Studies estimate hydrocarbon production from mature fields will account for more than one-half of the global energy mix for the next 20 years, and probably much longer. Key issues in revitalization of mature fields include integrated reservoir management, identifying bypassed oil, well-intervention management. Many mature fields are being operated with technology put in place when the field was developed originally.
Studies estimate hydrocarbon production from mature fields will account for more than one-half of the global energy mix for the next 20 years, and probably much longer. Key issues in revitalization of mature fields include integrated reservoir management, identifying bypassed oil, well-intervention management. Many mature fields are being operated with technology put in place when the field was developed originally.
Studies estimate hydrocarbon production from mature fields will account for more than one-half of the global energy mix for the next 20 years, and probably much longer. Key issues in revitalization of mature fields include integrated reservoir management, identifying bypassed oil, well-intervention management. Many mature fields are being operated with technology put in place when the field was developed originally.
Mature fields, often referred to as brownfields, are defined as
fields in a state of declining production or reaching the end of
their productive lives. Recent studies estimate that hydrocarbon production from mature fields will account for more than one- half of the global energy mix for the next 20 years, and probably much longer. It is imperative that industry address important issues related to development of mature fields and continue to develop new technologies that will facilitate those developments. Key issues in revitalization of mature fields include integrated reservoir manage- ment, identifying bypassed oil, well-intervention management, production sta- bilization and enhancement (i.e., stimulation), artificial lift, enhanced oil recov- ery (EOR), water control, gas-well-liquid removal, infill drilling, accessibility of unconventional reserves from existing facilities and wellbores, sustained casing pressure and its mitigation, and facilities upgrades and life extensions. Revitalization of mature fields embraces multiple objectives, especially maxi- mizing production while minimizing capital expense and reducing the inevi- table decline rate while minimizing operating expense. The collective approach to meet these objectives is application of practical and focused engineering and geology tied with the introduction of new technology. Although application of new technologies may play a key role in the successful revitalization of mature fields, there is general reluctance to apply new technol- ogies because of cost concerns. In fact, many mature fields are being operated with technology put in place when the field was developed originally, and these fields may be performing below their real capacity. Papers selected for this months feature are aligned with some of the afore- mentioned key issues, such as integrated reservoir management, production enhancement, and EOR. In addition, papers dealing with project management, surface facilities, and application of workflow in mature fields are included under additional reading. I hope that in the coming year there will be papers addressing other key issues in revitalization of mature fluids. Syed A. Ali, SPE, is a consultant with Schlumberger. He recently retired from Chevron Energy Technology Company as a Chevron Fellow after 31 years of ser- vice. Ali was the recipient of the 2006 SPE Production and Operations Award. An SPE Distinguished Member, he earned a BS degree from the University of Karachi in Pakistan, MS degrees from the University of Karachi and Ohio State University, and a PhD degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. An SPE Distinguished Lecturer during 200405, Ali served as chairperson for the 2006 SPE Applied Technology Workshop on Deepwater Completions. He served as the Executive Editor of SPEPO from 2004 to 2006 and currently serves on the following SPE committees: TIG Coordinating Committee, Publications Coordinating Committee, Well Completions Subcommittee, Well Operations Subcommittee, JPT Editorial Committee, Production and Operations Award Committee, and Production and Operations Advisory Committee. OVERVIEW MATURE FIELD REVITALIZATION Mature Field Revitalization additional reading available at the SPE eLibrary: www.spe.org SPE 102123 Russian Mature-Fields Redevelopment by Miljenko Cimic, SPE, TNK-BP Management SPE 106278 Application of a Multidisciplinary Workflow in a Mature Oil Field, Mann Field, Myanmar by J.L. Miskimins, Colorado School of Mines, et al. SPE 107740 Surface-Facilities Development for Mature Fields by Rafael Morales, Petrobras, et al. 56 JPT JANUARY 2008 JPT With the increasing demand for hydro- carbons, many companies are focus- ing their efforts on maximizing recovery from mature fields. The full-length paper describes the implementation and results of an integrated reservoir-management strategy that revitalized a field that pre- viously was considered to be marginal and currently is one of