MARCOM-AGC

Kuwait

EPFEarly Production Facilities

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MARCOM-AGC

Alkhorayef Special Projects Group have extensive experience of providing customers with tailored solutions to quickly produce from conventional and heavy oil reservoirs with Early Production Facilities (EPF) and Artificial Lift Systems. Alkhorayef Kuwait Company’s (AKC) EPF Projects allow operators to gather reservoir performance data that validates the feasibility of recovery techniques whilst also providing an early source of revenue.

AKC offers various commercial models, all of which give clients the flexibility of outsourcing large scale projects to a single contractor. The operator enjoys cost savings by not having dedicated project departments and from not having to engage the services of multiple vendors. AKC’s management of the project, from inception, through to design, installation,

Special Projects Group KuwaitEarly Production Facilities

commissioning as well as operation and maintenance enables increased efficiencies and significant cost savings by capitalizing on AKC’s expertise and innovation.

AKC was established in 1996 to supply Electrical Submersible Pumps (ESP) to customers in the Kuwaiti Oil and Gas sector. AKC is currently the largest provider of ESPs in Kuwait with over 1,200 units installed, representing over %60 of the market.

Enhanced Oil Recovery Techniques Water Flooding

Cold Heavy Oil Production with

Sand (CHOPS) processing plant

Steam Flooding

Surface TreatmentPumping Systems

Electrical Submersible Pumps

Horizontal Pumping Systems

Sucker Rod Pumps

Progressing Cavity Pumps

Commercial Models Available

Build Own Operate

Build Own Operate Transfer

Operation and Maintenance

Project History/Timeline

1995 AKC established

1997 ESP Wells

2002 ESP Wells

2006 Warra Water Flood

2007 Marrat Water Flood Project

2008 Lower Fars CHOPS

2010 GC 16 VSD project

2012 SRP project

2013 ESP project

2014 LSTP North

2015 LSTP South

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MARCOM-AGC

Reservoir performance and fluid properties can vary significantly and may be suited to alternative methods of Artificial Lift. As such, AKC offers Progressing Cavity Pumps (PCP) which are ideal for lifting heavy or viscous fluids and Sucker Rod Pumps (SRP) that are better suited to lower productivity wells. For the transfer of fluids on surface, AKC employs Horizontal Pumping Systems (HPS).

As a field matures, water cut increases and reservoir pressure declines, reducing productivity, even with the use of Artificial Lift. A variety of Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) techniques can then be used to maximise recovery and increase production from the reservoir. By re-injecting (or flooding) produced water back into the reservoir via an injection well, Reservoir Pressure is maintained and the fluid is “pushed” towards the producing well. AKC operates Water Flood projects using ESPs in source and production wells and also Horizontal Pumping Systems (HPS) to re-inject the water.

Heavy oil fields are known to produce a significant amount of sand and typically, expensive sand exclusion devices are used to keep the sand out of the wellbore. However, these devices have been found to severely inhibit the flow of reservoir fluids into the production wellbore and as such, the sand is produced to surface along with the reservoir fluids via PCP.

In cases where the viscosity of heavy oil makes it difficult to pump fluid to the surface and through flow lines, AKC injects steam into the reservoirs to reduce the fluid viscosity to bring it within the operating envelope of an ESP or PCP. AKC Early Production Facilities treat the produced crude by separating the multiphase fluid and transferring the separated fluids to their respective export lines or disposal means.

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MARCOM-AGC

The Gathering Centre (GC- 16) Project was undertaken in 2010 to process and handle sour crude, associated gas and water produced from a number of wells across 3 oilfields in West Kuwait. AKC was engaged to design, supply, install and commission the Plant and to operate and maintain for 20 years when ownership of the facility will pass to the customer. GC- 16 is one of the key projects in the Kuwaiti O&G sector and the largest contractor owned Early Production Facility (EPF) in the region.

Production fluid from six reservoirs (three high pressure, three low pressure) is transferred to the GC 16 where it is chemically treated prior to the separation process.

