bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A New View of Produced Water: Resource, Not Waste
Authors: Middaugh M. , Tormey D. , Schwartz M. 
Published: April 2015

Abstract
Large volumes of saline water are produced during unconventional oil and gas development, and the water can rarely be reinjected into the same formation from which it was extracted. This water, known as produced water, can provide a valuable additional water source to local communities. For example, in Australia, South America, and the arid western United States, reusing produced water decreases demand on potable water supplies and aids in helping oil and gas operators achieve a social license to operate. However, produced water is currently regulated as a waste in almost all jurisdictions, limiting its beneficial reuse.
Our team has developed a reproducible framework to create comprehensive Produced Water Management Plans that provide operators with a large suite of options to beneficially reuse produced water. The framework consists of the following four steps: (1) Analyze the produced water source; (2) Understand the needs of local water users; (3) Compare the compatibility between the produced water quality and the water quality objectives of target end reuses; and (4) Determine the appropriate options for treatment if necessary. Once the plan is developed, the permitting and approval path is designed and implemented.
Examples of beneficial reuse options span from recycling for field use including well stimulation, to crop irrigation, industrial washwater, golf course irrigation, wildlife habitat support, and livestock watering. While the framework for developing management plans is widely applicable, the beneficial uses recommended within the plans are intensely site-specific due to local regulatory settings, reuse options available in the vicinity, and the chemical properties of the produced water. In California, the development of a Produced Water Management Plan led to a suite of reuse options including field water use, creek discharge to support critical wildlife habitat, and irrigation for local wineries. The latter two options required treatment. In Australia, the Produced Water Management Plan recommended livestock watering and industrial use with untreated water or irrigation for growth of fodder plants with treated water. These results demonstrate that beneficial reuse of produced water can gain regulatory approval and local acceptance. In times of water scarcity, wisely managing water resources becomes more important. As regulatory hurdles ease, there should be more opportunities for the beneficial reuse of produced water.
Enhanced Oil Recovery of Heavy Oil in Reservoirs With Bottom Aquifer
Authors: Delamaide Eric , Parra Moreno Wilson 
Published: April 2015

Abstract
Oil production in presence of a bottom aquifer is one of the most challenging issues in reservoir engineering. In most cases water coning happens very quickly and the influx of water restricts oil production and limits recovery. The problem is even more difficult when the oil is heavy because the viscosity contrast is large. In some cases horizontal wells may be used to improve the situation but when reservoirs are thin and the oil is viscous even horizontal wells are of limited use. This paper presents the challenges and potential solutions for Enhanced Oil Recovery in heavy oil reservoirs with bottom aquifer.
Existing literature is reviewed for field cases of EOR experience with bottom aquifer for chemical as well as thermal processes (SAGD, steam injection as well as In Situ Combustion).
In the case of chemical EOR the chemicals may be lost to the aquifer; for thermal recovery the bottom water can act as a heat sink and affect and steam oil ratio. Some in-situ combustion projects have been successful in such settings but in every case the outcome is the same: the economics of the project can be affected.
The paper contains some previously unpublished data of polymer injection in a heavy oil pool with some limited bottom aquifer; for the most part it is a review of the existing literature which may prove useful to practicing engineers who are faced with the issue of developing heavy oil resources in the presence of bottom aquifer.
Using Dynamic Simulations to Optimize the Start-Up of Horizontal Wells and Evaluate Plunger Lift Capability: Horn River Shale Gas Trajectory-Based Case Study
Authors: Nascimento C.M. , Becze A. , Virues C.J. , Wang A. 
Published: April 2015

Abstract
During the start-up of a horizontal multi-staged shale gas well, the fluid distribution within the well changes from a static segregated phase column to a flowing two-phase multiphase mixture. For the start-up to succeed, the well must overcome the hydrostatic head associated with this phase segregation in the vertical portion well as well as the liquid hold up in the lateral section of the well. The latter is heavily dependent on the well trajectory. The initial start-up procedure is critical to the life of the shale well since well clean up efficiency can be maximized at this stage. If the well is not properly cleaned up, the presence of liquid in the wellbore may increase which can make subsequent start-up attempts even more difficult.
As reservoir pressure declines with production, the gas flow rate also decreases with time. This eventually leads to liquid loading where the well can no longer effectively lift the associated liquids to surface. Liquid loading has a detrimental impact on production and a suitable deliquification or artificial lift method is required to sustain production and maximize recovery. In the planning phase of shale gas development, it is important to evaluate the artificial lift method that will be implemented to maximize the shale well's productive life.
It was studied three Horn River shale gas wells, each with different trajectories. A transient multiphase simulator is used to: 1) simulate the gas well liquid loading process in the three wells; 2) simulate gas well deliquification with plunger lift; 3) optimize the start-up procedure of the wells. These simulations provided valuable insight into the flow and pressure transients that characterize shale production. The results of this study provide guidelines for optimizing the start-up of horizontal shale wells and for designing the optimum shale well trajectory for plunger lift operations. This approach has not been presented before in literature and emphasizes the role of transient simulation in the planning phase of shale developments.
Fuzzy Decision Support Based on Exact Rule Matching for Liquid Lift Optimization
Authors: Rajati M.R. , Mendel J.M. , Popa A.S. 
Published: April 2015

