An operation model for mature field not only should be used during a world oil price crisis, but also it should be incorporated as a best practice during the life of the oil field, consequently, in mature field projects it is always possible both to improve its profitability indicators and to increase its hydrocarbons production. One of the most important challenges is to incorporate these actions as a mature field management culture by supporting existing facilities operations and field elements using best practices focused on processes, human resource skills and technological elements.
Operators have a great opportunity concentrated in these key aspects to optimize results by reduction and optimization of costs and improvement of operations.
The objective of this paper is to provide a practical guide to be considered during the field operation and management of mature asset, addressing actions to maximize the operation efficiency, maximize the hydrocarbon recovery factor and to optimize costs and resources.
It describes an integrated operations process for low profitability projects/fields, like mature fields and marginal fields, summarizing best practices to identify opportunities in existing operations.
The paper also describes how to find opportunities by clear understanding the relationship among key processes such as:
Reservoir Management and Surveillance,
Water Management, Waterflooding and EOR,
Drilling, Completion, and Production Engineering,
Artificial Lift Management,
Efficiency and Cost Control.
Suppliers and service company's management
These best practices addressing organized processes, human resource skills and technology elements are described clearly and they are presented as tools for easy implementation. Case studies in Mexico and Argentina are shown, along with management models for implementing, surveilling and maintaining mature fields which resulted in lower operation costs and a sustained oil production increase.
Authors:
Clemente Marcelo Hirschfeldt (Oil Production Consulting)
Fernando Diego Bertomeu (Oil Production Consulting)
Gerardo Lobato-Barradas (Pemex E&P)
SPE-184937-MS PublisherSociety of Petroleum EngineersSource
SPE Latin America and Caribbean Mature Fields Symposium, 15-16 March, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil Publication Date 2017