bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Successful Deployment of Multistage Fracturing Systems in Multilayered Tight Gas Carbonate Formations in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Hussein Al-Jubran Hasan , Wilson Stuart , Johnston Bryan 
Published: January 2010

Abstract
Horizontal wellbores have enabled significant increases in productive zone contact areas. However, even with these increased contact areas, the expected long-term production increases were not initially realized with conventional stimulation techniques. Multistage fracturing systems have resulted in impressive long-term production improvements, but the deployment of these assemblies into deep and long reach horizontal wells was initially problematic. After the original difficulties were encountered, modifications were made to the well preparation and assembly running procedures which resulted in the recent successful deployment of several multistage fracturing systems into long reach horizontal wells in the Khuff formation in Saudi Arabia.
This paper will discuss several factors impacting deployment in these conditions including:
Construction of the wellbore Deploying through multiple layers with varying reservoir pressures Preparation of the wellbore Running in hole techniques and procedures
With the implementation of these well preparation and deployment techniques, several multistage fracturing assemblies have been successfully installed allowing proper placement of multiple fracturing jobs, which have in turn resulted in continued production improvements from tight gas formations.
Deep Sour Gas Reservoir Development and Challenges
Authors: Abed A.. , El Gohary M.. , Abu Snaineh A.. , Guettat M.. , Ahmad M.. , Lozano J.. , Al Reyami M.. 
Published: January 2010

Abstract
An Offshore Gas Field discovered in early 70’ is a large anticlinal structure located in the shallow marine waters west of Abu Dhabi island. The area is considered by UNESCO as Biosphere reserve and is protected. Several development options have been studied to develop the gas reserves from existing Artificial Island with a minimum impact to the environment.
Geological and reservoir simulation compositional models have been prepared to optimize the development plan, identify the minimum number of wells, target rates in order to maximize the gas recovery and sustain the gas plateau rate as long as possible. Building these models was a challenge due to the lack of 3D seismic data and the limited production data from the appraisal well. Due to the sensitivity of the area, the main challenges of the project implementation are the impact on the environment during drilling phase and the facilities construction and its operation.
The required refurbishment of the existing island and access channel to the island was a concern that was studied. Drilling of 10 to 12 closely clustered directional deviated gas wells from one existing artificial island in the centre of the field into a High Pressure and High Temperature, high H2S (14-24%) and deep reservoirs environment is also a big challenge. To effectively drain the entire reservoir from the island, the rigs should be capable to drill more than 25,000 ft extended reach deviated wells.
Reducing the impact on this sensitive environment was the major concern; hence an HSEA study has been carried out to develop the mitigation plans. The possibility of drilling using more than one rig simultaneously on the island to deliver gas on time has been studied to minimize the duration of the drilling operation and associated risks. Special completion materials for these extreme environments were also studied. Material selection for different well types/conditions has been carried out.
Optimized Practices Followed in Testing & Completion of Deep Jurassic Exploratory Wells of KOC
Authors: Packirisamy S.. , Al-Bader Haifa , Singh J.R.. R. , Al-Bader Hamad Esam 
Published: January 2010

Abstract
KOC management has created an experienced team to test and complete new Jurassic wells drilled in North Kuwait field. Testing & completion has been a challenging task in handling Jurassic reservoirs because of deep wells, HPHT conditions, heavey mud weights and sour volatile oil/gas condensate. All wells were tested either with Polished Bore Receptacle (PBR) or retrivable/permanent packer designed to achieve the objectives. New Jurassic discovery wells were also tested on long term basis using Early Production Facility (EPF) in order to conclude, evaluate and confirm the overall potential of Jurassic formation for further production enhancement and delineation/ development work.
This team has developed optimized practices based on the experiences gained in testing and completion of more than 20 exploratory/delination wells drilled in Jurassic reservoirs. These optimized practices have been applied in several deep/HPHT wells drilled in Kuwait and tested safely & economically. It illustrates a very valuable experience of KOC's exploration process in deep well testing & completion.
This paper describes practices followed, problems faced and remedial actions while testing & completion of deep/HPHT Jurassic wells. Details of procedure developed, techniques applied in perforating, activation, stimulation, fracturing, short-term/long term testing is also presented in this paper.
Proppant Fracturing for Ultra-High Pressure Deep Gas Reservoir
Authors: Wang Yonghui , Zhang Fuxiang , Cheng Xingsheng , Peng Jianxin , Li Yongping 
Published: January 2010

