Abstract

Evaluation and classification of formation damage type and magnitude is critical exercise in oil industry. Formation damage around wellbore can be evaluated from various well testing techniques, that can provide amount of the total skin factor as an overall measurement of the formation damage. This paper focus on acid matrix stimulation in a clastic reservoir in Burgan field to remove formation damage formed around well bore by drilling and completion operations in a newly drilled well. Matrix stimulation encompasses pumping processes used to improve the connection between wellbore and reservoir to remove formation damage caused by factors such as: drilling mud, cementing operation, completion fluid and perforation. Consequently, this will dominates permeability reduction in the porous media in the invaded zone. As a result of this skin damage, oil production rate will be affected and reduced, high decline rate in production, short production life time and extra pressure drawdown will

Abstract

This paper will demonstrate how the acid fracturing stimulation using different technologies in multidisciplinary team integration helped un-locking the production potential and setting up development strategy for Tuba tight carbonate reservoir, with case histories. Upcoming Reservoirs in North Kuwait (NK) oil fields will play significant role for meeting NK's strategic production target. Recent full field study of Tuba carbonate reservoir makes it the largest Oil in-Place of the Upcoming Reservoirs in NK. Tuba, though discovered in the 60's, is still relatively under-exploited presently with only 12 active wells with very low total production rate compared to other reservoirs. High reservoir heterogeneity, tightness and poor fluid properties necessitate the move from conventional matrix stimulation to Acid Fracturing technology targeting better Frack conductivity and deep penetration for effective productivity and recovery enhancement. With efforts of multidisciplinary team, Acid Frac

Abstract

Acoustic velocity or speed of sound is a thermodynamic property which may be used to estimate thermophysical properties needed for hydrocarbon production and processing. In this paper, experimental data is reported on the speed of sound in n-octane, a binary mixture of (n-octane+n-hexadecane), a binary mixture of (n-decane+n-hexadecane) and a ternary mixture of (n-octane+n-decane+n-hexadecane) at temperature of (293 to 393)K and at pressures up to 100MPa. In addition a predictive method for the speed of sound in liquid hydrocarbons is presented and validated by comparison with both the present data and the literature data. The model is based on the extended principle of corresponding states with two reference fluids, chosen as n-C18 and n-C28 in which the parameters may be estimated from the knowledge of molecular weight. The method can be used for both pure liquid n-alkanes and their mixtures from propane to very heavy hydrocarbons (~C50) at pressures of (0.1 to 150) MPa and at temper

Abstract

In a technology intensive industry like ours - Petroleum Industry, Technology is acquired for commercial benefits, technical enhancement, environment protection and the like. Mechanisms to acquire technology include collaboration, consultancy, pilot project execution, membership with professional bodies. Majority of the Organizations are accountable to shareholders, partners, public and Governments to prove commercial prudence of its actions. Therefore, it is necessary for the Organizations to ensure and establish through documented process that best value of the invested cost has been achieved. Organizations are also ethically and procedurally bound to provide level playing field to all potential technology providers. To comply with these commercial obligations, tendering process is often mandatory. Tendering process in its different variants has proved successful, robust and is time tested. Therefore, whatever mechanism (collaboration, consultancy, pilot project etc.) we use, it ofte

Abstract

A non-fatal case of carbon tetrachloride poisoning by inhalation is reported. The major features were acute renal failure, myocarditis and pulmonary oedema with effusion. Treatment included artificial ventilation and peritoneal dialysis. © 1981 Springer-Verlag.

Abstract

Seismic inversion produces a limited number of elastic variables (up to 3) however, the subsurface model is often described using a much larger number of variables such as porosity, clay content, fluids content, pressure etc. Through the use of a Petro-Elastic Model (PEM), it is possible to link the petrophysical properties to the elastic ones, but this forward model is not easily reversible as a given combination of elastic attributes (P-Impedance, Vp/Vs ratio…) can result from many possible combinations of petrophysical properties. Our adaptive ensemble optimization approach addresses this issue by sampling the solution space of this non-linear non-convex quadratic inverse problem through an ensemble-based model. A prior ensemble constructed from a prior model of petrophysical properties is used to sample the uncertainty of the parameters before entering the inversion process. Each petrophysical sample of the ensemble is then updated to reduce the mismatch between the elastic respons

Abstract

Direct-acting oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are used to prevent and treat systemic and cerebral embolisms in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NV-AF). The use of DOACs with herbal products without consulting healthcare professionals increases the possibility of drug–herb interactions and their adverse effects. An 80-year-old man on dabigatran with a known history of NV-AF presented with a 1-day history of haematemesis and black stool which began 3 days after he had started taking a boiled mixture of ginger and cinnamon. The patient was hypotensive and treated as a case of gastrointestinal bleeding and haemorrhagic shock. Despite continuous aggressive resuscitation measures including administration of a reversal agent for dabigatran, we were unable to control bleeding and the patient died within 24 hours. The interaction of ginger and cinnamon with dabigatran led to fatal bleeding. © EFIM 2019.