Abstract
In this paper, we present a data driven methodology for designing a decision support system for controlling the choke setting in a Cyclic Steam Stimulation (CSS) system based on fuzzy logic. The goal of the fuzzy decision system is to find a choke setting that enhances the amount of liquid offload in different situations and therefore, the production of oil. Historical data are used to establish descriptive rules that represent the production of each well in terms of four influential variables (recommended by experts) and the decision variable (choke setting) in the form of fuzzy IF-THEN rules. Those influential variables and the choke setting constitute the antecedents of the descriptive rules, while the production is in the consequent part of each rule. Each of the variables is described by three fuzzy sets (e.g., Low, Medium, High). These fuzzy sets are established using fuzzy clustering techniques.
The goal of the decision system is to make the production High by changing the choke. Since abrupt changes in the choke setting are not desirable, this goal must be achieved by first making the production Medium and then High.
In order to realize which conditions yield Low, Medium, or High production, the descriptive rules are grouped according to their consequents. Then, the rules in the group “Low production” are compared with those in the group “Medium production” to find the pairs of rules (each of those two rules is from one of the groups) for which all the antecedents are exactly the same excepting the antecedent that describes the choke setting. This suggests that only changing the choke will result in driving the output of the system (i.e. the production) towards Medium. This calls for establishing a decision rule whose antecedents are the same as those of the compared pair of rules, while whose consequent is a fuzzy set that describes the change in the choke setting, derived by the fuzzy subtraction of the two fuzzy sets describing the choke in each rule in the compared rule pair. Subtraction of fuzzy sets involves fuzzy arithmetic methods such as the α-cut decomposition method and the Extension Principle. The rule comparison procedure is repeated for rules in the groups “Medium production” and “High production” as well. The collection of the decision rules that are synthesized based on comparing descriptive rules comprises the fuzzy decision system for liquid lift optimization.
The fuzzy decision system can be implemented using Programmable Logic Controllers that are common in the petroleum industry. In this paper, we present the decisions that the system would make in a real situation, and compare them to the decisions made during a pilot test.
Leading Safety, Health, and Environmental Indicators in Hydraulic Fracturing
Authors: Jabbari Nima , Ashayeri Cyrus , Meshkati Najmedin 
Published: April 2015

Abstract
Increasing number of hydraulic fracturing operations necessitates paying more attention to the safety and environmental considerations of this technology. In-depth understanding of the complex nature and root-causes of incidents related to the hydraulic fracturing operation is a prerequisite for any proactive risk mitigation strategy. Many of the safety and environmental incidents during the development of shale resources are widely regarded by public as results of hydraulic fracturing operation. Differentiation among multiple steps of developing oil and gas resources allows an independent root cause analysis. In this approach incidents that are not directly caused by underground injection of fracturing fluid can be highlighted. These incidents can be treated in the same manner as common incidents in conventional production. In this research the hydraulic fracturing operation is broken down into its components and potential risks are investigated. Also, leading safety and environmental indicators for this industry are defined and case-studies are investigated to find the connections between the incidents and the proposed indicators.
Application of Micro-Proppant to Enhance Well Production in Unconventional Reservoirs: Laboratory and Field Results
Authors: Dahl Jeff , Nguyen Philip , Dusterhoft Ron , Calvin James , Siddiqui Shameem 
Published: April 2015

