Improved Field Management and
Production Optimisation by
Continuous Monitoring of Wells
Presented by Andrew Jamieson Technical Director,
Neftemer Ltd
Neftemer Ltd
Presentation points
l Conventional well test methods è do not give accurate estimates of well production
l Continuous well monitoring è is a recognised better alternative
l Demonstrable benefits are: è Optimised Production, Predictive Well
Maintenance, Increased Revenue l However, there is little apparent interest
è from the industry worldwide l Why is there this evident inconsistency?
Why consider continuous well monitoring?
l Serious challenges to oil industry è In monitoring and measuring oil well production
• More difficult fluid properties and locations l Reasonable estimates are essential
è Updating reserves è Planning field extensions è Deciding when to apply enhanced recovery
processes l Better assessment and optimisation of wells
è Increased revenue è Less chance of breakdowns
Why NOT continuous monitoring?
l Conventional approach (for > 100 years!) è Intermittent testing for a few hours per month
• Using fixed or moveable test separators • Or more recently multiphase meters
l Strong resistance to doing anything else è If it was good enough in the past, it’s still good! è Changing oil industry mind set is DIFFICULT!
l However è More and more there is open acknowledgement
• Intermittent measurement CANNOT estimate production from many wells reasonably
NEL and OGA view?
Issues with intermittent measurements
l Wide range of fluid mixtures and flowrates è Over field lifetimes
l Proper design, operation and maintenance? è In current cost cutting environment?
l In many parts of world è Assets split up among several new operators
l Allocation of oil among new operators è Relatively high accuracy required è Often dependent on unreliable well information
• Former operator did not install high quality systems!
Does current practice control assets adequately?
l Current well monitoring practice è Well testing only several hours per month
• Fixed or mobile test separators • Mobile multiphase meter assemblies • More attention to problem wells?
Answer almost always “No!”
l Key assumptions è Wells produce in a stable manner è Production unchanged when on test è ASSUMPTIONS SELDOM VALID è Later slides will demonstrate this
l Continuous monitoring è Key to optimising production
• Needs cost effective well measurements
Downhole centrifugal pump
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Дебит
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Обводненность
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Расход газа
Дебит по жидкости (т/сут) Обводненность (%) Расход газа (м3/сут)Liquid flowrate (T/day) Watercut (%) Gas flowrate (m3/day)
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id fl
owra
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ater
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flow
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ay)
3 June 3 June 4 June 4 June 5 June 5 June 6 JuneСкважина 3026 (ЭЦН 80-1400)
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Расход газа
Дебит по жидкости (т/сут) Обводненность (%) Расход газа (м3/сут)Liquid flowrate (T/day) Watercut (%) Gas flowrate (m3/day)
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id fl
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ater
cut
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flow
rate
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ay)
3 June 3 June 4 June 4 June 5 June 5 June 6 JuneСкважина 3026 (ЭЦН 80-1400)
Well production fluctuates!
y = 1,0978x + 84,949R2 = 0,2833
020406080
100120140160180200
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Время (дни)
Дебит жидкости
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Обводненность
, Расход
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, Время
выхода
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замер
Дебит жидкости (т/сут) Обводненность (%) Расход газа (м3/сут) Время выхода на замер, мин Тренд (Дебит жидкости)
Translation Top heading: - Liquid Flow rate (t/day): Water cut (%): Gas Flow Rate (m3/day): Measurement update time (min): Trend (Liquid Flow Rate).
