PC Based Reservoir Analysis System Allows Quick Decision on E&P Well
Plans for Black Widow Prospect
J.L. Buchwalter Gemini Solutions, Inc.
T.M. Campbell
Mariner Energy, Inc.
AKNOWLEDGEMENT
PGS/Diamond Geophysical Service Corporation
OUTLINE
• INTRODUCTION
• CASE STUDY- Exploration Well Sidetrack
•DRILLING RESULTS
•PRODUCTION
• CONCLUSIONS
When Can Reservoir Simulation Be Applied to Maximize Value ?
Prevailing Idea in Petroleum Industry • Once you understand the reservoir in detail
GIGO• Calculate accurate reserves and production profiles
Problem:Often too late to optimize drilling and development decisions
The Hidden Truth • Study before you understand the reservoir in detail• Impact exploration drilling and development
maximize the economics
Key Facts
Central GOM– EW 966– Water Depth of 1853
ft
Participants– Mariner Energy 69%
(Operator)– Devon Energy 31%
Ultimate Reserves– 11 MMBOE
History– Discovered Apr 1998– Sanctioned Jan 2000– Production Oct 2000– Peak Rate Oct 2001
• 11,000 Bpd• 9 MMcfpd
FIELD SUMMARYSmall oil discovery in 1998
•Ewing Bank area of the OCS Central Gulf region.
•Located approximately 3 miles east of Morpeth.
Developed via a single well subsea tie-back to the Morpeth TLP in EW 921.
First oil occurred in October 2000.
LOCATION MAPS
Index Map
Keathley Canyon
Henry HubVermilion
Erath
EastCameron
Vermilion
SouthMarshIslandNorth
Addition
Vermilion Bay
MarshIsland
KeathleyCanyon
GardenBanks
AUGER Serrano
Llano
MACARONI
COOPER
BALDPATE
SouthMarshIslandSouth
AdditionVermilionSouth
Addition
CONGER
SouthMarshSouth
Eugene IslandSouth Addition
EugeneIsland
Calumet
JOLLIET
MARQUETTE
Ship ShoalSouth Addition
BULLWINKLE
TYPHOON
HoumaNorth
Terrebonne
GibsonGardenCity
Fuji
Green Canyon
Walker Ridge
ShipShoal
SouthPelto
SS28
CaillouIsland
SouthTimbalier
TimbalierBay
POPEYE
SUNDAYSILENCE
ANGUS
South TimbalierSouth Addition
GC 29
GliderGENESIS
BRUTUS
Louisiana
Larose
K2/Timon
Atlantis
KING KONG
ALLEGHENY
HOLSTEIN
Mad Dog
McKinley
ROCKY
TROIKA
Atwater Valley
ALABASTER/ZINC
GrandIsle
WestDelta
Clovelly
Fourchon
ARNOLD
MC 441
MANTA RAY
BLACK WIDOW
MORPETHEW
S.Pass
WestDeltaSouth
BretonSound
Venice
NorcoSt.James
NewOrleans
0 4020
Km
Neptune
LUNDLund
EUROPA
MARS
DIAMOND
PLUTO
URSA
MississippiCanyon
Field Map
16"
Dis
cove
ry g
as p
ipel
ine
4" Manta Ray-
Lobster-EW873
oil pipeline
3" oil
3"gas
gas
oil
10"oil
oil/gas
2 x 6" Arnold-Lobster
oil/cond. pipelines
8" D
isco
very
gas
pip
elin
e12
" M
orpe
th-G
I 115
Aoi
l pip
elin
e
Discovery30" gas pipeline
GC 82
SEATTLE SLEW
PRINCE
EW 826
(ceased)
GC 31(ceased)
MANTA RAY
LOBSTER
OYSTER
ARNOLD
MORPETH
BLACKWIDOW
EW 878
Grand IsleSouth Addition
South TimbalierSouth Addition
Ewing Bank
12ST1
21
1,2
3
4
1ST21ST1
1
3ST1
1ST12 2ST1
3,44ST1
A1ST1,2
A2
2, 2ST11
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
3
1
1
1A3
A1
A4
1
2
1
1,2
3,4
1
1
1
1ST1
1,2
1
1
1
1ST1
21
11ST1
1ST1 1
3,42ST1
1,2
1
1, 1ST1
1
1
1,2,2ST1
1ST1
1
1, 1ST1
1,24ST1
1
1ST1 1
2
1
1
BP
Walter
Anadarko
Westport
Shell
El PasoEl Paso
Anadarko
EOG
MarathonEl Paso
Agip
Marathon
Shell
Shell
Marathon Marathon
DevonEnergy
Kerr-McGee
Marathon
Agip
Agip
McMoRan
Kerr-McGee
Marathon
AmeradaHess
Marathon
Agip
Agip
Walter
AmeradaHess
AmeradaHess
McMoRan
BP
Spinnaker
Pogo
Mariner
Agip
ChevronTexaco
ChevronTexaco
Agip Westport
261
282
260
283
G22759
785
259
285
287 286
786
871
G21738
32
75
G13091G22848
G06921 G06922 G19920
281
262
280
290
782
827
G21685
783
289
784
288
308
1003
960
872
959 961
873G22840
G05800
G19916
825
G22928G22927
G16449 G16450
G12136
828
291
G21161
G21162
279
G16455
G16448
781
33
914
76 77
35
78
1004 1005
G20036 G18333
1009
G12145
G18169
G12142 G18176
G18184
G22839
G16578
79
G2178483 84
G22849
G22841
913
957 958
1002
G12139G19918
G13075
869
915 916
875
G13084
G16678
G10968 G18188
G12144
962
1007
34
876
920
964 965
1008
874
963
1006
917 918 919
G22842
G21688
745
120119
G20037
G16679
G18189
G18324
G15539 G20029
39 40
80 81 82
3736 38
966
1010
878
787
832 833
789 790
834
G18177
921
877
788
826
870
G15447
G15343
829 830
G19836
G16454 G16453
G18165
G16466
118
744743
G18167
831
G16
452
G16
451
G16467
702701 S
G18168
G18170
G18273
G18284746
922
G18325
0 5
Km
400 metres
Green Canyon
OUTLINE
• INTRODUCTION
• CASE STUDY- Exploration Well Sidetrack
•DRILLING RESULTS
•PRODUCTION
• CONCLUSIONS
High Cost Of Simulation(in the past)
• Unix workstations and the Unix-based software
• Unix system support personnel required
• Need for experts in geological and flow modeling
Offshore Exploration Well
• Net Pay Lower Than Expected
• Other Uncertain Variables
• Sidetrack or Abandon ?
