Saudi Arabia's Manifa Giant Offshore Field Development: The Role of Technology

Abstract

Abstract Field development costs have risen with oil price. A resulting challenge with Arab heavy oil development remains how to generate competitive advantages through deploying efficient technological innovations and making cost-effective solutions a crucial part of a firm's strategy for rigless interventions. With strict commitments to environmental protection, the need for operational excellence and several process improvements necessary to yield dividends in the form of safe project delivery and to overcome several technical difficulties is vital. The scope of the paper is to examine coiled tubing (CT) stimulation and logging technologies used in the timely project execution of one of Saudi Arabia's largest field developments to cost effectively enhance matrix stimulation success. Some of these solutions include technologies for CT reach, CT access for dual laterals, acid placement optimization, and treatment effectiveness monitoring. CT extended reach solutions comprised tapered CT strings designed for ultradeep wells, drag reducers, tractors, and vibrators. Technologies for CT access for dual laterals include a flow activated multilateral tool for CT matrix stimulation employing pressure variation telemetry with bottom hole pressure (BHP) and casing collar locator / gamma ray (CCL/GR) for high success lateral identification. To optimize acid placements, distributed temperature survey and pressure measurements are used to enhance diversion and acid placements. A blend of tools assisted to monitor, analyze, and adjust in real-time the reservoir and stimulation fluids interaction. Viscoelastic diverting acid is designed to viscosify in situ as the fluid spends on the reacted formation for chemical diversion in carbonates. The concentration of the diverter was optimized from 20% HCl to 15% HCl. A unique solution for monitoring treatment effectiveness evolved to include real time production logging using single strings for CT stimulation and real time profiling instead of memory logging. This solution required less equipment mobilization and no wireline unit. Intervention from 99 producers and injectors reveals operational and cost benefits from deploying technological solutions and justifies the degree to which each technology solution fits the overall field development strategy. The implications of deploying these solutions include reduction of well counts from the original estimates in this field development to offer manageable total field development costs.