Abstract

To sustain oil production, the Wara-Burgan reservoirs have undergone massive drilling and water-injection over the past decade, leading to 1000s of new wells. These introduced several reservoir management and operational challenges, including localized pressure depletion, formation of secondary gas-cap, non-uniform water encroachment, by-passed oil formation, and fluid property changes. This paper focuses on identifying, analyzing, and evaluating the impact of these factors on reservoir management decisions using calibrated dynamic model across the Greater Burgan field. To analyze and assess the reservoir management challenges with eight stacked reservoirs having 2400+ wells coupled under 14 gathering-centers, an integrated and up-to-date dynamic model was deemed indispensable, to provide a holistic picture of the reservoir performance. The dynamic model history matching was performed successfully by including all the available drilling, workover, production, injection, pressure, and s

Abstract

The Tuba Formation is deposited on a carbonate ramp profile with lithofacies associations ranging from proximal-ramp to distal-ramp environments. Even though the northern area of the field consists of deeper-water facies, the reservoir shows favorable porosity and permeability trends. The constructed detailed static and dynamic models with current performance of producing wells indicate that the Tuba Formation has long term potential of oil production improvement. However, drilling and completion option poses major challenges due to formation heterogeneity across the field and rock mechanical behavior of the reservoir. A suite of openhole logs were planned to evaluate the formation for drilling and completion efficiency improvement and thus field production optimization. Wireline acoustic log was one of the acquired logs, and has played a fundamental role in the evaluation. This paper presents a case study which illustrates a large number of borehole acoustic waves analyses performed o

Abstract

Objectives/Scope: The acquisition of mud gas data for well control and gathering of geological information is a common practice in oil and gas drilling. However, these data are scarcely used for reservoir evaluation as they are presumably considered as unreliable and non-representative of the formation content. Recent development in gas extraction from drilling mud and analyzing equipment has greatly improved the data quality. Combined with proper analysis and interpretation, these new datasets give valuable information in real-time lithological changes, hydrocarbons content, water contacts and vertical changes in fluid over a pay interval. Methods, Procedures, Process: Post completion, Mud logging data have been compared with PVT results and they have shown excellent correlation on the C1-C5 composition, confirming the consistency between gas readings and reservoir fluid composition. Having such information in real time has given the oil company the opportunity to optimize its operati

Abstract

Middle Marrat is a primary Jurassic tight carbonate reservoir with enhanced porosities granted by crystalline dolomites and homogeneous gamma/resistivity response, which means geosteering with traditional LWD methods in this formation is a challenge; a new approach is necessary in this case. Detailed geochemical characterization using XRF/XRD analysis from cuttings, advanced gas analysis (C1-C8), and LWD logs are all integrated in real-time using StarSteer, a powerful software solution which allows visualizing, interpret and integrate all the geosteering techniques (Model-Based, Strat-Based, Multi-well and Multi-log) in one window simultaneously. Using this method, it was possible to land, navigate, and reach well TD safely along 965 ft of horizontal section with 97% inside the objective, giving the client better information to make decisions in real-time and save costs avoiding incurring in additional delays. © EAGE Publications BV 2021.

Abstract

The Passive Inflow Control Device enhances the well productivity and recovery by removing Heel to Toe effect in a homogeneous reservoir and allowing production optimization along the entire horizontal section in case of heterogeneous reservoir. But these ICDs have their own limitations in controlling the high water producing zones in horizontal wells. The introduction of Sliding Sleeve Technology in horizontal wells has added a greater value to ICDs by further controlling water production from undesired zones. The new Advanced Inflow Control Device with sliding sleeve approach is built upon the usefulness of sliding sleeve technology in horizontal wells. This rigless technology can be used to maximize oil production from horizontal wells, save huge rig workover cost and extend the economic life. This paper describes a case study in Greater Burgan Field showing the challenges encountered while drilling the horizontal well and benefits associated with the integration of the passive Inflo

Abstract

Produced water volumes are increasing globally due to the extended operation of mature oil fields. At the same time, operators have the requirement to maintain well pressure to ensure oil production. Produced water can be used for this purpose, thus converting the commodity from a waste product to a valuable resource. For this reason, National and International Oil Companies are continuously evaluating the latest technologies to reuse the produced water for reinjection efficiently and minimize the use of other sources of water such as aquifer water or treated seawater. Traditional tertiary treatment technologies such as nutshell filter (NSF) have long been the only option available, together with cartridge filters, to meet the increasingly challenging applications to treat the water suitable for injection for pressure maintenance or into disposal wells. However, NSFs have a narrow operating window, so they often struggle to perform adequately under varying inlet conditions and as a res

