JPT 2019-03 PDF
JPT 2019-03 PDF
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CONTENTS
Volume 71 • Number 3
An Official Publication of the Society of Petroleum Engineers. Printed in US. Copyright 2019, Society of Petroleum Engineers.
TECHNOLOGY FOCUS
We have the
64 ARTIFICIAL LIFT
superpower
Greg Stephenson, SPE, Senior Engineering Adviser,
Occidental Petroleum to see inside
65 Gas-Lift Operations Require Accurate Predictions of Downhole
Annulus Pressure
your well.
68 Study Evaluates Ability of Tailpipe Systems To Optimize Artificial Lift And like all good
in Horizontal Wells
86 SEISMIC
Mark S. Egan, SPE, Consulting Geophysicist
The complete SPE technical papers featured in this issue are available
free to SPE members for 2 months at www.spe.org/jpt.
SPE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OFFICERS
2019 President
Sami Alnuaim, Saudi Aramco
2018 President
Darcy Spady, Independent Director
2020 President
Shauna Noonan, Occidental Petroleum
REGIONAL DIRECTORS
AFRICA NORTH SEA
Omowumi Iledare, University of Port Harcourt Karl Ludvig Heskestad, Aker BP
CANADIAN ASIA PACIFIC
Cam Matthews, C-FER Technologies Nasir Darman, Petronas
EASTERN NORTH AMERICA RUSSIA AND THE CASPIAN
Joe Frantz Jr., Range Resources Aizhana Jussupbekova, ExxonMobil
MID-CONTINENT NORTH AMERICA SOUTH AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN
Chris Jenkins, Chesapeake Energy Cesar Patino, Ecopetrol
MIDDLE EAST SOUTH, CENTRAL AND EAST EUROPE
Faisal Al-Nughaimish, Saudi Aramco Jean-Marc Dumas, Aedes Energy International
NORTH AMERICA SOUTH ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
Barry Hanson, Sproule Tapas Kumar Sengupta, ONGC (Ret.)
Steve Cheung, SteveIOR Consultants
TECHNICAL DIRECTORS
DRILLING COMPLETIONS
Jeff Moss, ExxonMobil Terry Palisch, CARBO Ceramics
HEALTH, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT PRODUCTION AND FACILITIES
Johana Dunlop, Sponsored by Schlumberger Hisham Saadawi, Baker Hughes, a GE Company
MANAGEMENT AND INFORMATION RESERVOIR
Birol Dindoruk, Shell Erdal Ozkan, Colorado School of Mines
WORLD CRUDE OIL PRODUCTION+‡ HENRY HUB GULF COAST NATURAL GAS SPOT PRICE‡
THOUSAND BOPD
6
2018
O PEC JUL AUG SEP OCT 5 USD/million Btu
Algeria 1292 1282 1242 1242
4
Angola 1572 1582 1602 1572
Ecuador 523 530 518 513 3
Gabon 180 200 200 200
2
Iran 4428 4271 4151 4151
Iraq 4619 4690 4715 4745 1
2018
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
2019
JAN
Kuwait1 2850 2850 2850 2850
Libya 747 1067 1157 1157
Nigeria 1860 1930 2030 1990
Qatar2 1470 1480 1460 1460
Saudi Arabia1 10525 10465 10565 10765 WORLD CRUDE OIL PRICES (USD/bbl)‡
UAE 3181 3221 3221 3271
Venezuela 1450 1405 1731 1341
2018 2019
TOTAL3 35205 35496 35600 35770 JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN
THOUSAND BOPD WTI 67.87 70.98 68.06 70.23 70.75 56.96 49.52 51.38
2018
NON-OPEC JUL AUG SEP OCT
Canada 4311 4520 4174 4329
WORLD ROTARY RIG COUNT†
China 3732 3768 3694 3789
Egypt 637 645 635 635
Mexico 1865 1841 1849 1787 2018 2019
REGION JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN
Norway 1552 1526 1326 1511
US 1050 1050 1053 1062 1077 1078 1065
Russia 10814 10811 10964 11014
Canada 204 220 201 192 198 141 176
UK 910 845 831 934
USA 10936 11325 11458 11537 Latin America 190 192 192 193 189 197 194
TOTAL 47436 47630 47427 48294 Middle East 400 402 395 404 394 394 402
Total World 82641 83126 83072 84064 Africa 98 104 109 107 103 108 109
INDICES KEY
TOTAL 2251 2278 2258 2271 2266 2244 2264
Numbers revised by EIA are given in italics.
+
Figures do not include natural gas plant liquids.
1
Includes approximately one-half of Neutral Zone production.
2
Qatar withdrew its membership from OPEC as of 1 January. Its WORLD OIL SUPPLY AND DEMAND‡
crude oil production will be moved to the non-OPEC category when
the January data are reported.
3
Countries are classified as “OPEC” or “non-OPEC” in all years based on
their status in the most current year.
MILLION BOPD 2018
4
Additional annual and monthly international crude oil production statistics Quarter 1st 2nd 3rd 4th
are available at http://www.eia.gov/beta/international/.
† Source: Baker Hughes. SUPPLY 99.13 99.61 101.21 101.99
‡ Source: EIA.
DEMAND 99.04 99.47 100.42 100.89
Supply includes crude oil, lease condensates, natural gas plant liquids, biofuels, other liquids,
and refinery processing gains.
After CT well cleanup operations, the thief zone was mechanically isolated between
the RBP and the CRP/DBPV. Both systems were set with Interwell’s Hydraulic Running
Tool (HRT). Interwell’s Stinger was then deployed, and a gel treatment was pumped
through the CRP/DBPV into the thief zone.
After all equipment was retrieved from the well, an Injection Profile Log was run.
The operation was deemed a success. The ability to complete this Scope of Work
with a single method of deployment led to a very efficient and low risk operation.
VALUE CREATED
• Improved Hydrocarbon Production in the field
• Cost Savings and Reduced Risk due to single method of conveyance
YOUR GLOBAL
PARTNER
www.interwell.com
The oil and gas industry faces three key through subsurface tubing and gathering lines, often going
questions with regard to sustainabili- through harsh environments, including subsea. This pro-
ty. Can we transform oil and gas into a vides many opportunities for improved energy efficiency,
cleaner, efficient source of energy with which reduces costs and is therefore good business practice.
minimum or zero-net CO2 emissions? Upstream is also a technology-intensive sector, where new
How do we use technology to transform technologies have been deployed, helping the sector to be
our industry to a low-carbon-intensity more sustainable.
industry to help in addressing the global Advanced high-resolution seismic channel acquisition, pro-
climate change challenge, while extending the economic and cessing technologies, and algorithms, interpreted with the
social benefits of oil and gas to improve human lifestyle on help of high-performance supercomputers, have significantly
earth? Can we scientifically and globally measure the sustain- lowered the exploration risk and decreased the number of dry
ability performance of our industry with respect to the fol- holes drilled. Geo-steering technologies and the software in-
lowing four pillars: environmental impact, economic growth, frastructure to support them have helped our industry to pre-
social development, and lifestyle improvements? cisely place thousands of subsurface horizontal sections away
These are very challenging questions facing our indus- from water and gas contacts. This, in turn, has significantly
try. Without addressing the environmental concerns relat- reduced the amount of energy needed to lift the produced
ed to our industry, we risk our ability to operate globally hydrocarbons from those wells and maximize production.
and hinder our ability to attract talent. I believe that with The end result is fewer wells required to meet the production
the best practices, the right strategy, adequate R&D invest- target. Smart-well completions and downhole deep-sensing
ment, and the right technology deployment, our industry can technology have helped us to better manage reservoirs fluids
and will achieve these goals. I have spoken in prior columns and keep the undesired fluids in the reservoir. This lowers the
about the fact oil and gas will be part of the energy mix well amount of energy needed to lift the hydrocarbons and reduc-
into the future, and about the significant economic and so- es the volume of produced water to process, treat, and dis-
cial development our industry produces. Given global opin- pose at the surface.
ion, we have no choice except to develop and use technology Slimhole drilling and related production and logging tech-
to transform our industry to be a low-carbon industry with nologies have generated a significant reduction in the materi-
minimum environmental impact across the entire oil and als, time, and energy used to drill oil and gas wells. The evo-
gas value chain. lution of automated and intelligent drilling technologies is
As I have met with oil ministers, CEOs, and executives helping enhance safety and eliminate human error. Advanced
around the world, I believe our industry is on the right track predictive algorithms and artificial intelligence systems are
toward establishing the required infrastructure to achieve helping to predict and avoid drilling problems hours before
these goals in the mid-to-long term. If we look at our indus- they can cause hazardous events such as blowouts, leaks,
try across the upstream, midstream, and downstream sec- stuck pipes, or additional sidetracks. The latest advancements
tors, we see hundreds of best practices and advanced tech- in hydraulic fracturing technology have made gas recovery
nologies that can be linked directly to our sustainability from shale more feasible, increasing gas available for power
performance and its four pillars mentioned above. My Febru- generation. In many cases that gas is used in lieu of coal, which
ary column focused on how technology was helping our trans- has a significant impact on global CO2 reduction. Increased
formation on the supply side. In this column I would like to reuse of produced and flowback water in fracturing, which
look at how R&D and technology are improving our environ- results in reduced water demand by our industry, is another
mental performance. environmental benefit.
The upstream sector (exploration, drilling, and produc- Finally, carbon capture, storage, and sequestration (CCSS)
tion) requires large amounts of energy to extract oil and technology developed by our industry will play a significant
gas from reservoirs and transport it to surface facilities role in the global climate response, possibly toward close
To contact the SPE President, email president@spe.org. Follow him on Twitter: @neaimsa.
Extreme
high-risk and harsh operations. Drones are also being de-
ployed to help us mitigate greenhouse gas emissions by find-
Conditions
ing methane leaks quickly and expediting their repair within
hours rather than days or weeks.
& Pressures
In the downstream sector, according to IPIECA, oil refining
is an energy-intensive activity, accounting for about half of all
the energy consumed by the oil and gas industry as a whole.
Hence, enhancing the energy efficiency of oil refineries, ter-
minals, and downstream complexes should be a strategic ob- Nobody Does it Better
jective for our industry. Facility energy management systems Count on our proven
allow us to optimize energy use in steam generation, electric- valves, fittings &
ity produced from captive power plants (cogen), energy con- tubing for ALL
sumption across all processing units, and further optimiza- your oil, gas &
tion of emissions across all facilities units. The average energy petrochem needs
intensity of the refining industry has fallen (improved) by
13% since 1980 in OECD countries, according to IEA data. The
evolving crude-to-chemicals programs undertaken by sev-
eral international and national oil companies will be a game-
changer in finding noncombustion uses for crude oil, elimi-
nating the CO2 emissions that would be generated through
burning it. For example, Saudi Aramco has signed a technol-
ogy agreement and project to increase crude-to-chemicals,
with a goal of increasing the conversion rate of each barrel
from 15 to 50% by 2030.
In conclusion, there is a growing consensus within the oil HiP…Our Name is High Pressure
and gas industry to address the four pillars of sustainability, Erie, PA • USA • 814.838.2028 • HighPressure.com
with more focus on social development and environmental
The professional pride segment identifies objectives such as helping SPE mem- Omer M. Gurpinar, Schlumberger
bers better understand and become more inspired by the industry’s contributions Birger Velle Hanssen, OneSubsea
to society, demonstrating the benefits of oil and gas so members can communicate Greg Horton, Retired
that positive value to the public, and highlighting industry achievements as well as John Hudson, Shell
contributions to sustainability and social responsibility. Morten Iversen,
With that backdrop, the 45-page special section in this issue covers three main areas: Karachaganak Petroleum Operating
◗ What satisfaction do petroleum engineers receive from the work they do? Leonard Kalfayan, Hess Corporation
◗ What value does oil and gas bring to individuals and to society? Thomas Knode, vPSI Group
◗ What trends and challenges will help define the future work of petroleum
Sunil Kokal, Saudi Aramco
engineers?
Heejae Lee, ExxonMobil
JPT invited a variety of engineers to participate to ensure a broad perspective.
Douglas Lehr, BHGE
In these pages, you will read about what practicing petroleum professionals value
about their careers and what brings them the most reward; what specific contribu- Silviu Livescu, BHGE
tions the industry is making to society, including some you might not regularly hear Shouxiang (Mark) Ma, Saudi Aramco
about in the media; some great individual and technical achievements; how to com- John Macpherson, BHGE
municate these successes and contributions to an often skeptical public; and what R.V. Marathe, ONGC
issues the industry will confront in the coming years. Stéphane Menand, DrillScan
One of these issues is climate change, and no report on the oil and gas industry’s Graham Mensa-Wilmot, Chevron
future would be complete without some discussion of this topic. But there is not
Rohit Mittal, BHGE
universal agreement—in the public, in the industry, or in these pages—on the best
Badrul H. Mohamed Jan, University of Malaya
approach to take in addressing this issue.
Nor is there agreement throughout the industry on future hydrocarbons demand Ehsaan Nasir, BHGE
and what role oil and gas will play in the global energy mix a decade or two from now. Ardian Nengkoda, Saudi Aramco
Industry reports from companies and consultancies often lay out different scenarios Yagna Oruganti, BHGE
about hydrocarbon demand in the future and the “transition” to renewables. Some Barbara Pribyl—Chairperson, Santos
predict declines in crude demand for transportation because of the increased use of Zillur Rahim, Saudi Aramco
electric vehicles, while others see almost insatiable appetites for all forms of energy, Martin Rylance, BP plc
both traditional and new. Robello Samuel, Halliburton
The oil and gas industry will likely look a lot different 10 or 20 years from now.
Otto L. Santos, Louisiana State University
But the role of petroleum engineers may not. The job of solving problems, figuring
Luigi A. Saputelli, Frontender Corporation
out how to get the most oil and gas out of the ground with the smallest environmen-
tal footprint, and ensuring that the world has sufficient energy to improve quality of Greg Stephenson, Occidental Petroleum
We’ve come a long way since 1919. What started with a single product in a small town is
now a global organization with more than 60,000 employees around the world. For 100
years, we have earned our reputation as “the execution company,” delivering unparalleled
customer service and innovative solutions to the oil and gas industry. Our inspiration
comes from our people—past and present—and the values we stand for: integrity,
safety, collaboration, competitiveness, creativity, reliability, and respect. Together, we are
committed to continuing our legacy as one of the most well-respected energy services
companies in the world as we prepare to lead into the future.
