bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Selection and Operation of Production Facilities for Handling High Pourpoint Crude Oils
Authors: Buyzen J. P. , Potter G. 
Published: December 2007

ABSTRACT
The increasing capital and operating cost of production facilities, together with the decrease in the value of the produced barrel have given impetus to achieving acceptable product unit cost whilst providing operable and maintainable plant. The review of operations philosophy, field development plan and mode of operation is a way to achieve this goal.
Contractual and environmental obligations of oil companies have resulted in a change in practice of controlling the production of individual fields towards an overall approach of operating integrated systems, thus ensuring system flexibility in a buyers market situation.
The paper discusses the effect of the Operations Philosophy on design and selection of surface and subsurface facilities in fields producing a high pourpoint crude oil. A general discussion is followed by a more specific look at a recent project and development in Gabon (West Africa).
The field described (Rabi) was discovered by Shell Gabon in 1985 some 130 km north from their existing fields and export terminal. Crude oil will be degassed in four gathering stations, each 40,000 b/d capacity, and dehydrated and metered in a central plant, capacity 140,000 b/d, prior to pumping to two export terminals operated by Elf and Shell respectively.
Specific attention is paid to preventing and combatting wax deposition in surface and subsurface facilities and the influence on pumpability and restartability of crude in the minimum pourpoint condition and application of wax interaction modifiers.
The paper highlights the importance of operations input during initial field development and its effect on facilities selection, mode of operation and operating cost.
Why Cement Fluid Loss Additives Are Necessary
Authors: Baret J. F. 
Published: December 2007

ABSTRACT
With respect to the fluid loss behaviour of a cement slurry basically two stages need be considered: (i) a dynamic one corresponding to the placement and then (ii) a static one, the waiting on cement. During the first period the slurry flow is eroding the filter cake as it is growing, thus rapidly a steady state is reached where the filtration occurs through a cake of constant thickness; at the same time, since the slurry is losing water but no solid particle, its density is increasing in line with the fluid loss rate. During the second period, referred to as "static", the cake grows due to the absence of flow. It may possibly grow up to a point where it locally but completely fills the annulus: bridging takes place and the hydrostatic pressure is no longer transmitted to the deeper zones.
Dynamic:A maximum acceptable value of the total volume of fluid lost during the cement placement can be easily calculated from an upper density limit. Since basic slurry properties, like thickening time and rheology, are greatly dependent on density (at least in the low water content domain), they may be used to define this limit. To convert the total amount of fluid loss into an API fluid loss value, three parameters are needed: the permeable formation area, the mudcake thickness and its permeability.
Static: A maximum acceptable value of the thickness of the cake built-up during the waiting on cement period is deduced from the annular gap. The time taken by the filter cake to completely fill up the annulus, i.e., the bridging time, depends on the cement and mud cake properties (mudcake thickness and permeability and cement cake permeability). Therefore, by comparing thickening time and bridging time, a maximum value for the cement cake permeability can be deduced which is then expressed as an API fluid loss value.
From typical mudcake resistances it can be estimated that, both in dynamic and in static conditions, the fluid loss could, in some conditions, have to be reduced to an API value one order of magnitude lower than what is generally considered as a fair control of fluid loss. Some examples are given. However, still very little is known about the effect of spacers, washes, mechanical aids and cement itself on the mudcake state and more data have to be gathered on mudcake thickness and permeability under various conditions, before definite fluid loss limits can be asserted.
Numerical Simulation for Planning and Evaluation of Polymer Flood Process: A Field Performance Analysis
Authors: Maitin B. , Daboul B. , Sohn W. O. 
Published: December 2007

ABSTRACT
A polymer flood process with partially hydrolized Polyacrylamide solution in fresh water has successfully been applied "by Deutsche Texaco AG in the oilfields of Hankensbuettel and Oerrel. The flood process is capable of recovering additional 10–15 % 00IP in high salinity reservoirs with temperatures of 60 °C and oil viscosity up to 20 mPa.s.
This paper presents the case history of Oerrel West Block Polymer Flood and demonstrates the importance of comprehensive reservoir description by numerical simulation.
A Comprehensive Quality Assurance Program for Offshore Production Facilities
Authors: Lee S. L. , Aw C. L. 
Published: December 2007

