1'7703

7th Offshore South East Asia

Conference, Singapore
2-5 February 1988
SPE 17703
OSEA 88200
Condensate Production Optimization in
the Arun Gas Field
by A.M. Risan, S. Abdullah, and Z. Hidayat, Mobil Oil Indonesia (Indonesia)

This paper was prepared for presentation at the 7th Offshore South East. Asia Co~feren~e hel? in Si~ga~ore,
2-5 February 1988. This paper was selected for presentation by a programme c~mm1ttee follo~1ng rev1ew of mformat1on 1n an
abstract. Contents of the paper have not been reviewed by OSEA and are subJect to correct1on by t~e author(s).

There are 35 production wells currently in the

CONDBNSATB PRODUCTION OP.rlMIZATIOif four clusters and ten (10) gas· injection wells
IN TBB ABOR GAS :riBLD (GIWs) into the thickest part of the formation
around the North, West and South flanks of the
field.
Gas condensate and water are separated at each
cluster through two (2) identical process
ln the Arun Field, Mobil Oil Indonesia Inc. trains. The gas and condensate are gathered
(MOI) has implemented a condensate production at a central pipeline manifold and metering
optimization program on its Supervisory Control station at Point A. Point-A is situated
and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system. This between Cluster II and Cluster III at the
program has been .proven successful in improving center of the field as per Figure 1. This is
stabilized condensate production by up to 3% or also ·the. location of the field administrative
3200 BPD at 2,270 MMSCF daily average separator offices, power generators, warehouses,
gas flowrate. maintenance shops and Central Control Room (CCR).
CCR coordinates field production and emergency
communication.
1.0. INTRQ~YQ!ION

2. 0. FIELD OPERATION
The Arun gas field is located in the Aceh
province, about 350 kms. southeast of its capital Each cluster was designed to be identical. Each
city, Banda Aceh, Sumatra Island, Indonesia. cluster has locations for up to 16 production
wells, most of which are deviated to achieve
The reservoir is a carbonate reef reservoir. The
maximum spread of bottom hole locations as per
net volume is 11.5 million acre-feet with the
Figure 2.
average net pay thickness of 494 feet. The
formation itself has a mean depth of approximately
Well and individual cluster process· controls are
10,000 feet subsea, while the highest encountered located in, and mainly operated from, the Cluster
limestone top is 9400 feet subsea.
Control Room. The operation of Cluster Control
The production facilities are located within four Rooms and CCR are connected by the SCADA
(4) individual clusters ~hich contain the system. This enables operators at CCR to
producing wells, well stream coolers and monitor cluster operating conditions and to
separators. Cluster II and Cluster Ill .have one coordinate production.
(1) and two (2) gas reinjection compressors
respectively.

