Sound development plans are based on complex 3-D 3-Phase multimillion grid reservoir simulation models. These models are used to run different scenarios where probability distributions are included to understand the impact of uncertainties and mitigate main risks that could raise during the life of the field. With today's available dominant supercomputers, reservoir engineers have the tendency to undervalue the power of classical reservoir engineering. However, in a fully connected reservoir tank that honors the basis of the material balance equation, material balance technique has been long recognized as a powerful tool for interpreting and predicting reservoir performance by estimating initial hydrocarbon in place and ultimate hydrocarbon recovery under various depletion scenarios. In brief, under the right conditions, material balance technique is a suitable tool for field development planning. The power of material balance to predict long term performance is undisputable, especially in the case of a prevailing uncertainty. This is the case of the Magwa-Marrat field, where the development plan has historically been driven by the potential risk of asphaltene deposition in the reservoir. The objective of this paper is to show a step by step process to integrate data to build a reliable model using material balance and how this model is utilized to progress a field development plan capable of managing uncertainty and provide the tools to mitigate risk. Pressure data is obtained from repeat formation tester (RFT), static data from shut-in pressures and reservoir superposition pressures from pressure transient analysis. The average reservoir fluids properties are retrieved from a compositional equation of state based on circa 20 PVT studies. The material balance model was successfully completed, and the resulting stock tank oil initially in place (STOOP) was compared to volumetric calculations. Solution gas, rock compaction and aquifer influx were determined as drive mechanisms. The Campbell Plot, diagnostic tool, was proven to be prevailing defining early energy to determine STOOIP and the aquifer properties were calculated by matching the distal energy The material balance model was then used to run different development strategies. This methodology captured the impact of depleting the reservoir down to Asphaltene Onset Pressure (AOP) as well as below AOP. The model was also used to define the requirements for water injection rates and startup of a water flooding project for pressure support. Additionally, the material balance work was implemented to support reservoir management and to maximize recovery factor. This paper presents an innovative approach of integrating asphaltene behavior from laboratory tests and fluid studies, combined with material balance to screen development scenarios for an efficient depletion plan including water injection to manage asphaltene risks and optimize ultimate recovery. Finally, a fully ground-breaking strategy, not reported earlier to the knowledge of the authors, has been established to manage the perceived main risk in the Magwa-Marrat reservoir.

Asphaltenes flow in equilibrium with the liquid phase as other components of the produced hydrocarbon. If asphaltenes are in solution during production, there are not negative impact to well productivity. However, asphaltenes could precipitate as pressure, temperature and composition change. If precipitated, due to pressure decrease, asphaltene could deposit as a solid phase in the formation rock near wellbore becoming an obstruction to flow and inducing formation damage. Skin due to asphaltene deposition near wellbore was confirmed in several wells of a carbonate reservoir. Asphaltene deposition was also observed in the production tubing. The objective of this work is to investigate the main variables affecting asphaltene deposition in the Magwa-Marrat field is South East Kuwait and develop a technique to manage and/or decrease formation damage due to this solid deposition phenomena. In order to estimate the skin value and predict the location of any impairment to production, a pressure gauge was set at 1,000 ft above the top of the perforations and the well was equipped with a permanent multiphase meter device. A series of pressure buildup tests and multi-rate tests were run to disseminate Darcy skin from non-Darcy skin. Pressure transient analysis (PTA) delivered total abnormal pressure losses from the formation near wellbore to the gauge location, while multi-rate tests (MRT) allowed to investigate rate dependent skin. Well tests at different rates were also run to investigate the relationship between fluid velocity and asphaltene deposition. Once the elements of total skin were split into Darcy skin and Non-Darcy skin, a tubing clean-out and a stimulation job were designed and implemented to eliminate the asphaltene deposits and remove the damage. Total skin was reduced from +30 to −3.5 and productivity index was increased by a factor greater than ten (10). The production rate to mitigate asphaltene deposition was successfully determined. The well has been on production for about 1 year without developing any additional damage and without further deposition of asphaltene in the production tubing as the well has been flown above the minimum flow velocity that would allow asphaltene deposition. A combination of well intervention combined with determination of operating conditions have been developed to successfully produced asphaltenic hydrocarbons at flowing bottom hole pressure (FBHP) below asphaltene onset pressure (AOP). This methodology has been successfully implemented. If the liquid velocity is high enough to carry precipitated asphaltene out, solid deposits are not observed and there is not harm to productivity. The technique has worked for a case where reservoir pressure has been depleted below asphaltene onset pressure (AOP). This is a fundamental change in the globally applied industry approach that urges to produce asphaltenic hydrocarbons at FBHP above AOP.