WELL DATA
Well Name TD MD TVD Results
EW 966 #1 Apr ’98
12,150
12,147
Marginal Oil Pay
Time Constraints
• Floating Rig - US $125,000 / day
• Time 4:00 p.m.
• Answer Needed by 12:00 noon the Next Day
Work Flow
• Received Data at 6:30 p.m.
• Engineer 1 - Reviewed data
• Engineer 2 - Built single well model - Determined sensitivity to rock
and fluid properties
• Engineer 3 - Digitized and grided maps - Calculated volumetrics - Exported grids to simulator
RESERVOIR DESCRIPTION OF BASAL NEBRASKAN SAND
Early Pleistocene ageLower Slope environmentPonded submarine fan complex sandsOil hydrocarbonsDefined by direct hydrocarbon indicators (amplitude anomaly) using 1996 Diamond Geophysical 3-D seismic volume.Accumulation trapped by fault, structural closure and minor stratigraphy.Excellent porosity, perm and low clay content.
Black Widow Amplitude Map
BASAL NEBRASKAN SAND STRUCTURE
Digitized Structure Map
Gridded Top-of-Structure Map
Water Saturation Contour Map at Initial Conditions
Water Saturation Cross-section at Initial Conditions
Model Building
A full-field flow model, including wells, faults and an aquifer was developed in four (4) hours.
Flow Rate and Cumulative Production
Water Saturation Contour Map After 4 Years
Water Saturation Cross-section After 4 Years
Study Results
4 case ran between 6 and 10 PM
7 additional what ifs ran next morning, varied:•geology•rock properties
All sidetrack drilling cases were economic
OUTLINE
• INTRODUCTION
• CASE STUDY- Exploration Well Sidetrack
•DRILLING RESULTS
•PRODUCTION
• CONCLUSIONS
WELL DATA
Well Name TD MD TVD ResultsEW 966 #1 Apr
’9812,15
012,14
7Marginal Oil Pay
EW 966 #1 ST1
May ’98
11,950
11,880
Oil Pay. Basal Nebraskan
Sand Productive.Completed. Producing.
ORIGINAL HOLE AND SIDETRACK
EW 966 #1 ST1 Log SectionBasal Nebraskan Sand Penetration
EW 966 #1 ST1 Processed Log
Basal Nebraskan Sand
Black Widow N-S Seismic LineN S
OH
ST1
DISCOVERY WELL SUMMARYBASAL NEBRASKAN SAND
MEI EW 966 #1 ST1 drilled May ‘98– Encountered 56 NFP – 32 percent porosity– 13 percent water saturation– LKO - 11,495 ft TVDSS– Assumed OWC – 12,000 ft (HCI)
OUTLINE
• INTRODUCTION
• CASE STUDY- Exploration Well Sidetrack
•DRILLING RESULTS
•PRODUCTION
• CONCLUSIONS
PRODUCTION STATISTICS
First Production Oct 28, 2000.Initial BHP 8774 psi – SITP 5591 psiPeak Rate 10,500 Bpd, 8.8 MMcfpd– Oct 27, 2001
Through Jun 16, 2002– Producing 5440 Bopd, 4.6 MMcfpd– Cum 4398 MBo, 3.64 Bcf.– SIBHP 6420 psi - SITP 3067 psi
OUTLINE
• INTRODUCTION
• CASE STUDY- Exploration Well Sidetrack
•DRILLING RESULTS
•PRODUCTION
• CONCLUSIONS
CONCLUSIONS
A PC-based characterization and simulation system exists that allows for modeling of exploration wells while the rig is on-site.
CONCLUSIONS
PC-based characterization and simulation in conjunction with the appropriate user interface allows geoscientists and engineers to model reservoirs on a routine real-time basis.
CONCLUSIONS
Simulation should be an everyday tool that is used in applications as diverse as exploration well evaluations and full field studies.
CONCLUSIONS
The cost of PC-based simulation is low due to the lower costs of hardware, software and support.
Manpower costs are significantly lowered due to a powerful interface that reduces both the time to complete a study and the need for expensive simulation experts.