References and illustrations at end of paper

871
 Condensate Production Optimization in the Arun Gas Pield
2 88200

Wellstream gas is processed in the . clusters To evaluate this program, a graph of unstabilized
through.cooling and separation facilities. The condensate vs dry gas has been plotted from
final processing is through a 3-phase separator several runs of condensate optimization case
operating at approximately 1200 psig and 70-80 studies as per Figure 3. From the graph, the
degree F. The separator gas (dry gas) flows result of this optimization was an improvement of
through a 42" pipeline to the Arun LNG plant and condensate production by up to 3% or 3200 BPD at
Fertilizer Plants. The 1200 psi separator 2,270 MMSCFD, the 1986 average separator gas
condensate (unstabilized condensate) is pumped flowrate.
through a 20" pipeline to the LNG plant where it
is processed for sale. as stabilized condensate. 4.0. PROGRAM DEVELOPED FOR OPTIMIZATION
Water is treated through produced water 4.1. SCADA SYSTEMS
treatment facilities prior to disposal. Part of
the dry gas is reinjected through the three Many industries use a SCADA system to monitor and
(3) gas injection compressors. The field 1986 control their operations. In Arun Field, MDI uses
production and facilities data are as'follows: a SCADA system. This system consists of the host
computer system, data communication system, remote
Max. Cluster capacity 750 ~SCFD terminal units, field measurement interfaces and
Avg. Well Capacity 115 r.ft'ISCFD application programs.
Avg. Dry Gas Production 2270 1\f.!SCFD The host computer system consists of two
Avg. LNG & Fertilizer Plants Feed 1499 r.ltiSCFD identical mini computer systems. One computer
Avg. Reinjection Gas 739 MMSCFD system acts as the primar,y·computer. It handles
Avg. Stabilized Condensate Prod. 102140 BPD the tasks of communicating with the Remote
Terminal Units (RTUs), Video Display Units
Well flowrates are controlled by manually (VDUs), Printers (PRTs), Alarm system, Report
selecting a Pressure-control controller or system, Historical system, Field balance systP.m,
lt'low-control controller. All wells on pressure Opti~ization system and Online operations system.
control respond to fill fluctuations in gas demand
and to maintain a stable pipeline pressure. Wells The second computer is the back-up unit which is
on flow control are set at a certain flow also used for program development. If the
condition. If gas demand decrease to a value primary computer fails, then the back-up unit
lower than the flow control set-point the wells at takes over by manually switching over all
flow control mode will be over-ridden by the peripheral devices to the back up unit.
Pressure Controller output control.
4.2. nLL TEST SYS!BN
3. 0. OPTIMIZATION PROBLBM
Individual well Condensate Gas Ratio (CGR) of the
Dry Gas production is planned to fulfill LNG and 35 production wells is shown on Table 1. The CGR
Fertilizer plants requirements. Condensate is an values indicate the ranking of wells. The
associated product of the gas production. The values are determined by tests. In order to
ratio of unstabilized condensate to gas varies maintain an updated CGR, the tests are repeated
from well to well over a wide range from 26.4 t.o on a six (6) month schedule.
70.7 BBL/r.ltiSCF as per Table 1. The optimization
problem is to select multiple feeds or well-CGR's At present, the test facilities are the
to produce maximum economic gain in terms of production separators themselves. The nominal
condensate production. gas separator operating rate is 350 MMSCFD.
Testing a single well using a production
In 1984, when this project began, we were not able separator both disturbs production operation and
to classify well-CGR's, predict changing CGR's, gives an inaccurate result. The separator and
plan for demand changes (due to shipment s.chedules associated measurement transmitters are oversized
or unplanned shutdowns), or solve the optimization for a single well flowrate. Wells are tested in
problem. These problems required solution due to a three-well, simultaneous test called a "Multi
rapid increase in our gas and condensate sales Well Test".
contracts as construction of two more clusters and
three more LNG trains progressed. This method is verified by comparing actual vs
predicted-CGR's and a sampling·error of less than
A series of SCADA computer applications were 2% has been achieved. The results of multiwell
defined to solve these problems. These included a test are CGR, dry gas to wet gas ratio (DWR) and
multiwell test system, a production planning water to dry gas ratio (WDR). These results are
system, an optimization study system and an online kept in a historical trend file.
optimization setpoint display system.

The method to optimize condensate production is to 4.3. OPTIMIZATION SYSTBM

operate each well at a flowrate according to
priority which is based on well ranking of All field production data such as well CGRs,
current CGR values as defined by analysis of the actual max-min well flowrates, limitation of
above application systems. trains capacity, pressure/temperature operating
limits and current gas demand are kept in the
SCADA computer database for use by the
condensate optimization system.

