An Integrated Approach to Reserve Addition: Success Case Scenarios From a Niger Delta Asset

Abstract

With the recent bust in the upstream oil industry resulting from the downturn in global oil prices and the corresponding negative effect on investor funds and operators returns, majority of the exploration and production operating companies have had to cut down on investments, delay FID or totally stopped embarking on new capital projects. This development greatly reduced the number of exploration well count in the recent past and slowed the growth of reserve addition across major basin of the world. To make matters worse, producing companies continue to pump oil from operated mature fields thereby depleting existing reserves with non-corresponding efforts for reserve replacement via new exploration discoveries. To mitigate the long term impact of reduced to non-existent investments in making new exploration finds, operators in the E&P industry should adopt new strategies that integrate new technological developments. These technologies cut across seismic to simulation, from redesigned seismic data acquisition parameters to new algorithms for time and depth migrated processed data. This paper describes the role of working with multidisciplinary teams, utilizing new technologies available in seismic acquisition and processing in identifying new opportunities in mature fields. We also explore the impact of infill wells when properly designed and with good well placement in identifying bypassed hydrocarbon bearing sands thus increasing reserves within existing fields. Cost saving measures that can be explored by commingling the development of mature fields with new exploration prospects will be discussed using examples form Niger Delta assets. The strategies presented in this paper have been put to test by Sahara Group on some of its assets leading to reserve increase on already producing assets and reserve adding exploration discoveries being made where such prospects were never thought to be existent. These feats were achieved by adopting a multidisciplinary approach through the deployment of improved technologies, cutting edge well planning techniques and cost effective resource management.

AAPG Datapages/Search and Discovery Article #90350 © 2019 AAPG Annual Convention and Exhibition, San Antonio, Texas, May 19-22, 2019