The Saudi Aramco Technology Test Site

Robert J. Greaves*, Timothy H. Keho, Mohammed N. Alfaraj, John T. Allen, and Modiu L. Sanni
Saudi Aramco
*[email protected]

Saudi Aramco’s EXPEC-ARC (Advanced Research Center) has spearheaded the establishment of the Saudi Aramco Technology Test Site (TTS) for developing new engineering and geoscience technology. The TTS will facilitate the development and early deployment of technology, which will help Saudi Aramco increase recovery factors, increase exploration discovery rates and reduce costs. The primary purpose of this site is to provide the facilities to test new data acquisition methodologies and equipment in an actual operational oil field environment. The test site is a 5 x 10 km area within the central portion of a giant producing oil field. The initial set up of the site will include a vertical test well completed in the Arab-D Reservoir, and four shallower geophysical boreholes. A comprehensive set of data will be acquired to fully characterize the test site for calibration of all future tests. These data will include the most complete set of cores and well logs ever collected in a single well in Saudi Arabia.

The testing and research program at the TTS will include development and calibration of new exploration and production logging tools, as well as development of surface technologies, and surface to borehole technologies. Many of the projects will be cooperative efforts between Saudi Aramco and industry service companies and academic institutions.

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