Abstract
A successful case of proppant fracturing on an ultra-high pressure (Pressure gradient 0.018MPa/m), deep (5725-5783m) sandstone gas reservoir in Western China is described in this paper. Several technologies including high density(density1.12g/cm3) frac-fluid, high density(density 1.25g/cm3) flush-fluid, proppant slug, multi-step slurry injection schedule, real time analysis were used. 20-40 mesh 28.5m3 proppant was injected into the payzone successfully. The result is encouraging. The production reach to 307,000m3/d after the treatment. The project is a technical and economical success. The lessons acquired in the well will be a reference for the following similar wells.
Implementing Smart Solution for Controlling Water Cut in South Pars Gas Field from Environmental Point of View
Authors: Rahimi R.. , Tahami A.. 
Published: January 2010

AbstractIn the current decade as the result of increasing volume of waste all over the world, the effect of discharging produced water on the environment has lately signified and became an environmental concern. Therefore controlling excessive water production is one of the challenges in mature and declining oil and gas fields. Nowadays, statistics show that ratio of produced water to oil is 3 to1, and thus the largest waste stream generated in oil and gas industries, is produced water. It is a mixture of different organic and inorganic compounds especially polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) that has detrimental destructive effects on marine environment.Recently water management becomes ever more important as more green fields changes to brown fields in the struggle to supply a world hungry for hydrocarbon. So improved water management practices are being implemented worldwide to maximize well productivity and reduce destructive effect of produced water discharge. Because of this environmental awareness, recently stringent regulations have established on discharge of produced water. Various methods such as drilling horizontal wells, water shut-off jobs and using smart devices have different degrees of success in decreasing water production. A smart well is the one with downhole instrumentation installed on the production tubing.Using smart well technology in Middle East fields in order to control water production had been experienced and it had considerable outcome especially in multilateral wells. Based on strategic importance of South Pars as the greatest gas field in the world and the probability of increasing its water cut especially from deep gas layers in near future, feasibility study of implementing smart solution in south pars gas field has been surveyed. Here in this paper environmental harmful impact of produced water from this field and application of smart well technology for water cut reduction has been investigated.
Jurassic Tight Carbonate Gas Fields of North Kuwait: Exploration to Early Development
Authors: Al-Eidan A. J. , Narahari S. R. , Al-Awadi M.. , Al-Ajmi N. H. , Pattnaik C.. , Al-Ateeqi K.. , Al-Houli M. M. , Kidambi Vijaya Kumar , Keyser T. De 
Published: January 2010

Abstract
Exploration activity during the last eight years, targeting Jurassic carbonate reservoirs in North Kuwait, has culminated in the discovery of six major tight gas fields, encompassing an area of about 1,800 sq km with a reservoir gross thickness of about 2,200 ft. These fields are the first free-gas fields in Kuwait, which were put on early production during 2008. The reservoirs are characterized by dual porosity, dominated by low porosity and permeability, in deep HP/HT conditions, with wide variety of hydrocarbon fluids ranging from black oil to gas condensate with sour gas. Typical per well production rates are up to 5,000 BOPD/BCPD and 10 MMSCFPD, making them an excellent commercial success.
Despite the limited number of 38 well penetrations to date in this large Jurassic complex, understanding of the depositional model has improved over time through careful integration and detailed interpretation of log, core, and seismic data. Based on these studies, a depositional model incorporating sabkha, tidal flats, lagoon, backshoal, shoal, shoreface inner shelf, outer shelf, and slope/basin depositional environments has been built. Hypersaline brines were generated in the lagoon and seeped downward, selectively dolomitizing the underlying strata, creating secondary porosity and permeability, and significantly improving the reservoir characteristics in some of these fields. From the early phases of exploration, the role of natural fractures in enhancing the production from these reservoirs was recognized. Accordingly, well data acquisition is designed to maximize reservoir understanding. Delineation and development well placement are optimized to penetrate the most heavily fractured corridors, through a combination of seismic attributes and Discrete Fracture Network modeling, constrained by available well data.
Understanding Fractures Through Seismic Data: North Kuwait Case Study
Authors: Narhari Srinivasa Rao , Al-Kandari Abdul Latif , Kidambi Vijaya Kumar , Al-Ashwak Samar , Al-Qadeeri Bashar , Pattnaik Chinmaya 
Published: January 2010

