October 2011
Volume 63 Number 10
Features
Q&A with 2012 SPE President Ganesh Thakur
The incoming SPE president outlines his goals for the coming year.
Guest Editorial • Controlling Sand, In and Out of the Laboratory
There are many uncertainties in sand failure and control in the field, writes Tracey Ballard, sand control research adviser at Weatherford, and sand control study in the lab can be equally challenging.
Nanotechnology for Sale
Nanotechnology in E&P is becoming something that can be discussed in the present tense, as the first generation of materials is moving out of the labs into oil fields.
Managing Big Data: Cloud Computing and Co-Location Centers
How does the oil and gas industry keep a tight rein on its data while realizing the same economies of scale enjoyed by companies such as IBM? The answer has prompted the development of cost-effective, secure, ultramodern data centers also known as co-location centers.
R&D’s Grand Challenges • Brine Management: Produced Water and Frac Flowback Brine
The drive to reduce development costs with better bits, drilling fluids, fracturing fluids, and proppants will enable wells to be drilled and completed at lower overall cost, and well plans will require that water management practices specify clean, solids-free brines.
2011 SPE Award Recipients to be Honored
The winners of SPE’s annual technical and professional awards.
Talent & Technology • Results of Dual Career Couple Survey
One of the growing issues facing companies is managing employees who are part of a dual career couple.
Technology Today Series • Advanced Drilling in HP/HT: Total’s Experience on Elgin/Franklin (UK North Sea)
The biggest surprises when drilling and completing HP/HT infill
wells were in the overburden. High-permeability sands were drilled
overbalanced without significant losses, and formation damage was
bypassed with perforations.
SPE’s Distinguished Lecturer Program Celebrates 50 Years
SPE’s Distinguished Lecturer Program has flourished throughout its 50-year history.
Legion of Honor
SPE welcomes 102 members to the Legion of Honor, celebrating 50 years of consecutive membership in the society.
Technology Focus
Mauricio P. Rebelo, SPE, Technical
Services Manager, Petrobras America
Field Development Projects
Offshore-Field Development Plan Changed From Steel Structures to Artificial Islands
This article, written by Senior Technology Editor Dennis Denney, contains highlights of paper OTC 22015, “A Supergiant- Offshore-Field Development-Plan Change From Steel Structures to Artificial Islands,” by A. Modavi, SPE, ExxonMobil Upstream Ventures; Abdul Hakeem Al Muflehi and Ihab O. Tarmoom, SPE, Zakum Development Company; Bakheet Saeed Al Khatheeri, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company; and Adil M. Noman, SPE, ExxonMobil Production Company, prepared for the 2011 Offshore Technology Conference, Houston, 2–5 May. The paper has not been peer reviewed.
Optimizing Horizontal-Wellbore and Fracture Spacing With Interactive Reservoir and Fracturing Simulation
This article, written by Senior Technology
Editor Dennis Denney, contains
highlights of paper SPE 137416,
“Optimization of Horizontal Wellbore
and Fracture Spacing Using an
Interactive Combination of Reservoir and
Fracturing Simulation,” by R.S. Taylor,
SPE, Halliburton; M.A. Glaser, SPE, J. Kim, SPE, and B. Wilson, Murphy
Oil; G. Nikiforuk, V. Noble, and L.
Rosenthal, WestMan Exploration; R.
Aguilera, SPE, University of Calgary;
O. Hoch, SPE, Hoch & Associates; K. Storozhenko, KJS & Associates;
and M. Soliman, SPE, N. Riviere, T.
Palidwar, SPE, and R. Romanson,
SPE, Halliburton, prepared for the 2010
Canadian Unconventional Resources & International Petroleum Conference,
Calgary, 19–21 October. The paper has
not been peer reviewed.
Ultradeepwater-Subsalt-Reservoir Characterization: Integrated Multiscenario Development Planning
This article, written by Senior Technology
Editor Dennis Denney, contains highlights
of paper SPE 142280, “Ultradeepwater-
Subsalt-Reservoir Characterization: An
Integrated Multiscenario Approach for
Development Planning,” by Olivier
Pippi, SPE, Statoil ASA (formerly with BP
plc), Mike Mayall, Mike Chandler,
SPE, Tim Dodd, Paul Reid, and Paul Taylor, BP plc, prepared for
the 2011 SPE Europec/EAGE Annual
Conference and Exhibition, Vienna,
Austria, 23–26 May. The paper has not
been peer reviewed
Gregory Kubala, SPE, Chemistry
Métier Manager, Schlumberger
Tight Reservoirs
Role of Geomechanics in Appraising a Deep Tight Gas Reservoir: Amin Formation, Oman
This article, written by Senior Technology Editor Dennis Denney, contains highlights of paper SPE 142788, “Role of Geomechanics in the Appraisal of a Deep Tight Gas Reservoir: A Case History From the Amin Formation in the Sultanate of Oman,” by Satya Perumalla, SPE, Daniel Moos, Colleen Barton, SPE, and Thomas Finkbeiner, SPE, Baker Hughes; and Sultan Al-Mahruqy, SPE, Markus Weissenback, William Walton, SPE, and Hisham Al-Siyabi, Petroleum Development Oman, prepared for the 2011 SPE Middle East Unconventional Gas Conference and Exhibition, Muscat, Oman, 31 January– 2 February. The paper has not been peer reviewed.