Abstract

A well in Burgan field is producing oil with high H2S content from Burgan reservoir, which was never observed in this part of the field. The H2S appears to be leaking from different reservoir layers. Two possible sources of the H2S in this field are the shallow Umm Er Radhuma and Tayarat formations, above the Burgan reservoir, and the deep Ratawi and Minagish formations below the reservoir. The Burgan formation for this well was cased with two casings (9.625 in. and 13.375 in.). The 9.625-in. casing was cemented, and cement evaluation logs were run. However, no cement evaluation logs were recorded after the 13.375-in. casing was cemented. In the past, it was not possible to evaluate cement for a second barrier. However, with the new development in the advanced sonic and ultrasonic measurement, it became possible to evaluate cement for the first barrier (9.625 in.) and the second barrier (13.375 in.) simultaneously, which was utilized for this well for cement evaluation and advanced fra

Abstract

Multiples contamination both surface and interbed related is a problem in almost all Middle East basins. The high acoustic impedance of carbonates and anhydrites layered with clastics is the major generator of these interbed multiples. These types of multiples are known to hinder the interpretation, fracture characterization, and inversion studies; they significantly complicate both the structural and stratigraphic interpretation within the zone of interest at the Cretaceous level as well as at the frontier Jurassic and Permian sections (El-Emam et al., 2001). Previous work has demonstrated marginal success in attenuating the main interbed multiples using the 1D multiple modeling technique post-migration thorough the analysis and identification of the major multiple generators using well data (El-Emam et al., 2005). © 2011 Society of Exploration Geophysicists.

Abstract

Summary: Seismic surveys are considered to be the first step in hydrocarbon exploration and development. Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) has consistently been at the leading edge of seismic technology implementation from the early 1960's until present. KOC's 2020 strategy is very ambitious; it calls for increasing the production to 4 MBPD, replacing reserves by 3 billion barrels of oil and adding 3.5 TCF of non-associated gas through exploration. This along with the known challenges such as deep exploration targets and fractured unconventional reservoirs require a continuous understanding, evaluation and deployment of the best and newest technologies available in the seismic industry.

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to present a case study of a pioneering step taken in restoring well integrity for workover rig intervention through the utilization of instrumented coiled tubing (CT) and through-tubing inflatable and retrievable packer (TTIRP) in South Kuwait Field. In this particular instance, mechanical constraints at the christmas tree tubing hanger hindered the ability of the operator to install the blowout preventer (BOP) of the workover rig through conventional means. As a result, a custom-fit approach was implemented to enable the required number of pressure barriers to intervene the well. The intervention approach employed the use of instrumented CT for barrier restoration, well killing and temporary well suspension. CT real-time downhole telemetry was utilized to ensure accurate placement and setting of the TTIRP within the production tubing. Once the packer integrity was pressure tested in both directions, CT was disconnected, and a sand plug followed by an acid

Abstract

Gender balance is a goal cherished by modern organizations, as a proven way to boost productivity, ensure motivation of the workforce, and enrich the internal workflows related to leadership, development and succession planning of the organization. The oil sector of the State of Kuwait pioneered the advancement of women in oil and gas in the Arabic Gulf, launching the Professional Women Network (PWN) of Kuwait Oil Company back in 2009, later on expanded to Kuwait Petroleum Corporation and its Subsidiaries in 2014. The challenges that have been faced in the evolution of this initiative are related most importantly to unconscious biases, cultural setting, and resistance to change of the established style and corporate workflows, because of the clear aim of PWN to implement a new framework to enable the empowerment of women in all technical disciplines and support roles in the corporation. Not all challenges have been surmounted, which is a commonality of all companies in Oil and Gas, whe

Abstract

[No abstract available]

Abstract

The ever-increasing energy demands of today’s rapidly emerging world economies, has placed energy use and conservation at the heart of the world sustainability challenge. Consequently, a lot of focus and research is aimed at the implementation of the various sustainable strategies and models, to address the global sustainability challenges in energy use and its conservation. This paper presents an overview of an approach considered to meet this global sustainability challenge by Ahmadi Sports Ground, which is considered as one of the masterpieces of Ahmadi Township, developed by the Kuwait Oil Company (KOC). The paper introduces the specific application of using energy generating tiles through energy harvesters in the Ahmadi Sports Ground. For a good comprehension, the paper takes the elementary materials scientific development from their history and mentions the actual acknowledgement and energy generation mechanism of those materials throughout concurrent researches. Copyright © 2020