Abstract
Understanding fracture corridors is the primary driver for successful development of fractured carbonate reservoirs. This assumes further significance if the carbonate reservoir is characterized by very low porosity and permeability; producibility of the reservoir is purely dependent on the presence of natural fractures. Distribution and type of natural fractures is a function of palaeo &amp; present day stress, structural elements, regional tectonics and diagenetic history. Direct detection of fractures is below the resolution of conventional seismic data. However, through a combination of seismic derived attributes integrated with well data, it is possible to better understand the distribution of fracture swarms.
Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) is currently engaged in an early phase of development of a tight fractured carbonate North Kuwait Jurassic gas play. Considering the limited well control, field development is heavily reliant on seismic data for fracture characterization. This paper presents our current understanding of the relationship between fractures observed in the well data and structures, faults and lineaments interpreted on seismic data. In addition to conventional seismic analysis a suite of seismic attributes including Dip, Coherence, Edge and 3D Volume curvature were used for mapping structures, faults and minor lineaments. Well-wise and field-wise analysis of relationships between seismic derived attribute-pattern and fracture orientation was established. The understanding between these two different sets of data has helped in locating potential zones of sweet spots for placing successful delineation and development wells. These seismic attribute volumes were also used as soft constraint for building the Discrete Fracture Network (DFN) model for populating the fracture network in the reservoir model. The data presented in this paper are from the Raudhatain, Sabriyah and North West Raudhatain (NWRA) fields for the Najmah-Sarjelu part of the Jurassic section.
A New Exploration Play for Saudi Arabia, the Rhuddanian Sandstone
Authors: Hayton S.. , Heine C. J. , Sherba E. E. , Gratto B.. , Shenggen Z.. , Shicheng W.. 
Published: January 2010

AbstractRecent exploration activity by Sino Saudi Gas Ltd (SSG, a joint venture between Sinopec and Saudi Aramco) in southern Rub'al-Khali has resulted in the identification of a Rhuddanian-aged sandstone directly above the Base Qusaiba Hot Shale and interbedded with the cooler shales. While not as extensive and prominent as the well known mid-Qusaiba Sandstone, this lower sandstone has great potential as a hydrocarbon reservoir given its location directly above and interbedded within one Saudi Arabia's principal source rocks.A sudden unexpected increase in mud gas and sandstone cuttings while drilling the Qusaiba shale in an SSG exploration well, led SSG to cut a 30 ft conventional core. The core contained interbedded sandstone and shale. FMI logs also clearly showed interbedded sandstone and shales, which allowed the very precise location (to within less than 3″) of rotary sidewall cores to complement the conventional core. Analysis of the conventional cores indicates that the sandstones were deposited by mass-flow mechanisms, including turbidity flows. The depositional system is interpreted as the lateral edges of a basin floor fan.While routine porosity and permeability analysis of the conventional core plugs and rotary SWCs indicates that the Rhuddanian Sands are a very low permeability reservoir at this location, it did flow hydrocarbons on a cased hole test.
Tight Gas Exploration in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Hayton S.. , Heine C. J. , Gratto B.. 
Published: January 2010

Abstract
Saudi Arabia, long known for its enormous structures, very high rate and relatively shallow wells is continuing its extensive conventional exploration activity. It is also looking at &quot;unconventional?? resources, especially tight gas reservoirs.
The primary focus of the tight gas effort within Saudi Aramco has been in trying to understand the hydrocarbon resources, reservoired in the lower Paleozoic siliciclastic succession. This succession is dominantly a pile of sandstones, several thousand feet thick. In the middle is the Silurian aged Qusaiba Shale. The nature of the Lower Paleozoic succession varies considerably across Saudi Arabia, from outcrops to 20,000 ft+ depths, and with reservoir qualities that range from conventional to distinctly tight.
Exploration activity in Southern Saudi Arabia over the past four years has more than doubled the number of lower Paleozoic penetrations in the South Ghawar and Rub&apos;al-Khali areas. This activity has resulted in a number of key developments including: Confirmation that the pre-Qusaiba sandstones of the Sarah and Qasim (Late Ordovician) contain significant untapped tight gas resources.Identification of entirely new play concepts in Saudi Arabia, some of which are discussed in this paper.Increased understanding of the complexity and opportunities of the Lower Paleozoic succession in Southern Saudi Arabia.
Current conventional exploration activity in Northwest Saudi Arabia is acquiring additional data to allow the known tight gas resource in the region to be better quantified. Due to the shallower depths of the tight gas resource and local demand for gas, Northwest Saudi Arabia is seen as the one of the priority areas for Saudi Aramco&apos;s tight gas efforts.
Saudi Aramco sees the potential of using local tight gas resources in conjunction with conventional resources to underpin regional development. Saudi Aramco has thus initiated activities that will enable it to commercialize these resources for the benefit of the Kingdom.
Doubling the Middle East's largest HPHT Rig Fleet – Case History of the Start-up of Six New 3000 HP Rigs in Kuwait
Authors: Al-Saeedi M. J. , Al-Fayez F. A. , Al-Enezi D.. , Al-Mudhaf M. N. , McKinnell D. C. 
Published: January 2010