The plant was designed to process a diverse range of inlet crudes. Anywhere from light to heavy crudes with varying H2S, CO2 and water cuts, anywhere from 0-60%.

Gathering Centre (GC- 16)

The new GC 16 exports 100,000 barrels per day of processed crude, this is done by processing 150,000 barrels per day of produced water, 75 million standard cubic feet of associated high pressure gas, and 41 million standard cubic feet of associated low pressure gas via one of sixty nine different pipelines.

Application

100,000 BOPD

150,000 BWPD

75m scf /d High pressure Gas

41m scf /d Low pressure Gas

Benefits

Cost effective and simplified single

vendor project

Production brought on stream rapidly

Early cash flow

Features Built, Owned & Operated by contractor

(BOOT Type Contract)

Ownership to be transferred to client at

conclusion of 20 year contract

EPF complied and exceeded specified

Quality & Quantity requirements at

commissioning

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MARCOM-AGC

From the inlet, the crude goes through what are known as multi phase separators. From there the gas is compressed for export. The separated liquids are then heated up via the Hot Oil Heaters and sent to the desalters, making it easier to break emulsions and reduce water content further down in the process. From the desalters, the crude passes through giant air coolers to ensure the liquid temperature meets storage and export requirements. The crude is cooled and exported via a Dry Tank.

Water separated from inlet crude is known as Produced Water and is sent to the Produced Water Tank. The Water is allowed to settle in this Tank and, as a result, the oil and the water are separated and removed. The Water is then pumped through a Walnut Shell Filter Package where the remaining oil and suspended matters are filtered out. The treated effluent water is sent to the Water Injection Plant or disposed of into the injection wells as required.

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MARCOM-AGC

The Ratqa North Large Scale Thermal Pilot Plant was undertaken to exploit a heavy oil reservoir that had previously responded unfavourably to Cold Heavy Oil Production with Sand (CHOPS) techniques. Prior to large scale heavy oil production facilities being implemented, AKC was engaged to design, supply, install and commission the Pilot Plant and to operate and maintain it as Facility Owners.

In addition to operating the plant, the scope of the project includes flow lines and evaluating reservoir response to Thermal Simulation EOR technology. The scheme involves both cyclic steam injection and steam flooding and is an empirical study, the first of it’s kind in Kuwait, to validate the feasibility of the production method.

The Large Scale Thermal Pilot Project (North) is a central processing facility being fed by 26 wells

Ratqa North & South Large Scale Thermal Plant Pilots

arranged in two plots, one 5 acre and the other 10 acre with an oil gravity of up to °15 API. All produced fluids and vapor is gathered at the central processing facility where it is separated, metered and sent to the Ratqa pipeline northeast of the facility. The facility will have a total emulsion treating capacity of 8,000 bbl/d. Aquifer well water is collected and treated for steam generation at the two plots and is injected to produce heavy oil.

Application

Heavy oil reservoir unable to be produced using CHOPS technology

Benefits

Validates recovery technique feasibility

Provides early source of revenue

Remarks

Built, Owned & Operated by contractor (BOOT Type Contract)

Ownership to be transferred to client at

conclusion of 20 year contract

EPF complied and exceeded specified

Quality & Quantity requirements at

commissioning

Successfully managed hot tapping

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MARCOM-AGC

The Ratqa South Large Scale Thermal Pilot Plant was undertaken in response to the success of the Ratqa North project. AKC was engaged to design, supply, install and commission the Pilot Plant and to operate and maintain it as Facility Owners. As with LSTP North, the scope of the project includes flow lines and evaluating reservoir response to Thermal Simulation EOR technology to evaluate the effect of cyclic steam injection and flooding of 13 wells. Scheduled completion is in August 2016.

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MARCOM-AGC

The Lower Fars Pilot Plant Project was undertaken to assess the feasibility of using Cold Heavy Oil Production with Sand (CHOPS) technology in producing the Ratqa Reservoir. This challenging project’s scope of work included the design, supply, installation and commissioning of five heavy oil processing plants, one per well, using the CHOPS technology. AKC also have responsibility for on-going operation and maintenance of all aspects of the project.