X-axis: Time in days Left Y-axis: Liquid Flow Rate Right Y-axis: Water cut, Gas Flow Rate, Measurement update time
Typical Nigerian 24 hr production example
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Liqu
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LiquidrateVersusTime
Petrobras Campos Basin Well data 1: Density vs. time (5 hours)
Petrobras Campos Basin Well data 4: Density vs. Time (8 hours)
Petrobras Campos Basin Well data 5: Density vs. Time (3 hours)
Petrobras Campos Basin well profile
PETRONAS RESULTS – Well#3S
Plotshows24hoursdata
• Largedensityvariation–from100kg/m3to650kg/m3• Liquidvariationfrom1250to2000bpd(~23%variation)• DiscontinuousReadings–thoughtrendwasvisible
! Liq Flow Rate; Gas Flow Rate; Density; Water Cut
AvgLiqRate:1600bpd
AvgLiqRate:1300bpd
Production optimisation
l Is this an important aim? è If “No”, what are we here for? è If “Yes”, continue!
l Measure all phases (oil, water, gas) è Into and out of ground
l Many (most?) wells do NOT produce steadily è Continuous measurement gives obvious benefits è Major upset to a 150 year tradition
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Choke Size /64" W
ater Cut (%
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Oil
/ Liq
uid
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(BPD
) Pr
essu
re (P
si)
Well Test History
THP
Oil
Choke Size
Example well test history - 1
Example well test history - 2
l From June ‘09 – Nov ’11 about 900 days è Well could have flowed at 1000 bbl./day è At $50/bbl., value of production $45 million
• (900 x 1000 x 50)
l Actual production from well over 900 days è about ½ x 1000 bbl./day (estimate area under
graph) è Serious lack of optimisation!
l Well could have produced twice what it did è The operator lost $22.5 million in production
PETRONAS RESULTS – Well#3S
!
Test2 Test3 Test4 Test5
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Gas Lift Optimization - Verification
• A Gas Lift optimization exercise was conducted to test the sensitivity of meter and prove the future usage
• (Red Dot) was the
actual Gas Injection Rate which Field P field was injecting
• The exercise verified
with actual relative values that the current Gas lift injection was an optimum injection
Russia - Recent well optimisation by about 40%
Stages in Field Life
Field Management
l Field life stages and departments in charge • Exploration (Drilling) • Development (Project) • Production (Operations) • Improvement (another project?) • Rundown and decommissioning (????)
l Measuring and monitoring • Require reasons, information and equipment • All change for different stages • Not usual to keep track of these • Installed equipment only works for part of field life
l Flexible measurement equipment important
Production Reporting Requirements Allocation and Sales Agreements
Safety, Environmental and Operational Requirements
Local Processing Secure
Data link Office Processing Secure
Data link Further
Processing, Reporting
INFORMATION
Packaging: e.g. land, offshore, subsea
Comms link e.g. wire,
radio, microwave
Packaging Comms link
e.g. wire, radio,
microwave Packaging MECHANICAL
Data Integrity checks Process simulation models
Calibration information
CONTRACTUAL LEGISLATIVE
BUSINESS NEEDS
Sensors
Sensor packaging
and installation
FUNCTIONAL ASPECTS OF MODERN METERING, MEASUREMENT AND MONITORING SYSTEMS
6. TEST OF MULTIPHASE METER ON PPM-1 The multiphase meter Neftemer was tested in the month of May on wells PM-50 and PM-11 and showed satisfactory results. The meter was capable of measuring simultaneously the flow of gas, oil and BS&W. After analysis in the Test Centre of Petrobras (NUEX) in Aracaju a report will be issued with the results achieved and the final conclusions. The meter had a lot of attention in ATP-C department of Petrobras, as it was the first top-side meter with a nucleonic source, but after intervention of the measuring teams (Cenpes, ATP-C/EE, ENGP/EE) and SMS with a presentation of conscientiousness, all the work force was in agreement with the planned tests. The operations team showed confidence in the performance of the meter in the task of monitoring the wells and have great expectations that multiphase meters will assist them, in the near future, to adjust the essential parameters to maintain and even increase production in the wells of the unit.
Petrobras Newsletter
A way forward?
l New mind set of continuous well monitoring è Dramatically assists well production optimisation
• Better Field Management a direct consequence l Large scale field deployment practical
è Starts with two meters on one facility • Extend to more facilities and so the whole field
l Training of oil and service companies’ staff è Gradual deployment allows excellent training
• Requires close collaboration between departments
l Timescale è Not so long, once benefits are recognised!