Abstract
Kuwait may be one of the Middle East's smaller countries, but it has one of the largest programs of deep well drilling in the region. This is due in part, to a unique geology where the presence of a deep salt section at the beginning of the Jurassic age sequence has resulted in a series of highly pressured reservoirs and formations below.
Exploration drilling has focused on deep HPHT wells to search for high quality oil and gas from these Jurassic and Triassic/Permian formations. The rigs employed have high technical specifications (3,000 HP/15K BOP), which are under constant evolution to meet new challenges and to deliver improvements in performance and safety.
In 2007, Kuwait Oil Company launched the ‘North Kuwait Gas Development Project’ to fast track production of gas/light oil from Jurassic horizons in six northern oilfields. This project, plus increased demand for exploration and development wells in other areas made it necessary to double the existing fleet of deep rigs from six to twelve, over a very short time duration.
The new rig contracting process commenced with a review of present rig equipment specifications. An analysis of the operational benefits/shortcomings of the new concepts and technology features fitted on current KOC rigs was carried out. Lessons learnt were applied to the new specifications in order to develop rigs with a high safety potential, optimum level of automation and ‘state-of-the-art’ equipment.
Details of challenges faced during rig construction, mobilization and commissioning have been analyzed, including rig market conditions and those related to the securing of experienced manpower for efficient rig start-up.
This paper will discuss all aspects connected with specification, construction, delivery and start-up of the six new rigs. This case study will also focus on lessons learnt and conclude with recommendations on improvements for future new rig start-ups.
Optimizing Microemulsion/Surfactant Packages for Shale and Tight-Gas Reservoirs
Authors: Rickman R.D.. D. , Jaripatke Omkar 
Published: January 2010

Abstract
Success of the stimulation treatments in low-permeability, gas-producing formations largely depends on the fracture-face damage mitigation and cleanup of stimulation fluids from the propped fracture and formation matrix. These factors become even more critical in deep, conventional gas reservoirs, unconventional coalbed-methane reservoirs, shale, and ultralow-permeability tight-gas sands. Traditionally, in the industry, the focus for the success of the stimulation-fluid cleanup had been placed on conductivity damage of the proppant pack. It has more recently been realized that gas recovery and post-fracturing treatment results can be strongly dependent on other factors like wettability issues, phase trappings, water/gas relative permeability, and saturation states. The efficiency with which the fluids get extruded from the matrix or from the hydraulic fractures to the wellbore gets greatly diminished if conventional stimulation fluids are used without appropriate surfactant systems, leading to longer ROI times. Many microemulsion-surfactant systems have and are currently being developed based on the study of factors affecting the dynamic-displacement behavior through the application of surfactants. Many so-called optimized treatments are not designed to adequately deal with all the issues within a particular well or reservoir and might actually create or cause more damage than originally existed.
This paper describes laboratory test methods, comparisons, and results used for evaluating and selecting surfactants for deep, gas-bearing formations, such as shales and tight sandstones. Data presented here will aid operators in choosing the best surfactant/microemulsion package for optimizing hydrocarbon production.
Three Different Methods of Mapping the Characteristics of Induced Fractures Related to Both Hydraulic Frac and Production as Measured With Microseismic Array Technology from Observation Wells, Treatment Wells and in a Permanent Setting
Authors: Brooks Nicholas , Gaston Graham , Rangel Jaime 
Published: January 2010

Abstract
Passively listening to induced fracturing that is related to production or hydraulic stimulation from a downhole setting has become widely accepted in the oil and gas business. Completions planning and infill drilling programs continue to benefit from this technology with the ultimate goal of enhancing recovery whilst reducing overall costs. The mapped microseismic events are driven by localized and regional stress directions and pre-existing fracture networks. The microseismic map influences the subsequent interpreted fracture network. Reservoir performance and hydrocarbon recovery can be optimized by correctly applying the right downhole monitoring technology to a given specific objective. Here we present three different methods for collecting microseismic data from a downhole environment. We demonstrate the variable response of a single reservoir to hydraulic fracture treatment. Standard observation well setup and treatment well deployments are discussed and case histories are shown. We weigh up the benefits and drawbacks of both. With the advanced observation well tool we show better lateral coverage with high variability of formation response. The tool that can be deployed in the treatment well itself shows better accuracy of frac height measurements and highly localized changes in frac orientation but with limitation of lateral coverage. Extending the monitoring window to years or decades requires yet a different approach. The unique system that contains no downhole electronics extends the life expectancy of the monitoring array for true permanent applications. The three distinct techniques of observation well deployment, treatment well deployment and permanent deployment are successfully applied and demonstrated with case studies. The data that is collected can be used for planning and optimization in the short, medium and long term. When applied in difficult and unconventional settings, this leads to increased reservoir performance and reduced overall cost.