Channel Fracturing—Paradigm Shift in Tight Gas Stimulation
This article, written by Senior Technology Editor Dennis Denney, contains highlights of paper SPE 140549, “Channel Fracturing—A Paradigm Shift in Tight Gas Stimulation,” by J. Johnson, SPE, M. Turner, SPE, and C. Weinstock, SPE, Encana; and A. Peña, SPE, M. Laggan, SPE, J. Rondon, and K. Lyapunov, Schlumberger, prepared for the 2011 SPE Hydraulic Fracturing Technology Conference and Exhibition, The Woodlands, Texas, 24–26 January. The paper has not been peer reviewed.
Damage Mechanisms in Unconventional- Gas-Well Stimulation—New Look at an Old Problem
This article, written by Senior Technology Editor Dennis Denney, contains highlights of paper SPE 142479, “Damage Mechanisms in Unconventional-Gas- Well Stimulation—A New Look at an Old Problem,” by Josef Shaoul, SPE, StrataGen Delft; Lars van Zelm, SPE, Delft University of Technology; and Hans J. de Pater, SPE, StrataGen Delft, prepared for the 2011 SPE Middle East Unconventional Gas Conference and Exhibition, Muscat, Oman, 31 January– 2 February. The paper has not been peer reviewed.
Ivor Ellul, SPE, Principal Founder and
Chief Executive Officer, Knowledge
Reservoir
Knowledge Management and Training
Automating the Oilfield Asset—Artificial- Intelligence-Based Integrated-Production- Management Architecture
This article, written by Senior Technology
Editor Dennis Denney, contains highlights
of paper SPE 144334, “Automation of
the Oilfield Asset Through an Artificial-
Intelligence-Based Integrated-Production-
Management Architecture,” by César
Bravo, SPE, Halliburton, and Luigi
Saputelli, SPE, Hess Corporation; José Aguilar Castro, Addison Ríos,
and Francklin Rivas, Universidad
de los Andes; and Joseph Aguilar-
Martin, CTAE—Aerospace Research
and Technology Center, prepared for
the 2011 SPE Digital Energy Conference
and Exhibition, The Woodlands, Texas,
19–21 April. The paper has not been
peer reviewed.
Integrated Reservoir Studies—Roll-Up Initiative
This article, written by Senior Technology
Editor Dennis Denney, contains highlights
of paper SPE 138551, “Integrated
Reservoir Studies—Roll-Up Initiative: A
New Industry Step-Change Innovation,”
by Emad Elrafie, SPE, Martin Hogg,
SPE, and Hisham Mohammadi, Saudi
Aramco, prepared for the 2010 Abu
Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference, Abu Dhabi, UAE, 1–4
November. The paper has not been
peer reviewed.
Web-Portal Reservoir Knowledge Base Integrates Engineering, Production, Geoscience, and Economics Data Sets
This article, written by Senior Technology
Editor Dennis Denney, contains highlights
of paper SPE 146166, “Innovative
Web-Portal Reservoir Knowledge Base
Integrates Engineering, Production,
Geoscience, and Economics Data Sets,”
by D. Rees, SPE, J. Reichardt, and A.
O’Carroll, Knowledge Reservoir, prepared
for the 2011 SPE Offshore Europe
Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition,
Aberdeen, 6–8 September. The paper has
not been peer reviewed.
Mohammed Azeemuddin, SPE,
Research Scientist, Chevron Energy Technology Company
Sand Management and Frac Pack
Designing Multistage Frac Packs in a Lower Tertiary Formation—Cascade and Chinook Fields
This article, written by Senior Technology
Editor Dennis Denney, contains highlights
of paper SPE 140498, “Challenges of
Designing Multistage Frac Packs in the
Lower Tertiary Formation—Cascade and
Chinook Fields,” by Ziad Haddad, SPE,
FOI Technologies; Mike Smith, SPE, NSI
Technologies; and Flavio Dias De
Moraes, SPE, Petrobras, prepared for the
2011 SPE Hydraulic Fracturing Technology
Conference and Exhibition, The Woodlands,
Texas, 24–26 January. The paper
has not been peer reviewed.
Reducing Fines Migration by Use of Nanofluids Injection—An Experimental Study
This article, written by Senior Technology
Editor Dennis Denney, contains highlights
of paper SPE 144196, “Reduction of Fines
Migration by Nanofluids Injection—An
Experimental Study,” by A. Habibi, SPE,
M. Ahmadi, and P. Pourafshary, SPE,
University of Tehran, and Sh. Ayatollahi,
SPE, Shiraz University, prepared for the
2011 SPE European Formation Damage
Conference, Noordwijk, The Netherlands,
7–10 June. The paper has not been
peer reviewed.
Selecting a Completion Strategy for Sand Control and Optimal Production Rate—Unayzah Sandstone Reservoir
This article, written by Senior Technology
Editor Dennis Denney, contains highlights
of paper SPE 131078, “Selection of
Completion Strategy for Sand Control and
Optimal Production Rate—Field Examples
From Saudi Arabia’s Unayzah Sandstone
Reservoir,” by Zillur Rahim, SPE, Bandar Al-Malki, SPE, and Adnan
Al-Kanaan, Saudi Aramco, prepared for
the 2010 SPE Asia Pacific Oil & Gas
Conference and Exhibition, Brisbane,
Australia, 18–20 October. The paper has
not been peer reviewed.