Five vertical wells, perforated at depths between 680 to 800ft were used for the Pilot Project. With oil gravity of °12 to °17 API, Progressing Cavity Pumps were installed in each well, designed to lift flow rates up to 550 BOPD, 385 BWPD, 46mscf/d with an initial design sand rate of 165bbl/d. The produced fluid is transferred through flow lines to an insulated

Lower Fars Pilot Project (CHOPS)

Cold Heavy Oil Production with Sand

Stock Tank where the multiphase flow is separated, assisted by gravity and heated with a Produced Gas powered burner. The purpose of the Stock Tank is to stabilise the Heavy Oil and in doing so release the light hydrocarbons as gaseous vapours which are gathered by the Vapour Recovery Unit. With sufficient residential time, and added heat, sand, emulsion, clay and water settles out in the cone bottomed stock tank. Sand slurry is removed for disposal in lined pits, and the separated emulsion and free water is then transported to the Ratqa header.

Application

Producing heavy oil with large

amount of sand.

Handling sand on surface

Treatment and separation of crude

Benefits

Validates recovery technique feasibility

Provides early source of revenue

Features

First CHOPS production in Middle East

Downhole PCP

Gravitational Stock Tank

Vapour Recovery Unit

Horizontal PCP for fluid transfer

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MARCOM-AGC

Marrat Water Flood Pilot Project

The Marrat Water Flood Pilot Plant was undertaken to maintain reservoir pressure and prevent formation damage and plugging due to the build up of asphaltenes. AKC was engaged to design, supply, install and commission the Pilot Plant and to operate and maintain for 5 years.

An ESP was installed in the single source well which flowed water to the surface for anti-corrosion chemical treatment before arriving at a Two Phase Separator for degassing. At the Pilot Plant, the produced water was filtered to eliminate particles greater than 1 micron. A 3,000 barrel capacity tank stores the water until it is transferred to a high pressure reciprocating pump, with a capacity of 10,000 BPWD and pressures of up to 8,500PSI. Injection rates are controlled by Variable Speed Drive (VSD) through the discharge flow and pressure controller

on the injection line.

The major challenge for this project, and the first of it’s kind in the world was to inject water into an over pressurized reservoir. An operating pipeline pressure of 6,200PSI, the highest in the GCC, was required to overcome this high reservoir pressure.

Application

Pilot project to monitor and assess

effect of water flood on reservoir

performance

Corrosive gas present

Benefits

Extend economic life of reservoir

Maximising production from reservoir

Features

Highest pipeline hydro test pressure

recorded in GCC at 8750PSI

Highest production pipeline

operating pressure in GCC at

6200PSI

First time over pressurized reservoir

has been water injected

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MARCOM-AGC

Wara Water Flood Pilot Project

The Wara Water Flood Pilot Plant was undertaken to study the response of the reservoir to Water Flood. AKC was engaged to design, supply, install and commission the Pilot Plant and to operate and maintain for 5 years.

An ESP was installed in the single source well which flowed aquifer water to the surface for anti-corrosion chemical treatment before arriving at the Pilot Plant for filtration to eliminate particles greater than 2 microns. A 3,000 barrel capacity tank stores the water until it is pumped through a Horizontal Pumping System (HPS) at a flow rate of 4,000 to 12,000 BWPD @ 2,500 psig back into the formation via a single injection well. Reservoir Fluids are then extracted with ESPs installed in several adjacent producer wells.

The corrosive effect of produced gas was notedduring operation and a De-Gassing system was commissioned to reduce the HSE concerns, improve filtration efficiency and extend the operational life of equipment.

Application

Pilot project to monitor and

assess effect of water flood on

reservoir performance

Benefits

Extend economic life of reservoir

Maximising production from reservoir

Features

Corrosive gas present

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Ajial Mall, 3rd Floor - Block 11, 57 Street,P.O. Box 46813, Fahaheel 64019, KuwaitT.: +965 2392 9961/2/3/4F.: +965 2391 0860www.alkhorayefkuwait.com

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