Abstract

Description: Marked by rapid expansion and revamp, year 2012-13 for KOC's NK directorate experienced situation wherein each of the operating facility (3 Gathering Centers-450MBOPD, 1 Water Injection plant-300 MBWPD; 1 Sea Water Treatment Plant-300 MBWPD) required multiple Shutdowns to cater for Tie In requirements of 5 different projects (different time lines) & Preventive Maintenance. Catering to individual project shutdown requirements meant huge production loss and the only way feasible to minimize the same was to accommodate Tie In requirements of all projects, in parallel within a single or maximum two shutdowns per facility. To minimize these losses, KOC concentrated on program management focusing on interfaces between projects to develop a feasible aligned shutdown plan and to accomplish it successfully across all facilities. The paper intends to highlight critical elements of the planning & implementation phases of the aligned shutdown plan like; Tie In scopes (all disciplines)

Abstract

This paper discusses static and dynamic adsorption experiments to evaluate surfactant and alkali consumption as well as polymer injectivity to guide well perforation design for an Alkaline Surfactant Polymer (ASP) pilot in a giant clastic reservoir in Kuwait. Alkali and surfactant consumption in the reservoir and polymer mechanical degradation near the wellbore have a significant impact on the effectiveness of the injected ASP slug to recover additional oil from the reservoir post water flooding. Aqueous solutions consisting of alkali, surfactant and co-solvent with and without hydrolyzed polyacrylamide polymer were injected into outcrop (Bentheimer) and cleaned reservoir cores at a reservoir temperature of 90°C. The concentration of surfactant and alkali in the effluent stream was measured using potentiometric titration and the retardation of the chemical waves in comparison to the salinity tracer wave was used to estimate chemical adsorption. For the injectivity tests, ASP and polyme

Abstract

An inverted 5-spot Alkaline Surfactant Polymer (ASP) pilot is planned for a giant sandstone reservoir in North Kuwait. Despite the development of a robust lab-optimized ASP formulation at reservoir temperature (90°C) and the execution of a successful Single Well Chemical Tracer Test (SWCTT), the combination of high temperature and divalent ion concentration (~20,000 ppm) makes the implementation of a successful multi-well ASP pilot very difficult mainly due to the challenge of inorganic carbonate scale. This paper presents some unique challenges in connection with the design of an inverted 5-spot ASP pilot and discusses practical strategies to mitigate them. Due to the high divalent ion concentration in the formation brine, the design basis for the planned chemical EOR pilot requires pre-flushing the reservoir using softened seawater prior to ASP injection. In the base-case scenario for the pilot, injection and production within the pattern were balanced to target a Voidage Replacement

Abstract

An inverted 5-spot Alkaline Surfactant Polymer (ASP) pilot is planned for a giant sandstone reservoir in North Kuwait. Despite the development of a robust lab-optimized ASP formulation at reservoir temperature (90°C) and the execution of a successful Single Well Chemical Tracer Test (SWCTT), the combination of high temperature and divalent ion concentration (~20,000 ppm) makes the implementation of a successful multi-well ASP pilot very difficult mainly due to the challenge of inorganic carbonate scale. This paper presents some unique challenges in connection with the design of an inverted 5-spot ASP pilot and discusses practical strategies to mitigate them. Due to the high divalent ion concentration in the formation brine, the design basis for the planned chemical EOR pilot requires pre-flushing the reservoir using softened seawater prior to ASP injection. In the base-case scenario for the pilot, injection and production within the pattern were balanced to target a Voidage Replacement

Abstract

This paper presents the application of a unique gelling system for perforation shut-off operations that can help reduce operational time by 50% and can also be used as an effective water- and gas-migration control agent. The system combines a conformance sealant (based on an organically crosslinked polymer) with non-cementious particulates. The particulates provide leak-off control, which leads to shallow matrix penetration of the sealant. The filtrate from the leakoff is thermally activated and, as a result, forms a three-dimensional (3-D) gel structure that effectively seals the targeted interval after exposure to the bottomhole temperature (BHT). The traditional method for recompleting wells into newer layers, after the current producing zones have reached their economic limit, involves several steps. The first step is to squeeze off the existing unwanted perforations using cement, drill out the cement across the perforations, and then pressure test the squeezed zones to help ensure

Abstract

Challenging aspects to heavy oil field development are the large volume of data which is collected, in particular from cored evaluation wells, and the difficulty in evaluating of the quality of such data. This paper outlines an approach to summarize coring data and procedures from two heavy oil fields in North Kuwait, and then to compare those summaries with similar heavy oil operations in other countries, in order assess their quality and degree of representativeness. For two North Kuwait heavy oil fields, data was tabulated for the cumulative amounts of core cut and recovered relative to their field areas. This data was then further analyzed to summarize recovery by rock type, and assess the quality and quantity of plug samples collected. Benchmarks were established by summarizing core data from similar heavy oil operations in other countries, and the North Kuwait heavy oil data was then compared with those benchmarks. In a similar manner, documented core handling procedures for Nort