ABSTRACT
The paper describes the Quality Assurance (QA) Program developed by ESSO Production Malaysia Inc. (EPHI) to ensure that its offshore production facilities remain in a safe operating condition through a monitoring and preventive approach. The program has to accomodate the different phases of hydrocarbon recovery at the different fields; the concerns associated with a significant amount of CO2, increasing watercut, and emergence of sulphate reducing bacteria (SRB); the weathering of facilities in a hot and humid environment; and the aging of the existing producing facilities.
The monitoring and control programs used by EPMI to address the above concerns are described. The monitoring programs include structural inspection with remote operated vehicles (ROVs) and divers using non-destructive testing (NDT), and facility inspection employing techniques such as water analyses for pH, iron count and SRB, ultrasonic thickness measurements, corrosion coupons and probes, caliper surveys and vessel/pipeline inspections. The corrosion control programs include the use of corrosion inhibitors, pigging, cathodic protection and coatings.
Changing Development Patterns in the Gippsland Basin, Offshore Southeast Australia
Authors: Hordern M. J. 
Published: December 2007

ABSTRACT
Three phases of Gippsland offshore development can be recognised. In the initial phase, the largest oil fields, because of their excellent reservoir quality, were developed simply with low angle wells located crestally draining large reserves. Fields in the second phase have required more costly and complex developments including high angle or deep wells because of field geology and hydrocarbon distribution. Reserves in these fields are substantially lower.
A third phase has commenced in which some of the many small fields remaining will be developed via mini platforms, subsea satellites and single-leg structures, to partially offset the rapidly declining production of the earlier fields.
Synergetic Log and Core Data Treatment Through Cluster Analysis: A Methodology to Improve Reservoir Description
Authors: Descalzi C. , Rognoni A. , Cigni M. 
Published: December 2007

ABSTRACT
Nowadays the most efficient method for quantitative log interpretation calls for an integration of all the information available (logs, cores, well tests) which is then synthesized and homogenized. This allows obtaining more and more reliable and detailed values concerning the lithological, petrophysical parameters and, thence, the internal structure of the reservoir.
As a consequence, it is fundamental to unify all the log and core information into a global data base taking into account both the qualitative (lithology) and quantitative (petrophysical parameters) data.
To reach this target, it is essential to start from a detailed lithological analysis and to have the availability of a number of logs sufficient to discriminate and, thence, quantify all the mineralogical components defined by means of core analysis.
For this purpose a model based on a linear programming algorithm for the quantitative interpretation has been conceived so as to evaluate all the characteristics highlighted by the quantitative analysis.
Applications of this methodology to complex lithologies are shown in several examples. Emphasis is given to a detailed analysis of the advantages of this methodology, that is: –unification of all the log and core information into a single interpretative process.–Adaptability of the program to all log sets and local conditions.
Horizontal Wells Cut Offshore Production Costs
Authors: Giannesini J. F. , Bosio J. 
Published: December 2007

ABSTRACT
This article gives a preliminary analysis of the impact of application of horizontal drilling and production techniques on the economy of offshore reservoir developments.
If we consider wells with a medium and long radius of curvature ensuring horizontal drilling in reservoirs with horizontal sections of greater than 300 m (1000 ft), theoretical research shows that flow ratios of four or more can be obtained in practice in practically all reservoirs, provided they are vertically permeable and no more than 60 m (200 ft) thick. These theoretical results agree well with what is observed in the field.
Analysis of the data available on horizontal drillings performed so far shows that offshore, the cost per metre drilled in a horizontal well tends with experience towards the cost per metre drilled in a conventional well. The excess cost of a horizontal well is essentially due to the greater length drilled.
Offshore, the capital and operating costs bear an increasing relationship to the number of wells and production level. From a model of these costs based on 28 projects in the North Sea, the impact of replacing conventional wells with horizontal wells was studied. In the case of complete development, the reduction in the number of wells for the same production flow enables the technical cost of the oil to be decreased by 2 to 8 dollars per barrel, depending on the case. The parameters of importance are firstly, the ratio of the flowrate of the horizontal well to the flowrate of the conventional well, secondly the ratio of the cost of drilling to the total cost and thirdly the flowrate of the conventional reference well.
Cases of application yielding the greatest savings are those where the share of drilling costs out of the total cost is high, over 25 % and cases where the flowrate of conventional wells is low, below 2000 Bopd.
An Appraisal of Continuous Vs Intermittent Treatment of Water Injection Systems
Authors: Wright Charles C. 
Published: December 2007

American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical and Petroleum Engineers, Inc.
Discussion of this paper is invited. Three copies of any discussion should be sent to the Society of Petroleum Engineers office. Such discussion may be presented at the above meeting and, with the paper, may be considered for publication in one of the two SPE magazines.

Abstract
A detailed appraisal is made of the chemical and physical principles involved in continuous chemical treatment of a water system, vs intermittent treatment of a water system.
The paper covers in detail the properties of the several chemical treatments given water systems and relates how these influence the mode of treatment of a water system and the resultant efficiency of the treatment.
Field evidence is presented to show how these factors bear on the mode of treatment.
Recommendations are made to govern several definable conditions.

