--> Offshore Heavy Oil Appraisal and Development Analogues

2019 AAPG Latin America & Caribbean Region Geosciences Technology Workshop:
Recent Discoveries and Exploration and Development Opportunities in the Guiana Basin

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Offshore Heavy Oil Appraisal and Development Analogues

Abstract

In anticipation of moving forward with an appraisal and development phase as a result of Staatsolie current Nearshore exploration campaign, several offshore heavy oil appraisal and development analogue cases have been studied. Shallow marine/coastal clastic reservoirs at depths of 800-1000 meters below seabed with expected multi-Darcy permeabilities and oil viscosities in the 100-500cp range for our expected crude type of 16° API is what has been anticipated for the Nearshore Exploration blocks. Based on this prediction a listing of analogue fields was developed together with a 3rd party benchmarking tool. Based on available papers the listing was further reduced to thirteen analogues of offshore heavy oil appraisal campaigns and summarized. From the study the following can be concluded, unfavorable production outcomes need to be derisked appropriately in one phase, before moving onto the next phase. For the uncertain production behavior, conduct a long term flow deliverability assessment, Extended Well Testing (EWT) or an Early Production System (EPS). Horizontal well technology is the selected option for the heavy oil offshore field developments. An EPS can facilitate early field development at reduced costs. A Value-Of-Information calculation is an effective method to evaluate the benefit of an EWT/EPS.