Raageshwari Deep Gas Field - Tight Resource Rejuvenation Journey from Internal Usage to Commercial Gas Sales

Abstract

Abstract The Raageshwari Deep Gas Field (RDG), Barmer Basin, India, is a thick (~700m gross), low permeability (0.01-1md) gas condensate field comprised of clastic and volcanic reservoirs at ~3,000m depth. The volcanic reservoirs consist of a stacked succession of thick, heterogeneous, low net-to-gross lava flow cycles of Basalt and Felsic units. RDG was initially developed as the fuel source for oilfield developments in the Barmer Basin RJ-ON-90/1 block; however, with improved technology and accelerating worldwide development of tighter reservoirs, it is now feasible to commercially exploit such fields. Early RDG production performance encouraged us to revisit the field development for the possible commercial exploitation of gas and condensate. One key challenge in the development planning of any reservoir is the creation of useful production forecasting models. An updated 3D geocellular model was developed using all available geophysical, geological and petrophysical information to capture the heterogeneity in the sandstone and volcanic reservoirs. A dynamic simulation model was then calibrated to more than four years of production data, pressure transient and interference tests, and time-lapsed production logs. This model was used to determine a range of feasible scenarios to consider for field development. Based on the early RDG production performance, additional data acquired over the last four years and the static and dynamic modeling results, a revised field development plan for RDG commercial gas sales was recently approved by the Government of India. This paper discusses the subsurface aspects of the journey from conceptualization to finalization of the field development plan for RDG commercial gas sales.