the main assets of the company. Introduction Yarigui-Cantagallo field is in the Middle Magdalena River basin in Colombia, 180 miles northwest of Bogota, below the Magdalena River. The structure is a fault- ed monocline, with dips varying from 9 to 50. Structural features have been identified on the basis of pressure, fluid contacts, and production performance because seismic information is sparse. There are five compartments or Blocks, 1 through 5, where Block 5 accounts for 80% of original oil in place (OOIP). Oil production is from Tertiary fluvi- al stacked channel sands, divided into three reservoirs: B sands, C sands, and Cantagallo sands. The sands are poorly sorted, friable, and interbedded with shales. Oil is 20API, asphaltenic, and viscous (20 cp at reservoir temperature, 140F). The main reservoir is Cantagallo sands, with a 600- to 1,000-ft oil column. Drive mechanism in Blocks 1 through 3 is gas expansion; Block 4 has a strong waterdrive; Block 5 has a combination of gravity drainage, partial waterdrive, and expansion of a secondary gas cap. The field was discovered in 1942 and reached the production peak of 20,400 BOPD in 1962. Ecopetrol has operated the field since 1974. The field had been developed in three drill- ing programs: 19431949 (12 wells), 19531962 (40 wells), and 19761983 (28 wells). As a consequence of the poor results obtained in several wells from the last program, no new wells have been drilled, and the field was classified as a marginal asset. In 1999, production declined to 5,000 BOPD, with a 35% water cut. Identifying Opportunities Several facts indicated a large poten- tial for additional field development and optimization. OOIP in Yarigui-Cantagallo field had been estimated at approximately 750 million STB before Ecopetrol opera- tion. In 1999, the cumulative produc- tion was 155 million STB, equivalent to a 20.7% recovery factor for the field. Despite the favorable combination of drive mechanisms, the recovery factor was low considering the intensive drill- ing and exploitation strategy (80 wells). Most of the wells in the field were completed only in Cantagallo sands because the other two reservoirs, more friable, had a history of sand production. Gas production from some wells high on the structure led to the inferance of a secondary gas cap, and important portions of the field were not drilled to avoid undesirable gas production. The majority of wells in the field showed a low decline rate, 2 to 3% per year. Moreover, some wells increased their production over time with no inter- ventions. Cantagallo-sands pressure had depleted dramatically in Block 5 from 3,200 psi originally to 1,000 to 1,800 psi. An integrated reservoir study was conducted to build/update structural, petrophysical, and dynamic models to update OOIP estimates and to deter- This article, written by Assistant Technology Editor Karen Bybee, contains highlights of paper SPE 107885, Integrated Reservoir Management Enhances the Recovery in a Mature Field, by L.E. Prez, SPE, J.G. Gonzalez, V. Gmez, M.E. Lozano, L.E. Sarmiento, SPE, and J.A. Vargas, SPE, Ecopetrol S.A., prepared for the 2007 SPE Latin American and Caribbean Petroleum Engineering Conference, Buenos Aires, 1518 April. Integrated Reservoir Mangement Enhances Recovery in a Mature Field MATURE FIELD REVITALIZATION 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 0 3,000 6,000 9,000 12,000 15,000 0 3,000 6,000 9,000 12,000 15,000 DATE Water Primary-Prodution Rate, B/D Axis 2 Gas Primary-Production Rate, Mcf/D 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 0.0 7.5 15.0 22.5 30.0 37.5 0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 Axis 1 Water Cut Monthly, % Axis 2 Gas/Oil Ratio Monthly, ft 3 /bbl Oil Primary-Production Rate, B/D Axis 1 Fig. 1Field production history. For a limited time, the full-length paper is available free to SPE members at www.spe.org/jpt. The paper has not been peer reviewed. JPT JANUARY 2008 57 58 JPT JANUARY 2008 mine strategies to maximize recovery and asset value. The study focused on four key aspects. As in many old fields, information was abundant but scattered and unorganized. Much work was done to find, evalu- ate, and organize the data. This process allowed much useful information that previously had been ignored to be iden- tified, as well as identifying the need for new information. For example, core information was identified as a priority because only two wells in the field had been cored. Because of investment limitations, it was imperative to maximize the use of available data. Application of new tech- nologies and tools, such as geostatistic modeling, was a milestone. Production and development strategies for the field came from the experience of the previous operator. In many cases, these strategies were not re-evaluated in terms of current field performance or new technologies available. A fresh, new vision about the way to produce the field was proposed in the study, which con- tradicted old practices in several aspects. Early isolation of water production and avoiding commingled production of the three reservoirs are examples of the oper- ating practices that were re-evaluated. Operational limitations and previous poor results