© 2019 Halliburton. All Rights Reserved.
hal100.com
Configuration Reliability
Doug Lehr, SPE, is senior manager for DFR activities at Baker Is an Opportunity
Hughes, a GE company. His current focus is driving reliability Of the technical paper abstracts I re-
improvement in new products. Previously, Lehr was global director viewed for the Completions feature in
of technology, wellbore intervention. He has 39 years of experi- the April 2019 issue of JPT, 52% focus on
ence in the development of downhole tools for completion and completion configuration or optimiza-
intervention applications. Lehr’s research interests include high-
tion. Few abstracts focus on the ability of
pressure/high-temperature applications, advancing reliability in
downhole tools, and accelerating innovation. He has authored or the completion configuration to perform
coauthored eight technical papers and holds 28 patents. Lehr holds a BS degree in reliably over long spans of time. Two crit-
mechanical engineering from The University of Texas at Austin and an MBA degree in ical aspects of configuration reliability
finance and marketing from the University of Houston. He was an SPE Distinguished are longevity and survivability.
Lecturer for 2012–13 and is a member of the JPT Editorial Committee. Lehr can be Longevity is governed by material and
reached at douglas.lehr@bhge.com. configuration stability. Longevity can be
Degree of Change
pated changes in the downhole environ-
ment over time could compromise the
configuration’s ability to perform con-
sistently. An example would be changes
in treating programs, which may create Best opportunity
unanticipated corrosive conditions that for improvement
compromise components. Low
Some aspects of survivability can be ▲ Planning ▲ Design ▲ Construction ▲
assessed during component laboratory Time
testing (run-in-hole speed, for example), Fig. 2—Schematic of the relationship between the cost of making changes and
but a major factor that affects survivabili- project timeline.
ty is the tortuosity of well paths. Tortuous
well paths are a more frequent occurrence Process Reliability Where Should We Be Going?
today, and survivability is exemplified by Many oilfield activities involve processes Fundamental to reliability is the idea
getting the completion to target depth, that are low-frequency but high-impact. of expectations. What are your expec-
in good working condition, through such Many completion installations fit into tations for completion-system reli-
a path. If not planned for, tortuous well this category. Even though a process may ability? Is your completion system
paths will stop the advance of long, rigid seem straightforward, the consequences designed with reliability in mind? Have
completion assemblies. In addition, the of failing to execute it correctly can be design-risk assessment and process-
high mechanical loads placed on a com- costly. A poor process can lead to human risk assessment been used to discover
pletion assembly while traversing com- injury or fatality, and damage to assets and mitigate risks? Will your comple-
plex well paths can result in mechanical and the environment. tion system deliver repeatable results
damage or premature component actua- Which process presents the highest in the second, third, or tenth instal-
tion. However, progress is being made in risks in your completions? What causes lations? Do you have a process in
assessing these scenarios in terms of sur- that process to fail to deliver the intended place for reporting failure and manag-
vivability. Paper SPE 191050, “Geometric outcome time after time? ing corrective actions? Such a process
Wellbore Analysis for Improved Comple- Assume for a moment that an opera- enables organizational learning and
tions,” by Pile et al., contains information tor has had mediocre results installing continuous improvement.
on the use of a newly developed method a completion system in difficult well- So, instead of answering the question
for assessing installation risks. bores. In this scenario, high nonproduc- “Where are we going?”, I would rather
Improved outcomes also can be tive time has been the result. The compo- give you some ideas about where we
achieved by practicing design-risk nent suppliers have been told to redesign should be going.
assessment on completion configura- their components to fix the problem, but What our industry practiced yes-
tions routinely. Conducting a system- even after they comply, some of the prob- terday is not necessarily optimal for
level design risk assessment in the form lems persist. What, then, is the root cause today’s business environment. My rec-
of a DFMEA can lead to the discovery of of these failures? The answers may not ommended path forward includes ele-
hidden problems related to interfaces, be obvious until a process failure mode vated focus on design and process-risk
ratings, or operational sequences among effect analysis is conducted. That analy- assessment. Completion components
components. A DFMEA will identify miti- sis will enable the discovery of errone- and systems should be rigorously
gating actions that eliminate these prob- ous process steps and identify mitigat- assessed for design risks. Processes
lems or minimize their impact. Mitigat- ing actions that eliminate or reduce the related to completions, such as installa-
ing actions may result in component probability of the error occurring. tion, should also be rigorously assessed
design changes, configuration changes, Humans create and execute processes. for risks related to human error; health,
changes to installation, or other proce- Regardless of the process, tasks that are safety, and environmental incidents;
dures, but, at a minimum, will enable not crafted properly will lead to human and damage to assets. Risk assessment
team members to understand the risks. error; it isn’t a matter of if, but a mat- should be conducted as early as pos-
Identifying and mitigating risks as early ter of when. However, that analysis can sible in the completion-design process.
as possible is the most cost-effective use be used to discover when human error It should also support organizational
of risk assessment (Fig. 2). A few hours is likely in a given task, and can identify goals related to continuous improve-
spent assessing a configuration using mitigations that eliminate or reduce the ment and organizational learning. When
DFMEA in the office will provide insur- probability of the error. As with design, implemented properly, design and
ance against weeks of nonproductive mitigating process risks as early as pos- process-risk assessment will minimize
time in the field. sible is preferred. nonproductive time. JPT
Acid-Gas Detection System form adds predictive failure analytics three- or six-shot cluster design delivers
Acid-gas contamination of hydrocarbon for ESP systems. This capability not only high-performing perforations specifi-
resources is a growing issue. GEOLOG reduces failure frequency but also reduc- cally built for fracturing, unlocking stage
introduced a method of hydrogen sulfide es total downtime and lost production design options not previously possible
(H2S) detection that measures amounts by enabling proactive failure manage- with lengthy conventional spiral-phased
of the gas within the pore structure ment and planning. Adding plunger-lift technology. Flexible design options
of cuttings. Gases contained within optimization builds on previous opti- allow engineers to specify ideal clus-
the rock’s pore network are not fully mization capabilities in rod lift, gas lift, ter counts and spacings, which result
released from cuttings at surface, and a natural drive, and ESP-lifted wells. The in lower costs, fewer stages, and opti-
residual part of them can be freed and platform enables real-time optimization mal proppant placement, all with less
detected. Cuttings are placed in a sealed and surveillance along with intelligent equipment and a smaller crane. The
container and ground to a defined size. alerts, well modeling, and plunger-cycle factory-loaded, built-for-wireline sys-
The gas trapped within the container is design. Placing the platform at the well- tem improves convenience, safety, and
then analyzed. Turnaround time is 90 site can increase asset profitability, pro- reliability. New optimized stage and
seconds and the full process takes 15 ductivity, and uptime. The enhancement cluster designs allow fracturing crews
minutes when performed at the wellsite. includes automated well testing and the to get to rate quickly while still placing
To validate the results, natural hydro- ability to execute well-work activities proppant where it is optimized.
carbon gas analysis is performed in a in the field through a mobile applica- ◗◗For more information, visit
similar way, the presence of this natural tion (Fig. 1). www.perf.com.
gas confirming the existence of pores ◗◗For more information, visit
with residual gas and validating the reli- www.weatherford.com Fracturing-Design Software
ability of H2S mapping. NSI Technologies introduced a cloud-
◗◗For more information, visit Perforating System based version of its 3D hydraulic-
www.geolog.com. GEODynamics introduced the HELLFire fracturing-design software StimPlan. The
perforating system, allowing more- platform represents a set of engineering
Production-Optimization effective completion of multistage plug- tools that will simplify the work flows
System and-perforating operations. At 9.5-in. associated with designing hydraulic frac-
Weatherford introduced an enhance- total length per cluster, the system tures in complex, unconventional reser-
ment of the ForeSite production- reduces toolstring length, delivering voirs and will improve the ability to opti-
optimization platform. Among the fea- more clusters per stage (Fig. 2). This mize reservoir economics. The software
tures of the new release is expanding capability mitigates differences caused is a complete, integrated solution for
predictive failure analytics to electrical- by same-stage formation variation. The hydraulic-fracture design, analysis, and
submersible-pump (ESP) systems and compact system incorporates optimal optimization. The software helps opera-
adding complete optimization capabili- unconventional perforating technol- tors maximize their well performance
ties for plunger-lifted wells. The plat- ogies into a single, versatile tool. Its while lowering expenditure and reducing
footprint. Post-fracturing benchmark-
ing studies show that rigorous hydraulic-
stimulation design and treatment opti-
mization helps reduce operational
problems and significantly improves well
performance. Through optimizing the
hydraulic fracture treatment, the soft-
ware helps operators not only increase
production but also drive down well
costs. Taking advantage of cloud-based
parallel processing allows the platform
to decrease the time required to run mul-
Fig. 1—Weatherford’s enhanced Fig. 2—The HELLFire perforating
ForeSite provides predictive failure system from GEODynamics features
tiple simulations. JPT
analytics for ESP systems and a compact design that reduces ◗◗For more information, visit
optimization capabilities for plunger- toolstring length and delivers more wordpress.premieroilfieldlabs.com/
lifted wells. clusters per stage. stimplan-software.
our industry forward and enables us to efficient, and profitable development of tions that bring this about. At the same
survive and even thrive, even during the hydrocarbon-based energy. Bringing all time, the petroleum engineering disci-
challenging times. of this diversity together is a recipe for pline is changing. As we move forward
success. And no industry is a bigger melt- at breakneck speed, the focus will be
Community—The Who ing pot—or salad—than oil and gas. on recruiting, developing, and retaining
Community is about people. It is about Today we are expanding our commu- the best and brightest talent, irrespec-
feeling respected, cared about, and val- nity and enhancing our recipe for success tive of training. For example, sustain-
ued by others. It drives our sense of con- to include experts from other industries. able chemistry, high-performance infor-
nection and belongingness. It is some- An excellent example is an internation- mation, advanced measurement and
thing we carry in our souls. It also al, interdisciplinary technology transfer actuation, designer materials, and high-
drives our professional development consortium I belong to called Pumps & press/high-temperature electronics are
and achievements. Pipes. I also like to call it docs, rocks, just a few technologies that will make a
As the 2018 HBR article points out, and docks. It brings people from medi- major impact on unconventional shales
engineers care a lot about connecting cine, energy, aerospace, and academia as a sustainable hydrocarbon source for
with people. This is particularly true of together with community professionals years to come.
petroleum engineers. For the most part, and leaders to solve problems by “explor- The digital transformation is consum-
we tend to solve our problems in teams. ing your neighbor’s toolkit.” er focused. Common threads include
Teamwork encourages communication, With all of this diversity, “soft skills”— evolutionary leaps, relentless efficiency,
trust, support, and a positive working social and emotional intelligence, a posi- minimal assets, and value chain vision.
environment. It makes us more produc- tive and flexible attitude, and commu- Author, professor, and Consortium for
tive than we can be in isolation. And, it nication skills—are crucial to helping Science, Policy & Outcomes (CSPO) Co-
breaks down projects into more manage- people navigate their environment, Director Daniel Sarewitz sparked a lot of
able chunks that can be worked on in par- work well with others, perform well, and debate last year when he wrote, “Science
allel. Finally, it creates redundancy that achieve their goals. We can’t learn from, isn’t self-correcting, it’s self-destructing.
leads to a more robust work architecture or collaborate with, others unless we can To save the enterprise, scientists must
that helps us spread knowledge and do communicate effectively with them. This come out of the lab and into the real
things in a way that other people on the may require a little extra work on every- world.” His article in The New Atlantis
team can pick up if necessary. one’s part, the rewards, both professional addressed the need to steer the scientif-
As members of a team, we learn and and personal, are well worth it. ic enterprise back to solving real-world
develop as we share ideas and experienc- My community is deep and wide, and problems. His premise: Greater engage-
es. This is crucial to innovation in tech- it includes people of all ages and walks ment with tangible issues—safe drinking
nologies and methods that can change of life, and from different disciplines, water, disease treatments, better nutri-
the game across the board, from explora- industries, geographies, races, cultures, tion, and more equitable economic pros-
tion to well abandonment. Accelerating and genders. My community makes me perity, for example—is the only way to
innovation and its uptake requires a cul- a rich man, and I am certain I would be help science fulfill its tremendous poten-
ture of collaboration. much poorer had I chosen a profession tial for social benefit.
I like to say that there is really one other than petroleum engineering. This is what petroleum engineers do,
degree of separation between each of us and why we do it. From the very first
and someone or something that can spark Cause—The Why wells to today and into the foreseeable
the next big innovation. To be innovative Cause is about purpose—about feeling future, petroleum engineers have, and
one needs knowledge. The good news is like you make a meaningful impact, about will continue, to “do the impossible” by
that knowledge is everywhere; we just identifying with a mission, and about inventing and applying technologies and
need to go out and seek it. The stronger, believing that you are doing some good methodologies that make oil and gas the
wider, and more diverse our community, in the world. safe, low-cost energy source that drives
the more we can learn and accomplish The “what” of what we do as petro- thriving societies. Our collective accom-
together. Knowledge is in various depart- leum engineers is also the “why.” The plishments have positively impacted
ments within companies; across compa- impact we achieve with our problem world economies while sustaining and
nies, disciplines, and industries; across solving makes it possible to bring safe, improving—and even saving—people’s
academia, geographies, and cultures. affordable energy to the world. That is lives. And they will continue to do so. It is
Diversity is a business imperative for our mission. That is the good we do. our contributions that made it possible to
more ideas, better decisions and solu- Six areas of research will ignite the tap this incredible natural resource and
tions, improved performance, and pre- future of our industry: extreme machines; make it safe and affordable to produce
mium valuation. Diversity in culture, gen- super materials; intelligent internet; and, more recently, to take us from the
der, age, academics, technical discipline, mapped minds; brilliant factories; and fear of running out of oil and gas to hav-
and expertise creates a platform for real energy everywhere. Petroleum engineers ing supply that is greater than demand.
innovation that is critical to the safe, will play a critical role in the innova- What could be better than that?
I dreamed of being a petroleum engi- Being a petroleum engineer means that voir or drilling and face new challenges
neer as early as middle school in the you follow one of the most influential and learn more with each passing year.
1990s. Eventually, I studied petroleum career paths in our society because hy- Through SPE we can always be learning. I
engineering in college. After spend- drocarbon resources will continue to be have also loved the fact that in every com-
ing more than 20 years in the oil and the dominant source of energy for the pany I was encouraged to do volunteer
gas industry, working in numerous next 5 decades, and their use will be work in the community, from giving talks
countries and being involved in many required for the next century and beyond. to grade schools, judging science fairs,
megaprojects, I believe the most posi- Luigi Saputelli, Petroleum teaching children and adults to read,
tive aspect of being a petroleum engi- Engineering Consultant, Frontender planting trees, picking up trash, mentor-
neer is the fact that we deal with the ing, and serving on a board. The ways we
world’s energy needs. The task of pro- I have always felt that by being a petro- are encouraged to serve is endless.
duction alone faces many challenges, leum engineer I am helping people to Joyce Holtzclaw, Senior Vice President,
but at the same time, we as petroleum live a better life. We make transporta- E&B Natural Resources
engineers are responsible for a proac- tion possible; we keep people warm; we
tive approach to safety and the environ- provide medicine and material for plas- As petroleum engineers, we get the
ment in our operations. We are heav- tics such as cell phones, computers, and opportunity to develop new reserves of
ily involved in technology, which allows many other things that are part of the oil and gas for the people on this planet,
us to explore and produce resourc- modern lifestyle. I enjoy being a petro- to allow them to travel, go to work, warm
es safely and minimize environment- leum engineer because in a single day you and cool themselves, and allow industry
al impact. can do a huge variety of things, and over to function.