Abstract

The Najmah, Sargelu, and Marrat reservoirs are the main Jurassic reservoirs in Kuwait. These fractured-carbonate reservoirs that have moderate-to-low porosity were deposited in an inner-to midramp warm marine environment. The fracture systems play a significant role in production in these reservoirs, and it is essential to identify areas of high fracture density. It has been observed that fractures associated with certain faults have facilitated the flow in the Jurassic reservoirs. Identification of faults and associated fractures mainly has been on the basis of 3D-/2D-seismic data, image logs, cores, and thin sections. The Greater Burgan field consists of the Burgan, Magwa, and Ahmadi structures. The four main reservoir units in the Greater Burgan field are the Wara, Mauddud, Burgan Third, and Burgan Fourth sands. The deeper reservoirs-namely, the Lower Cretaceous Ratawi and Minagish limestone-and the Jurassic Marrat formation contain significant oil reserves but are of less importanc

Abstract

Diatomites are high-porosity, low-permeability reservoirs with elastoplastic properties and high geo-mechanical responsiveness. They have a great potential for oil recovery despite these drawbacks. Withdrawal of fluids from the reservoir rock leads to subsidence causing compaction and shear stresses. This disturbed stress distribution results in well failures that causes loss of millions of dollars. Successful maintenance of pressure support through optimum injection/production is key to preventing subsidence to mitigate the risk of well failure and achieve better sweep efficiency for recovery. There have been different approaches to tackle subsidence and well failures in diatomites, including the use of 'backpressure method', coupled with a neural network to optimize injection-production to 'balance' the rock in terms of stress-distribution and thus decrease well failure due to shearing. However, using such methods may mask other problems the well is experiencing including several mec

Abstract

An Artificial Lift Optimization Tool has been developed in house by the Field Development team of South and East Kuwait Group of Kuwait Oil Company. The tool evaluates pump performance and identifies optimization opportunities quickly providing options to increase production and enhance pump life. Additionally, the tool identifies groups of wells with atypical conditions that will make them candidates for remedial actions such as well intervention work for pump upsize and increase well deliverability. The Artificial Lift Optimization tool is in the form of an Excel based workbook created with advance functions and macros using well-known oilfield equations for well performance analysis under various conditions. The tool is automated and compares measured information with design parameters through which it highlights two important pump operating conditions; 1) Wells with pumps performing out of the desired design parameters, and 2) Wells with opportunities to increase oil production bas

Abstract

Reservoir Depletion is addressed in many ways across the globe with water injection being the most common method. A typical full field water injection scheme takes years for implementation, with surface players like injection facility construction dominating the project cycle and delays are not uncommon. The resulting loss in deferred production and recovery along with continuous amendments to production profiles of the field can be minimized by resorting to DumpFlooding as an easy and quick alternate. A field is a satellite field of Kuwait. Bulk of production is from the thin estuarine channel sand of average thickness of 13ft within Zubair Formation. This channel system is laterally continuous as interpreted from the Isopach map and has a fairly uniform pressure throughout the field. With no aquifer support, a decrease in pressure from the initial levels of 2500 psi by around 1000 psi was observed. The production performance also deteriorated since the operational teams had difficult

Abstract

Undesired water or gas production has been an issue for decades within the petroleum industry. Cases of unwanted water production from water coning mechanisms are increasing and becoming a frequent challenge. This paper presents the implementation of a unique water shut-off system to effectively reduce or eliminate water production and maximize the life of the well. These systems are conformance polymer sealants (CPS), an organically crosslinked polymer that is thermally activated to adequately seal the targeted interval, and a particulate-CPS (P-CPS) that combines the CPS system with non-cementitious particulates that provide leak-off control to help ensure shallow reservoir penetration of the sealant. This unique technique involves the utilization of a rig to remove the electric submersible pump (ESP) and temporarily seal existing perforations. New perforations are then placed above the water-oil contact (WOC) to squeeze CPS and P-CPS systems. Both systems are then bullheaded into th

Abstract

Effective competency development of a technical staff is a combination of awareness, knowledge, skills and attitude that must be demonstrated in order to meet the performance standards required of their jobs. A competency model supports effective learning and development of technical work-force besides, helping objective performance appraisal and systematic career growth. These will result in improved job satisfaction, better talent management and employee retention. Such approach of competency modeling of different job families in Upstream National Oil Companies will empower them to achieve their goal with admirable clarity, better hydrocarbon discovery index cum increase in production and field management expertise. The present paper focusses on an approach to the identification of Senior Employees under different subsurface groups with proven track record with coaching/mentoring abilities and utilizes them to develop not only the new hires but also the mid-career employees as subjec

