Unlocking performance in Libya's mature onshore fields

Transforming a mature field into a sustainable producer

In the heart of North Africa, Libya’s onshore fields have played a vital role in the region’s energy story for more than seven decades. Yet time takes its toll—even on prolific assets. Declining productivity, aging infrastructure, and operational bottlenecks had left one such major onshore brownfield underperforming, despite its vast well inventory and geological potential.

With more than 500 wells and production hovering around 150,000 bbl/d, the operator faced a critical turning point. How could they reverse the decline, recover untapped resources, and extend the life of one of Libya’s key mature assets?

To achieve that transformation, they partnered with SLB.

By means of a fully integrated production optimization solution, SLB helped the operator not only recover short-term production, but establish a long-term roadmap for future development. The result was a field rejuvenated—more oil, less water, and a new foundation for sustainable value creation.

Following the success of this flagship project, five additional projects involving more than 190 wells have been initiated with other operators across Libya, expanding the impact of SLB’s integrated production model across the country’s mature field landscape.

Reversing decline to unlock full-field potential

The challenge was multilayered. The field in question had been producing for more than seven decades, and while it remained an important part of the national portfolio, its productivity had steadily declined.

The operator’s goal was to stabilize and grow production, with a focus on both short-term uplift and long-term sustainability. The strategy required a comprehensive approach that addressed more than just individual well performance. It demanded a full assessment of the asset—above and below ground—including the well stock, infrastructure, production allocation system, and future development potential.

Several challenges made this particularly urgent:

• More than 200 wells were shut-in, many with additional potential.
• Aging surface facilities were limiting operational efficiency and uptime.
• Infrastructure constraints were capping throughput, regardless of subsurface performance.
• Production allocation across the asset was unclear, complicating performance benchmarking.
• The existing field development plan was outdated.

What the operator needed was a new way forward—one that could identify quick wins while laying the groundwork for full-field rejuvenation.

Integrated planning and execution for lasting performance

SLB partnered closely with the operator to design and deliver an integrated production solution that addressed both immediate production challenges and long-term development needs.

The first step was a systematic analysis of the full well portfolio, focusing on more than 200 shut-in wells that had long been sidelined. SLB used a combination of historical data mining, production modeling, and field reconnaissance to screen and prioritize the most promising candidates for reactivation.

Every intervention was backed by a detailed cost-benefit analysis, ensuring that investment decisions were guided by return on effort and aligned with facility capacity. SLB then executed targeted well interventions, reactivating selected wells and optimizing completions using its advanced technologies and artificial-lift solutions.

But improving production was only half the mission. To ensure long-term viability, SLB will lead the design and delivery of a new, forward-looking field development plan (FDP), aligning with the operator’s long-term production and recovery goals.

A key enabler of this transformation is the ongoing implementation of a new methodology for production allocation, supported by advanced digital technology. This approach is enhancing visibility into field-wide performance—helping to identify inefficiencies, quantify gains, and enable data-driven decisions for future development.

From reservoir to surface to strategy, SLB’s integrated model brought the field into focus—technically, operationally, and economically.

Restored production, reduced water, and renewed confidence

The impact was both immediate and significant.

Across the campaign, 90 shut-in wells were successfully intervened, delivering a production gain of more than 60,000 bbl/d—exceeding the original target by 27%. In parallel, SLB’s optimization work led to a 55% reduction in water production, eliminating more than 35,000 bbl/d of water, and lightening the burden on separation, storage, and disposal facilities.

The success of the program prompted the operator to award Phase 2 of the campaign, expanding the scope to include more than 200 additional wells. Early results from this next phase show strong promise, validating the long-term potential of the integrated strategy.

Equally important, the new field development plan, and production allocation system established a clear roadmap for sustainable operations—giving the operator the tools to manage the asset with greater confidence and control.

What began as a campaign to reverse decline ultimately evolved into a long-term partnership—one focused on optimizing recovery, extending field life, and modernizing operations in one of Libya’s most important onshore assets.

Through technical depth, data-driven planning, and disciplined execution, SLB helped reshape the trajectory of a mature field—demonstrating how energy innovation can bring new life to legacy assets, and inspire wider adoption across the region.