Ardian Nengkoda, Group Lead, the course of a career you can change Eric Delamaide, General Manager,
Saudi Aramco your focus from production to reser- IFP Technologies
I am a mechanical engineer who has been and, at the end of it all, there is hope. One of the most positive aspects of
a member of SPE since 1980. I have spe- There is a sense of fulfillment that your being a petroleum engineer is the very
cialized in the development of downhole idea is resulting in benefits both for the visible and often immediate impact
tools over my entire career. The most company and for the society at large. that can be seen in the decisions and
positive aspect of being an engineer in R.V. Marathe, Independent Reservoir choices that you make. This feedback
the energy industry is the opportunity Engineering Consultant loop means that there is no hiding
to innovate. Our industry has histori- place, but there is a genuine, tangi-
cally advanced due to the efforts of inno- The opportunity to meet people from ble measure of your impact. Each gen-
vators. Because our industry has always around the world in this industry is eration is standing on the shoulders
attracted very bright minds, the pace and almost without equal. It is truly a glob- of giants, and to be able to contrib-
breadth of innovation has been exten- al industry, and has an impact on peo- ute to such a discipline is incredibly
sive, and exciting to participate in. And ple’s lives that is tangible and visible rewarding. Seeing, globally, the positive
the industry will continue to innovate. wherever you are. And it is a contin- impact that cheap and available ener-
Doug Lehr, Senior Manager, Baker uous stream of challenges and prob- gy has on quality of life, life expectan-
Hughes, a GE Company (BHGE) lems to solve that make every day inter- cy, standard of living, education, and
esting and an opportunity to learn and health reminds us that this industry
This profession gives you a feeling of being grow professionally. affects individuals.
on a perpetual, adventurous expedition. Tom Knode, Principal Consultant, Martin Rylance, Global Senior
There is excitement, there is frustration, vPSI Group Adviser, BP Russia
What would you tell a petroleum engineer just beginning his/her career?
Regardless of the price of oil, starting Keep in mind that everybody has the how much they taught you. Think twice
a career as a petroleum engineer will same capability in accessing knowledge before refusing an opportunity, because
put you in the front lines to innovate to today. But this is not really knowledge. it may never return. Always remain hon-
produce in an economical and environ- Real knowledge is what you upload- est and say what you think.
mentally friendly way. You may work ed into your own natural hard drive, Delamaide, IFP Technologies
in the finding and extraction process, and what you digested from it, which
or in the areas of product manufac- becomes, eventually, experience. So Be flexible as to where you will live.
turing and commercialization. Down- learn, learn, learn—as much as you can. Develop a thick skin and be firmly com-
turns have motivated continuous effi- And what do I mean by “patient?” This mitted to going into it, as it will not be
ciency improvement and introduction industry is all about ups and downs, but easy. At times, we can face opposition
of disruptive technologies over time. remember that oil and gas are still the to what we do even though we deliver
This creates enormous opportunities most traded commodities in the world, value and everyone uses our products.
for new generations to leverage on the moreso even than food. In the up times, Some people will blame us for climate
digital technologies not commonly invest for down days, which will come change and other things despite all the
used such as data analytics, artificial sooner or later, but will not last too long. continual improvements we implement
intelligence, digital automation, and Finally, ask yourself these questions and the changes we have made, and will
environmental solutions. occasionally: Why should I be hired continue to make, to mitigate our opera-
Saputelli, Frontender instead of others in my class? What tional errors. Our existence is often seen
makes me different? My intelligence, as a negative. It will take true commit-
The simple answer is, “Be different and my knowledge? Or my leadership, inter- ment, like that of a soldier sworn to pro-
patient to survive in this industry, and relationship, entrepreneurship, and tect a crowd of protestors who may be
also be an achiever.” personal skills? Or my good character, opposed to what he or she represents.
What do I mean by “different?” my reliable personality? Continuously So too must we have engineers commit-
Remember that this is a survival-of-the- add values to keep fit for survival. ted to providing petroleum products to
fittest practice. To be fit, hard work is Tayfun Babadagli, the world, as we know that neither solar
a must. Then comes hard skills, knowl- Professor of Petroleum Engineering, alone nor wind can provide all of the
edge, and creativity. Knowledge is still University of Alberta materials we make from oil or the ener-
gold (despite the common mindset that gy that the world needs. As part of our
Internet access can replace functional, You have chosen a rewarding career, evolvement, we have found that it does
individual knowledge), and soft skills one full of opportunities. Sometimes not need to be a choice between one
are silver. These are not enough without you may get assignments that look not form or another—we need all of it.
ethical and moral values. so good, but in retrospect, you will see Holtzclaw, E&B Natural Resources
There are many industries that you I would tell someone that he/she is a minds to continue the work of find-
enter, get some training, and then work soldier engaged in the noble task of ing and converting hydrocarbons into
for a full and rewarding career. The energy sustainability for the future of fuels and materials that improve peo-
oil field demands that you continue to mankind in general. ple’s lives.
learn and develop new skills—annu- Marathe, Consultant Lehr, BHGE
ally. Don’t think of it as a treadmill but
more a daily opportunity; there are few The future of hydrocarbon energy will If you are a new petroleum engi-
industries that are as enjoyable as the oil remain bright for many decades to neer, then please don’t stop learning.
field because of this dimension, and you come. The reason is that hydrocarbons As a petroleum engineer, you will be
are privileged to be a part of that. Par- are easily converted into high-quality involved in new technologies and proj-
ticipate, share, teach, learn, study, pub- fuels and materials that improve peo- ects, so but don’t be satisfied with rou-
lish, listen, and mentor throughout your ple’s lives. The availability, portabili- tine jobs. Overall, oil and gas technol-
career, but, most of all, enjoy. ty, and versatility of hydrocarbon fuels ogy changes very quickly, and it will
Rylance, BP give it advantages that are unmatched be always fun to learn things. Be an
by renewables. An example is natu- active member of SPE; spend the time
Take opportunities that come your way ral gas, which will grow in desirability to read and participate in knowledge-
so that you can build a broad base of around the world for many decades, sharing or a technical course. Hav-
knowledge and be more valuable wher- enabling clean power that supports eco- ing a mentor will give you a greater
ever you work. And volunteer within SPE nomic growth. Another example is plas- ability to take full advantage of your
so that you can meet people who face the tics, which have enabled innovation in future career, sharpening your spe-
same challenges you do and can share food packaging and made the practice cialties or expertise and developing
learnings and insight that will be of help. of medicine safer and more effective. your network.
Knode, vPSI Group The industry will need the brightest Nengkoda, Saudi Aramco
What would you consider your best moment in the industry, or of what
accomplishment are you proudest?
Building a safety culture that led to a much The proudest moment in my career was er, it embraced improvement. This has
safer working environment, meaning that when I had an opportunity to mentor enabled our industry to regain respect-
hundreds of people were able to do their and coach a young petroleum engineer ability in the eyes of most of the pub-
job without the pain of a job-related injury. and that engineer grew into a special- lic. More importantly, we have learned
Knode, vPSI Group ist, an expert in the field, and proud to how to operate in a safer manner, pro-
be a petroleum engineer. That was my tect lives and the environment, and still
My best moment was sharing the stage “Eureka!” moment. I like to volunteer achieve cost-effective accomplishments
while getting my Honorary Member for anything; I believe by helping others in deepwater drilling and production.
award with friends I respect and with we are giving back to our society. Volun- Lehr, BHGE
all those who made it possible. But my teering isn’t one of the most glamorous
journey is not over, because I hope to do jobs, but it is one of the most beneficial Being a reservoir engineer engaged in
more to serve this industry that I love. and uplifting. In the end, there may be activities of reservoir monitoring, I
Holtzclaw, E&B Natural Resources no monetary compensation received, have always loved the excitement of the
but you feel awesome when you birth of a new project—the ever-present
I have spent my career solving what have help others. element of surprise in all such activ-
often been described as insurmountable Nengkoda, Saudi Aramco ities—and in working together with
problems. My favorite phrases to hear diverse disciplines to achieve the goal.
from others are, “We cannot frac here” I am most proud of how our industry I do not know if any other profession
or “That cannot be done”—these are red responded in the wake of the Macondo calls for so much synergy in diverse
rags to a bull. In my career, I have built accident. In the aftermath of a very neg- activities and specializations as reser-
teams and implemented solutions that ative, high-profile situation, our indus- voir monitoring.
have saved entire developments from try came together with academia and Marathe, Consultant
ignominy and economic failure. Turning regulators to craft improved standards
a dud into a spectacular result or finding for products, safety, and processes. Our Being recognized by your peers, of
a diamond in the rough in this business industry asked the hard questions, and course, but also doing what you think is
offer all the reward needed. implemented costly improvements. best for your clients no matter what.
Rylance, BP It did not resist improvement; rath- Delamaide, IFP Technologies
There are many, but the most remarkable more resources safely; hydraulic frac- ing; stand still and you are out of date.
is our competency in drilling deep wells turing; the application of nonmetallic The recent full-scale adoption of artifi-
in deep water. This is practiced from materials for oil and gas facilities; and cial intelligence, machine learning, and
floating, heaving vessels in water depths enhanced-oil-recovery technologies to other big data and technology advanc-
exceeding 9,000 ft, and at total well improve recovery rates and extend the es is changing the fundamentals of
depths greater than 20,000 ft below the life of existing oil fields. All of these our business.
mud line. Deepwater drilling is enabled technologies are also becoming cost- Rylance, BP
by mostly industry-specific innovations. effective to apply, and make us capable
Lehr, BHGE of meeting the world’s energy demands. Our industry has witnessed technical
Nengkoda, Saudi Aramco achievements in getting deeper and lon-
Production of tight oil and gas simply ger in the subsurface. This will change
because it challenged something consid- I am in awe of the advances made to drill the way we look at subsurface resources
ered almost impossible only a few years further offshore and in the very long in decades to come.
back and challenged some established horizontals being drilled and hydrau- Saputelli, Frontender
concepts such as peak oil. lically fractured in some of the shale
Marathe, Consultant plays. I also think the advances that are Drilling and completing wells with the
being made in water reuse and other capability of placing the bit, and there-
To me, the recent successful applica- sustainable efforts are also the things fore the wellbore, where we want it to go
tion of new technologies is related to that will allow us to remain viable for to maximize recovery and reduce waste
our capability to extend the reach of years to come. and inefficiency.
our frontier fields, allowing drilling Holtzclaw, E&B Natural Resources Knode, vPSI Group
and production in harsh environments
and remote and challenging locations. As a hydraulic fracturing engineer Although unconventional development
These technologies have helped trans- involved in unconventionals, I never has wreaked havoc in the industry, I
form resources once thought uncon- cease to be amazed at the range and am still awed by the change in para-
ventional into conventional ones. As scope of innovation being applied and digm from “shale is a seal” to “shale is
examples, one can consider long-reach developed in our business on a daily a reservoir.”
drilling, which has enabled access to basis. The pendulum never stops mov- Delamaide, IFP Technologies
What is your response to suggestions that the industry is not as relevant as it once was?
The oil industry will continue to be rele- of energy consumed could decline. As heavy oil from oil sands will become
vant today and tomorrow. It is so reward- the world’s primary source of energy, more environmentally friendly and less
ing to work in an industry that affects oil is the lifeblood of economic growth energy intensive. Automation and digita-
the whole world on a daily basis in many in most countries. Moreover, recent lization are expected to keep oil and gas
ways, from improving life expectancy Human Development Index (HDI) data competitive in the decades ahead.
and quality over the last 50 years, to concluded that more oil use signifies Nengkoda, Saudi Aramco
advancing the way we do business and more human development.
experience geopolitics. To remain competitive, oil companies The world is consuming 100 million B/D
Saputelli, Frontender need to reduce their production costs, of oil, and that consumption is grow-
adopting new technologies and protect- ing—only when it is down to zero will
I personally think that this percep- ing the environment more. Technologi- we be irrelevant.
tion is not a fair one. In fact, oil will cal innovations within the industry have Delamaide, IFP Technologies
continue to power the world. Whether made production cost-effective under
we like it or not, every year the human increasingly challenging conditions. In I believe that in the future, all forms
race is likely to burn a bit more oil and the future, existing fields will operate of energy are going to be needed for a
gas than it did the year before. In abso- longer and their yield will be increased planet with so many people. There are
lute numbers, our demand for ener- by enhanced oil recovery. Unconvention- too many products and too many things
gy is growing. However, the proportion al technologies such as hydraulic frac- that need oil and gas for it to just van-
of oil and gas within the total amount turing will increase. The production of ish. Everyone loves solar and electric
cars, but the batteries used are ter- This industry is more relevant than ever. industry is very much as relevant as it
rible for the environment, and with- In order for humanity to improve liv- ever was, but I am aware that renewable
out them, there would be no power at ing conditions around the world, we energy sources are picking up quickly.
night, and there is still little recycling need access to energy. We also have One day the electric car will overtake the
of the lithium. In addition, the min- the technical expertise to help solve internal combustion engine, just as the
ing of lithium for the batteries is envi- the challenges that are posed by the latter overtook steam, but the spirit of
ronmentally unfriendly, so there is a use of fossil fuels, in part by sequester- expedition in exploration and produc-
compromise to all energy sources, even ing CO2. tion will always remain.
windmills, which kill a lot of birds. Even Knode, vPSI Group Marathe, Consultant
hydro power has problems because of
the need to dam. I think educated peo- I would challenge that premise by ask- A former Saudi Minister of Oil and Min-
ple will realize that we are going to need ing: which other industry has contrib- eral Resources famously once said,
all forms of energy and that no form uted so much to cost-effective trans- “Thirty years from now, there will be a
is free of negative impact, but through portation, medical technology, pack- huge amount of oil—and no buyers. Oil
improvements in technology in all of aging, chemicals, power, and many will be left in the ground. The Stone Age
them, we can reduce such effects. For other aspects that keep our standard came to an end, not because we had a lack
example, we can and should promote of living high and growing? No other of stones, and the oil age will come to an
the car industry to put out vehicles that industry that I am aware of has had end not because we have a lack of oil.”
get the most mileage from a gallon and such a profound impact on improv- What he failed to mention (or appreciate)
reduce gas emissions from cars and ing people’s lives. Is our industry per- is that, just because the Stone Age ended,
trucks. In our fields, we are already con- fect? No. Is our industry constantly im- it did not mean that humanity stopped
trolling methane gas emissions at the proving? Yes. using stone. It will be the same with oil.
wells and at our tanks. By promoting Lehr, BHGE While the focus may be elsewhere, oil and
the industry to improve its environmen- gas will continue to be a key commodity
tal footprint, we will remain relevant. Being a citizen of a country that depends on this planet.
