publicly available production data. First, we performed manual identification of different Chan plot patterns and split the data set for training, cross-validation, and testing. Next, we normalized each subset, balanced the number of samples per pattern, trained the SVM model, and evaluated its ability on the test data set. The final stage involved model parameter tuning to explore opportunities to improve the model accuracy.
When collecting representative samples, we observed uneven sample counts for pattern type subsets. Balancing the training data set was necessary to ensure that the model could generalize well for previously unseen production data. To ensure a relevant comparison among wells within each pattern type, we performed time- and WOR-based normalization.
We confirmed that the SVM model was highly accurate across diverse fields and hence did not exhibit a locality bias. Operator companies can harness the prior classification of water control trends by experienced engineers. As more wells start exhibiting specific pattern signatures, the algorithm helps to proactively identify them. The approach maximizes the effectiveness of water production analysis and helps to reinforce technical quality and continuity among engineering personnel.
The study demonstrated an application of SVM to the classification task of identifying water control diagnostic plot signatures across different fields. We proposed stricter visual definitions of signature types. Patterns such as normal displacement and multilayer channeling are extremely similar; therefore, we presented feature engineering required to increase classification accuracy in similar edge cases. With various kernels, the described SVM methodology can help production engineers to proactively perform surveillance activities that require identifying signature patterns in Chan plots.
Young Researcher Program: Developing Today's Innovators and Tomorrow's Leaders
Authors: Kokal Sunil 
Published: October 2018

Abstract
Is your education and training complete after you graduate from university? In today's competitive world, the answer is a resounding "no." Success in your career requires that you create a plan, take advantage of all the resources and opportunities to hone your skills, and continue to learn. That is part of the motivation for the development of the Young Researcher Program (YRP) at Saudi Aramco's Advanced Research Center (EXPEC ARC), the company's upstream research and development center.
The program was established with the objective of developing self-motivated and innovative researchers who lead in their area of specialty and support the company's vision, mission and strategic goals. It provides an opportunity for qualified engineers and geoscientists to become engineering/scientific specialists and, at the same time, provides the company with advanced technical expertise in the specialties for which there is a critical need. The program has a clear structure with distinct phases, and qualified candidates are matched with the most appropriate mentors. This strategy ensures that the young researchers obtain the required experience, further education and exposure for their chosen specialty. The program provides a roadmap for optimizing the professional growth and advancement of candidates. The program is sufficiently flexible to respond to candidates' training and work requirements, and enables them to achieve higher levels of competence and productivity. An important part of the program is the close relationship between the mentee and their mentor.
This paper will highlight the main features of the unique and successful program to develop young researchers. It will describe the program, roles and responsibilities of various entities, graduation requirements and its tracking and evaluation. It presents a success story that can be the basis for others to follow.
Wear Resistant, Friction Reducing Coatings Reduce Tubing Wear in Sucker Rod Couplings Application: Lab Testing and Field Trial Results
Authors: Jackson M. S. , Howell D. A. , Bailey J. R. , Rajagopalan S. , Ozekcin A. , Inglish G. , Allen C. 
Published: October 2018

Abstract
Two novel wear-resistant, low-friction coatings were evaluated on sucker rod couplings in both laboratory and field settings. Laboratory testing simulated cyclic downhole motion while applying a realistic side loading of 74 lbs. force to mimic conditions in which tubing wear typically occurs. Standard spray-metal couplings were compared with coated couplings to assess tubing and coupling wear after 450,000 cycles. Three wells with high tubing failure frequencies were selected as field candidates for the coated couplings to assess their impact on tubing failure frequency. The coupling placement in the rod string targeted known areas of high wear in the production tubing of each well.
Laboratory results showed that both coatings reduced tubing wear substantially when compared with the standard spray-metal couplings. Coating A reduced wear by a factor of 2X, and Coating B reduced wear by a factor of 6.6X, with the tubing still within drift ID after 450,000 cycles. During the lab tests, 0.0023 inches of material were removed from Coating A and 0.0001 inches was removed from Coating B. During field trials, Coating A increased the tubing life from an average of 5 to 20 (4X) months without failure in the two wells tested, at which point the field trial was ended. Coating B increased the tubing life from 6 to 19 (3.1X) months in the single sand producing well in which it was tested. Coating A was tested in a well with low sand concentration and Coating B was tested in a well with substantial sand present, showing that Coating B was able to perform in a more abrasive environment.
In summary, the described coatings drastically reduced tubing wear in the lab which also translated directly into a reduction in frequency of costly tubing repair workovers. This paper presents how novel wear-resistant friction-reducing coated couplings can improve performance of problematic sucker rod pump wells that experience a high frequency of tubing failures due to wear.
Main Aspects of the Integrated Asset Modeling and Gas Field Development Optimization under Surface Facilities Constraints
Authors: Mikhin Alexey , Salavatullin Karim , Kamartdinov Marat 
Published: October 2018

Abstract
The paper covers the Company's experience in Integrated Asset Modeling (IAM) through the example of gas-condensate Field Z. The problems arising at different stages of modeling were highlighted, revision of historical production data was performed, and optimization of field development was carried out by using IAM technology. Finally a comparison of simulation model production forecast (without taking into account surface facilities) with integrated model (with influence of surface facilities) was presented.
Adaptive Option in Geological Modeling of Petroleum Reservoirs
Authors: Taraskin Evgenii , Ursegov Stanislav , Taraskin Nikolay 
Published: October 2018

Abstract
The adaptive geological model differs from the deterministic one in that it takes into account the uncertainty of the initial data, has a degree of detail corresponding to the level of accuracy of the geological information, and reproduces the main regularities of the structure of the oil and gas object under consideration, primarily for the purpose of predicting its geology in undeveloped zones. At the first stage, adaptive geological models of separate layers identified by the results of detailed correlation of the considered object are constructed independently from each other, and then the single-layer models are summed up into a multilayer adaptive geological model of the object as a whole. With the adaptive approach, traditional methods of interpolation of geological and production data are not applied. The basis of adaptive geological modeling is the seismic data. The essence is that the seismic data vector is available both at the wells and at the points of the inter-well spacing, so any geological parameter can be calculated from this vector using a special fuzzy-logic function. At the same time, such function cannot be the same for the whole model polygon, so an additional so-called fuzzy-grid is developed. A grid with large cells, which contain local fuzzy-logic functions. Since fuzzy-logical functions are formed on the basis of geological and production information of the considered object, they can differ substantially for other objects. Thus, the mathematical apparatus of a geological model automatically modifies to the specific initial data, and therefore it is called adaptive. The calculated parameters of the adaptive geological model cells through which the wells pass are not necessarily the same as the actual well data. The reason is that these parameters are calculated using functions in which the initial data of neighboring wells participate. Deviations of calculated results from actual data characterize the degree of "defectiveness" of geological and production information. Thus, the adaptive geological model in comparison with the deterministic one gives a more meaningful result both about the geological structure of the considered object and the degree of reliability of its representation.