Production ExPRESSTM rapid production response solutions added nearly 3,000 bbl/d to production, helping an operator in Egypt to achieve 3 years of uninterrupted flow of extra-heavy oil without flaring.
An operator in Egypt needed a way to enable production on new offshore wells while its permanent plant was under construction. The operator needed a compact and modular package with the ability to meet specific design criteria, most notably the ability to process extra-heavy oil (API < 16), water cut up to 25%, low wellhead pressures, and high production pipeline backpressure. The project plan envisioned cleaning up the wells first and then putting them into production as soon as possible to generate early cash flow.
The operator's needs were an ideal fit for an express early production facility (EPF), part of the Production ExPRESS solutions portfolio. An express EPF helps operators start up production faster than conventional EPFs by delivering a mobile fit-for-purpose solution directly to the wellsite. The service lets the operator acquire metered reservoir data while fast-tracking hydrocarbon production, treating effluents such as basic sediment and water, sour gas, salt, and other impurities to the exact specifications of each individual facility.
The express EPF solution designed specifically for this project was deployed onshore to process and stabilize the heavy oil to meet the operator’s quality standards before being delivered to the export pipeline. A precise combination of chemicals and heat was applied to treat the heavy oil and make it more suitable for production. The solution integrated standard surface well testing equipment with a REDA HPSTM horizontal multistage surface pumping system to overcome high production backpressure. The REDA HPS pump—part of the standard express EPF package—was used to pump a single phase (oil) and fitted with a SCADA system that enabled the operator to control the pump performance and its operating parameters remotely.
After a successful first phase, the operator requested deployment of a second express EPF for a remote well that had no supporting pipeline infrastructure. To accommodate the new requirements, SLB developed a modular package designed to process and store heavy oil in specially designed 500-bbl tanks and then load the oil onto trucks for delivery to a facility located 150 km away.
The rapid-response solution with two express EPFs helped the operator achieve 3 years of uninterrupted production with heavy oil treated to the operator’s exact specifications—all without the use of flaring. The delivered solution contributed an additional 2,800 bbl/d to the operator's bottom line over the 3-year time period. Production ExPRESS solutions with zero flaring are part of the SLB Transition Technologies™ portfolio.