were a negative heritage for the field. To restore confidence in the project, it was necessary to show signifi- cant results in a short time. On the basis of that premise, strategies were planned to be implemented progressively. Study recommendations involved the following strategies. A potential of 10 million STB of reserves was identi- fied to be developed by perforating a total of 11,400 ft in B, C, and Cantagallo sands. To control sand production, a change in perforation density from 4 to 12 shots/ft was proposed. A change to electrical submersible pumps (ESPs) was recommended com- bined with an improvement in water- production management. A total of six infill wells was proposed, with the primary objective in Cantagallo sands. Two of the six wells were located in the highest part of the structure. Besides the pressure decline observed in Block 5, the low recovery factor obtained from new OOIP calculations triggered the need for implementation of a waterflood pilot to determine the feasibility of a field- scale project. The pilot was proposed for the north sector of Block 5. Results From 1998 to 2001, four wells were perfo- rated in B and C sands, and an incremental production of 200 BOPD and a 1.1-mil- lion-STB growth in oil reserves resulted. Those operations were performed as part of the field expense budget. The results of these first operations supported the allocation of an invest- ment budget, beginning in 2002, for the remaining operations proposed in the study. As of December 2006, the follow- ing are the main results. Perforating. After a detailed review, only 2,975 ft were considered feasible to be perforated in 36 wells. During 20022003, 1,630 ft was perforated in 19 wells. Incremental production was 1,400 BOPD, and 5.7 million STB of reserves was incorporated. Hydraulic Fracturing. After perfora- tion of B and C sands, several wells showed sand production, despite the change in perforation density. Hydraulic fracturing was implemented as an alternative to minimize sand production and to increase oil produc- tion. Six wells have been fractured in C sands, two in B sands, and one in Cantagallo sands. Significant produc- tion increments, ranging from 50 to 200 BOPD, were achieved in seven of nine wells. Artificial-Lift Optimization. ESPs have been installed in 13 wells, mainly in Blocks 4 and 5, increasing lift capacity by more than 2,000 BFPD. Wells with ESPs account for 50% of oil and total-fluids production. Relocation of pumping units and tubing pumps also has contributed to increased production levels. Infill Drilling. During 2003, the six infill wells proposed were drilled, and one well was cored in C and Cantagallo sands. A total of 7.8 million STB of oil reserves was developed. Initial pro- duction from the wells ranged from 200 to 700 BOPD, with water cuts less than 5%. On the basis of those results, and subsequent studies, 17 additional infill wells and one appraisal well have been drilled. Additional infill wells have incorporated 21 million STB, while the appraisal well has incorpo- rated 0.7 million STB of nonproved reserves, and these wells have allowed identification of an additional poten- tial in Cantagallo sands in Block 1, where that reservoir was considered dry. Another significant contribution of the drilling project is data acquisi- tion, mainly through logs and cores. Waterflood Pilot. Several internal dis- cussions and external consulting led to relocation of the waterflood pilot in the central zone of Block 5. Rock and fluid tests have been conducted to determine injection-water quality as well as the treatment required. Models Updating and Reservoir Simulation. In 2005, static and dynamic models were updated with new well information and production history. A petrophysical model was rebuilt with the new core information. As a result, new infill-drilling oppor- tunities were identified. A simulation model was built for Cantagallo sands in Block 5, to provide an additional tool for reservoir management and to assist production forecasting and drill- ing/waterflood optimization. Expectations and Challenges Today, Yarigui-Cantagallo is one of the five main assets of the company, with an important investment budget for 2007. Current production is 11,500 BOPD after reaching 13,000 BOPD in April 2006 (Fig. 1). Activities for 2007 include seven infill wells, two appraisal wells (Blocks 1 and 3), acquisition of 3D seismic, implementation of a waterflood pilot in central and south sectors of Block 5 including drilling four injector wells, hydraulic fracturing, and facilities con- struction/optimization. Data will be acquired, studies will be performed, and dynamic models will be built for B and C sands. The Cantagallo-sands model will be updated. Other technologies currently being implemented, or to be applied in the near future, are stimulations to remove organic deposits and scale and intelli- gent completions for commingled pro- duction of B, C, and Cantagallo sands. Even with the positive results, there are many challenges for the field. Sand production continues as one of the main causes of failure in pumping wells. Early water production in high-potential wells also is a problem, and an optimal pro- duction