Description
Unconventional HCs full field development and upgrading:
- Operator projected upscaling of two greenfield projects from pilot to factory mode, which required the upgrading and expansion of facilities such as well-pads, gathering network, and EPF
- Diverse fluid compositions from exploratory wells of two fields
- Facilities required to process the commingled production from two oilfields
Challenge
- Become independent from 3rd party’s facilities for fluid processing
- Reuse existing pipeline network to export gross production to 3rd party as part of oilfield’s new gathering network for diverse GOR and WC scenarios
- As much as possible, utilize out- off-the-shelf equipment and adapt to the project when/where necessary.
- Operator required reusing and adapting the engineering design of a former project executed in another country, for different fluid composition and conditions, to optimize resources and project delivery.
- Address high salinity issues
- Address high wax content in oil with high WAT
- Flexibility to operate at:
- Various inlet compositions
- Different pressure scenarios to optimize liquids HCs production along with the oilfield life
Project Development
- Analysis of well-pad and gathering system network for each operational scenario, including flow assurance scenarios (e.g., slugs, hydrates, and wax deposition)
- Upgraded standard equipment design from other facilities to address desalting issues
- Pressure sensitivity analysis to maximize oil recovery
- CAPEX and OPEX estimation
Outcome
- Repurposed the existing pipeline network
- Repurposed available equipment for different design conditions
- Equipment definition and sizing covering over 80% reuse between different operating pressures
- Operating pressure optimized to maximize oil recovery with a focus on minimizing power consumption
- NPV optimized for multiple operational scenarios
- Proposed sensitivity analysis of extended operating pressure scenarios, aside the operator’s early assumptions, singled out the most cost-effective solution.
- Breakeven achieved 4 months before operator’s alternative
- Flow-assurance results allowed upgrading standard slug-catcher design for sustained EPF operation
