DRC in the Middle East
By Rod Kelly |
Tue, 22 Jun 2010
I recently returned from a 2 week trip to the Middle East where I met with many operators in various countries within the region, both National Oil Companies (NOC’s), large multi-national E&P organizations and smaller, regional operators are active in the region. I met with many engineers, some for the first time, introduced our technology as well as discussed specific applications in various stages of progress around the region.
The region is very active and a substantial amount of discussion revolves around the entrance into the Iraqi market in the southern portion of the country. Development of gas resources is a high priority in many countries and most have active plans to expand exploration, development and production operations. The Gas is being utilized for both internal needs and for export.
Gas production in the region is characterized as principally high rate (>20 MMSCFD) from very large reservoirs (>1 TCF) with varying amounts of condensate yields as you look across the carbonate and sand reservoirs of the region. Pressures are generally moderate with large production tubing sizes and many reservoirs have a sour gas component (CO2 ) and in some areas, H2S is a large concern. Governmental concerns seem to drive reservoir surveillance requirements in their quest to better understand the reservoir while optimizing well by well production performance and productivity and manage depletion in these large reservoirs.
Data Retrieval’s SPIDR technology has excellent applications across the range of gas / gas condensate producers in the area. There are also significant opportunities in Gas and Water (disposal) injectors in the region.
Operators have taken several approaches in their application for SPIDR technology in the Middle East. The reasons below outline the advantages of the SPIDR and also why other methods have been found lacking.
- The SPIDR is used as a standalone method for those operators principally concerned with kh, skin and pressure changes over time.
- The SPIDR is used as a method to bridge the” data gap” between downhole gauge campaigns which can be 2 or more years apart.
- Downhole gauge deployment is problematic and fraught with failures, not only in the deviated wells offshore but the vertical wells onshore. Losing equipment in the wellbore (RISK) is a significantly larger issue for many operators. The SPIDR provides a significant incentive, as a non-invasive device, from a wellbore risk perspective.
- Remote areas typically mean less service company infrastructure and fewer choices.
- Permanent gauge deployment has met with mixed success both in terms of long term survivability and the fact that the gauge is placed a significant distance above the reservoir, where it is subject to liquid fall-back / re-injection and phase segregation issues, similar to what we see from the surface with the SPIDR.
- Many engineers in the region are unfamiliar with SPIDR technology; therefore a period of time is required for them to gain confidence in our WHP to BHP conversions. This is normally achieved through TRIAL COMPARISONS (comparing results directly against downhole pressure gauge acquired pressures).
SPIDR Technology is relatively new to the region but should grow in use as more operators become aware of its capabilities and engineers become comfortable with the WHP to BHP conversion capabilities.
