Technical Sessions

Tuesday, 17 January

1015-1135 hours

Session 1: Using Geology and Geophysics to Unlock Marginal Fields

The contribution of the marginal fields to the total oil production in the world is calculated to be around 40% of the total oil produced. Despite the challenges in developing these fields economically, current oil prices, new technologies, and favourable government regulations can make the difference in terms of production and profit for companies of any size. A substantial amount of hydrocarbons can be unlocked in many areas of the world if a proper exploration approach is applied through new geological concepts development, new well logging acquisition, and interpretation techniques, or by selecting the most appropriate geophysical surveying and processing methodologies. Also integrated solutions, multidisciplinary studies, and proper exploration project management can contribute dramatically in enhancing the hydrocarbon potential of marginal fields. In this respect, companies and contractors should find more synergies in order to make a step change in this emerging sector.

1250-1355 hours

Session 2: Reservoir Management

Keynote Speaker: Jim Gillett, Senior Business Development Manager, Gaffney, Cline & Associates

Jim has nearly 40 years of experience of operations and business development in the international E&P sector.  He joined Baker Hughes direct from university and worked mainly in Europe, Africa and the Middle East for 18 years.  During this period he worked in the field, managed Training and Recruitment, managed an office in Cairo, and finally as Area Manager for Africa Middle East.  Since 1992 he has led Business Development for GCA in the UK, concentrating on EAME and the CIS.  Jim has been an SPE member since 1992.

 

The level of commercially available hydrocarbon reserves is a variable that is largely dependent on the prevailing economic conditions and the adopted operating practices and costing. Marginal fields, including late life giant ones, still have potential to unlock. The task is how to identify potential opportunities, and consequently to combine and emerge. Reservoir management, and data acquisition and assessment of the subject marginal fields are playing very important roles to achieve the target to maximise the returns and the economic value to the partners. Evolving technologies, customised operating practices, and changing prevalent economic conditions are major drivers towards the realisation of such opportunities. Economics, and agreement terms and conditions are very important factors which have a great influence of the value of the subject marginal fields. Integration of the different aspects of reservoir management, operation, and economics and agreement structure, should be highly considered in the formulation of valuable marginal fields with considerable potential to unlock.

Wednesday, 18 January

0945-1105 hours

Session 3: Production Management

The production management session will focus on discussing obstacles, solutions, production optimisation, and integrity management. Marginal field production management, over the lifecycle of the field, begins at the initial design stage. The main objective which should be taken into consideration is production maximisation through the most efficient CAPEX and OPEX investments. The challenges of production management require many technical, commercial, and regulatory issues to be considered. This will require understanding of the characteristics of various types of production systems, identification of the dynamics of the different phases of the production process, and real-time production optimisation.

1150-1310 hours

Session 4: Drilling and Well Intervention

Drilling performances evaluated based on time and cost, in some applications do not fit the management objective but is mandatory to produce for low margins by drilling new wells or re-entering abandoned wells. Drilling strategy for such applications have different principles for well design including casing, well head, drilling mud, cementing, etc. Hence to meet the criteria of low drilling budgets in low margin reservoir, drilling engineers had to optimise ideas which led to orient management decision using company surplus stock, recycling and reusing drilling muds, re-evaluate usage bits and old well heads. In well intervention, variable drilling techniques were applied and had shown positive results in production recovery and better drilling performance. These techniques like re-entry well short radius, coil tubing horizontal drilling, through tubing cement packer, and many others add value to drilling abandoned wells.