Asphaltene deposition in reservoir rock is very difficult to remediate. If precipitated, asphaltenes could be trapped in the formation pores, the particles can deposit and plug the porous media reducing permeability. However, it has been hypothesized that precipitated asphaltene could entrain back into the liquid phase if the shear rate is high enough before it is deposited, adsorbed and anchored to the rock. This work intends to evaluate the role of rate in the asphaltene deposition tendency for the asphaltenic Magwa-Marrat reservoir fluid. Precisely, the purpose of this work is to study the effect of production rates and operating pressures on asphaltene deposition in the production tubing and reservoir rock at lab level running Coreflooding tests and at field level producing a well at different rates. This work provides insights into field observations of a trial well producing at a bottom hole flowing pressure below AOP. Several multi rate tests and pressure transient analysis were performed to understand asphaltene deposition in the reservoir near wellbore region and away from the well. Asphaltene deposition in the production tubing was also assessed by means of friction coefficient calculations to better understand the deposition mechanism, especially the roles played by shear rate and pressure. Coreflooding experiments at different flow rates below and above AOP were run after proper characterization of the cores and reservoir fluids. As expected, the laboratory Coreflooding results demonstrated that there were no changes in the cores’ flow capacity whether at low or at high velocities when the pore pressure was kept above AOP. However, when the pore pressure was brought below AOP, Coreflooding tests showed that the higher the velocity, the lower the permeability impairment. This concludes that fluid velocity is an important factor in the asphaltene deposition mechanism. Field tests were also conducted, and the field observations were fully consistent with laboratory results. In the case of asphaltenic crude oils, industry standards recommend depleting the reservoir to pressures no lower than AOP. Based on results of this study, and alternative approach is proposed; basically, depending on the rock-fluid properties and their interaction, it is possible to deplete the reservoir pressure significantly below AOP. Asphaltene deposition is nowadays an area of research and this study has brought some uniqueness to this subject. 1) The laboratory tests were designed together with field tests to confirm the validity of conclusions; 2) It demonstrates that a reservoir can be operated at pressures below AOP and wells produced at higher production rates as a result of operating at higher drawdowns. Altogether, the proposed approach in this paper to mitigate asphaltene deposition maximizes production offtake to the full potential of the wells while optimizing ultimate recovery; 3) Results from these field and laboratory tests have been used for field development planning that would increase the net present value of the project by a) depleting the reservoir pressure below AOP, which increases recovery factor, b) delaying water injection which minimizes CAPEX, and c) decreasing well interventions that minimizes OPEX.

Drilling in thin reservoirs is challenging task. But with easy pockets gone the reservoirs left are less than 5 to 10 feet and it becomes difficult to steer well exclusively in the sweet spot or sand in thin payzone. It is this reservoir which offer task to drill horizontal well and produce maximum where otherwise it would be difficult to produce even 200-300bopd from this thin layer of silty shales. Moreover the thin beds are like appearing or vanishing as we drill ahead due to facies change. This needs complete attention till the well reaches Target Depth (TD). Even a small fault of sub-seismic nature of 2 feet throw can offset the well from the sweet zone. But with advanced logging tools used in two wells helps to understand the nature of lithology and its productivity. Best application of this tools are in silty shales in Burgan Sands Upper (BGSU) which generally show high GR and often this leads to misjudgment of well not being in sweet spot. Logging While Drilling (LWD) logs and inversion was used whether the well is in productive zone or not. The LWD tools now have Azimuthal GR, density and resistivity. This gives a holistic picture of the lithology in the roof side or the bottom side of the lateral section. The wells under discussion were drilled with such advanced version of distance to boundary tool. After well was steered till TD, the data was processed by Petro-physicist to indicate possible payzone to decide completion. But due to high GR which is often prevalent in Burgan Sand Upper (BGSU) the entire well bore was not getting classified as potential payzone. But after looking the inversion and all LWD data sets it was conveyed that the Inflow Control Device (ICD) can be lowered for entire well bore length. As an outcome advanced ICD was lowered also against high GR zones which otherwise were not getting classified as potential payzone, and well were completed. The well was put on production starting with 1300 BOPD on 32″ choke and still after 18 months continues to produce. PLT results show that the zones indicating high GR and with poor log properties were also contributing oil. The paper discusses these wells and utilization of complete data set acquired at time of drilling and taking completion decision accordingly. The output of data of LWD has been fully utilized to complete the well successfully and given the confidence of doing so in other wells. In fact this experience was used in another similar looking well with unfavorable parameters and successfully completed.