Practical Application of the IPSM in Resolving Gas Availability Challenges and Overall System Optimisation to Maximise Production

Abstract

Abstract With global energy demands on a steady increase, it is important to ensure hydrocarbon production optimisation and sustainability while minimising production process impact on the environment. As a result, technologies and processes that improve response to production challenges and guarantee optimisation and sustainability of production and products utilisation, especially associated gas, have become more relevant in the oil and gas industry. The Integrated Production System Modelling (IPSM) tool is a means of simulating actual production systems and assessing their responses to changing production scenarios, challenges and the impact of various solutions on production systems before effecting the changes in the field. IPSM was used to assess the options of ensuring gas availability to meet the minimum turndown ratio of the associated gas gathering (AGG) low pressure compressor and ensure optimal oil production from a field in the Niger delta of Nigeria. Declining gas production from the producing oil wells in the field poses the challenge of keeping gas production above the minimum required turndown ratio for the compressor to run. A multi-disciplinary review and production system optimisation identified the options of re-routing either of two producing oil wells with significant gas production rates from a nearby field to the production facility of the field of interest to ensure the minimum required gas is always available. The impact of re-routing each of the proposed wells on the overall production system efficiency was analysed using IPSM with a view to optimising oil and gas production without compromising recovery from the wells in the field of interest. The results from the analysis indicate that IPSM is a robust tool for analysing the various options and optimising the required solution. The impact of the different options on overall system health was quantified and greatly enhanced the business decision making process with overall benefit of provision of required LP gas to run Field Y compressor, safeguarding the invested fund of building the AGG plant in addition to a projected 5MMscf/d sales gas.