AL_Arnaout_subbed.qxp 1/4/09 12:45 Page 84
Production Engineering Experience with the First Intelligent Field Implementation at Haradh-III
Figure 7: Plot Showing the Production Performance of One of the Wells
Conclusions
That Ceased to Flow After the Gas–Oil Separation Plant Start-up
The examples cited in this article are some of many that show the
benefits that Saudi Aramco Production Engineering has realised from
Haradh-C
14,000 2240.0
the use of I-Fields. The experience presented proves the strength and
reliability of I-Fields not only in terms of reservoir optimisation, but
also in terms of routine production engineering functions.
The Way Forward
7,000 2120.0
New challenges have been introduced by I-Fields, mainly with
Rate (MBOD)
finding the optimal way of manipulating the huge influx of data
coming from each well. Validating the data, trying to spot any
communication failures, becomes more complex. Also, analysing
the data to identify trends requires new procedures and software.
0 2,000
With the advent of the I-Field concept, Saudi Aramco has established
16 Dec 12:00 17 Dec 18:00 19 Dec 00:00 20 Dec 06:00 21 Dec 12:00
a company-wide team responsible for all I-Field initiatives,
Time including continuous evaluation and upgrades of the company’s
Oil rate BHP (psi) practices. Moreover, the team has introduced various monitoring
and analysis software systems from third parties, which are mostly
MBOD = thousand barrels of oil per day.
under trial testing. ■
example shows the beauty of the I-Field, as it would have been a Acknowledgements
difficult and time-consuming exercise to identify the wells that were The authors wish to thank the management of Saudi Aramco’s SAPED
not flowing in a field not equipped with the I-Field infrastructure. for granting permission to write this article.
1. Donnely J, Q & A with Don Paul, JPT, May 2004;20–23. 3. Afaleg NI, et al., Design and Development of Maximum Experiences and Best Practices at Haradh Increment-III, SPE
2. Murray R, et al.:, Making our Mature Fields Smarter – Reservoir Contact Wells with Smart Completions in the paper 105618, Presented at the 15th SPE Middle East Oil &
An Industry-wide Position Paper from the 2005 SPE Forum, Development of a Carbonate Reservoir, SPE paper 93138, Gas Show and Conference, Manama, Bahrain, 11–14
SPE paper 100024, Presented at the 2006 Intelligent Presented at the SPE Asia Pacific Oil and Gas Conference March 2007.
Energy Conference, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and Exhibition, Jakarta, Indonesia, 5–7 April 2005. 5. Saleri NG, et al., Haradh III: A Milestone for Smart Fields,
11–13 April 2005. 4. Al-Arnaout IH, Al-Zahrani RM, Jacob S, Smart Wells JPT, November 2006;58.
China Wins First Major Oil Contract in the New Iraq
China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) has agreed a US$3bn
Figure 1: Iraq’s Total Oil Production (1980–2007)
contract with the Iraqi government to aid the exploitation of the
al-Ahdab field in south-eastern Wasit province, Iraq. CNPC will
3,000
manage 138 wells in the field, four of which will commence drilling
2,500
within months. With proven reserves of 3 billion barrels, the entire
field will eventually produce around 130,000 barrels per day (bpd).
2,000
CNPC will be paid per barrel produced, while the Iraqi government
1,500
will keep the oil and its export revenues. CNPC will thus bring
production rather than exploration expertise to the region. 1,000s barrels/day
1,000
500
“This project will provide a number of jobs and opportunities for
investment,” said Iraq’s Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani in an 0
1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006
official statement. It could also mark the beginning of further
Year
collaborations between China’s state-owned oil group and its Middle
Eastern host. “I have assured CNPC that if they are able to accelerate later US-led invasion, saw oil production slump (see Figure 1). Iraq,
execution of this project, we will give them the chance to participate which is a member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting
in developing other oilfields,” said al-Shahristani. Countries (OPEC) but is not bound by its production quotas, aims to
produce 6 million bpd by 2016 with the help of foreign companies. It
CNPC, the parent company of PetroChina, is the first foreign firm to has opened tenders and negotiations for improved production
sign a major oil deal with Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein. facilities with Royal Dutch Shell, Exxon Mobil, Total, BP and Chevron.
Although the contract was originally discussed in 1996, it was “Security is quite challenging for us, but we see more opportunities
suspended following UN sanctions on Iraq. Those sanctions, and the than challenges here in Iraq,” claimed al-Shahristani. ■
84
EXPLORATION & PRODUCTION – VOLUME 7 ISSUE 1
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