Introduction
The use of intermittent chemical treatment as compared with continuous chemical treatment offers the hope of substantial cost savings. Fig. l shows the ratio of amount of chemical required for continuous feed as compared with intermittent feed when the equal concentrations are used.
Intermittent treatment cannot be applied indiscriminately, however, as there are some principles which, if violated will cause the treatment to be ineffective.
Principle No. 1
Intermittent treatment cannot be successfully applied where the chemical used has no residual effect and the mechanism being treated is present continuously.

Example A
The incoming water contains 2.5 mg/liter dissolved oxygen. Catalyzed sodium sulfite is being used as an oxygen scavenger. The catalyzed sodium sulfite must be fed continuously as it is used to react with the dissolved oxygen to remove it from the water. Corrosion will result whenever the catalyzed sodium sulfite feed is interrupted.

Example B
The incoming water is unstable and will deposit calcium carbonate scale as it warms up on its way down the injection well tubing. Hexametaphosphate must be fed continuously as it is used as a crystal poisoner to prevent the calcium carbonate from forming an adherent scale. Scale formation will result whenever the hexametaphosphate feed is interrupted.
Leak Detection Using a Nitrogen — Helium Gas System
Authors: Cooper R. E. 
Published: December 2007

ABSTRACT
A combined nitrogen purge and helium leak-detection system has been developed to safely pressure test and commission oil and gas process equipment. The system is able to detect leaks of a much lower magnitude than conventional leak detection systems and it offers several advantages over conventional hydrostatic testing. Inert nitrogen gas (used as the pressurizing medium) also safely purges the process system of oxygen and flammable gases, while helium in trace amounts provides a means of detecting leaks as low as 0.03 m3/yr. A mass spectrometer is used to detect extremely low levels of the helium detector gas.
Once the process equipment has been certified as leak free, a low pressure nitrogen blanklet can be left in the system. Gas process equipment also can be operated under simulated working conditions using nitrogen. This has proved beneficial for instrument calibration and training purposes.
The Production Performance of the Water-Dissolved Natural Gas Reservoir
Authors: Akibayashi S. , Zhou P. 
Published: December 2007

ABSTRACT
A numerical two-phase model is developed to simulate the production performance of the Hobara-type water-dissolved natural gas reservoir in Japan. By using this model, the behavior of producing gas-water ratio and reservoir pressure is matched successfully. This paper also presents some calculation examples by the matched model which describe the effect of permeability, relative permeability and initial gas saturation on the above production performance
Use of Compositional Simulation in the Management of Arun Gas Condensate Reservoir
Authors: Sutan-Assin T. , Rastogi S. C. , Abdullah M. , Hidayat D. , Bette S. , Heineman R. F. 
Published: December 2007

ABSTRACT
This paper describes the simulation of the Arun gas condensate reservoir using Mobil's fully compositional simulator, COSMOS (Compositional System Mobil Oil Simulator). The reservoir is a Miocene carbonate reef complex which occurs at a depth of approximately 10,000 feet, and is up to 1.000 feet thick in some areas. The Arun reservoir is a ccmpositionally dynamic system. The purpose of this simulation study was to predict future reservoir performance under various demand scenarios and optimize gas and NGL recovery. The simulation model utilizes the Peng-Robinson equation of state to account for the compositionally dynamic behavior of the reservoir in predictions of future performance; The equation of state was modified by Mobil to incorporate-special features for Arun such as water vaporization in the reservoir under high temperature conditions.
A significant amount of time was spent on the geologic description of the field and initial data preparation, which contributed to a good match of the historical data. The simulation model will serve as a reservoir, management and planning tool to evaluate future operating strategies in the field. The technology presented in this paper is applicable to the management of other gas condensate reservoirs which exhibit physical phenomena such as retrograde condensation, revaporization, and water vaporization.
Enhancing the Evaluation of PVT Data
Authors: Drohm J. K. , Goldthorpe W. H. , Trengove R. 
Published: December 2007

ABSTRACT
A procedure for evaluating the quality and consistency of PVT data is presented. This procedure uses the material balance and the associated error analysis for investigating experimental accuracy, and to identify the sources of erratic data. The use of this method to 'correct' erratic data is illustrated for a near-critical or volatile oil and a gas-condensate.
Environmental Impact Assessment of the Dulang Oilfield Development Project
Authors: Hasan M. N. , Ismail M. Y. 
Published: December 2007

