Effective Utilization of Smart Oil Fields Infrastructure towards Optimal Production and Real Time Reservoir Surveillance

Abstract

Abstract Exploration for fossil fuels has resulted in finding thousands of hydrocarbon fields around the globe for over a century. During this timeframe, technology has advanced in a rapid mode with several innovation milestones in this journey. One of those milestones is the implementation of horizontal, multilateral and complex wells that require best-in-class technology to ensure control of the well for optimum production through downhole devices, such as smart chokes and inflow control valves (ICV). Lately, the concept of an "intelligent field" has been embraced by more and more operators with expectations for higher recovery from the reservoir. In addition, installation of permanent downhole monitoring systems (PDHMS) in both free flowing and wells equipped with electrical submersible pumps (ESP)provides continuous monitoring of reservoir parameters as an indispensable tool for reservoir surveillance. Their installation eliminates well intervention data acquisition operations and reduces nonproductive shut-in time during rig-ups, which enables significant improvement of reservoir surveillance in real-time and focused utilization of resources in manpower, capital and assets. Saudi Aramco is tackling existing problems through the utilization of technologies from smart maximum reservoir contact (MRC)/multilateral wells and mega-cell reservoir simulation to the implementation of fully integrated intelligent fields and geosteering on real-time mode, all offering a widerange of interdisciplinary domains for development and progression. This paper will discuss the integration of smart sensory and control devices within the company's fields, deployed towards finding the optimal production strategy whether the wells are producing naturally or artificially lifted, meeting the designated targets and providing the much needed flexibility in its operations. The latter is of particular importance in fields that are located in remote, offshore, or near populated areas where safety considerations dictate less human intervention. In addition, effective methodologies of data mining and computational modeling are necessary to attain these goals. Such methodologies are effectively placed to ensure the best utilization of integrated operations, as well as to obtain accurate and useful data flow paths. In a nutshell, the implementation of technological advancements result in a positive impact on field performance in a real time fashion, extending the producing life of wells, harmonizing sweep efficiency and ultimately maximizing oil recovery from the fields.