rate must be determined to minimize water-coning effects. Integrity of old wells will be an issue during waterflood implementation. JPT 059_BJ_jpt.qxd 12/17/07 6:59 Page 21 60 JPT JANUARY 2008 The Betty oil field was discovered in 1968 and has produced since 1978. With the objective of rejuvenating the asset, a multidisciplinary optimization team was built. The standard practices to evaluate production-enhancement opportunities include logging, nodal analysis, and well-engineering tech- nologies. Usually, the older the field, the more challenging it is to achieve additional reserves. The full-length paper outlines an integrated approach for achieving these objectives, reduc- ing the risk associated with the various enhancement alternatives. Introduction Brownfields have been defined as mature fields with declining production or at the end of their productive lives. Such fields contain resources that are needed by the countries they belong to and by the world economy. These brownfields generally are more than 30 years old and account for 67 to 72% of world production. The Betty field was discovered in 1968 by the Betty-1 well, 25 miles offshore from Lutong, Malaysia, in the Baram Delta. A 24-slot drilling platform was installed in 1978, from which nine development wells were drilled. Two other structures house the separation facilities and a flare boom. Three revisit campaigns were con- ducted on the Betty field. The first, in 1984, drilled five additional wells. The second campaign, in 1988, drilled 10 additional wells and worked over two existing wells. The third revisit was in 1994, to sidetrack four wells. There are eight reservoirs that have been targeted and produced. All of the wells are dual- string completions with two or more perforated intervals. With the objective of rejuvenating the field, Petronas Carigali and Schlumberger joined forces to improve recovery from this mature field. A multidisciplinary team was assembled, and the collective approach to meet this objective focused on engineering and geology. Production enhancement involves several tech- niques to improve well performance, such as fracturing, acidizing, perforat- ing, and artificial lift. The way to achieve the maximum productivity of a well is determined by the quality and quantity of data for that well. Because field-development plans involve multiple objectives, the full- length paper details the well-engineering part, focusing on production-enhance- ment strategies. Determination of the estimated ultimate recovery (EUR) and the location of these reserves used both numerical simulation and nodal analy- sis, which are key to this integrated approach. The integrated approach was used to reduce uncertainties and risks associated with proposed activities. Betty Field Approach A production-enhancement study was conducted as part of the field-develop- ment plan. The objective of this work was to verify well performance and identify underperforming wells. A clas- sical approach of log interpretation, production-data evaluation, and nodal analysis was used to evaluate inflow and outflow performance of each well. Nodal analysis combines the ability of the reservoir to deliver fluid and the vertical-lift performance of the well; thus, it gives an estimate of well deliver- ability. Well performances were cross checked with the reservoir-simulation model. Reservoir models were gener- ated by use of numerical-simulation software. All new technology to be implemented was checked against this approach, trying to find the best EUR possible for each alternative. In general, it is important to find opportunities for production enhance- This article, written by Assistant Technology Editor Karen Bybee, contains highlights of paper SPE 101491, An Approach for Production-Enhancement Opportunities in a Brownfield Redevelopment Plan, by Antonio Cuauro, SPE, Schlumberger; Mohd Izat Ali, SPE, and Maharon Bin Jadid, SPE, Petronas Carigali Sdn. Bhd.; and Ekrem Kasap, SPE, (now with Shell E&P) and Torsten Friedel, SPE, Schlumberger, prepared for the 2006 SPE Russian Oil and Gas Technical Conference and Exhibition, Moscow, 36 October. Production Enhancement in a Brownfield Redevelopment Plan MATURE FIELD REVITALIZATION (Y7.0) Western (Y7.0) Infill Well (Y7.0) Well B-9 (Y7.0) Western Boundary 3D-Seismic Area Fig. 1Well location in Reservoir B7. For a limited time, the full-length paper is available free to SPE members at www.spe.org/jpt. The paper has not been peer reviewed. New EXODUS 6.0 Reservoir Simulator For Microsof Windows t Full featured, user friendly, over 250 installations Paralleled - faster runs with more cpus - current clients get 2 cpu version free CBM modeling - with time desorption Hydraulic fracs template - automatic LGR with time dependent fracture conductivity Call: (403) 265-9722 E-mail: tant@petrostudies.com www.petrostudies.com T.T. & Associates Inc. 