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With the imminent global water crisis, it is imperative to revolutionize how water as a commodity is managed. Currently, there is a disconnect between how various sectors of the society withdraw and consume water especially in hydrocarbon‐rich, water scarce regions such as the Middle East. This study proposes a multi‐criteria, multidisciplinary decision analysis model for integrated technology development across private and public sectors in such regions. The increasing water stress provides the oil and gas industry an opportunity to play a pivotal role in harnessing its technologies to sustainably support the water demand. The proposed concept is supported with case studies highlighting challenges and innovative solutions applied across the globe. This study builds a case for a framework on the basis of a step‐change opportunity to manage water needs and effectively plan technology, investment, and regulatory requirements for sustainable access to future sustainable freshwater management.

Hydraulic fracturing is a stimulation process, most frequently used in tight and unconventional reservoirs for successful and economical hydrocarbon production. This study deals with the propagation behavior of induced hydraulic fractures (HFs) in naturally fractured formations within heterogeneous Middle Eastern tight gas reservoirs. Local sensitivity analysis was conducted for a Middle East candidate reservoir by varying fracture design parameters to investigate the fracture propagation behavior. After a comprehensive evaluation, a discrete fracture network-based simulator was used to introduce multiple sets of natural fractures (NFs) into the model to further analyze their interactions. Furthermore, simplistic wellbore placement analysis was also conducted. It is observed that production in tight reservoirs is governed by the presence of NFs and their distribution. This investigation analyzes HF propagation behavior and its correlated effects in the presence of NFs. Further assessment in terms of varying fracture geometry, NF sets, wellbore placement, and their effects on the conductivity are also presented. The introduced NF sets further illustrate the significance of the NF properties in this assessment. Additionally, variations in well placement demonstrate how effective the treatment can be in the presence of complex NF sets when properly located. The study is unique as it is one of its kind based on field data within the Middle East region and offers an insight into the potential concerns that may assist future fracturing operations within the region. The outcomes from this research validate the significance of NF orientation and its subsequent effects on the final HF geometry and network. Additionally, it further highlights the criticality of well placement and design strategies during hydraulic fracturing treatment design. Results describe how a minor modification with respect to the well placement can significantly affect hydraulic fracturing operations and subsequently the productivity and feasibility.

The aim of this investigation is to develop a comprehensive understanding of an enhanced oil recovery (EOR) candidate reservoir based in an unconventional sandstone dominated environment. The unique geology, owing to its proximity to an inland, endorheic basin, alongside its complex stratigraphic geometry incorporating extensive folding and faulting as well as a laterally extensive unconformity. The study leans heavily on the forefront of reservoir characterizations. Reservoir characterization is crucial in providing an outline of the sub-surface and helps visualize the hydrocarbon system in-place. Our study area is the deeper consolidated units. This section was analyzed in detail to understand the petrophysical and fluid properties. The properties of the rock formation(s) of interest were identified from mineralogical content based on XRD analysis and SEM analysis to develop an interlink between the results. A compilation of the results plays a key role in determining reservoir quality and fluid properties which heavily influences important variables such as porosity, permeability, capillary pressure, relative permeability, wettability, interfacial tension, and fluid compositions. The clay mineralogy affects the penetration rate and the diagenetic overprint either enhances or deliberates fluid flow. The novelty of this integrated study lays the foundation for a thorough and bespoke screening EOR study, which is currently under development for an offshore candidate field. Preliminary screenings were also conducted through core flooding with representative outcrops. An understanding of the integration of the various reservoirs and fluid properties is essential in determining the characteristics of the entirety of the candidate reservoir. Incorporating these complex zones in an integrated reservoir characterization study is fundamental in achieving successful EOR deployment and optimizes oil production.

This investigation presents laboratory and field deployment results that demonstrate the potential candidacy utilizing Nano and bio-technologies to create superior chemicals for novel applications to increase oil recovery from both onshore and offshore reservoirs. Nano-technology is gaining momentum as a tool to improve performance in multiple industries, and has shown significant potential to enhance hydrocarbon production. The laboratory analysis and specifically designed coreflood results indicate there are beneficial interactions at liquid-nano solid interface that increase oil mobility. This will increase the surface activity of chemical surfactants and thereby make them the dominant agents to mobilize and recover oil from oil-bearing reservoirs. Advances in biotechnology offer another rich resource of knowledge for surface active materials that are renewable and more environmental-friendly. In addition, our studies also demonstrate that bio-surfactants are well-suited to provide superior performances in enhancing oil recovery. Nano-particles and biosurfactants may be included with synthetic surfactants to create novel and more efficient surface active agents for enhanced oil recovery. These formulations can promote better flow back of the injected stimulation fluids and additional mobilization to extract more oil from the matrix and micro-fractures. Laboratory experiments demonstrate that the specialized surfactant formulations created, interact with mixed or oil-wet low permeability formations to produce additional oil. Furthermore, this investigation also compares the total production on a candidate field with respect to typical water flood and the novel formulated surfactant approach. For each surfactant treatment, the overall designed injected fluid volume is 1500 m3 (~ 396,000 gallons) with 4 gpt (gallon per thousand unit) of surfactant concentration. Results indicate improved oil production with longer exposure time of the key surfactants within the reservoir. Enhanced surface wetting and super-low interfacial tension (IFT) at lower chemical concentrations are recognized to be the main mechanisms. The novel surfactant also shows stronger sustainability and endurance in keeping rock surface wettability over traditional surfactant system up to 5 times for an 8 PV wash. Furthermore, this can assist to identify and initiate the optimization of the identified mechanisms for potential applications within other compatible reservoirs. A number of successful field applications of EOR with special formulated nano and bio-based surfactant formulation are discussed in this paper. This unique study bridges the gap between the field realized results and lab optimization to enhance feasibility as a function of time and cost.