872
 Ridwan M. Risan, Zaina1 Bidayat, Sukri Abdu11ah
88200 3

The results are displayed on VDUs at CCR and At periods of low ambient temperature the
Cluster Control Rooms to advise the operators at wellstream header pressure can be decreased to
what flowrate setpoint each well should be run to 1600-1800 psig. which still reaches the separator
obtain optimum condensate production (Figure 4 & operating temperature. The objective of this low
5). The program is run automatically every hour, wellstream header pressure operating procedure is
when gas demand changes by (+/-) 5% and when to improve well deliverability of higher CGR
activated by CCR operators. wells. Qualitalively it improves condensate
production. Long run documented quantitative
The operators continuously monitor these displays results are still being monitored and studied.
,,o:.
and manually adjust flow rates and process
condition to optimize condensate. Experience 5.3. BBDUCIIG PBBSS1JRI DBDP IK I'LOWLIIIIS.
shows that during stable condition this is within
1-3% of the maximum achievable CGR. The well flowlines were initially designed with a
positive shut-off type choke and a low-noise level
5.0. FUTURE PLANS control valve. As the well head pressure
5.1. AU'l'OUTIC. SITPOINT FLOW CONTROL declines, reducing pressure drop in flowlines is
required to increase well deliverability in order
A feasibility study of Automatic Well Flowrate to meet gas and condensate demands and improve
Setpoint Control is presently being studied as condensate production optimization.
the next step in this program. The aim of the
program is to connect the output of the SCADA 5.4. SINGLE WILL TEST FACILITIES
production optimization program · to the well
controllers. To improve quality of the test results, reduce
production disturbances and increase production
Well flowrates deviate from optimum condition for train capacity, single well test facilities are
following reasons; being constructed in each cluster.
1. Change in LNG Plant demand because of 6.0. CONCLUSION AND HIC<MmNDATIONS
shipping schedules or plant equipment
malfunction. The current SCADA-Condensate optimization program
is a useful program to assist operators to
2. Field process upsets caused by instrument or optimize condensate production. Conclusions and
electrical failures, which result in wells recommendations from this paper are :
shutting ftown or compress~rs tripping.
1. · The program has been proven successful in
3. Shutting wells in for Bottom Hole Pressure improving condensate production by up to 3%
and Caliper surveys. or 3200 BPD Stabilized Condensate at 2270
MMSCF daily average Separator gas flowrate.
4. Changes in ambient conditions which alter
cooler and compressor performance. 2. To implr~ent Automatic Well Setpoint Control
as further development of this program to
Well optimum flowrates as predicted by the program maintain condensate optimization and improve
will be the computer setpoint output to adjust the another 0.5% of condensate production.
current controller setpoints. The adjustment will
be done in a periodic fine-step of increment or 3. Field operation weather variations from
decrement in a closed-loop control. This is in daytime to night time or rain-time which can
order to achieve smooth operations. improve condensate optimization by reducing
the· wellstream header pressure while
The Automatic Flow Setpoint Control provides an maintaining the separator operating
immediate reaction to any process change or temperature within acceptable operating
upsets and result in an efficient correction back conditions. Further documented monitoring
to the optimum flowing conditions. Based on our and study of this program are recommended
experience with the present on-line program it is for evaluation.
felt an additional 0.5% condensate production can
be achieved with the Automatic Flow Setpoint 4. To implement further development of this
Control. program i.e.:
5. 2. TIMPIRATURB AND PRESSURE CONTROL Reducing pressure drop in flowlines.
Single well test facilities.
Wellstream gas is cooled in the cluster trains
through an aerial cooler, a wet gas-cooled gas ACKNOWI.EDGEM:IU.
heat exchanger and a Joule-Thomson (JT) type
valve. Normal wellstream header pressure is 1850 We thank the Mobil Oil Indonesia Inc. and
-2000 psig. which is required to provide a Pertamina-BKKA for permission to publish this
pressure drop across the JT valve to maintain the paper. We also express our sincere gratitude to
separator temperature at 70-80 degrees F. our colleagues within Mobil Oil Indonesia/Arun
I
Field Production Operations for their valuable
comments and help in the ·preparation of the
paper.

873
 TABLE - 1
08:41:~8 10-08-37 PROD A
C~ROPl: 1716
F'AGC:: 1 OF :3
WE!..!_ CATA 13Y CGR RANKING :0 RE:T·TC MENU

MA;(IM.JN ACTUAL OPTIMUM

RANKING c::R !.lEW.. FL:it.l FLOW Ft. OW
1 70.7
-c 2- c. ~7. 0 94.~ 97.0
~ 6~.0 c :;: 7 11 t?. 0 117.7 1!9. 0
::! 68. 1 c 2 ::! 98. 0 99.::! 913.0
4 68. 1 c 2 4 94. 0 9~.6 94.0
~ 67.0 c 3 9 1;:0. o 118.4 1:a.o
Q 6o. ~ c : 9 7:3. 0 72.2 ~-0
7 6~. ' c 2 10 106.0 106.4 106.0
9 64. 1 c 2 16 ta:z. a 99.9 102.0
9 63.::! c 2 9 4~. 0 45. 1' 4~.0
10 61.9 c 2 15 94.0 0.0 0.0
....
1l 61. 6 c :: 1 10:5. 0 104. 1 10:5.0
.1.4. 61.4 c ::! 3 104.0 100.4 104.0
l~ CIC,
..... '
Cl c ::! 15 120. 0 11:5. 9 120.0
14 ~9.3 c ::! 2 102. 0 108.2 102.0
1:5 56. 9 c 1 7 116. 0 112.3 116. 0
16 56.0 c 1 9 1 :.:5~ 0 111.7 115.0
17 54. 5 c 3 4 1~0. 0 127.2 1~0.0
18 54.3 c 1 10:5. 0 102.0 105.0
19
20
~C:.6
..
1011
-.. -~
c 1 9
c 4 6
' 101. 0
1:Z:Z. 0
92.9
1~0.6
101. 0
1::!2.0
~: 49. 0 c 3 16 84. 0 82.0 94.0
:: 48.6 c 1 2 114. 0 111.4 114. 0