ABSTRACT
An environmental impact assessment (EIA) of the Dulang Oilfield Development Project, was conducted to determine whether the project could proceed in a safe and environmentally acceptable manner. This is the first EIA for an offshore oilfield in Malaysian waters, and was conducted in anticipation of the Environmental Quality (Prescribed Activities) (Environmental Impact Assessment Order (1987)) which requires an EIA to be conducted for major oil and gas field development projects.
Drain System Modifications Enhance Platform Safety
Authors: Wong J. 
Published: December 2007

ABSTRACT
The paper describes EPMI's efforts to eliminate potentially catastrophic hydrocarbon liquid and gas discharge from the open drains of its platforms located offshore Peninsular Malaysia in the South China Sea.
The hydrocarbon discharges were largely precipitated by equipment failure and related events but were made physically possible by the use of a cannon discharge caisson by both the open and pressured drain systems.
For platforms containing major processing equipment, the modifications to separate the open drains from the pressured drains involve the installation of a second drain caisson. For other platforms, the systems were separated by returning the pressure drains discharge to the process stream. As a result of the. described modifications, high pressure crude clumped to the drains even at very high flowrates cannot result in hydrocarbons to be discharged from the open drains.
All EPMI platforms have been modified and the installed systems are operating satisfactorily. EPMI now requires the complete separation of the pressured drains from the open drains in all its offshore installations..
Oil Spill Contingency Planning
Authors: Kip S. H. 
Published: December 2007

ABSTRACT
Oil spill contingency planning is an essential feature required in present day activities involving oil and gas exploration, production and transportation. A well thought out Contingency Plan will not only eliminate or minimise the sense of panic, normally associated with oil spill emergency, but also can minimise damage and cost involved.
Simply put, oil spill contingency planning is a process of predetermining a response to an oil spill emergency. The process of preparing a contingency plan varies but the final plan is normally produced into a document, to be followed in an oil spill emergency. With this document prepared and agreed by all concerned parties, the approach and response to an oil spill should be more organised. It is also generally accepted that an organisation with the necessary contingency plan in place is better prepared to handle an emergency that one without a contingency plan.
Oil spill contingency planning is a feature of Shell Group policy. Sarawak Shell Berhad (SSB)/Sabah Shell Petroleum Company Limited (SSPC) produced an Oil Spill Contingency Plan in 1978 which has undergone a number of modifications and updates. Drills and exercises are also conducted with a view to improve the company preparedness to tackle oil spill emergencies.
Insights Into Natural Gas Production From Low-Permeability Reservoirs
Authors: Northrop D. A. 
Published: December 2007

ABSTRACT
Insights have been gained into natural gas production from low permeability sandstone reservoirs in the western United States as a result of the U.S. Department of Energy's Multiwell Experiment (MWX). Three wells, between 110 and 215ft (34–66m) apart at depth, have been drilled at a site southwest of Rifle, Colorado, in the Piceance Basin, where the Cretaceous-age Mesaverde lies at a depth of 4,000 to 8,250ft (1220-2520m). Activities have been conducted in the lowermost Corcoran-Cozzette marine sandstones and in the overlying paludal, coastal, and fluvial nonmarine intervals. Insights include: (1) the depositional environment controls reservoir morphology, size, internal structure, and natural fracturing; thus, it must be discerned in order to optimize completions and interpret reservoir performance; (2) natural fractures, even if small and mineralized, are the dominant production mechanism in these, and probably most other, very tight reservoirs; (3) breakdowns and extended cleanup and test times are required for accurate reservoir assessment; (4) effectiveness of hydraulic fracturing appears limited by an anisotropic natural fracture system, high fracturing pressures, accelerated leakoff, and damage to the natural fracture system; and (5) in situ stress behavior varies with depth and lithology, is complex, and significantly affects stimulation and gas production.
Innovative Flexible Interior Gas Distribution Systems
Authors: Torbin R. N. , Wilkey M. , Belkus P. 
Published: December 2007

ABSTRACT
The Gas Research Institute (GRI) is funding research to investigate alternative gas piping technologies which can make gas service as easy to install as electric service. The semirigid tubing systems being evaluated are soft copper tubing and a Japanese product, corrugated stainless steel tubing (CSST). Both use mechanical fittings and are designed to operate using either traditional low pressure (8 in. of water column (WC)) or a special hybrid pressure (2 psi and 8 in. WC) approach. This research has been conducted at several different single family and multifamily buildings located throughout the United States.
Results from these sites indicate that regardless of the building type, semirigid tubing systems can be installed in less time and usually at lower cost than conventional steel pipe systems. The labor savings vary between 30 and 70 percent, while the cost savings vary between 10 and 50 percent. The use of these semirigid tubing systems also makes a decentralized gas distribution system more viable.