PRIMERAS JORNADAS TECNOLÓGICAS DE E&P GRUPO

EMPRESARIAL ECOPETROL S.A

Massive Optimization Technique

Improves Production
of Mature Fields

San Francisco, Colombia

HOCOL S.A
 CONTENIDO

(1) San Francisco

(2) HOCOL
Conversion campaign

(3) FOROIL
New technique based on massive optimization

(4) Result (2y)

> +1,2 MM bblo /5y

2
 1 – San Francisco

• Mature field
– 1985; Current water cut 97%
• Heterogeneous
– Sandstone, fractured
– 950 mD
• 99 producers KCU
• 69 injectors
 1 – HOCOL Analysis

• Large number of producers

– No new drill needed
– Unit Development cost of
last Infill Drilling campaign
$25 USD/bbl

• Waterflooding unbalanced
– Reconsider injection
– Convert producers
 1 – Complex Problem

• How many? Oil = f (# conversions)

• Where?
– 7 conversions (/99) =
15,000,000,000 cases
• Which rates?
– Total max injection =
234,000 bblwd
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
 2 – How to solve it?

• Need to explore many production

scenarios
• Need a quick simulator, yet
reliable
• …Is it possible?
 2 – Learning Theory
Forecast reliability

60 - Production
Simulator

Too simplistic Underdetermined

Decline
curve Stream-
Material lines
6- Balance Meshed
models

10 100 1000 1000000

…simple, yet reliable Complexity
 2 – Production Simulator

• What does it consider?

– Relevant physics of field & wells 3
E
• vertical lift performance 1
2
A
• relative mobility 2
1
• material balance 3

– Past production data

D
• 10 years minimum
B
– "Effective" geology
• main faults C
 2 – Production Simulator

• Features
– Field-specific
– Calculates production per
well, phase, month; over
5 years
– Very quick
(<1s / scenario)
 3 – Baseline

• Simulator & Decline Curve Analysis agree

Past Production Baseline
10,000
9,000
Total oil rate (bbl/d)

8,000
7,000
6,000
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
 4 – Optimization Engine

• Select production scenarios

– Heuristic
– Deterministic
– Non deterministic
• Run forecast using custom simulator
• Obtain max oil / 5y
~ 500,000 scenarios
~ runs in 12 hours
 5 – Compare with baseline

• Production parameters
for a scenario
– Conversions
– Injection rates
– Producers @ Pwfmin
 5 – Constraints

• Max water injection:

– BL + 25,000 bwpd
• Max water injection/injector:
– Historical max + 20%
• Max fluid treatment capacity:
– BL + 30,000 bbl/d (after 6 months)
• Up-time: 97.5%
• Conversion cost: $ 150,000
 6 – Result: Best Scenario
Water Injection Rate versus Baseline

• 400,000 scenarios played

• 7 conversions
• Unit Development Cost
$7 USD/bbl
 6 – Result: Best Scenario
Water Injection Rate versus Baseline

• 400,000 scenarios played

• 7 conversions
• Adjustment of injection
rates
– Increase = blue
 6 – Result: Best Scenario
Water Injection Rate versus Baseline

• 400,000 scenarios played

• 7 conversions
• Adjustment of injection
rates
– Increase = blue
– Decrease = red
 6 – Result: Oil
Cumulative Oil Production versus Baseline

• Oil variation
– Sacrifices = mainly from
conversions
 6 – Result: Oil
Cumulative Oil Production versus Baseline

• Oil variation
– Sacrifices = mainly from
conversions
– Areal rebalance,
incremental reserves in
green

+1,2 MMbo / 5y
 7 – Field result over time
• Two years implementation
Past Production Baseline
Optimized Scenario Forecast Real Production
10,000

9,000

8,000
Total oil rate (bbl/d)

7,000

6,000

5,000

4,000

3,000

2,000
 7 – Field result over time
• Two years implementation
Past Production Baseline
Optimized Scenario Forecast Real Production
10,000

9,000

8,000
Total oil rate (bbl/d)

7,000

6,000

5,000

4,000

3,000

2,000
 Conclusions

• Mature fields can be rebalanced, without

large investment
• Massive optimization is possible for fields
with significant injection/production history
• Sustained field results (San Francisco; 24
months) prove effectiveness
• Current Unit Development Cost 7 US$/bbl