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OVERVIEW
Reservoir/Asset Management
In developing deepwater resources, the petroleum industry is confronting a new and
challenging operating environment. Large investments, tight time schedules, and
unproven technology applications are typical characteristics of this environment. Hence,
exploiting the potential of lucrative deepwater resources involves exposure to higher risks
and uncertainties. An integrated risk-management plan is of paramount importance for
these developments. A successful project requires methodical evaluation of the system,
rigorous application of risk and reliability techniques, thorough quantification of technical uncertainties, and formulation of a comprehensive intervention plan. A further understanding of deepwater development solutions along with the associated approach to risk
and uncertainty management is required. A challenge to the industry is that of accessing
and disseminating the information about various technological developments in this
emerging area. Industry associations, such as SPE, play a central role in facilitating this
process of information sharing.
Additional
Reservoir/Asset
Management
Technical Papers
Prudent applications of infill drilling and improved hydrocarbon-recovery methods coupled with effectual reservoir management are required to realize the full potential of
hydrocarbon reservoirs. Systematic data-acquisition and management programs that
allow detailed zonal tracking of production and injection are essential for careful management of reservoir energy and mitigation of production decline. A further understanding of improved hydrocarbon recovery methods is required to push the recovery to
its technical limit.
• SPE 84078
Practical Approach in
Modeling a Naturally
Fractured Reservoir: A Field
Case Study
The use of 4D seismic (time-lapse 3D) in reservoir management has become a more common practice in recent years. New developments now plan the use of 4D to assist with
reservoir startup and appraisal, using it as a tool to manage the evolving development
strategy, while old fields use 4D to look for remaining reserves and extension of field life.
Many challenges exist in the 4D technique. These challenges range from the technical
challenge of 4D seismic acquisition and processing, for generating a result of only differences caused by changes in the reservoir, to the more cross-discipline challenge of interpreting such differences and integrating them with data from other sources. The future of
4D seismic seems assured, given the industry’s apparent ability to improve resolution and
repeatability. We need now to focus on getting the best value from data by integrating it
across all the subsurface disciplines.
JPT
Available at the SPE e-Library:
www.spe.org
• SPE 84048
Water Injection Optimized
With Statistical Methods
• SPE 84191
Well-Placement Optimization
in Field Development
Hafez H. Hafez is a reservoir engineer for Abu Dhabi Co. for Onshore Oil Operations
working in onshore oil operations in the management and simulation for a giant field.
Previously, he was a reservoir engineer dealing with management issues and classical reservoir tasks for a Gulf of Suez Oil Co. joint venture with Amoco. He also has experience in
simulation with both black-oil and compositional modeling. He holds a BS degree in petroleum engineering from Al-Azhar U., Cairo. He has coauthored several papers and serves on
the JPT Editorial Committee.
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DECEMBER 2003