Raising the Sleeping Giants: Restarting of Alpha & Beta Fields World-Class WRFM Collaboration

Abstract

The importance of Wells, Reservoir, and Facility Management in the life of producing Oil and Gas assets cannot be overemphasized. Several authors in the past have highlighted the significant contributions WRFM practice and process have to the ultimate recovery of matured assets. WRFM serves as a stop-gap to redevelopment in areas of cash crunch, whereby active WRFM practice arrests severe natural decline in production. Onshore assets comprising of fields Alpha and Beta are operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC). These assets have been operated for over 30 years, rising water cut & high gas-oil ratio production and facility downtime risks have impacted oil recovery. This work showcases the application of WRFM at the re-startup of production in these fields post shut-in for almost 5 years. Effective and deliberate application WRFM processes and practices woven together in the WRFM Plan not only ensure an efficient restart of the facility but the ability to ramp production while maintaining the intricate balance of good reservoir management. The paper will highlight the best WRFM practices which enabled the resumption of production at a lower water rate compared to when the field was shut and maintain this higher net oil for a prolonged time. Also highlighted are opportunity identification and implementation in-closed wells and effective collaboration across disciplines to ensure a safe and efficient restart of production facilities.