Produced Water Handling Using Downhole Oil Water Separation Study Case Onshore & Offshore Fields Abu Dhabi

Abstract

The expected profiles of the water produced from the mature ADNOC fields in the coming years imply an important increase and the OPEX of the produced and injected water will increase considerably. This requires in-situ water separation and reinjection. The objective of in-situ fluid separation is to reduce the cost of handling produced water and to extend the well natural flow performance resulting in increased and accelerated production. The current practice of handling produced water is inexpensive in the short term, but it can affect the operating cost and the recovery in the long term as the expected water cut for the next 10-15 years is forecasted to incease significantly. A new water management tool called downhole separation technology was developed. It separates oil and & gas from associated water inside the wellbore to be reinjected back into the disposal wells. The Downhole Oil Water Separation (DHOWS) Technology is one of the key development strategies that can reduce considerable amounts of produced water, improve hydrocarbon recovery, and minimize field development cost by eliminating surface water treatment and handling costs. The main benefits of DHOWS include acceleration of oil offtake, reduction of production cost, lessening produced water volumes, and improved utilization of surface facilities. In effect, DHOWS technologies require specific design criteria to meet the objectives of the well. Therefore, multi--discipline input data are needed to install an effective DHOWS with a robust design that economically outperforms and boosts oil and/or gas productions. This paper describes the fundamental criteria and workflow for selecting the most suitable DHOWS design for new and sidetracked wells to deliver ADNOC production mandates in a cost-effective manner while meeting completion requirements and adhering to reservoir management guidelines.