--...-
2::;· 47.6 c 1 16 12~. 0 110.9 125.0
... 47.: c 4 9 1:.5. 0 114.9 115. 0
cr.~ 47.~ c 4 2 98.0 87. 1 88.0
26 46.~ c 4 4 125. 0 122.6 1:5.0
......., 46.3 c 4 9 125. 0 140. c. 1:5.0
...-=_ 45.0 C'4 10 125. 0 125. 0 1;,;::.o
....
-'=' 4:!. 5 c :J : 118. 0 100. 4 118. 0
~0 41. 9 c 4 7 1:Z9. 0 102.0 1::!9.0
~1 40. 0 c c.
=- 111. 0 :o. 1 69. c.
....... ::!7.~ c 4 1 :.::. 0 109.2 50.0
.. ...1 3~. 9 c c. 129. 0 sa·. 7 50.0
:l4. :!::!. ' c 3 10 1 o::. 0 0.0 0. 0
~~ :c.. 4 c 4 16 140. 0 0. 0 0. 0

CLUSTER ·1

CLUSTER II

16• PIPEt.IUE
(SPARE)
CLUSTER Ill

CLUSTER IV

ARUN FIELD
LOCATION OF FACJLITIES

0
MILE9

KILOMETERS
~

10
f INJECTION WELL

... · PLUGGED AUD ARAUDONr:D FJg. 1 Map of IC1C8tlon of fxiJIUes•

•
874
 ARUN FIELD PROD. CURVE OCT.1986

MQIII.. 01. •DDIIIM IIIC:. 'IIODUCIIIe

UNSTAB. CCiR VS DRY Q.I.S
70
'I' IILCCX/AIU.If GAS I"IEL.D
611

1511
\ ......ZLGCAT'IDII

t IGT'Tall 1111\.l I.Gc:ATIDII

U8 IIII.CTIQII Wll.lo
IWII:TICIII"'CitfY'
64

62

60
C'
u ~8
Ill
:l
:I ~~

'e
.J
Ill !14

a: !12
8 :ao
411

46

44

42

40
1.1 1•.J 1~ 1.7 1.9 2.1 2 •.J 2.5 2.7
(Thousond•)
DRY Q.I.S(t.lt.ISCF'/0)

Fig. 3 Arun field production curve baed on SCADA·Condenute optimization

1tudycue.

COM -A~AL- CURR •OP'!'IMUM• 'l'AL AC'l"UAL PROD

Fig. 2 Arun ga field well bottom hole loclltlem. 'l'EMP GAS CONDY CGR GAS CONDY
GAS : 2836 MM
66 348.16254 48.2 32616598 COND:148024 BBL

357 11h76 50.1 326 16451

OP'riMIZED
49.2 652 33039
GASI 2836 Ml-1

G
COND:1S1030 BBL
WEU. CCil, WBP, AC'!'. OPT, C'JR. M' t.AN
NO. (PSI) -MMSC:l'tl- (PC:":')
02
04
09
48 .• 6 2872 111 114 110
37.3 2712 108
56.0 2816 112
50
115
107
110 1:1 AC'!'UAL 52.2
OP'l'IMUM: 53.3

cotm.Dirr 2.0,
66 r
C::.CS'l'U•1 'l'KAIN•1 OP'l'. P!:!U'OJUoi.El)j
IN'l'Dt.:m: OPEN 08:30 liR~.
05
06
07
08
54.3
33.9
56.9
52.6
26oi8
3368 l~: l~: l~;
2744 112 116 113
2560 93 101 93
'l'E.'U'
67 r
!...,.,. .,
16 47.6 2848 1ll. 125 llO Fig. 5 SCADA dllplay, clu1ter t111ln predicted flowratn.
I 94 I

'1'0'1'AL W/G 1 808 776 803

Fig. 4 SCADA dttpl8y, well predicted ftowr11t"'

875
--· ......... , .. - ·-·~~· ·····:-~::-r-···-.-~~~- ..,.-,., . ---·-