Holtzclaw, E&B Natural Resources very strongly on fossil fuels, I can say the Rylance, BP
HOLDS STRONG
AND MILLS OUT FAST.
CJENERGY.COM
Petroleum Engineering
Feeling Lucky me the opportunity to interact with pro- of incremental gains on the way to bet-
Carter Clemens, BP fessionals from all over the world, to ter energy solutions. This nuanced con-
I lucked into the petroleum industry; I exchange different experiences, to solve versation should not primarily exist in
did not know much about it before choos- problems in a responsible and efficient 150-character tidbits online. It is up to us
ing it as a major at the University of manner, and to inspire future genera- to have that conversation in a grassroots
Texas. It has allowed me to live and trav- tions. With no doubt, if I had to decide manner, face to face, with our community.
el to distant countries I never thought again what to study, my choice would
I would visit—whether it is Abu Dhabi, be oil and gas; it is certainly not an easy Exciting Digital Technology
Port of Spain, Cairo, or Aberdeen, the oil path, but realizing that I’m generating a Jesma Mohan, Schlumberger
industry has an incredible reach to some positive impact on others’ lives is a per- I work on bringing new digital tech-
interesting locations. It has also enabled sonal satisfaction. nologies like cloud computing, high-
me to pursue engineering while spend- performance computing, machine learn-
ing a lot of my time outside instead of Let’s Talk Climate Change ing, and data analytics to solve the
in front of a computer screen. When I Angela Dang Atkinson, Encana Corp. challenges of the oil industry. I am excit-
was riding around with well operators in I love saying, “I’m a petroleum engineer ed to have been part of technology devel-
Wyoming and Colorado, I thought of how and I believe in anthropogenic climate opment teams at Schlumberger over the
lucky I was to not be in a cubicle. There is change.” It catches people off guard and years. I have worked on development
something special about being on a well- begins a nuanced conversation about of technologies like Petrel, LiftIQ, Well
site surrounded by snow in Wyoming or energy. It is an opportunity for me to watcher advisor, Designpro, and now
watching a sunrise from a rig in the mid- talk about the importance of incremen- DELFI. It gives me immense pleasure to
dle of the ocean—you can’t get that with tal change and that there is no silver bul- be the one on the forefront of developing
most industries. let in solving the world’s energy chal- the technologies that redefine the way oil
lenges. As Harvard economics professor and gas industry will work.
Personal Satisfaction Ed Glaeser states, “Once we start think- I am proud of the real-time technolo-
Bruno S. Rivas, Mexico National ing that there’s a silver bullet…we lose the gies that I was involved in developing for
Hydrocarbons Commission fact that we need to be working day by artificial lift and intelligent completions,
Petroleum engineering is more than get- day, over decades, to effect change.” We, which have proven to lower operating
ting oil out of the ground; it means deliv- the oil industry, are among those work- costs and increase well productivity for
ering the energy that the world needs to ing day by day to effect change—wheth- the operator.
fight poverty, increase human wellness, er we are increasing the use of recycled A career in petroleum engineering
and accelerate growth in a sustainable fracture water or finding creative ways can be extremely diverse as it presents
way. The oil and gas industry has given to reduce emissions, these are the types opportunities around the world. I under-
stand that it has its drawbacks with uncertainty in oil and gas
prices; nevertheless, I believe it can be a rewarding career as
long as you do not stop updating yourself with the latest advanc-
es in technology and practicing it. I would like the people out-
side the profession to know that, as petroleum engineers, safety
is our number one priority. We care about the environment and
we work really hard to extract the oil and gas in a safe and fea- One global industry. One city. One meeting place.
sible manner.
11 - 14 November 2019
Supporters
A STEM Champion
Lavish Garg, Weatherford
The best thing I admire about this career is various STEM appli-
cations covering vast engineering domains. As you deep dive,
one realizes the limitless ocean of knowledge needed in terms of
breadth and depth to reach thousands of meters underneath to
free fluids from the trap safely. The best perks of the oil and gas
industry are (opportunities) to attend conferences and meet-
ings around the globe and to meet people from different walks
of life and make an impact. My proudest achievement has been
representing SPE in the Emerging Leaders Alliance Conference ADIPEC 2019
where passionate petroleum, mechanical, electrical, and civil TECHNICAL CALL FOR PAPERS
engineers gathered for cross-disciplinary leadership training.
I was the only one who had something in common with every-
one, which made me feel proud, and there was no looking back.
NOW OPEN
ABSTRACT SUBMISSIONS
TECHNICAL CONFERENCE
Confronting Challenges DEADLINE:
PROGRAMME CATEGORIES:
Wednesday 10 April 2019
Yogashri Pradhan, Endeavor Energy Resources
adipec.com/cfp • E&P Geoscience
What I like best about my career in petroleum engineering is
getting to solve engineering problems that support the business • Unconventional Resources
and the local community. I am grateful for making the deci- • Field Development
sion as a high school junior to pursue a petroleum engineering • Drilling and Completion
degree at university. After a few years of valuable work experi- ADIPEC 2018 Technology
ence in the industry, I am confident that I made the right choice. IN NUMBERS: • Project Engineering and
The hands-on experience in the field, my experience in volun- Management
teering in SPE, and the multidisciplinary collaboration to make
the best decisions for the business have pleasantly surprised me
10,400+* • Operational Excellence
Conference Delegates • HSE
in my career so far. What I would like others outside of this pro- *Based on unique and repeat delegates
to all conference sessions • Gas Technology
fession to know about what I do is that it truly takes a team of
different technical and nontechnical backgrounds to make the • People and Talent
best decisions for the business while maintaining social respon- 161 • Offshore and Marine
sibility. I am fortunate to have worked in different organizations Strategic and Technical • IOR/EOR
and I am passionate about SPE, as the achievement I’m most Sessions • Production Facilities
proud of to date is receiving the SPE Young Member Outstand- Technologies
ing Service Award. 980 • Petroleum Advanced
Expert Speakers Analytics
Lifelong Friendships • Artificial Intelligence in
Samuel Ighalo, Halliburton Oil and Gas
The valued experience gained from participating in various
global projects and the lifelong friendships that I have made
along the way are the things that I like best about my career in DON’T MISS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AT
the industry. I feel I made the right choice as a petroleum engi- ONE OF THE WORLD’S LEADING OIL AND GAS
neer because it has afforded me the opportunity to work in an TECHNICAL CONFERENCES
international workplace, which I value tremendously. It has adipec.com/cfp
also been intellectually engaging for me, which has helped my Official Airline Partner Official Hotel Partner ADIPEC Host City Knowledge Partner Official Broadcast Partner
try in the oil and gas industry, especially influence of geopolitics on oil and gas. I
in deepwater field developments. People hope that in the future we can make our
outside the profession should know that markets more politically independent.
this industry is just as technologically I chose engineering as my major
advanced as any other industry. I have because I like to invent, create, and fix.
several notable accomplishments in my (But) I want to see broader choice in avail-
career. Probably the most significant was able jobs within the oil and gas industry.
becoming the lead content creator for … If we want to attract talented young-
SPE’s The Way Ahead publication, which sters from Gen Z, we have to change. Dig-
has given me a platform to create human italization has already modified oil and
resources-related content for young pro- gas, creating various types of jobs. But
fessionals as well as to connect with vari- I think the petroleum industry should
ous leaders in the industry. cooperate with other energy branches
as well (such as renewables). And, who
Solving the Downhole Mystery knows, maybe one day we will see a com-
Nii Ahele Nunoo, NOV mon network of energy professionals.
In my role as a new technology design The most supportive thing in the
engineer, I work with a team of engineers petroleum industry for me is SPE. As a
whose primary goal is focusing on chang- young professional, I enjoy participat-
ing the status quo in the drilling phase. ing in the Society’s projects and events.
We review and support the process of It means a lot for me to read in my TWA
the drilling design innovation phase from award certificate that, “SPE is proud to
SPE Debuts a New concept inception until field testing. My
focus and expertise are designing drill-
have young leaders like you.” This is my
biggest achievement so far, and the No. 1
Data Science Web ing tools with embedded sensors that can reason to stay in the game.
survive at high temperatures and vibra-
Publication tion to effectively provide data to help We Power the World
make good drilling decisions. The positive Tarang Lal, Aera Energy
contribution to the industry is safely drill- Yes, I work in the oil and gas industry
ing productive and cost-effective wells. and am proud of it. From fueling cars,
Reflecting on my career, I think I made heating homes, powering airplanes,
a great decision by working in the oil and keeping servers online, our indus-
and gas industry to help tackle and solve try provides the energy to progress the
some of the world’s energy problems. world forward.
Often, most people tend to focus on other There are lots of challenges and lots
SPE’s new Data Science forms of energy, but I am a firm believer of problems that need to be solved and
and Digital Engineering in that with the right technology focus, we that’s why I’m excited about working as
Upstream Oil and Gas (DSDE) can drill and produce efficient, cheap, a petroleum engineer. I enjoy collaborat-
magazine and monthly newsletter reliable forms of energy using fossil fuels. ing with others, having ownership of a
are live. DSDE cuts through the One thing that keeps me coming back process, and making an impact that will
to work every day is the downhole mys- help communities around the world.
noise to deliver content that
tery; no one knows what goes on down- The biggest surprise working in this
you can count on for a deeper
hole, but with historically trusted data, industry has been how similar we are
understanding of data collection, we always get to our total depth. I would regardless of where we work within this
analysis, interpretation, say my greatest accomplishment to global industry, and how transferrable
manipulation, management, date is working with a team at NOV that our skills are to other industries.
storage, and application helped deploy the first closed-loop drill- I wish people knew about our indus-
to deliver meaningful benefits ing automation in the industry. try’s focus on safety and environmen-
to you and your company. tal protection. We all want clean air
Let’s Diversify the Jobs and water, just like our neighbor. We
Radmila Mandzhieva, Independent acknowledge our industry is not perfect;
I like the scale of the petroleum industry, then again, no industry is. Ultimately,
its internationalism. I am impressed by society is significantly better with our
the engineering aspects of our jobs and industry than without.
the increasing complexity of our proj- Come join us and power the world
ects. At the same time, I do not like the forward.
Visit http://go.spe.org/DSDE_Subscribe
to opt in for the newsletter.
JPT • MARCH 2019
Petroleum Engineering
80% 75% 80% 79% 80% 79% 80% 75% 75% 76%
70% 72% 68% 68%
64%
56% 56%
44%
Is important to the Is a major employer Provides a valuable Is necessary for a Is a polluter Is a leader in
national economy service modern lifestyle technology
Is innovative Will be an important Is an industry I’d be Not worth the impact Cares for its Can be trusted to do
industry 100 years glad to have in my to the environment employees the right thing
from now community
Fig. 1—In the survey, respondents were asked to agree or disagree with the statement regarding the oil and gas industry.
option for those teens by the time they aspects that are confidential for IP rea- Critics of the oil business are good at
reach age 30. sons. But there is a level where they making a powerful impression, even on
The adults surveyed—those 19 and could be sharing more,” Everaard said. oil executives. EY surveyed 109 exec-
older—were less strident. Still, 41% of Industry image plays a large role in utives, who predicted that only 24%
them said the industry is “not worth recruiting top talent, she said. Of the of the people surveyed would say they
its impact,” and 68% described it as teenagers polled by EY, only 36% of trusted their business, while the actual
a “polluter.” them said the oil industry “cares for total was 46%.
Expectations change with time. Ideas its employees,” and only 41% of them The average reflects high grades for
such as environmentalism and climate described it as innovative. Pure technol- the industry by consumers for depend-
change did not exist when Arscott got ogy companies ranked higher in the sur- ably delivering energy (80%) that they
into the industry in the early 1960s. vey among teens. Oil companies seeking recognize is a valuable service (79%).
Back then “we thought plastic was the data experts “are not competing with The average would have been higher if
savior of mankind. Now we think, what other oil and gas companies, they are the industry was selling only natural
a mess we have got. What are we doing competing with high tech companies for gas. Consumer feeling about cleaner-
to do about it?” he said. talent,” Everaard said. burning gas is well above oil and not that
Rachel Everaard, a US oil and gas Since that survey was published in far below wind and solar.
partner at EY, said a high percentage 2017, more oil companies are using It may not be worth agonizing over
of oil company executives surveyed social media and video to reach a larger whether people trust their employ-
acknowledged that they need to do a audience, including teens who reported er. Many people find it hard to trust
better job of communicating what they feeling “overlooked,” she said. industrial giants. Oil’s score on trust
do and why it is important. The indus- was equal to the grade for health care,
try needs to publicize the technological Points of View and well above the numbers for invest-
advances that have allowed it to produce The industry’s desire to stay out of the ment bankers and drug companies
oil and gas from spots where it was once news has “allowed other people to mis- (Fig. 2).
impossible, she said. represent us using incorrect data,” said Can the oil business change people’s
“Traditionally, oil companies do not Behrooz Fattahi, who was 2010 SPE Pres- perceptions? One person who argues
share a lot of information (about E&P ident. “We have to confront this with that is possible is author Alex Epstein,
advances). They are closed-mouth, explanations and with science and back who has built a growing speaking and
understandably, where there are some it up with a lot of effort.” consulting business based on the mes-
1000 1000
Emotions
Emotions
Positive
Positive
800 800
600 600
400 400
Emotions
Emotions
Negative
Negative
200 200
0 0
0 200 400 600 800 1000 0 200 400 600 800 1000
Fig. 3—These charts track the emotions experienced by a person having a difficult conversation with another person.
The cluttered chart (left) shows a complex range of emotional swings. The plain chart (right) shows a conversation
stuck in negative sentiments. Source: Peter Coleman/Columbia University.