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Compositional and Black Oil Reservoir Simulation SPE SERVICE DIRECTORY SPE Online www.spe.org Awards Program Contact: Tom Whipple Phone: 1.972.952.9452 Email: twhipple@spe.org Regional/Sectional Awards Program Contact: Brian Wiggins Phone: 1.972.952.9451 Email: bwiggins@spe.org Books, Papers, Software Sales Phone: 1.800.456.6863 or 1.972.952.9393 Email: books@spe.org Conference Programs Contact: Wayne Spence Phone: 1.972.952.9449 Email: wspence@spe.org Distinguished Lecturer Program Contact: Donna Neukum Phone: 1.972.952.9454 Email: dneukum@spe.org Dues, Membership Information, Address Changes, and Copyright Permission Phone: 1.800.456.6863 or 1.972.952.9393 Email: service@spe.org Exhibit Space Sales Contact: Joan Payne Phone: 1.972.952.9356 Email: jpayne@spe.org Contact: Jim Klingele Phone: 1.713.779.9595, ext. 612 Email: jklingele@spe.org Insurance, Credit Card Programs Contact: Alyssa Moreno Phone: 1.972.952.9439 Email: amoreno@spe.org JPT Employment/Professional Services Contact: Mary Jane Touchstone Phone: 1.972.952.9351 Email: mtouchstone@spe.org JPT/JPT Online Advertising Sales Contact: Jim Klingele Phone: 1.713.779.9595, ext. 612 Email: jklingele@spe.org Journal of Petroleum Technology Contact: John Donnelly Phone: 1.713.779.9595, ext. 616 Email: jdonnelly@spe.org Meeting Registration Phone: 1.800.456.6863 or 1.972.952.9393 Email: registration@spe.org Peer Review Contact: Stacie Hughes Phone: 1.972.952.9343 Email: shughes@spe.org Periodicals, Book Publication Contact: Glenda Smith Phone: 1.972.952.9470 Email: gsmith@spe.org Professional Development Services Contact: Tom Whipple Phone: 1.972.952.9452 Email: twhipple@spe.org Section Service Contact: Brian Wiggins Phone: 1.972.952.9451 Email: sections@spe.org SPE Website Contact: Glenda Smith Phone: 1.972.952.9470 Email: gsmith@spe.org Subscriptions Phone: 1.800.456.6863 or 1.972.952.9393 Email: service@spe.org Technical Interest Groups Contact: Shasta Stephenson Phone: 1.972.952.9514 Email: sstephenson@spe.org Young Member Programs Contact: Melissa Schultea Phone: +44.207.299.3300 Email: mschultea@spe.org 61 62 JPT JANUARY 2008 ment without bearing any major capital expense. As a result, a screening process was carried out to identify the pos- sible well candidates for commingled production. Well B-1 was considered to be the best candidate for commin- gled production to revive the B5 sand through the short string. Well B-1 was producing approximately 2 MMscf/D of high-pressure gas and can provide gas to help revive the B5 sand by means of natural gas lift. Results Increasing the choke size in three wells resulted in 800 BOPD, with only a 7% water-cut increase. Also, an addi- tional 3 MMscf/D of gas was delivered to a neighboring field, representing an 800-BOPD increment in that field because more lift gas was available. Commingled Production. A screen- ing process was adopted to identify possible candidates for commingled production from the Betty producing reservoirs using existing well stock. This included screening the existing completions for well performance using nodal-analysis models, as well as evaluating the performance predictions using numerical simulation models to validate the scenarios. Four scenarios were proved viable for commingled production. However, the scenario for Well B-1 was the only scenario that could be validated with the numerical simulation model. A commingled-production scenario was investigated for Well B-1, cur- rently producing from the B3 reser- voir through the long string. Nodal analysis was performed to see the effect of commingled production with the B5 reservoir. The objective was to revive the production from the B5 reservoir through the long string of Well B-1. For the Well B-1:B3 comple- tion, the last nodal analysis matched using the Ansari correlation and a 0.4-bbl/D/psi productivity index (PI) with a 25,000-scf/STB gas/oil ratio (GOR) in 2005. The Well B-1:B3 completion was tested in February 2005 at 12 BOPD, 41% water cut, and 70-Mscf/STB GOR. There were consid- erable fluctuations in the test results for this well, probably a result of the relatively low flow rates for 3 1 /2-in. tubing. New nodal analysis indicated that Ansari remains the best fitting cor- relation, even with this GOR. The Well B-1:B5 completion was tested on 30 June 2004 at 284 BOPD, 41% water cut, and 760 scf/STB GOR. A gas lift quantity of 246 Mscf/D was required to kick off the well. In 2005, there was another attempt to pro- duce the B5 reservoir, but the well was dead, and no lift gas was injected for kickoff. Nodal analysis with the Hagedorn and Brown correlation is the best fit for outflow performance, and a 0.9-STB/D/psi PI matches the inflow performance for this test. Finally, a nodal-analysis case was run commin- gling the B3 and B5 reservoirs, and the results showed 605-BOPD incremental production by commingling the B3 and B5 reservoirs through the Well B-1 long string. However, the well cannot deliver this rate in the high-pressure mode. As a result, the well has to be diverted to a low-pressure separator, and there is a significant loss of high-pressure gas. The numerical simulation model for B reservoirs (B3/B5/B7) was used to validate the findings of the reservoir- engineering model. The currently pro- ducing long string of Well B-1:B3 was commingled to revive the B5 reservoir on 1 June 2005. The tubinghead-pres- sure (THP) target of 800 psi was used for the commingled string. Performance of the new commingled string was