Abstract
As more wells are drilled and completed in tight, brittle formations, operators rely more on small-sized proppants to help ensure the created complex fractures are propped, and to maintain conductive flow paths for production. Most microfractures generated in the far-field away from the primary fracture branches are believed to return to a closed state soon after the release of hydraulic pressure, unless propping agent has been successfully placed inside such fractures. This paper presents the results of laboratory study, numerical modeling, and field trials, to demonstrate and quantify the effectiveness of a new treatment method for enhancing conductivity of microfractures and primary fractures formed in tight formations, thus helping improve well production.
The approach involves using a micro-proppant (MP) and an aqueous-based surface modification agent (ASMA) as part of the pad fluid stage to treat fracture faces of microfractures and leakoff induced fractures before placement of larger-sized proppant into the primary fractures. This coating causes the proppant particulates to adhere to the created fracture faces by forming partial monolayer, thus mitigating settling and enhancing vertical distribution in the fractures. During experimental testing, various shale core samples were split along the core length to create artificial fracture faces. These fracture faces were then exposed to MP or proppant slurry treated with an ASMA, and were then reassembled for core flow testing under closure stress. An effective permeability comparison of the fractured cores, with and without ASMA treated MP or proppant, demonstrated a dramatic effective permeability increase in fractures of the treated cores.
Field treatments involved injection of pad fluid containing a low concentration of MP, with and without treating with ASMA in offset wells, to treat the microfractures formed in the far-field regions. Proppant slurry of larger size particulates (100-mesh and larger) then followed to prop the primary fractures and their branches. Production from wells treated with MP have shown to provide significant improvement in terms of liquids production compared to the production of control wells. Reservoir simulation performed in this complex retrograde condensate reservoir supports this result, with sensitivity testing showing that increasing the connected fracture area enables the production of more hydrocarbon liquids at higher sustained production rates.
Data Driven Approach to Failure Prediction for Electrical Submersible Pump Systems
Authors: Guo Dong , Raghavendra Cauligi S. , Yao Ke-Thia , Harding Mark , Anvar Amir , Patel Anil 
Published: April 2015

Abstract
This paper presents a data driven approach for failure prediction for Electrical Submersible Pumps (ESP). ESP system is well known as an effective artificial lift method which has been applied to about 20 percent of almost one million wells worldwide. Well failures lead to production loss and generally the repair cost for an ESP is usually much higher than those of other artificial lift systems, thus predicting ESP failures before they occur will be valuable. We apply advanced machine learning techniques for predicting ESP failures using electrical and frequency data from the field. Data from real-world assets using ESP systems is analyzed to learn examples of normal well and failure conditions. A generalized Support Vector Machine (SVM) trained with a set of selected features is developed and this approach is tested on real world data. Our results show that this approach works well based on feedback from subject matter experts on the results.
Modeling Asphaltene Deposition in the Wellbore During Gas Lift Process
Authors: Abouie Ali , Shirdel Mahdy , Darabi Hamed , Sepehrnoori Kamy 
Published: April 2015

Abstract
Asphaltene deposition during oil production may partially or totally plug the wellbore, and results in significant reduction in well production and frequent asphaltene remediation jobs. It is well-known that injection of lighter hydrocarbons into an asphaltic oil (e.g. during gas lift) may decrease the stability of asphaltene particles in the solution and increase the risk of asphaltene precipitation and deposition. Although a great deal of research has investigated the effect of gas injection on the phase behavior and mechanism of asphaltene deposition in the wellbore, we lack a comprehensive dynamic model that can track the behavior of asphaltene during gas lift process. Therefore, a comprehensive model is required for evaluating the risk of gas lift on asphaltene deposition in production wells.
This paper presents a comprehensive thermal compositional wellbore model with the capability to model asphaltene phase behavior during gas lift and determine the effect of the injected gas on asphaltene deposition in the wellbore. In the developed wellbore simulator, various numerical approaches are used to model multiphase flow in the wellbore. An equation of state was used to calculate the thermodynamic equilibrium conditions of the phases. In addition, several deposition mechanisms were incorporated to study the transportation, entrainment, and deposition of solid particles in the wellbore.
Various case studies investigated the effect of gas lift on asphaltene deposition. To predict where and when the most severe damage would occur in the wellbore, we used field data of a Middle East crude oil and an injection gas. The results showed that the injection of light gas composition can negatively affect the production facilities by intensifying asphaltene precipitation in the well, which eventually results in significant reduction in the wellbore production. We believe that this comprehensive thermal compositional wellbore model can facilitate the design of work-over operation plans for asphaltic wells operating under gas lift.
Using Wireline Standoffs (WLSOs) To Mitigate Cable Sticking
Authors: Wheater G. , Paterson Lee , Kidd Ben , MacLeod Rob , Huyton Stuart , Miller Luke , Hyson Lee , Sauder Matt , Morris Bill , Hall John 
Published: April 2015

Abstract
The recent development of wireline standoffs (WLSOs) has effectively eliminated cable sticking during deepwater logging operations, offering a viable alternative to pipe-conveyed logging, and saving considerable rig time and risk in the process. On eight high overbalance wells in the Gulf of Mexico, multiple arrays of wireline standoffs (WLSOs) have been successfully deployed to facilitate deep formation sampling without any incidence of cable sticking. This success should be viewed in the context of the fact that the cable force modeling for WLSO deployment indicated that several fishing operations were averted.
The oil and gas industry has been using standoffs for years in order to prevent sticking of everything from logging tools to casing. Applying standoff technology to logging cable was a natural progression, although there were many technical challenges that needed to be overcome in order to make the effective use of WLSOs a reality. To begin, the wireline standoffs could not be allowed to damage the logging cable. Yet, these standoffs had to provide a grip sufficient to avoid slippage under high tensions. In addition, the WLSOs needed to be capable of both maximum cable lift and minimal formation contact, while allowing a 3-3/8” fishing grapple to smoothly pass over them. Finally, WLSO modeling had to be able to identify their optimal placement on the cable, taking into account such factors as logging objectives, wellbore trajectory, and applied cable forces (including cable sag between WLSOs in deviated holes).
This paper discusses the origins of WLSO design, job planning, and operating procedures. Recommendations for future research into the issue of cable sticking are also included.
Automatic 3D Industrial Point Cloud Classification and Modeling
Authors: Pang Guan , Qiu Rongqi , Huang Jing , You Suya , Neumann Ulrich 
Published: April 2015