Abstract

Block-centered grid and point-distributed grid are the most widely used grids to describe a petroleum reservoir as units in reservoir simulation. In the point-distributed grid, the boundary grid point falls on the boundary, whereas the point that represents the boundary grid block is half a block away from the boundary. As a result, the point-distributed grid gives accurate representation of constant pressure boundary condition. In the block-centered grid, the approximation of a constant pressure boundary is implemented by assuming the boundary pressure being displaced half a block coincides with the point that represents the boundary grid block and by assigning boundary pressure to boundary grid block pressure. This is a first-order approximation. A second-order approximation was suggested, but it has not been used because it requires the addition of an extra equation for each reservoir boundary of a boundary grid block. Furthermore, the extra equations do not have the form of a flow

Abstract

Tracers have not been utilized to their full potential due to their shortcomings (i. detection and recovery, and cost. Recently, there has been less emphasis on the study of tracers in terms of fluid flow in porous media. The science of fluid flow in terms of dispersion and permeability has not been focused to its full extent in the past decade. This paper provides a novel perspective in the study of dispersion by observing velocity data as an indication of rock permeability, and presents experimental results and for tracer fluid flow in carbonate rocks. The analysis and interpretation is based on an experimental approach (setup, procedure and measurement), and mathematical analysis. To gain a new perspective of studying the permeability and dispersion correlation, several chemical tracers are injected into three different carbonate core samples in a laboratory experiment. In this core flood experiment fluid is injected at different rates and is used to experimentally measure the dispe

Abstract

The Neogene of North Kuwait comprises of unconsolidated sandstone reservoir having viscous crude. The field is to be developed by way of injecting steam into the reservoir. The XRD and SEM studies revealed that variety of the detrital clay minerals like Illite, Smectite, Chlorite, and Palygorskite commonly occurring within the formation. An experimental study was carried out to understand the implications of steam injection on the clay bearing formations and to determine temperature-dependent water-oil relative permeability to provide an indication of the recoverable reserves under steam injection. Sensitivity to different pH and salinity were also analyzed. Detailed laboratory study was conducted on nine plugs to determine the effect of hot water and steam injection on the permeability, relative permeability, residual oil saturation and mineralogical changes in the reservoir. The baseline steamflood was carried out to determine the residual oil saturation and evaluate the permeability

Abstract

Reservoir simulation is the main factor in decisions made by oil companies in reservoir management. However, the simulation of huge and complex oil reservoirs through a time-saving and high-accuracy method is the primary concern in reservoir simulation. In this study, a novel AI-Physics hybrid model was proposed for combining with the traditional reservoir simulation to overcome the time-intensive history matching challenges. A combination of classical numerical simulation and deep learning neural network was applied to train the hybrid model with historical data. As a result, a model was obtained with predictive capabilities to forecast the field's behavior. Then, we combined AI-Physics history training with blind test prediction calculation of remaining oil maps. Finally, forecast scenario definitions based on the remaining oil map were created by the AI-Physic model. The proposed novel simulation method can reduce the history matching and scenario assessment time by 90 to 95%. Accor

Abstract

This paper details an innovative technology to carry out logging operations in short string side of the dual completion wells. A program was initiated to carry out production logging in a Kuwait carbonate reservoir that recently began a secondary recovery project. The ability to measure zonal contributions and water entry in the target flood zones is critical for flood monitoring, designing future conformance control operations and profile modification jobs. Most of the wells in the waterflood area are completed with dual tubing strings, The production logging target interval is generally in the short string of the dual completion, making wireline logging difficult due to the risk of entanglement with long string. Another concern is the fluid flow profile in the constricted area between two packers due to the presence of long string. Generally such surveillance requirements are hardly attempted, and this is considered as one of the major drawback of dual completion system itself. A pro

Abstract

The Greater Burgan field is under production for more than 60 years and producing light to medium API oil. The objective of this paper is to explain an innovative method adopted in testing of Lower Burgan formation heavy oil and challenges faced during testing. Heavy-oil zones are identified based on petrophysical logs interpretation and are located mostly near regional original oil-water-contact (OOWC). A previous study done on mapping of heavy oil zone for Burgan reservoirs and based on the maps, new process helped to identify expected heavy Oil zones in the upcoming and existing wells. To sustain future production target raised a need to explore flow potentials in the heavy oil reservoirs. A new methodology was developed by using a specially designed electrical submersible pump (ESP). Special testing pump (ESP) was designed and configured based on low API, high viscous oil, high angle deviation and reservoir characteristics from nearby wells. The well was tested using specially desi