To study these types of conflicts, A good session is not likely to change Meetings are more productive when
Coleman created the Difficult Conversa- someone’s position on an issue, but both sides realize that issues are “high-
tions Laboratory, where observers have they are likely to see the person on ly complicated. They are not the simple
watched hundreds of conversations the other side differently. “They under- thing that the media reduces them to,”
between people on opposite sides of stand some things about the other Coleman said.
seemingly intractable issues. The goal is person. It is not a sort of solution. It Research shows that participants are
to find ways to promote productive dia- is a process. They feel respect. They more likely to be productive if they first
logue in these stressful meetings. would like to continue the conversa- read a description of the issue show-
Participants on opposite sides of a tion because they feel it is worthwhile,” ing that it is complicated, such as a
controversial issue are told to spend Coleman said. research paper that looks at a problem
20 minutes working together to pre- from multiple angles. When the same
pare a statement on what they agree facts are presented as just pro vs. con,
about (Fig. 3). Successful sessions like a news story, each person tends “to
require people to be curious about the pay attention to what supports their
other person and how he or she arrived argument and little attention to the
Perceptions Matter
at their views, the ability to see the other side.”
complexity of the problem, and the Ernst and Young described the Coleman offers two tips for difficult
patience to keep talking though aggra- public’s perception of the energy conversations: remember that “none of
vating moments. These conversa- business as “respectable but us have (all) the answers,” and work-
tions may cause a person to reconsider precarious.” Consumers see that ing out problems “takes more time than
it fills a big need but question its
assumptions made but never carefully record on the environment and
you think.”
examined, Coleman said. other issues that could affect its
In a failed session, the conversa- ability to: It is Complicated
tion may end before the allotted time ◗ Recruit and retain talent The future of zero-emission vehicles
is up because the participants could not depends on developing massive, low-cost
◗ Raise capital
find anything to agree on. “If they go sources of lithium to make the batteries
and make a conventional argument for ◗ Develop projects to power them.
their side, it sets them up defensive- ◗ Influence tax and regulation David Burnett, an associate research
ly,” Coleman said. “They are protect- ◗ Maintain its long-term scientist at Texas A&M University,
ing the issue by advocating strongly.” viability recently completed a consulting project
If the parties stick to those stances, investigating the environmental impact
Source: Ernst and Young.
it is likely to lead to a stalemate leav- of developing a lithium mining opera-
ing both parties feeling frustration and tion in Nevada. There is clearly a lot
anger, he said. of lithium there, but extracting it will
require a lot of fresh water, which is line company that pushed ahead with
scarce in that arid place. construction in west Texas with-
The push to mine more lithium,
among other minerals, as part of the big
out reaching out to landowners first.
The result was years of litigation Moving Energy
transition to cleaner fuels shows that that delayed work and cost millions
even “clean energy” can come with a
sizable environmental footprint. This
of dollars.
Talking to the community about
Forward
highlights a problem also faced by log- a project before it begins is critical.
ical thinkers in the oil business. What Higgins said her research found that
seems like the best option is narrowly before companies briefed people in
defined by the problem at hand. the community, “favorable or unfavor-
“As an engineer, I want to solve this able views were based mostly on pre-
problem. Let’s narrow it down to a very conceived notions of potential effects
narrow, defined goal,” Burnett said. For rather than factual data.”
a miner, he said, that could be: “Lithium The paper also discussed a project in
batteries are good for cars that reduce Matagorda, a small Texas coastal town
emissions and all of that.” with a long history of energy develop-
Lithium mining, like oil and gas, could ment. It has oil wells going back a cen-
create jobs and provide needed energy tury and a large nuclear plant. After
but the public perception in both cases local opposition helped block construc-
is also likely to be shaped by the envi- tion of a coal-fired power plant, she
ronmental impact of the mine. studied why that project failed. Her
There is always a “but.” Anyone sell- conclusion was that the developers Ideal solutions for upstream,
ing an oil project needs to assume that magnified the opposition by announc-
midstream and downstream
local residents might be looking for the ing the plan without first consulting
downside of a project in their backyard. local residents and finding ways to
Even in Texas. The days have passed address their concerns. As an expert manufacturer
when an oil company promising to bring Higgins, whose background includes of downhole and surface
in money and jobs to an area can assume psychology and environmental science, pumps, we produce oilfield
they will be welcomed, said Marian created a test based on a hypothetical pump systems according to
Higgins, who measured the value of project to generate power using low- the highest quality standards.
community engagement by an energy temperature geothermal. She tested The viscosity of your crude
project developer for a PhD research local citizens before and after they read oil or its percentage of gas
project at the Texas A&M Universi- a presentation covering the potential or sand makes no difference
ty’s Department of Ecosystem Science economic and environmental impact. to the NETZSCH progressing
and Management. A comparison of the two studies indi- cavity pumps, our helical rotor
“In the past, a deal could be worked cated that public opinion moved from system is unbeatable.
out behind closed doors with local pow- “highly unsure” to “a little more on the
ers, the permits were issued, and then positive side.”
the company announced, ‘Look what we That was short of clinching the deal,
S!
can do for you.’ Now companies have to but it suggests that there is value in VISIT U
OTC 2 0 19
defend their decisions, and there will reaching out to the community to
H o u s ton
be somebody who has a problem with understand how it sees the oil and in 019
09.05.2
06.05. – n
Pavillio
it,” said Higgins, who presented a paper gas industry.
(SPE 191739) on project communica- “You have to understand that in the German 15-10
6
tions at the 2018 SPE Annual Technical tech world, one plus one is always two. Booth 3
Conference and Exhibition. In the peoples’ world, one plus one
The SPE paper, co-written by Bur- is not always two. It can be or not,”
nett, included a case study of a pipe- Fattahi said.
www.netzsch.com
ly over Mexico, they found the birds trash for each unified sweep of the area. facts that lend insight into a once thriv-
took an entirely different route, cross- In Algiers, some 150 volunteers previ- ing society.
ing the Gulf of Mexico with some land- ously teamed to collect 50 bags of refuse Near Majnoon operations are the
ward guidance via Florida and Cuba. In weighing 1500 kg. remnants of Charax Spasinou, a never-
the spring, they returned within 1 km Almost as important as maintaining before surveyed ancient port on the
of where they were originally tagged. the planet’s life-sustaining ecosystems Persian Gulf founded by Alexander the
These findings, along with additional is preserving the cultural heritage of Great around 300 BC. As Shell entered
research, will be used to determine how regions that humanity’s early innova- the area, it ensured safe archeological
to better conserve the species. tors called home. And, as it so happens, and oil operations by undertaking a pro-
On Haimen Island in China’s Fujian some of world’s archeological goldmines gram to remove still-live ammunition
province, Saudi Aramco recently took double as its richest oil provinces. remaining from the Iran-Iraq war that
part in a conservation project targeting Since 2010, Royal Dutch Shell has took place decades earlier. The firm col-
the region’s biodiverse swamps through been operator of Iraq’s Majnoon field, laborated with Qahtan al-Abeed, arche-
planting mangroves—small trees with which lies in close proximity to Meso- ologist and director of the Basra Muse-
complex root systems that serve to pro- potamia, the “Cradle of Civilization.” um, to prevent disturbance of historic
tect coastal wetlands and their inhab- Here, Shell is using advancements in sites and collect artifacts it happened
itants amid warm, salty conditions. petroleum technology to produce oil to encounter, which would be sent to
Supporting the China Mangrove Con- and gas more efficiently. Thousands of the museum.
servation Network, Aramco adopted its years ago, our ancestors in the region While al-Abeed told Shell he was ini-
very own portion of land on the island to made humanity’s first technologi- tially worried about the presence of oil
oversee. Activity began in 2018 and ran cal breakthrough: the wheel. But long- producers in the region, he found that
through February. standing social conflict in the region “sites inside oilfield areas are general-
During the initiative’s first few months, has jeopardized preservation of arti- ly better protected than those outside.”
volunteers and local residents planted
about half of the 22,000 mangroves first
targeted for the entire island. Activity
included the removal of invasive species
and marine litter.
Baker Hughes, a GE company, and
Kuwait Oil Company teamed last year
to eliminate a half ton of garbage from
Mangaf Beach, south of Kuwait City on
the Persian Gulf. Part of the BHGE Vol-
unteer Beach Cleaning Campaign, the
day-long event involved 85 employees,
including leadership from both firms.
GE has sponsored similar cleanups in
the past, both in Kuwait and Algeria.
On Kuwait’s Messilla beach, volunteers A temple in the ancient Sumerian and Babylonian city of Ur in Southern Iraq,
previously cleared as much as 5 cu m of near the Shell-operated Majnoon field. Source: Qahtan Al-Abeed.
power generation, suffer from this technology meet the most SPE and its members’ role in the sus‑
their intermittency and need to stringent regulatory requirements. tainability process is highlighted in the
be combined with cost‑effective ◗ Energy efficiency and clean new SPE Strategic Plan: “Advance the oil
energy storage solutions and/or energy in the development and and gas community’s ability to meet the
a baseload energy supply such as production of hydrocarbons world’s energy demand in a safe, envi‑
natural gas. and in the downstream sectors. ronmentally responsible, and sustain‑
◗ The Oil and Gas Climate Technological advances associated able manner” and by the strategic pri‑
Initiative, with a $1 billion fund with technologies such as ority regarding professional pride: “SPE
over 10 years to take practical digitalization are helping the members understand and are inspired
action on climate change and industry improve its efficiency. by our industry’s contribution to society
reduce the carbon footprint Collaboration through industry and represent the industry positively to
of energy value chains. The organizations such as IPIECA and the public.”
initiative was started by 10 IOCs IOGP are providing participants SPE has actively pursued this agenda.
and NOCs, and has been recently the opportunity to benchmark In 2018, a memorandum of understand‑
joined by three North American their operational performance. ing was signed by SPE, the Internation‑
IOCs. Among its initiatives are In the refining sector (the most al Association of Oil and Gas Producers
to monitor and reduce methane energy‑intensive activity of the (IOGP), and the International Petroleum
leakage and the development oil industry), voluntary use of Industry Environmental Conservation
of carbon capture and storage benchmarks such as the Solomon Association (IPIECA) to promote social
projects. Energy Intensity Index has responsibility and sustainability. SPE’s
◗ The Clean Energy Ministerial helped participants improve Sustainable Development Technical Sec‑
and Mission Innovation initiatives, performance. Novel conversion tion has more than 1,500 members and
which involves public and private routes such as crude‑to‑chemicals has been involved with an extensive pro‑
organizations (including oil provide further potential for gram of conferences, workshops, and
companies) making progress efficiency. Other innovation in the webinars. In addition, 2019 SPE Presi‑
on a range of issues, including upstream sector is the increased dent Sami Alnuaim has made sustain‑
sustainability themes as diverse use of renewables as an energy ability a key theme of his term in office.
as gender diversity in the energy source for enhanced recovery When faced with a skeptical audience,
sector, energy efficiency, and (e.g., solar for steam generation). SPE members should inform themselves
clean hydrogen. ◗ Development of renewables through the Society’s events and knowl‑
◗ The Greenhouse Gas Flaring and energy storage solutions. edge resources about the industry’s sus‑
Reduction Partnership, a Oil companies are investing tainability activities, and also investi‑
public‑private initiative, led in novel third‑generation gate the resources listed below.
by the World Bank, to address biofuels such as algae. They
the issue of gas flaring, which also are providing expertise For Further Reading
wastes resources and creates for offshore wind projects United Nations (2015): The Sustainable
an environmental problem. The based on experience developing Development Goals. https://www.un.org/
partnership disseminates best platforms. Reduction in the sustainabledevelopment/energy/
practices and helps develop cost of energy storage and Newell, R (2018).: “8th IEA‑IEF‑OPEC
country‑specific gas flaring its improved reliability has Outlook Symposium Comparative
reduction programs. also been featured in company Analysis Findings”, https://www.ief.org/_
◗ Carbon capture, utilization, and strategies. resources/files/events/the‑eight‑iea‑ief‑
storage as a single technology, ◗ Several IOCs have created opec‑symposium‑on‑energy‑outlooks/
which has the potential to be the technology venture arms to presentations/ief‑rff‑comparative‑
largest decarbonization component invest in startups associated analysis‑findings‑‑‑richard‑newell.pdf
in the energy transition. Its with the energy transition. International Energy Agency (2017): The
application expands beyond Another sustainability requirement World Energy Outlook, OECD/IEA.
capture from natural gas to for oil and gas companies is a clos‑ Alnuaim, S. (2019): “Oil and Gas
include power plants as well as er association with the development Sustainability,” presentation at the
industry (steel, cement, aluminum, of local populations. The industry has University of Houston, January 2019.
petrochemicals). Having been a engaged in many aspects of corporate IPIECA‑UNDP‑UNFCC (2017): “Sustainable
pioneer in carbon capture, and and social responsibility and transpar‑ Development Goals Atlas”, http://www.
through its subsurface‑related ency in this area, and most IOCs and ipieca.org/resources/awareness‑briefing/
technologies, the oil industry NOCs include a corporate responsibility mapping‑the‑oil‑and‑gas‑industry‑to‑the‑
can play a major role in making review in their annual reports. sustainable‑development‑goals‑an‑atlas/
NA3D
NA2 POR (v/v)
NA1A 0.30
0.27
RJS19
0.24
0.21
0.18
0.15
0.12
0.09
0.06
0.03
0.0
They may not seem so alike, but experts think that brain scans (left) could benefit from the technology used to model
oil and gas reservoirs. Source: Wikicommons/Susana Santos.
ried out to assess petroleum reserves in 100 deep-sea marine biology studies suits for the shuttle program. One key
northern Alaska. since 2002, many carried out from active contribution from Oceaneering is a leak
Oil and gas companies continued to drillships or production facilities. detection system for the suits. The com-
advance the technology as a frontline pany continues to provide operation-
exploration tool that led to several nota- Space and Extraterrestrial al and maintenance services to NASA
ble discoveries, including one that has Exploration at its Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory in
had a major impact on paleontology. In Before ROVs could be relied upon for Houston where astronauts train for
1978, while working for Mexican state subsea work, the oil and gas industry extravehicular activities. The facility is
oil company Pemex, an airborne survey needed humans to take the risk of float- a cornerstone of all modern US space
conducted offshore Mexico revealed the ing to the bottom to help install or fix missions involving space walks, includ-
first evidence of what is now known as subsea systems. One of the pioneers of ing the assembly of the International
the Chicxulub crater. Its 93-mile diame- oilfield diving is Oceaneering Interna- Space Station.
ter suggests that the crater was caused by tional which has been lending its unique Going a little farther out, about 34 mil-
an asteroid or a comet up to 50 miles in expertise to NASA’s manned space pro- lion miles, is another good example of
diameter itself, large enough to cause the gram for more than 35 years. how oil and gas technology is enabling
mass extinction of dinosaurs when it hit The collaboration started as way for the space program. In 2013, the Mars
Earth 65.5 million years ago. NASA to borrow learnings from pres- rover Curiosity used its small percussion
The early work on remotely operat- surized diving suits to create its space- drill—an ancient oil and gas technology
ed vehicles (ROVs) also came thanks to
inventive military minds, but the advent
of work-class ROVs is credited to the oil
and gas industry. These underwater sys-
tems arrived in the 1970s with robotic
arms, known as manipulators, and unlike
their predecessors, they could be used
for more than simply observing the sub-
sea environment.
Scientists and researchers quickly saw
the potential in work-class ROVs and
have used them over the years to search
for famous shipwrecks and discover new
marine species. The SERPENT project is
one of the best examples of this technol-
ogy transfer. As a collaboration between
the oil industry and the oceanographic Mount St. Helens, one of the most active volcanoes in the US, seen in 2016.
sector, SERPENT has led to more than Source: Washington State University Vancouver.