pre- dicted, and the results indicate a 300- to 400-BOPD incremental oil production by using approximately 0.5-MMscf/D of gas from the Well B-1:B3 comple- tion. Therefore, in this case, B5 reser- voir can be revived using B3 as a source of natural gas lift. Additional Perforations. A variety of options was considered using numeri- cal simulation to assess the effect of adding perforations to wellbores in the C1 reservoir. The prediction runs were on THP control at a minimum of 800 psi because this reservoir is the main lift-gas source for the neighbor- ing field. The main problem is the effect of adding perforations in Well B-3 on the overall performance of the other wells in the C1 reservoir (specifically Well B-9). Well B-9 is the best high-pressure gas producer in the field and the major lift-gas supply to the neighboring field. Well B-9 was producing approximately 14 MMscf/D of high-pressure gas and 370 BOPD, with a 63% water cut, by 2005. In the three cases examined, the production performance of Well B-9 will be jeopardized and the well pro- duction will cease in July 2005. Well B-6. Well B-6 was completed in B3 reservoir (short string) and A7 reservoir (long string). Well B-6 has had several tests in the last 5 years, all of which have shown very high water cuts and negligible oil rates. The case discussed here is to shut off A7 reser- voir and perforate A6.5 sands. From the operational point of view, it can be done in the Well B-6:A7 completion, with access through the long string. The additional contribution to the ultimate recovery would be 0.89 million STBO. The peak oil-production rates for addi- tional perforations in B6.5 reservoirs varied from 1,000 to 3,800 BOPD. Three wells have produced commingled from the B6.5 and B7.0 sands. A simulation case was run to determine the effect of adding perforations to Well B-6 on production of Well B-8 producing from the B7 reservoir, which is one of the best wells in the Betty field. Controlling the production from B-6 at 500 BOPD will keep the same EUR for B-8 over the same period of time. The change in pro- duction is not sufficiently significant to indicate that adding perforations in Well B-6 could jeopardize the performance of Well B-8. Additionally, the results of this workover will eliminate the requirement of an infill well, saving USD 7 million. Opening Idle Wells. Well B-9 was drilled to produce the B7 reservoir. As a result of completion opportunities, a possibility to produce the A6.5/A7 reser- voir was found. In the recent field-devel- opment plan, B7 reservoir remained as a potential zone for oil production, and Well B-9 was the best location. Fig. 1 shows the position of Well B-9 in the B7 reservoir in conjunction with the new infill well. These perforations in Well B-9 will collect more information for the new infill well to be drilled later. Conclusions After 6 months of implementation and monitoring, the proposed initia- tives have achieved an increase in total oil production of approximately 13%. USD 14 million has been saved by reduc- ing the number of infill wells planned and creating an additional ultimate oil recovery of 4.98 million STB. In the future, implementation of all opportuni- ties will produce sufficient information for optimizing infill drilling and work- over campaigns in the Betty field. JPT The Handil field, discovered in 1974, is a giant mature oil field in the Mahakam Delta of Indonesia. Fieldwide produc- tion declined from 200,000 BOPD in the late 1970s to 12,500 BOPD in 2003. An integrated study on the largest gas- injection reservoir was performed to assess project performance. An inten- sive light-workover (LWO) campaign was launched, and three pilot wells, each with a different type of comple- tion, were put on production success- fully. Infill drilling and optimization of an enhanced-oil-recovery (EOR) project also were implemented. Fieldwide pro- duction increased to 23,000 BOPD. Introduction As Fig. 1 shows, the Handil field com- prises 555 unconnected accumulations (reservoirs) in structurally stacked and compartmentalized deltaic sands. The reservoirs are trapped by the Handil anticline, which is cut by a major imper- meable fault dividing the field into two compartments: north and south. The reservoirs are between 200 and 3500 m subsea and cover an area 10 km long by 4 km wide. Three reservoir characteristics distin- guish the field. Shallow zone: This zone is as deep as 1500 m subsea, with excellent per- meability ranging from 200 to 2,000 md and with very strong aquifers that main- tain the reservoir pressure at initial con- dition. However, the sands are poorly consolidated, requiring sand-control techniques. Main zone: This zone is between 1500 and 2200 m subsea, with permeability between 10 and 500 md. Most reservoirs had initial-gas caps, which have been pre- served to maintain the reservoir pressure, especially because the aquifers are not as strong as those for the shallow reservoirs. The sands are normally well consoli- dated; therefore, sand production is not an issue. Deep zone: This zone is below 2200 m subsea, contains mostly gas, and decreases in quality with depth to a per- meability of several millidarcies. Production History