This paper investigates the best practices and lessons learned for both the development and calibration methods of integrated production models. Consequently, this allowed for the successful application of Integrated Production Modeling (IPM) to large scale and complex petroleum production systems in the Cooper Basin, Australia. The potential for calibrated integrated production models to aid the assessment of production system development, forecasting, operational surveillance and optimization opportunities (flow assurance, integrity considerations, well performance/intervention, incremental approaches to development and back out/pressures) supported the need for an optimum (quality versus resource allocated) and innovative development procedure. A structured workflow for developing and calibrating the integrated production models is presented which allows for an improved ability to create and operate such models. The key development components, and for which illustrative and detailed workflows are presented, are: (1) development of reservoir model, (2) development of required well models, (3) development of required surface facility model and (4) the overall calibration of the integrated production model. Detailed within this paper is the extensive theoretical analysis which was mandatory in determining the use of the most suitable parameters which included vertical lift performance (VLP) correlations, flowline correlations, relative permeability curves (generation and alternatives), inflow performance relationship (IPR), water influx models, micro-string implications and all related considerations and assumptions. The paper emphasizes the trade-off between the required outputs from the application of the integrated production models and the available resources and period of development. The value of information is also highlighted through the importance of data collection and preparation procedures, both technical (pressure and fluid) and organizational (procedures). Furthermore, engineering decisions were found to significantly dictate the accuracy and efficiency of the implemented development process and workflows, in particular related to average reservoir properties, cyclic well behavior and the history matching of system pressures and flow rates within the calibration process. The considerations have been supported by relevant examples throughout the paper.

This paper investigates the use of integrated production models to apply a consistent and repeatable approach to assess petroleum production network efficiency and aid production system optimisation. Assessing network efficiency in the manner detailed in this paper allows petroleum professionals to define a maximum network production through the analysis of the pressure drop within a network. This is achieved by comparing the system base production to a simulation of theoretical wellhead water separation (for all inflows), larger diameters of all surface pipelines (double the diameter is used as a maximum case) and a combination of the two using integrated production modelling (IPM). The combination of water separation and larger diameter of all the pipelines represented the maximum network production possible for tangible projects. This allowed the definition of network efficiency value of a petroleum production system on a scale of 0% to 100%. At a screening level, the lower the Network Efficiency Metric (NEM) the greater the likelihood of an optimisation opportunity, prompting additional assessment of special cases. This method was applied to a network of 40 wells using IPM, and NEM values of 95.9% (water separation), 94.6% (double pipeline diameter) and 83.5% (combined) were obtained. These values of network efficiency also corresponded to incremental reserve difference of 4.3, 5.8 and 20.1 Bscf, respectively. The NEM was a crucial component of the screening process and demonstrated an alternative and efficient method for the identification of optimisation projects, which increased production and reserves.