Researchers and technicians from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in California use two ROVs for routine
studies of the ocean’s biodiversity and have discovered new marine species. Source: MBARI.
invented during China’s Han dynasty— tion. But for the hottest wells, and there- mostly used for enhanced oil recovery
to make the Red Planet’s first borehole fore most potentially productive, the projects, but that could change as the
to a total depth of 2.5 in. The tiny drilling geothermal sector has had to turn to some global society becomes more aggres-
operation led to a big discovery: the geo- of this industry’s most advanced high- sive on efforts to curb greenhouse
chemical conditions on Mars were once pressure/high-temperature systems. gas emissions.
capable of sustaining life. One such case involves a geothermal There are big challenges facing those
To learn more, and to know if that life project in Iceland that is tapping into who wish to scale up CO2 capture proj-
did indeed exist too, NASA will likely rocks so hot that traditional drill bits ects, which means the world will need
need to drill deeper during manned mis- melted when first used. In 2017, Baker oil and gas engineers to help develop
sions. The space agency expects this will Hughes helped drill the second well with successful approaches. The good news
also require a more robust drilling sys- a newly designed bit and motor that is that many of the technologies need-
tem, which has led it to examine how it work in temperatures above 570°F— ed for CO2 capture and storage have
could adapt, or miniaturize, several com- double the rating of most downhole already been proven out by the industry,
mercial oilfield technologies. Of specif- equipment. The third well is planned for from the injection systems to the model-
ic interest: pressurized downhole fluid this year, and will test a measurement- ing software.
sampling systems, borehole imaging, in- while-drilling, or MWD, component. If Oil and gas companies continue to
situ fluid analyzers, coiled tubing, and the project is a success, it will produce invest in the technology but there is
blowout preventers. geothermal wells with 5–10 times the the potential that they will play an even
electrical generation output of conven- bigger role going forward. The indus-
Renewable and Sustainable tional wells. try’s depleted reservoirs, which helped
Technologies Another hot area of interest in the sus- unleash an age of affordable energy, may
The geothermal sector has long relied on tainable sector is CO2 capture, the tech- serve the world anew by being re-used
oilfield systems that span the full spec- nical expertise of which was born within to hold what experts estimate could be
trum: drilling, completions, and produc- the oil and gas industry. CO2 capture is hundreds of billions of tons of CO2.
The Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory run by Oceaneering Bits used for geothermal well drilling range (left to right)
and used to train astronauts for their missions holds from a standard tri-cone bit, a geothermal design, and one
6.2 million gallons of water and is big enough to hold designed by designed by Baker Hughes to run at 570°F.
the International Space Station. Source: Kenneth Lu. Source: SPE 189677.
Air-filled section The AirLock system is now available for 4.5, 5, 5.5, 6, and
7 inch casing. AirLock collars meet or exceed host casing
specifications.
Learn more at
ncsmultistage.com ©2019 NCS Multistage, LLC. All rights reserved. AirLock is a trademark of NCS Multistage, LLC.
Petroleum Engineering
The Heidrun tension leg platform (TLP) in the North Sea Over a period of 20 years in the US, wellheads such as
was commissioned by Conoco in 1995 as the world’s this one connected to a hydraulic fracturing manifold
fifth TLP and is the only one to be built using reinforced would transition from a unique sight to an unremarkable
concrete. Operated today by Equinor, the platform is one thanks to the efforts of undaunted engineers from
connected to 51 producing wells in water depths of more around the world. Source: Getty Images.
than 1,100 ft. Source: Equinor/Harald Pettersen.
using a Brazilian-born innovation, the 1997: From Just A Hunch and recent advances in MWD/LWD,
floating production storage and offload- To A Revolution Mitchell and his engineers seized on the
ing unit or FPSO, to produce from wells As one of his gas fields dried up, oilman idea that they might be able to do this
at depths of 9,500 ft. George Mitchell was inspired to find a by combining horizontal drilling with
way to produce from ultra-tight rocks hydraulic fracturing.
1992: Inflow Control Devices called the Barnett Shale. On the shoul- The first of their trial wellbores was
For Horizontal Well Production ders of government-funded research drilled and fractured in 1991, but many
As companies drilled more horizon- attempts failed to unlock acceptable
tal wells and logged them, they real- quantities of gas. Then in 1997, Nick
ized that production was not evenly dis- Steinsberger, a petroleum engineer
tributed along the wellbore. Engineers working for Mitchell, earned his entry
at Norway’s Norsk Hydro were keen into the history books with an acciden-
to solve the issue in one of their off- tal discovery. Inadvertently blending gel
shore wells in which 75% of production into the fracturing fluids resulted in a
was contributed by the section clos- more watery mix than had been previ-
est to the heel. To augment the produc- ously used. This appeared to do the job.
tion profile, they came up with a com- The technique would become known
pletion tool called the inflow control as a “slickwater frac” and it enabled
device (ICD). Mitchell Energy to double its overall
First built in 1992, the ICD used fil- gas production. The company was sold
ters and chokes distributed along the to Devon Energy in 2002 and a few
length of a horizontal well that could be years later headlines would report that
tailored to optimize production. Others the shale revolution had been born. In
realized the opportunity the ICD rep- Advances made in the 1980s created the next decade, contrary to historical
resented, including Saudi Aramco, now a new breed of computers called trends, the US became the largest com-
the biggest user of the technology. For workstations, such as this model being bined producer of oil and gas. The tan-
Aramco, the advent of the ICD meant it demonstrated at the 1988 Offshore dem of hydraulic fracturing and hori-
Technology Conference (OTC) in
could economically develop tight forma- zontal drilling is now used globally as
Houston. They became indispensable,
tions with multilateral wells that greatly allowing engineers to visualize 3D programs of varying maturity are under
enhance the wellbore’s reservoir con- simulations of oil and gas reservoirs way in Canada, Argentina, China, and
tact area. from their desks. Source: SPE. Saudi Arabia.
(e.g., over budget, over time). Decision ity with markets as well as economic and strong. Gratefully, the 50 people solic-
processing gained traction in the 1970s social sustainability. ited for comment offered perspectives
and 1980s and then became de rigueur well worth recalling.
in the 1990s for evaluating major cap- Technologies The question I posed was simple, “What
ital projects under volatile hydrocar- That Benefit Society can you point to that petroleum engi-
bons pricing. In the 2000s, as more Tackling unconventional resources with neering was the genesis to make happen
strategic complexities weighed in on hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drill- that benefited society?” Past and pres-
petroleum engineers, projects with ing is the greatest petroleum engineering ent senior operating executives, National
multi-interactions were being evaluated accomplishment of the past half century. Academy of Engineering member petro-
with game theory principles. The impact on society was challenged— leum engineers, former SPE presidents,
Closely related to the field of decision claims of flaming faucet water, increased national oil company executives, oil and
theory, game theory addresses interac- earthquakes—and taken under study to gas investors, public policy advisors, oil
tions of agents whose decisions affect reveal sources beyond first reactions. and gas sovereign wealth managers, aca-
each other, whereas decision theory is What petroleum engineers are realizing demics, and drilling and reservoir young
concerned with choices of individual is that transparency is appreciated when professionals all contributed. Following
agents.4 Looking beyond the individual put into context of its benefit to the pub- are a few of the notable achievements
elements, deterministically or stochasti- lic, a gap engineers often overlook when cited with some perspective offered.
cally, is firmly established within petro- describing technological successes.
leum engineering projects. Reserves and Adequately capturing the best and “I believe what we, as a profession,
resources are evaluated more consistent- most valued petroleum engineering tech- do not often get recognition for the
ly now with systems such as the Petro- nologies for society since the late 1960s many industrial (manufacturing
leum Resource Management System cre- requires input from those closest to the and engineering) applications of the
ated by SPE and other associations (or subject. Having benefited from working processes and technologies that we
similarly updated classification/categori- alongside great petroleum engineers in have developed and the significant
zation for reserves and resources), which operating companies, technology com- benefits they have brought to society.
consider project parameters beyond mercialization labs, investment bank- Examples include advances our
technical recovery; namely, geological ing, energy management, and academia, industry has brought to the medical
knowledge, project status, and feasibil- the list to draw upon was diverse and field, the aeronautical and automotive
❑ Tar sands, Canada ❑ Mobile offshore production unit ❑ Barnett hydraulic fracturing
❑ Prudhoe Bay, US ❑ Drillship without anchors ❑ NYMEX crude oil futures trading
❑ North Sea ❑ >1000 ft water depth production ❑ Completely steerable bottomhole
assembly
❑ Upper Zakum, UAE ❑ Heavy oil thermal EOR, CO2 EOR
❑ Multiphase P/L modeling
❑ Initial LNG sales, Algeria ❑ Type curves, use of source
and Green's functions ❑ Top-drive drilling
❑ Horizontal wells, slickwater fracturing ❑ 4D life of field seismic ❑ Cloud-based fiber optic downhole
data management
❑ Real-time analysis; multivariate ❑ Fast drilling process
optimization of production systems ❑ Field development and operations
❑ Subsalt production optimization; front-end loading
❑ Permanent downhole gauges ❑ Field fiber optics, wireless visualizations
❑ 3D seismic, subsalt discoveries advances subsea ❑ Well integrity, mitigation for extended
❑ Deconvolution and derivative reach drilling and subsea
❑ TLP, spar production, >6000 ft water
depth production analysis ❑ CO2 sequestration in aquifers
❑ Fast marching method for
Fig. 1—A 50-year sampling of petroleum engineering results, technologies, unconventional reservoir analysis
and enablers.
industries, the agriculture industry, “Since its US-based origins, the Final thoughts circle back to Calhoun,
and advances in the world of material reservoir model has evolved to who more than 50 years ago delivered
science, to name but a few.”— support international needs for an address challenging engineers to con-
Academia, former SPE president understanding CO2 containment, tinue to reflect on their value to soci-
geothermal (nonisothermal, nonlinear ety as much as creating value with the
“While renewable energy sources get two-phase flow), gas hydrates, and next technology breakthrough: “Today’s
a lot of attention when deployed in more complex issues with porous rapidly changing technologically based
developing countries, it is natural media.—Academia world can and will grow healthfully only
gas and oil development that enables to the degree that we bring a basic under-
industrial manufacturing and “In a nutshell, the combination
standing of the concepts and causes of
economic growth in these countries.” of horizontal drilling and
change to the public. The engineer has
—Public policy multistage hydraulic fracturing in
been too quiet on these subjects. He has
unconventional reservoirs has given
been reluctant to talk about his own func-
“Integrating big oil with big data mankind a virtually unlimited supply
tion and his own role in the develop-
using machine learning, augmented of inexpensive energy for as long as we
ment of civilization, to identify himself
reality, user interactions, and the need to run on fossil fuels. Petroleum
with the total change that is taking place,
Internet of Things in the oil and engineers made this happen.”—
and to point out the social relationships
gas industry is lowering costs to Academia, SPE Director
that are involved and the pitfalls that are
customers and creating exponentially
inherent. It is my opinion that we need
more innovations.”—Oil and gas
Petroleum Engineers to have a general diffusion to all walks
services
and Society of life of knowledge about engineering,
“Gas gave us the chance to save our No doubt petroleum engineers will con- the unifying principles of engineering,
trees from using it as firewood and tinue to excel in what they do best: inno- and the diversity of systems which the
diverted us from burning dirtier vations securing fossil fuels for mar- engineer can create and control. This,
coal.” —Central Asian young kets. A challenge is how best to show our more than knowledge of science, will
professional value to greater society. Easy first steps produce a public better informed and
are breaking down degrees of separation better able to assimilate these things
“… the North Sea fields, and their between the value petroleum engineers into the changing social structure that
impact on Scotland and the UK. provide and the greater society. How will be necessary to accommodate our
Forties was discovered in 1970, and many degrees, on average? Not as many technological evolution.”6
Brent in 1971.” During the first 40 as the popular 6° that is often quoted. For
years of operation, the Brent and residents of Michigan, the natural gas References
Forties fields were keystone assets that petroleum engineers produce along 1. Calhoun, J. C. (1999, January 1). A
that ushered the UK North Sea the US Gulf Coast provides necessary Historical Perspective on Petroleum
industry into global prominence. winter heating. Petroleum engineers are Engineering. Society of Petroleum
For Forties alone, Oil and Gas UK likewise involved with characterizing the Engineers. doi:10.2118/0199-0030-JPT
cites 330,000 “other” jobs directly Michigan reservoirs that yield the best 2. Clark, J. B. (1949, January 1). A Hydraulic
sustained by the industry with deliverability rates supporting storage Process for Increasing the Productivity
207,000 people within the wider reservoir pressure through the injection of Wells. Society of Petroleum Engineers.
supply chain and a further 100,000 and production cycles. This is critical for doi:10.2118/949001-G
jobs supported by the economic managing Michigan’s peak load needs, 3. Jobs, S. (1996, June). PBS Interview, “The
activity created by employee and allowed Patti Poppe, the president Television Program Transcripts: Triumph
spending.—Academia and CEO of Consumers Energy, the dis- of the Nerds Part III”. https://www.pbs.
org/nerds/part3.html
cretionary option of offering free energy
“(For an NOC) in the exploration 4. Myerson, R. B. (1991). “1.2: Basic Concepts
to those facing hardship in her state of
phase, petroleum engineering has of Decision Theory”. Game theory analysis
Michigan this past winter.5
given the tools to be a knowledgeable of conflict. Cambridge, Massachusetts:
How many degrees of separation? In
counterpart to the IOCs Harvard University Press. ISBN
this case, fewer than three: 1) petroleum
(international oil companies), from 9780674728615
engineers produced the gas and 2) saw 5. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-
assessing the prospective resources that it was transported to Michigan, and releases/consumers-energy-provides-10-
so we request a reasonable profit for 3) accepted the gas to Michigan’s 150 BCF million-to-help-families-in-michigan-
the state in exchange for the contract working storage reservoirs. And, how with-winter-heating-bills-300773267.
and the exploratory work, but also in much value to society? Life-saving for html, (2019, January 7)
monitoring the operations: seismic, some Michigan residents. Our challenge 6. Calhoun, J. C. (1961, January 1).
drilling, logs evaluation, etc.”— is stretching our thinking to see the end- Engineering In A World Of Change. Society
National Oil Company users’ perspective. of Petroleum Engineers.
Billion toe
at the Electric Power Research Insti-
10
tute, made a similar observation. He
said that production volumes and lower
costs often drive the adoption of inno-
vative solutions. For example, improve- 5
ments in solar panel efficiency over the
past 60 years have led to a dramatic
drop in price. The cost to power the first
silicon commercial solar cell in 1955 0
was more than $1,785 per watt (roughly 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040
$18,300 in 2018 US dollars), a far cry *Industry excludes non-combusted use of fuels
ROCKHARD PROOF:
OUR LATERALSCIENCE METHOD DELIVERS.
Using readily available drilling data – without 11.56k
1000
4000
CJENERGY.COM/LATERALSCIENCE
Petroleum Engineering
World Oil Demand Growth (year-on-year change) require a doubling of approvals of con-
ventional oil projects from their current
1.8 levels. Without such an increase, US shale
1.6 production would have to add more than
10 million B/D between present day and
1.4
2025, which the IEA said was “a histori-
1.2 cally unprecedented feat.”
