No abstract

Many oilfield development projects require artificial lift systems, i.e., methods to enhance well fluid production that are needed when the reservoir pressure is too low to allow for the produced fluid to reach the surface. Such an approach is of particular interest for mature oilfields (such as those in the Middle East and North Africa) and for many of the upcoming deepwater and ultra-deepwater fields under development around the world. Artificial lifting can be achieved by gas lifting or through a pump installed into the well. For subsea downhole applications, a progressive cavity pump (PCP) or (centrifugal) electrical submersible pump (ESP) is employed. ESP systems are having, in particular, wide spreading, essentially as a result of the good efficiencies and high rates and depth. In search of means for maximizing the productivity of each well that sometimes leads to looking for producing the maximum in the shortest possible time, these pumps are seen as a sort of panacea. In this work, a dangerous possible drawback is highlighted: if the system is not correctly designed, it can result in a perfect tool to generate very viscous asphaltene-stabilized emulsions. The behavior of the system is described along with the impacts generated on the pump. A verification criterion is proposed to be used during ESP design and selection of correct working conditions, and a case study is presented.

During hydrocarbons extraction from reservoir a big amount of water is produced. The volume of water does not remain constant over time, but the percentage increase passing the time. The presence of water enlarges the hydrocarbons production costs since it decrease the productivity capacity of the wells, increasing the treatments complexity of hydrocarbons. The water treatment is a delicate issue in the oil industry, both from economical and environmental point of view. In the last years eni has developed different R&D projects for optimizing the water treatment processes and for improving the quality of the water. The produced water, once treated, can be reinjected into the reservoir or discharged in surface (sea, rivers, desert). The use of innovative technologies both onshore and offshore has allowed the discharge of water into surface bodies with oil in water concentration less than country regulations where the reservoir is placed. This paper presents an ongoing project concerning the application of a produced water treatment system in the Raml field (Western Desert) in order to improve quality of the produced water, reaching the required target for the reinjection (oil-in-water ≤ 10 ppm and total suspended solids ≤ 15 ppm) also minimizing operations management and equipments maintenance. A testing campaign on the deoling system, part of the water treatment system, was done on January 2010. This paper reports the processand scheme developed and the positive results obtained during this trial.

Evolving energy needs and the global energy transition call for proper evaluation of how Natural Gas could support a Decarbonisation path, considering Natural Gas well recognised contribution to GHG emission reduction approaching the ambitious Green World. However, the main question is how gas resources can be properly delivered to satisfy a wide range of markets and usages considering that fundamental driver is the goal of reducing carbon footprint. A methodology was developed, named Gas Master Plan (GMP), which is an integrated study with a novel view, looking to synergic opportunities among energy sources while defining economically sustainable business models and meeting Decarbonisation targets. A Gas Master Plan is a multidisciplinary study assessing the best valorisation routes for Natural Gas resources in a specified country or geographical region. This kind of study analyses gas and energy supply/demand balance, understanding current and future markets and looks for adequate destinations, check existing infrastructures and further possible developments carried by Local Governments or private entities, identify potential gas production for all the involved resources, business modelling, understanding the benefits to the global energy transition targets that such resources could deliver and screening monetization opportunities under a strategic plan view. Thus, a GMP is not just an analysis of upstream volumes to verify whether they match commitments and still fit in their future development plans but it is company-wide joint effort to gather ideas, proposals, topics or issues to be addressed and possible solutions. Broadly speaking resources considered in a typical GMP would be: those under an exploration phase, those just discovered for which a proper development has to be realised, those already in production but for which new market opportunities can be scouted in order to improve their benefit on the energy transition paths while seeking further economic returns. The primary result is to develop a strategy to optimize present production and the development and valorisation of future gas assets, identifying the related GHG profile for each opportunity, supporting the decision-making process on new/future gas initiatives with a coherent plan. The resulting outcomes and conclusions may address specific topics on the short to medium term, like associate to a gas field the proper development project to cover gas and energy commercial demand, or set targets achievable on the medium to long term like supporting a low carbon footprint growth in the energy sector and promoting gas-based industries.