Challenge: Manage reservoir drawdown in Statoil’s Gulfaks field in wells that are equipped with downhole pressure gauges as well as those that are not so equipped
Solution: In wells with WellWatcher real-time reservoir and production monitoring systems, the oil production rate was maximized by maintaining bottomhole flowing pressure slightly above bubblepoint pressure. In wells without downhole permanent gauges, production was optimized using calibration curves based on empirical multiphase equations and pressure data from WellWatcher systems in nearby wells
Results: Statoil increased production fivefold from 630 to 3,145 bbl/d on a well-by-well basis
The Gulfaks field development for Statoil consists primarily of single-phase oil flow without free gas. Some of the offshore platform wells with bottomhole pressure of approximately 28 MPa [4,000 psi] had been equipped with WellWatcher real-time reservoir and production monitoring systems to continuously monitor bottomhole flowing pressure and temperature. The challenge was to adequately manage reservoir drawdown in those wells not equipped with any bottomhole pressure measuring system.
In wells with WellWatcher system gauges, oil production was maximized by adjusting the flow rate to maintain bottomhole flowing pressure slightly above bubblepoint pressure. In wells without downhole permanent gauges, production was optimized using calibration curves based on empirical multiphase equations and pressure data from downhole permanent gauges in nearby wells. Statoil enhanced production from 100 to 500 m³/d [630 to 3,145 bbl/d] on a well-by-well basis, a fivefold increase.
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