To maintain production and reser- voir pressure, water injection was started in 1978, which maintained the 160,000 BOPD production until 1985. Gas lift was introduced in 1979 and was implemented fieldwide in 1991. Infill drilling has helped maintain production. More than 350 wells have been drilled in the field, with an average spacing of 300 m. In November 1995, a lean-gas- injection project was initiated in five reservoirs. The project boosted the pro- duction of the five large reservoirs and altered the overall decline rate of the field. Therefore, the project was extended in 2000 to six other large reservoirs, which resulted in more than 25% of the field reserves being under a tertiary-recovery mechanism. In 2003, field production had declined to 12,500 BOPD. Geological Overview The Handil field is a four-way-dip struc- ture. Trapping is structural and strati- graphic. Reservoir quality is good, with porosity ranging from 5 to 36% and with permeability values up to several thousand millidarcies. Because the field is multilayered, the most continuous and reliable markers correspond generally to transgressive shales associated with lig- nite, organic shale, or limestones. Geologically, the fluviodeltaic envi- ronment comprises multilayered sed- imentary series; therefore, each layer This article, written by Technology Editor Dennis Denney, contains highlights of paper SPE 110882, Reviving the Mature Handil Field: From Integrated Reservoir Study to Field Application, by Henricus Herwin, SPE, Emmanuel Cassou, SPE, and Hotma Yusuf, SPE, Total E&P Indonsie, prepared for the 2007 SPE Asia Pacific Oil & Gas Conference and Exhibition, Jakarta, 30 October1 November. Reviving the Mature Handil Field: From Integrated Reservoir Study to Field Application MATURE FIELD REVITALIZATION Fig. 1Handil field cross section. For a limited time, the full-length paper is available free to SPE members at www.spe.org/jpt. The paper has not been peer reviewed. JPT JANUARY 2008 63 64 JPT JANUARY 2008 can hold different accumulations, often with different fluid contacts and differ- ent dynamic behavior. Also, there is the lack of interpretable seismic data: Only poor-quality 2D lines are available, and no 3D data have been acquired because of numerous coalbeds, which tend to interfere with and eventually hide any amplitude effect expected from gas-bear- ing reservoirs. Therefore, the only usable data for structures, stratigraphy, and res- ervoir analysis are the well data. Dynamic Modeling Dynamic modeling and material balance were performed on all reservoirs in the shallow and main zones. The final prod- uct was a set of reservoir-monitoring maps showing production performance and status of each well, fluid data from recent logs, and estimated fluid contacts. The maps also indicated the location of the remaining oil rim, bypassed oil, and undrained areas. Log data from new wells provided valuable information about the actual fluid status in the wells and in the region around the wells. Black-oil reservoir-simulation models were built for several reservoirs having high potential and for reservoirs in which horizontal wells were planned. The mod- els helped to determine the remaining-oil area, define the optimum production strategy, and forecast the production. Sweet-Spot Mapping Areas in the Handil oil pool that are not yet producing and are considered as potential are called sweet spots. The work takes into account the stat- ic data (geological map and log data) and the dynamic data. The maps from this work enabled positioning certain wells that are expected to be good oil producers. The sweet-spot maps are used to devel- op the grid parameter and visualize the field in 3D by filtering on a numeric code (0 for likely nonproductive, 1 for pos- sibly productive, or 2 for likely produc- tive). Thereby, preliminary trajectories were proposed to target future wells. The choice of a final well trajectory requires meeting three major constraints. Choose the main geological targets in the Handil oil pool (this study pro- vided the best possible solution for a vertical section through the Handil oil pool), and each well must have optimum multitargets. Select one or more possible well- heads with appropriate pipelines. Check drilling feasibility (well depar- ture of the trajectory and anticollision constraints). If more than one trajectory can meet these three objectives, the final selec- tion will be made with respect to the number of the secondary objectives that could be encountered. LWOs The most economical method to recover additional oil in Handil is by perform- ing LWOs. These well interventions are performed without pulling the comple- tion, to isolate watered-out reservoirs and perforate prospective reservoirs. However, LWOs may not be applicable in poor well conditions, such as tubing leaks, parted tubing, or some type of obstruction in the wellbore. An LWO is not used in high-producing wells. The main issue of an LWO is defining the fluid status behind the casing. The dynamic-model studies reduce these uncertainties. In 2005, 26 LWOs were performed, of which 19 were successful. The project resulted in 1.7 million STBO of produc- tion during the year and 4 million