Abstract

This paper discusses an innovative interpretation technique based on the integration of different loggingwhile- drilling tools to determine the secondary porosity and permeability indicator in horizontal wells drilled in a carbonate sequence. The study was initiated because for many carbonates, traditional density-neutron porosity, even after calibration to the cores, is only marginally useful for predicting production performance. Consequently, new methods are required for better permeability predictions in such cases. One such method is introduced based on the analysis of vugs. To determine these vugs, a methodology was introduced that grouped, analyzed, and interpreted available data in a new way. Secondary porosity was estimated and then integrated with average resistivity and conventional density-neutron porosity measurements, which enabled permeability estimates by calibrating them to any other source of permeability indicators; in this case, formation tester mobility measurement

Abstract

The Middle Minagish Limestone Member of Lower Cretaceous Minagish Formation is hydrocarbon producer in the fields of South Kuwait. The study area is in North Kuwait where good indications of hydrocarbon were observed in Middle Minagish Member during drilling of some wells for deeper Jurassic target. The structure in the study area is aligned with the structural high trend of established oil fields in South Kuwait. The area under study is covered with 3D seismic survey of 2003 vintage and the Post Stack Time Migrated (PSTM) 3D volume with grid size of 25m X 25m was utilized for seismic attribute analysis at reservoir level. The angle stack volumes were used for Simultaneous Inversion of 3D seismic data and the resulting outputs in the form of Porosity, Vp/Vs, Young's Modulus and Poisson's ratio volumes were analysed for reservoir characterization. Therefore an integrated analysis of seismic & simultaneous inversion attributes were carried out for hydrocarbon prospectivity of low porosit

Abstract

The Middle Minagish Limestone Member of Lower Cretaceous Minagish Formation is hydrocarbon producer in the fields of South Kuwait. The study area is in North Kuwait where good indications of hydrocarbon were observed in Middle Minagish Member during drilling of some wells for deeper Jurassic target. The structure in the study area is aligned with the structural high trend of established oil fields in South Kuwait. The area under study is covered with 3D seismic survey of 2003 vintage and the Post Stack Time Migrated (PSTM) 3D volume with grid size of 25m X 25m was utilized for seismic attribute analysis at reservoir level. The angle stack volumes were used for Simultaneous Inversion of 3D seismic data and the resulting outputs in the form of Porosity, Vp/Vs, Young's Modulus and Poisson's ratio volumes were analysed for reservoir characterization. Therefore an integrated analysis of seismic & simultaneous inversion attributes were carried out for hydrocarbon prospectivity of low porosit

Abstract

The need to develop new tools that allow reservoir engineers to optimize reservoir performance is becoming more demanding by the day. One of the most challenging and influential problems facing reservoir engineers is well placement optimization. The North Kuwait field (NKF) consists of six fields containing four naturally fractured carbonate formations. The reservoirs are composed of relatively tight limestone and dolomite embedded with anhydrate and shale. The fields are divided into isolated compartments based on fault zones and supported by a combination of different fluid compositions, initial pressures, and estimated free-water levels. Due to natural complexity, tightness, and high drilling costs of wells in the NKF, it is very important to identify the sweet spots and the optimum well locations. This paper presents two intelligent methods that use dynamic numerical simulation model results and static reservoir properties to identify zones with a high-production potential: reservo

Abstract

A major field development project, targeted on the deep carbonate reservoirs in the northern part of Kuwait has recently been initiated. Accessing these deep reservoirs involves drilling through a series of alternating salt-anhydrite HP/HT section, locally known as Gotnia Formation. This Gotnia Formation, with varying thickness of 170 to 800ft, is immediately above the reservoir section and acts as the regional cap. This formation is a major drilling hazard due to extreme drilling environment. Proper sub-surface characterization of this overburden formation is vital to achieve drilling efficiency for these deep wells. Rapidly varying nature of this formation coupled with limited sub-surface data makes the characterization of this section a challenge. This paper addresses the methodology adopted in mapping these difficult sequences and understanding the layer architecture, through a systematic integration of well and seismic data. We also describe how post stack seismic attributes helpe

Abstract

Understanding of fluid movement in and near the wellbore is a crucial factor for effective reservoir management including successful remedial actions and field development planning. One of the key objectives in well surveys is to detect and locate sources of fluid flows behind multiple pipe barriers. The conventional Production Logging Tool (PLT) is run to detect fluid flow and identify the type of fluid under downhole conditions, but is limited to measurements only inside the wellbore. Similarly, other diagnostic techniques, such as cement bond logging, give insight only into the cement integrity and also have limited capabilities to detect cross flows behind casing. Recent developments in temperature and noise logging tools and advanced interpretation techniques have provided higher resolution and sensitivity, enabling the detection of previously undetectable leaks and fluid flow behind casing [1]. In the present case, a water zone has been identified in a producing formation with Hi