The IEA forecasts non-OECD (Orga-
mb/d
1.0
Rest of
nization for Economic Cooperation and
0.8
the world Development) countries dominating
0.6 global oil demand growth over the next 4
0.4
to 5 years. The pace of growth is project-
India
ed to slow down to 1 million B/D by 2023
0.2 as other energy sources become more
China
0.0 prevalent. The IEA cited China, which
2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 has implemented stringent fuel efficien-
Fig. 3—World oil demand growth is projected to slow to 1 million B/D by 2023, cy and emissions regulations in an effort
with China and India providing a large plurality of that demand. Source: IEA. to tackle poor air quality in its cities. A
rising number of electric buses and LNG-
have bought an electric vehicle and ask Both EIA and BP project a growth in fueled trucks in China should slow oil
them if they will go back to an [internal global energy demand, offset by a decline demand growth significantly.
combustion] engine car, they will prob- in energy intensity as consumer products The EIA projects the US becoming a
ably say not. Most of them will stay with increase in efficiency. BP projected glob- net energy exporter in 2020 in large part
EVs. We are a firm believer that, at the al energy demand growing by around a to significant increases in crude oil and
end of the day, customers decide what third by 2040, marking a significantly natural gas plant liquids. US dry natural
they want for their purpose. It could be slower rate of growth than in the previ- gas production will increase as a result of
driven by costs, a desire for clean ener- ous 25 years. continued development of tight and shale
gy, or it could be driven by reliability,” LNG will increase the global availabil- resources, which EIA said will account
Mansoor said. ity of gas, with supply more than dou- for nearly 90% of dry natural gas pro-
bling due in large part to exports from the duction. Across all of its cases, onshore
Natural Gas Holds Leading Role US and Qatar—BP projected that those production of natural gas from sources
EIA projects natural gas taking an even two countries will account for almost half other than tight oil and shale gas, such as
greater share of US electricity generation of all global LNG exports by 2040. EIA coalbed methane, will generally continue
by 2050, rising from 34% today to 39%, said that, after LNG export facilities cur- to decline through 2050 because of unfa-
driven by projected low natural gas pric- rently under construction are complet- vorable economic conditions for produc-
es. In its reference case, the industrial ed by 2022, US LNG export capacity will tion. If gas is playing a major role in the
sector will become the largest consumer increase even further, and Asian demand energy mix moving forward, oil will have
of natural gas starting in the early 2020s. growth will allow US natural gas to remain to play a role as well.
The use of natural gas will increase as competitive there in the short term. After “The role of gas is decidedly linked to the
a feedstock in the chemical industries, 2030, additional suppliers are projected abundance of crude that will come out in
for industrial heat and power, and lique- to enter the global LNG market, includ- the right market and policy circumstanc-
fied natural gas (LNG) production. Low ing Mexico, and this may make additional es because it’s associated gas. Also, high
natural gas prices will also drive a sig- US export capacity uneconomic. prices mean that, when we think about
nificant increase in gas consumption for In the short term, liquids will still play what we want out of energy in the US, low
electric power. a role in the energy mix, but projec- pump prices might start to lose their eco-
“I have no problem whatsoever with tions on the extent of that role vary from nomic appeal. An export-focused producer
gas trending the way that it does from source to source. In its World Energy nation needs more out of the ground and
a policy perspective and a former regu- Outlook 2018, the International Energy into the world to produce that greener,
latory background,” Colette Honorable, Agency (IEA) writes that oil markets are cleaner gas-based mix,” Book said.
former commissioner of the US Federal soon to enter a period of renewed uncer- In the future, BP said the global fuel
Energy Regulatory Commission and cur- tainty and volatility, including a possible mix will be the most diversified ever
rent member of Reed Smith’s Energy and supply gap in the early 2020s. IEA proj- seen, and abundant and diversified ener-
Natural Resources Group, said. “In fact, ects a rise in oil consumption in com- gy supplies will make for a challenging
given the very strong onslaught of renew- ing decades due to rising petrochemi- marketplace. Honorable said that the
ables that we’ll see, we need that gas, so cals, trucking, and aviation demand, but industry will be equipped to handle what-
that’s very encouraging to me.” meeting that growth in the near term will ever comes its way.
Why We Matter
Scott Wilson, Senior Vice President, Ryder Scott Company
She also believes that, to bring more understanding the interactions among at 30% less cost than vertical wells. Her
women into petroleum engineering, the these groups and the needs of each to team also completed the first commer-
industry needs to get to young girls as be effective. cial shale well in Australia. And, she led
early as elementary school. She then asked to work as a drill- the company’s corporate HSE functions,
“Their paradigms are being shaped ing foreman and became the sole site which spanned multiple states, and fed-
very early in life,” she said. supervisor of offshore workover rigs in eral and international regimes.
the gulf and drilling rigs across many Hoff has served as vice president of
western US onshore basins. operations for Antero Resources since
Diana Hoff, Antero Resources “Becoming a drilling foreman was a June 2017.
big highlight,” Hoff recalled. “I went “Coming full circle back to West Vir-
Diana Hoff, vice president of opera- offshore at the age of 27 and worked ginia and having an impact on how
tions for Antero Resources, says petro- 7-on-7-off or 14 and 14 hitches for 4 resources are being developed in my
leum engineering has been a lifelong years. So much of drilling is experien- home state has been very gratifying,”
connection to her “pumper Grandpa” tial, and to go out at a young age and said Hoff. “This is such an incredibly
and a life’s work with meaning. show I could learn quickly and lead 40 important opportunity for Appalachia
Hoff began her career as a produc- to 70 guys gave me ‘street cred’ among to have sustained jobs at home for the
tion engineer for Chevron in the US my peers. It was hard, and it was so crit- next generation and to make sure it’s
Gulf of Mexico, often supervising jobs ical to do.” done in a way that minimizes impacts.
such as wireline interventions and stim- In 2010, she moved to Australia to “The people in this industry are salt
ulations herself on site. Starting in pro- lead the global drilling and completions of the Earth, and I love being around
duction gave her the opportunity to operations for Santos, where she led the them,” she continued. “It’s such a team
interact with diverse groups across res- transition from conventional to uncon- environment, particularly in drilling
ervoir engineering, geoscience, drill- ventional operations. The first signifi- and completions. I’ve let my career be
ing and completions, and joint ven- cant multiwell pad development in Aus- guided by just a few requirements. Am
tures, and built a solid foundation in tralia was delivered under her leadership I having fun? Am I making a difference?
Am I learning and being challenged?
Holding true to these has led me to some
unexpected places.
“In the late 1990s we were told there
Words of Wisdom For—and From—Women was no future for us because the US
in Petroleum Engineering would run out of oil and gas and it would
be importing both,” she remembered.
Vicki Hollub, Karen Olson, Diana Hoff, and Soma Chakraborty were asked
what advice they would give other women petroleum engineers.
“The transformation to US energy inde-
pendence and low prices for consumers
◗ Communicate directly, more like a man (but respect the culture where here gives me so much pride in our col-
you are working). lective accomplishments. To have done
◗ Engage in discussion. what we were told was impossible and
◗ Learn to talk about diverse topics, not just what interests you. changed world economies and balances
◗ Learn to say, “No.”
of power is very gratifying.”
◗ Take risks.
◗ Communicate early and often, especially when you have made a mistake. Karen Olson,
◗ Use and appreciate humor. Southwestern Energy
◗ Raise your hand if you must to be recognized and break through the
noise. Karen Olson, technology director for
◗ Reach out; don’t wait for things or people to come to you. Southwestern Energy, is recognized
for leading industry efforts to manage
◗ Stand up for yourself in a professional way.
water use and become better stewards
◗ Understand and leverage the power of collaboration. of fresh water. Her SPE Distinguished
◗ Take courses beyond the basics of engineering and geoscience. Lecture, “Freshwater Neutral: Manag-
◗ Seek out and learn from male and female mentors and role models. ing Water Use and Giving Back to the
◗ Use your “soft” skills to strengthen your company’s interaction with Environment,” is based on her leading
people in the communities where you live and work. role in Southwestern Energy’s ECH2O—
Energy Conserving Water—initiative to
replenish or offset each gallon of fresh
water used in hydraulic fracturing oper-
ations through conservation practices, tying the results back to the field—an the success of the bit development,
projects, and technologies. approach she learned from her mas- Chakraborty replied, “Absolutely, yes.”
The initiative, the first by any oil and ter’s degree professors at Texas A&M “The project required thinking out-
gas company, was launched in late 2012 and from her mentors, and applied as a side the box and meticulous attention to
and had achieved freshwater neutrality completions engineer and stimulation detail. And, being a member of the com-
for each operational basin by the end of team leader for BP to maximize produc- pletions organization on a drill bit proj-
2016. By the end of 2018, the company tion and recovery for the Valhall flank ect, required strong engagement skills
had completed nine aquatic conserva- development in the North Sea. Based and the flexibility to collaborate across
tion projects in three states in concert on numerical modeling and lab testing, disciplines in a company that historical-
with multiple and varied stakeholders. her team completed some of the larg- ly had been very siloed.”
All told, the sum of the conservation est commercial-rate wells in the Val- She also credits an internal LinkedIn-
projects currently provides a freshwater hall field, which had been producing type network and the technical forums
benefit of more than 71 million bbl/year since 1982. that were popular in her company
to the local environments.” After joining Southwestern Energy in at the time as enabling the tech-
“We got the idea from Coca Cola, 2010, Olson and her team applied the nology breakthrough.
which had done something similar, and technical fundamentals of data gather- “A colleague in our drill bits group
began by defining the meaning and set- ing and diagnostics, using large blocks had seen my name on our internal net-
ting standards,” said Olson. “The initia- of outcrop rock analogous to different work and approached me to talk about
tive also included chemical safety and horizons in the Fayetteville shale, to nanodiamond research I had con-
wellbore integrity. And, we allowed uni- advance understanding of fracture com- ducted at Rice,” she said. “That con-
versities to research groundwater while plexity. Their work led to understand- versation led to my being part of a
we were fracturing and to publish their ing that fracture complexity is in the technological breakthrough and an invi-
findings without our review.” rock and can be enhanced with fluids tation to present our work to our board
Yale University published a report of and other techniques, but not created of directors.”
its findings, concluding that the envi- with them. Chakraborty’s contribution to the
ronmental impact of the company’s She is also proud that she has two breakthrough bit technology also led to
hydraulic fracturing operations was daughters, both engineers, working in her becoming one of five people selected
minimal. But the research also revealed the oil industry as field frac engineers. to participate in an accelerated technol-
something else. There was pre-existing ogy leadership program, during which
methane in water wells drilled in area she helped prove the feasibility of fore-
valleys prior to any oil and gas develop- Soma Chakraborty, cast models to integrate with software
ment, while water wells in the hills con- Baker Hughes algorithms, develop product hierarchy
tained no methane. for multiple product lines, and facili-
“So the methane in that valley water Soma Chakraborty is engineering tech- tate change management and sales and
was from the Pennsylvania geology,” nical leader for Baker Hughes, a GE operations planning for integrated busi-
Olson said. company, an expert in nanotechnolo- ness management within the company.
For Olson, leading the charge on gy, and a pioneer in its application in Her team also analyzed nuclear mag-
freshwater neutrality was a logical oilfield operations. Chakraborty, who netic resonance (NMR) as a reservoir
extension of her extensive, career-long holds a PhD in chemistry from the India logging tool and drafted a white paper
work in design, modeling, and opera- Institute of Technology in Mumbai and providing opportunity mapping for the
tional execution of hydraulic fracturing. completed a post-doctoral fellowship development of NMR for unconvention-
It was also an opportunity to apply the in nanotechnology at Rice University, al reservoirs.
approach she believes has been a key joined Baker Hughes in 2008. Chakraborty’s most recent project has
enabler of her accomplishments. She and her team developed a nano- been as technical lead for the develop-
“Every project, every accomplish- technology strategy, defined a technol- ment of a new asset integrity manage-
ment, follows a pattern,” Olson said. ogy roadmap for nanocarbon research ment technology that could provide a
“I set goals and I try to assemble a in Baker Hughes, and helped develop a breakthrough in sour operations man-
solid team. Then I plant those goals as a strong intellectual property position. A agement. Using molecular science to
vision for the team and throughout the key project incorporated nanodiamond understand chemistry synergies, her
company. I try always to think outside into PDC drill bits to increase dura- team developed a chemistry for mitigat-
the box, to ask what’s happening, and bility, especially at high-pressure/high- ing H2S that eliminates several ancillary
why. I really try to focus on understand- temperature conditions, and delivered effects commonly associated with H2S
ing the why,” she said. significant performance benefits over scavengers. The technology is designed
Understanding the why always general purpose unleached cutters. to enable a new approach for H2S miti-
involves data gathering or lab test- Asked whether she thought being gation across upstream, midstream, and
ing, then validating the findings, and a female team leader contributed to downstream applications.
such as hurricanes and California wild- yet achievable goals for the upstream Net GHG Emissions
fires, are generating a new set of reali- industry over the short and long term As a basic premise, it is the net emis-
ties for the energy industry. The oil (e.g., by the year 2050) and what spe- sions of all greenhouse gases (GHG),
and gas upstream sector, accounting for cific programs in the spirit of an Apollo not just CO2, that drive climate change.
approximately 60% of current world project for oil and gas should be envi- Hence, the upstream industry’s overrid-
energy needs, faces existential threats sioned? The often-cited argument that ing goal should be reduction and even-
to its market share—where inaction upstream companies are “extractors tual elimination of net GHG emissions.
and/or insistence on marginal impro- and not emitters,” and thus its respon- Here the key operative words are “net
visations on past practices do not offer sibility in climate matters confined only GHG emissions,” a distinction worth
constructive and, ultimately, impactful to the extraction process, is shortsight- highlighting. This opens up numerous
solutions that the industry is most capa- ed and dilutes steps that could be taken GHG management options, including
ble of delivering. to maintain the industry’s leading role CO2 capture and storage (CCS), utiliza-
Nansen G. Saleri is the chairman, CEO, engineering, pressure transient analysis, integrated reservoir
and cofounder of Quantum Reservoir characterization, complex well design, and production
Impact (QRI), an advisory and advanced enhancement. She was a Schlumberger engineer, and for
analytics firm in the upstream sector since 10 years taught petroleum engineering at Texas A&M
2007. He is one of the industry’s pre- University and founded the Center for Energy, Environment,
eminent authorities on reservoir manage- and Transportation Innovation. She has published more
ment. As the former head of Reservoir than 115 papers, lectured or consulted in 50 countries, and
Management for Saudi Aramco for a decade, Saleri led has authored two patents. In 2016, Ehlig-Economides
efforts in introducing best-in-class programs in waterflood- became the first woman to be awarded the John Franklin
ing and maximum reservoir contact wells, most notably in Carll Award, which recognizes distinguished contributions
Ghawar, the world’s most prolific oil field. He is a recipient of applying engineering principles to petroleum development
the SPE John Franklin Carll Award (2006), was an SPE and recovery.
