--> Abstract: Managing Water in Mature Fields for Increased Recovery, by Mazen Al Omari and Jørgen Hallundbæk; #90077 (2008)

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Managing Water in Mature Fields for Increased Recovery

Mazen Al Omari1* and Jørgen Hallundbæk2
1Welltec® Middle East, UAE
2Welltec®, Denmark
*[email protected]

Well management is a continual exercise in optimizing the yield of the system and to evaluate the potential of initiating measures that can increase production. The management of produced water occupies a priority area in the oil and gas industry as water severely complicates production, and sometimes even makes it non-profitable. Based on an estimate, approximately 250 million barrels of water is produced every day worldwide. Furthermore, the water-to-oil ratio increases over the life of a well, which means that mature wells produce up to 9.5 barrels of water for each barrel of oil. Some wells produce at a water cut above 90%; a number that often cause operators to abandon wells instead of pursuing interventions. These factors make it imperative to develop and apply the right technology to handle the large amounts of produced water. Tractoring on wireline has proven to be an efficient method for managing water in horizontal and highly deviated wells.

With this technology, a series of attractive possibilities are unlocked: (1) enhanced production; (2) greater recoverable reserves; (3) prolonged lifespan of mature fields for more profitability; (4) reduced gas-to-oil ratio; (5) environmentally-responsible handling of produced water; and (6) increased safety on job. A solid track-record of applying tractor technology on wireline has already been established. With reliable results, mechanical down-hole solutions on wireline are capable of managing the flow control while providing certainty of execution and keyhole precision in water management. Additionally, these services mean large cost reductions and value-creation as will be illustrated in this presentation.

 

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90077©2008 GEO 2008 Middle East Conference and Exhibition, Manama, Bahrain