Abstract

This paper discusses the development of full pore-to-process integrated asset models (IAM) for the Greater Burgan (GB) oilfield in Kuwait, the largest clastic oil field in the world. The IAM links the reservoir model with the multiple wells, pipelines, network models and process facilities models for improved forecasting and operational excellence in the South and East Kuwait asset of Kuwait Oil Company. The main objective behind the development of this integrated asset model is to enable enhanced asset management and to improve decision making, accounting for the complex interactions and synergies between reservoirs, production networks and process facilities in the hydrocarbon flow path all the way from the reservoir to the export points. The IAMs were developed using calibrated models built using next-generation simulators that enabled the running of forecast scenarios from the pore to process. The reservoir model was developed using a high-resolution reservoir simulator that enable

Abstract

As part of development of hydrocarbon plays of North Kuwait, the first horizontal well was planned and drilled within the deep carbonates (over 14500ft TVD) consisting of layered Kerogen and tight limestone (average 3pu and 0.1 mD rock), divided mainly into Upper (approx. 50ft) and Lower (approx. 30ft) reservoir zones . The well profile was designed to target multiple fractures and corridors for accessing the secondary porosity and consequently increase permeability which will enhance productivity and hydrocarbon recovery. The main challenge in the effective development of this reservoir is the ability of the well to access the permeable interconnected vertical fracture network overlain by massive Kerogene at the top and water bearing carbonates at the bottom. In addition to this known challenge was the unexpected bedding dip changes due to local structural variations observed in the dip data of the borehole image logs in the pilot hole drilled just before horizontal lateral drilling.

Abstract

The Najmah Shale, an organic-rich marl, is generally considered the primary source rock for hydrocarbons in Kuwait’s Jurassic and Cretaceous reservoirs. The purpose of this study was to estimate the original hydrocarbons in place (OHIP) and the geomechanical properties of the Najmah reservoir to aid in the design of a hydraulic fracture stimulation program in West Kuwait. An integrated petrophysical evaluation utilized conventional and sidewall core measurements, and standard and advanced open-hole logs were used to estimate net pay, porosity, oil saturation, and geomechanical properties. Formation evaluation of the Najmah Shale as a potential unconventional reservoir posed numerous challenges. These challenges included the ambiguous effects that high total organic carbon (TOC) has on conventional porosity logs and resistivity logs and the associated shale volume estimations. In this study, a probabilistic multi-mineral model was developed to more accurately assess the TOC of the rock

Abstract

To overcome the challenges in drilling, completion and testing for one of the highly fractured reservoir in West Kuwait oil field by intercepting the natural fractures and eliminating the causes of formation damage. An integrated multi-disciplinary study was carried out, to understand the underlying drivers of success and causes of failure in Najmah/Sargelu (NJ/SG) reservoirs in west Kuwait area and propose solutions to improve the chance of success. High reservoir pressure, high API oil and the limited success in some areas suggest that this reservoir has significant potential, despite the poor matrix permeability. The key to well success is to intercept the natural fractures and connect them to the production system without damaging them. Various potential damage mechanisms have been encountered, including mud invasion, cement plugging, formation solids plugging and formation collapse. The previous wells were drilled vertically with heavy oil based mud (OBM) and completed with cement

Abstract

This paper discusses the development of a truly integrated asset model for the Greater Burgan oilfield in Kuwait linking multiple wells, pipelines networks, and process facilities for achieving integrated operational excellence in the South and East Kuwait asset of Kuwait Oil Company. A water handling facility model comprising of two effluent water disposal plants, a crude oil export pipeline network and a water injection network model are also incorporated into this integrated asset model. The main objective behind the development of this integrated asset model is to enable better asset management, faster and more precise decision making and enhancing the hydrocarbon flow path all the way from the reservoir till the export point. The new integrated asset model was developed from a model centric approach involving construction and calibration of over 1500 well models. All wells were then linked to their network models comprising of pipelines totaling more than 10,000 km. The well and n

Abstract

Interference testing, although primitive in terms of its introduction and idea to the petroleum industry, still stands to this day as one of the most cost effective and efficient ways of confirming communication and evaluating reservoir properties between wells. Similarly, a pressure build-up is one of the most accurate ways of estimating dynamic reservoir parameters surrounding the well, providing that the shut-in of the well is allowable. On the other hand, a drawdown test is not usually recommended due to the instability of the flow rate, and hence, the uncertainty in the parameter estimation when analyzing the transient of the pressure drawdown. In this project, due to production constraints a drawdown test was run for the active horizontal well as a substitute to the pressure build-up. It was therefore decided to couple the drawdown test with an interference test so as highlight the subsurface uncertainties. In order to achieve these objectives, careful design and operational coor