STBO of incremental reserves. The total cost was approximately USD 2 million. Infill Well Although an LWO is the most eco- nomical way to recover the remain- ing oil, well conditions may not allow intervention. Therefore, drilling infill wells recovers the potential reserves. In general, there are three cases for which infill wells are preferred. Case 1. In the very shallow zone in which the reservoirs are less developed and have highly viscous oil, horizon- tal wells are proposed with sand-screen completions to prevent excessive sand production. Gas lift is used to lift fluids, but completions could be converted to electrical submersible pump (ESP). Case 2. In the shallow zone in which the reservoirs are already well developed and the reserves of each reservoir do not jus- tify dedicated wells, multitarget wells are proposed. The wells are produced with ESPs, anticipating rapid water break- through, and gravel-pack completions are used to prevent sanding problems. In the first multitarget well, two zones were completed with gravel packs and three zones were completed with swell- ing packers. Two of the three zones com- pleted with swelling packers later failed, resulting in excessive sand production. Thus, only gravel packs are considered for the next multitarget wells. However, swelling-packer completions will be con- sidered in marginal-reserves reservoirs, exercising high caution during cleanup and production. Case 3. In the main zone in which the reservoirs are mature, multitarget wells are the best solution. A sand-control completion is not necessary because the sand is well consolidated. Gas lift is used to produce the monobore completions. ESPs are not suited in this zone because the reservoirs contain a significant gas- cap volume that can result in high gas/ liquid ratios. Fig. 2Production-row distribution. JPT JANUARY 2008 65 EOR Lean-gas injection in an oil reservoir is primarily an immiscible-displacement process, which, when the reservoir has already undergone waterflood- ing, becomes a double-displacement process also called gravity-assisted tertiary gas injection. The remaining oil in these reservoirs is in the oil rim trapped above the structurally highest production row, bypassed oil down- dip in the reservoir, and residual oil trapped after waterflooding. Crestal gas injection attempts to sweep the remaining mobile oil toward he producing wells (gas- flooding) and remobilize part of the capillary-trapped oil. As shown in Fig. 2, the reservoirs are divided into several production rows, with Row 1 being the production row closest to the gas injector. Gradually, gas will sweep the oil rim above the highest initial oil producer toward the wells in the first row. After a certain time, the gas will break through, and the well should be shut in when oil produc- tion decreases below the economical limit, thereby letting the gas push the remaining oil to the next produc- tion rows. EOR Optimization In 2003, an integrated study was per- formed in the largest EOR reservoir. The study comprised a complete review of geological correlations on the basis of facies recognition from the logs and use of the geometries of the sand bodies, the 3D geomodel, dynamic model, reservoir model, and chemical-tracer injection. The study confirmed the effects of the gas-injection mechanism whereby very- low residual-oil saturations were found in the Row-1 region, which had been swept by the gas. The study was able to predict the portion of the oil rim in which oil potential remained. Tracer injection helped to determine the gas-injection pattern, and this infor- mation was used to calibrate the reservoir model. The tracer also identified poorly connected areas in the northeast part of the reservoir and a disconnected area in the southern area of the reservoir. An interesting lesson from the study was the optimum gas-cycling rate, which is the ratio of produced gas to injected gas during the gas-injection period. The average gas cycling throughout the proj- ect was 60%. This relatively high cycling is coming from the Row-1 wells, which produce with significant oil rate but also have high gas/oil ratios (GORs). The simulation model indicated that the gas would be used more efficiently by clos- ing these high-GOR wells at an earlier time in the project. This action would have allowed more gas to reach the regions around the second- and third- row producers to sweep the remaining mobile oil and enable remobilization and oil production by gravity drainage from those areas. The small gravity- drainage oil-production rates remaining in the Row-1 producers will continue and in time be displaced toward Row 2. Optimized cycling improved the reser- voir production substantially. Conclusion An integrated geosciences and reservoir study helped redefine the remaining potential in this mature field. With the large number of reservoirs and wells and the long production history, simple dynamic modeling and mate- rial balance identified the potential, thus optimizing the production. In the Handil field, the study led to three operations: LWOs, infill drilling, and EOR. These key elements increased the production from 12,500 BOPD in 2003 to 23,000 BOPD in 2007. JPT S a v e