Abstract
3D classification and modeling of point clouds is an important but time-consuming process, with many applications in petroleum engineering and other applications, inspiring extensive research in automatic methods. Prior efforts focus on primitive geometry, street structures or indoor objects, but industrial data has rarely been pursued. Industrial sites are often captured by laser scanners, producing 3D point clouds of visible surfaces. Creating a higher level model from such point clouds now requires extensive manual labeling and fitting of surfaces and their connections. Computer-aided editing systems and automatic methods exist, but with limited capabilities. Existing methods for industrial point cloud modeling are not able to effectively process an industrial scene containing primitive shapes, general objects and instrumentations, as well as the connectivity between them.
Our work presents a method which automatically generates a 3D classified model from 3D point cloud data. An industrial point cloud is treated as a collection of pipes, planes and general objects, and we thus divide the modeling problem into three sub-problems: pipe modeling, plane classification, and object recognition. Two primitive extraction processes detect cylinder or planar geometry in the scene, while general objects modeling employs modeling-by-recognition, which detects clusters of 3D points in a scan that match 3D models of objects stored in a prebuilt object library. The results of all three components, including extracted primitives and recognized objects, are integrated to obtain the complete 3D model.
Experiments with several point cloud datasets demonstrate that the presented method automatically produces classified models of large and complex industrial scenes, with a quality that outperforms leading commercial modeling software and is comparable to professional hand-made models. Pipes, planes and different types of objects are individually detected and classified. The result display is freely switchable between mesh model for efficiency and point cloud for accuracy, not achievable in simple surface fitting methods.
Case Study of Managed Pressure Tripping Operation through Abnormal Formations in West Canadian Sedimentary Basin
Authors: Mammadov Elvin , Kinik Koray , Ameen Rostami Sayamik , Sephton Sheldon 
Published: April 2015

Abstract
The deep basin of British Columbia, Canada contains the Montney and Doig plays, which are categorized as tight gas sands. Both are considered major unconventional gas plays containing vast quantities of gas in the west and oil in the coarser eastern facies. The formations have high initial formation pressure which promotes production, however during drilling causing drilling challenges. It is especially difficult when drilling through the abnormally pressured Doig transit zone. This is further complicated when a trip is required for the bit as the swabbing effect, if not properly managed, can easily escalade into a well control event.
Due to the overpressured and geologically fractured formations, it is very difficult to trip the drill string out of the well safely without using specialized techniques. MPT is one such method that can be utilized in these scenarios. Managed Pressure Tripping allows the driller to control bottomhole pressure (BHP) in different types of abnormally pressured zones, and simultaneously eliminating the swabbing effects by holding surface back pressure (SBP) with the managed pressure drilling (MPD) system. Applying MPT techniques on subnormal and overpressured formations results in safe and cost effective drilling operations.
This paper presents a case study where advanced Managed Pressure Tripping (MPT) technology was successfully applied in the Altares field in British Columbia, Canada, to mitigate well control challenges associated with swabbing. The study elaborates on recommended operational procedures, engineering calculations, equipment set up and process flow diagrams along with the analyzed graphical data.
ALWORKS – An Artificial Lift Surveillance Tool
Authors: Burleson Gayle L. , Redden J. D. 
Published: April 2015

Abstract
More effective use of computing tools for production surveillance by operations and engineering personnel is critical to increases in profitability. Exxon's ALWORKS (Artificial Lift Workstation) is a software package that provides easy access to electronically stored data and provides that data to various surveillance, analysis and design applications with minimal user effort. The software has been field tested and significant increases in productivity by operations personnel have been observed, which will lead to increases in profitability.
Robot Skill Learning: From Reinforcement Learning to Evolution Strategies
Authors: Stulp Freek , Sigaud Olivier 
Published: April 2015

AbstractPolicy improvement methods seek to optimize the parameters of a policy with respect to a utility function. Owing to current trends involving searching in parameter space (rather than action space) and using reward-weighted averaging (rather than gradient estimation), reinforcement learning algorithms for policy improvement, e.g. PoWER and PI