Distinguished Lecturer (1991/1992), and is an SPE
Distinguished Member. He holds six patents and has been Howard J. Herzog is a senior research
published or cited in numerous publications on global ener- engineer in the MIT Energy Initiative in
gy issues including The Wall Street Journal, Houston Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he
Chronicle, Reuters, Bloomberg, and CNBC. Saleri received a works on sponsored research involving
BSc in chemical engineering from Bosphorus University, and energy and the environment, with an
MSc and PhD degrees in chemical engineering from the emphasis on greenhouse gas mitigation
University of Virginia. technologies. He received his undergradu-
ate and graduate education in chemical engineering at
Christine Ehlig-Economides is the first- MIT. Herzog was a coordinating lead author for the
ever William C. Miller Endowed Chair Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report
Professor of Petroleum Engineering at the on Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage and a coauthor on
University of Houston. She became the the MIT The Future of Coal study. He was awarded the 2010
first American woman to earn a PhD in Greenman Award by the IEA Greenhouse Gas R&D
petroleum engineering when she obtained Programme “in recognition of contributions made to the
her doctorate from Stanford University in development of greenhouse gas control technologies,” and
1979. Ehlig-Economides is regarded as an expert in reservoir is the author of the recently published book Carbon Capture.
tion, and removal (CDR) pathways such enhance the odds of achieving the ulti- structive way forward, we propose the
as afforestation, reforestation, and bio- mate goal—to have a positive, substan- following goals and steps.
energy with CCS. This diverse portfo- tive impact on climate change. 1. Promote establishment of universal
lio enhances the ability of both market As an example, take the production net GHG emission definitions
forces and new technologies to produce of hydrogen. Many zero-emission sce- and standards to assure an even
evergreen solutions for reducing net narios include hydrogen. What is prob- playing field among all forms
GHG emissions. lematic about this notion is the assump- of energy.
Equally flawed as the “upstream tions regarding the source of hydrogen. 2. Reduce net emissions by 100%.
are only extractors” notion is the idea Today, over 95% of hydrogen produc- 3. Dedicate a non-trivial percentage
that the oil and gas industry should tion is from fossil fuels because hydro- of annual revenues to R&D
be accepting a carbon-free world ener- gen production via electrolysis is efforts to develop technologies
gy model fueled 100% by renewable several-fold more expensive than pro- that reduce net GHG emissions.
energy sources. While renewables are duction from steam methane reform- 4. Set stand-alone CO2 storage
an important part of the solution in ing (SMR). Our analysis shows that add- targets decoupled from EOR
addressing climate change, they are ing CCS to SMR to produce carbon-free projects. While EOR has been
nowhere nearly capable of replacing hydrogen will still be significantly less a stepping stone for CCS,
what oil and gas offers in support of expensive than carbon-free hydrogen EOR-based storage efforts
the modern lifestyle. Substantive life- from electrolysis. are not realistically scalable
style sacrifices, however, are unlike- and, therefore, we must move
ly at a global scale and so should not The Transportation Challenge beyond them to achieve net zero
constitute the underlying assumption With its overwhelming reliance on crude GHG emissions.
for an ecofriendly energy future. As oil, transportation poses several chal- We do recognize the complexity
a further tenet for clean energy, elec- lenges. Proposals to migrate transporta- and the associated ethical impera-
tric vehicles, power grids (current- tion to electric or hydrogen vehicles pro- tives of the issues at hand. Climate
ly 85% fueled by fossil and nucle- voke upstream industry fears of demand change is a challenge for the energy
ar), and battery manufacturing plants decline. However, such scenarios stage industry that demands careful con-
should also be judged on net emis- new opportunities. Carbon-free hydro- sideration of economic, political,
sion standards. gen can be produced from oil and gas. social, and technological aspects. We
There are no silver bullets in the fight Furthermore, rightfully abandoned in are hoping to catalyze an upstream
against climate change. We need every the 1970s due to supply constraints, the discussion toward “what can be
bullet in our arsenal. Eliminating cer- use of crude oil in electric power gener- done” without delay with an eye on
tain solution pathways, such as nucle- ation could be reinitiated in new plants 2050 when oil and gas can claim to
ar or fossil fuels, just makes a difficult incorporating CCS. be a premier ecofriendly supplier of
task much more difficult and expensive. The upstream industry is well posi- energy. The question that drives us
By the same token, the prospect of oil tioned to provide bullets to help in the is, “What is the alternative for the oil
and gas playing an active role will only fight against climate change. As a con- and gas industry?” JPT
Petroleum: The Gift That Keeps On Giving (Continued from page 60)
2018. The bulk of this is shale oil. Being people forever. In the 1967 movie The packaging, and a host of other medical
light (made up of relatively smaller Graduate, Dustin Hoffman’s character applications. In most cases, the starting
molecules), it has significant associated is given the advice to go into “plastics” material to produce the plastic is a com-
natural gas. In the Permian Basin, cur- as a career. Back then such advice was ponent of natural gas.
rently the hottest play, every additional either prescient, ill-informed, or sim- The last hundred years were book-
million B/D of oil produces 2.2 Bcf/d ply in jest. Today, we cannot do with- ended by two petroleum industry-
of associated gas. More oil, a virtu- out them. They are inexpensive, have driven events that had a major impact
al certainty now, means more natural a multiplicity of uses, and are endur- on the populace and the time in between
gas. Low to moderate gas prices are ing replacements for glass and metal was interspersed with a stream of inno-
here to stay. in many applications. I doubt anybody vations and materials that markedly
Finally, hydrocarbon-fed petrochemi- wishes for the days before disposable improved quality of life worldwide. The
cals, as a class, have changed the lives of syringes, medical instruments in sterile gift does, indeed, keep on giving.
Artificial Lift
Greg Stephenson, SPE, Senior Engineering Adviser, Occidental Petroleum
With all the emphasis placed on Standards help and performance ratings for equipment.
artificial-lift run-life improvement, you Operators have greater peace of mind
might wonder if there are any tricks left level the playing field, knowing their equipment is supported
in that bag. I contend there is one really enabling suppliers by sound engineering practices and will
big secret left—and it is hiding in plain
to segment the market perform as promised. When standards
sight. That trick is to use international are referenced in requests for proposal,
standards as the foundation of your reli- more effectively. vendors are able to provide responses
ability program. that are more appropriate for the appli-
A Chinese proverb says, “The jour- acteristics that can be used consistently to cation, resulting in a greater chance
ney of a thousand miles begins with a ensure that materials, products, process- of success in the field. Operators can
single step.” There are many steps in the es, and services are fit for their purpose.” also make an apples-to-apples compari-
long journey toward maximizing run life, Today, the American Petroleum Institute son when evaluating the proposals they
including proper installation, operation, (API) and the ISO provide such stan- receive. Standards help level the playing
training, surveillance, audits, service- dards for electrical submersible pumps, field, enabling suppliers to segment the
quality reviews, teardowns, and root- progressing-cavity pumps, sucker-rod market more effectively. And they enable
cause analysis. But, the first step should pumps, gas lift, and plunger lift, and API manufacturers to implement consistent,
be to identify the requirements for your complements their standards with rec- effective quality-assurance processes
artificial-lift system and to communi- ommended practices that provide guid- while avoiding the time and expense of
cate those requirements effectively to ance from industry experts in the use of custom solutions.
the vendor. In many cases, this is the such technologies. So, who writes all of these standards,
most challenging step, largely because A surprisingly small number of oper- anyway? The short answer is that we all
operators and suppliers often speak dif- ators purchase monogrammed equip- do. API and ISO committees are generally
ferent languages. ment or even reference the standards composed of subject-matter experts rep-
Fortunately, international standards in their purchasing documents or con- resenting an equal number of operators
are there for us to bridge that language tracts. This is unfortunate because stan- and vendors, often from different parts
gap. The International Organization for dards can make everyone’s lives much of the world. You can join one of these
Standardization (ISO) defines a standard easier, allowing operators and suppliers committees to help improve a particular
as “a document that provides require- to speak the same language by provid- standard. The key to making standards
ments, specifications, guidelines, or char- ing consistent nomenclature, definitions, work for all of us is to use them. The more
we use standards in our business, the bet-
ter they will become over time. JPT
Greg Stephenson, SPE, is a senior engineering advisor for artifi-
cial lift in Occidental Petroleum’s Worldwide Engineering and
Operations Group in Houston. In this role, he provides technical Recommended additional reading
support, mentoring, and training on all forms of artificial lift used
at OnePetro: www.onepetro.org.
throughout the company. Stephenson specializes in the various
aspects of artificial lift, production surveillance, automation, and SPE 190920 Visualizing Rod Design
optimization. He has taught numerous industry courses through- and Analysis Through the Wave Equation
by Walter Phillips, 3DWellbore.com
out the world and written a variety of technical papers and pub-
lications. Stephenson currently serves on the JPT Editorial Committee, is an associate SPE 190950 Effect of Gas Lift
editor for the SPE Production & Operations journal, is the program chairperson for the Design in Unconventional Wells—A
2018 SPE Artificial Lift Conference and Exhibition—Americas, serves on the board of Delaware Basin Operator’s Perspective
directors of the Artificial Lift Research and Development Council, and is an active by Subash K. Kannan, Anadarko, et al.
contributor and voting member for a variety of international standards and recom- SPE 192511 ESP Run-Life Improvement
mended practices related to gas lift technology through API Task Group 19G. Through Auditing of ESP Workshops
Stephenson can be reached at greg_stephenson@oxy.com. by Tamer Edries, Khalda Petroleum, et al.
For a limited time, the complete paper is free to SPE members at www.spe.org/jpt.
NatureWorks
EXPERT HOUR
Degradable Ingeo PLA Diverters
for Increasing Well Production
at Downhole Temperatures from
120°F to 300°F Jim Valentine
Technical Fellow, NatureWorks
T he performance of artificial-lift
systems on horizontal wells is
greatly influenced by both the volume
isolation location, whether at the top or
bottom of the tailpipe, to aid in design-
ing future systems. A comparison of the
liquids. When they reach the artificial-lift
system, slugs can cause incomplete fill-
age in SRPs or cycling in ESPs.
of gas produced and the tendency for two separators was attempted, and vari- Gas can enter SRPs for a variety of
gas slugging. With a sucker rod pump ous operational challenges are discussed reasons, but one common reason is in-
(SRP) system, gas slugging leads to gas in the complete paper to improve the de- sufficient or nonexistent gas-separation
interference at the pump, reducing sign, installation, startup, and operation equipment, which is typically designed
system efficiency and equipment run of these systems. on the basis of daily production rates.
life. With an electrical submersible Some installations were outfitted This is a reasonable approach when a
pump (ESP), gas slugs can cause cycling with downhole gauges (DHGs) measur- well’s inflow is fairly consistent, but when
of the ESP, which may shorten run ing pressure and temperature at several production varies throughout the day, as
life significantly. A trial project was points along the tailpipe. The DHGs re- is common in horizontal wells, the sepa-
launched to evaluate the performance corded pressure at the tailpipe inlet and rator cannot prevent gas from entering
of two tailpipe systems that could be outlet, pump intake pressure, and pump the pump.
applied to both forms of artificial lift. discharge pressure. This surveillance Similarly, gas in an ESP causes the
package allowed for real-time monitor- pump to shut down frequently. This cy-
Introduction ing of the performance of both the tail- cling stresses the motor and shortens its
The two tailpipe systems were tested in a pipe and the artificial-lift system while life. The design’s gas-handling equipment
number of wells using SRPs, and one well also providing data for modeling the flow helps, but, like a rod pump, when the
was tested using an ESP. The goal was to regime through the tailpipe. The mod- production varies, the pump may receive
◗ Reduce the frequency and eling results were used to forecast long- more gas than it is designed to handle.
magnitude of slugging behavior term performance of the system as well These issues are significant drivers of
seen at the pump production declines over time. failure rate and operating expense. Gas
◗ Reduce the flowing bottomhole Results from the field trial show the in pumps is one of the largest causes of
pressure without having to land performance of each system from a va- artificial-lift failures in the operator’s
pumps past the kickoff point (KOP) riety of standpoints: changes in flowing Permian Basin operations, especially in
◗ Improve separation of free gas bottomhole pressure, flowing behavior horizontal unconventional wells.
from the produced fluid before through the tailpipe, separation effec- The issue of drawdown is a prima-
it reaches the pump intake tiveness, and changes in production. ry point of concern when designing an
The two systems differ in both sepa- artificial-lift philosophy. The usual ap-
rator design and packer location. The Background proach is to evacuate the wellbore of
first uses a conventional packer-style gas Even after they are drilled, horizontal liquids to maximize the drawdown on
separator with a reduced-inner-diameter wells pose more challenges than verti- the reservoir and maximize inflow. To
(ID) tailpipe extending below the sepa- cal wells, particularly with regard to gas achieve these goals, the pump is landed
rator and past the KOP. The second uses slugging and reservoir drawdown. Geom- as low as possible in the wellbore, ideally
a special cyclonic separator with a re- etries such as toe-up, toe-down, or undu- below the perforated interval. In a hori-
duced-ID tailpipe, and the packer is lo- lations can allow gas pockets to build in zontal well, that would require running
cated at the lower end of the tailpipe. the lateral. Eventually, these gas pockets, the pump around the curve into the lat-
The authors examined the differences or slugs, will flow into the vertical sec- eral. For a rod pump, this would lead to
between the two systems regarding the tion, partially or completely displacing high side loads and significant rod-on-
tubing wear in the curve. For an ESP, it
might mean running the pump with the
This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Judy Feder, contains highlights of
shaft bent, which puts stress on the shaft
paper SPE 190938, “Evaluating Tailpipe Systems Designed To Optimize Artificial Lift and shortens run life.
Performance in Horizontal Wells,” by C.R. Humphreys, SPE, B.N. Vangolen, SPE, To avoid these problems, the operator
A.P. Allison, SPE, D. Yin, SPE, and C. Yicon, SPE, Occidental Petroleum, prepared generally locates the pump in the vertical
for the 2018 SPE Artificial Lift Conference and Exhibition–Americas held in The section for as long as possible, running it
Woodlands, Texas, USA, 28–30 August. The paper has not been peer reviewed. into the curve later in the well’s life. The
For a limited time, the complete paper is free to SPE members at www.spe.org/jpt.
System Comparison
The two tailpipe systems tested comprise
three key elements.
◗ A sized velocity string with an ID
designed to change the flow regime
as required Fig. 1—Tailpipe System A separator. Fig. 2—Tailpipe System B separator.
◗ A tool to isolate the annulus
between the casing and tubing to ◗ Do the systems work as advertised? To study the behavior of the systems,
force the flow from the reservoir ◗ If they both work, does one work pressure gauges were installed along the
into the velocity string better? Of particular concern with tubing string of three wells as follows:
◗ A separator at the top of the string System A was the isolation at the ◗ One at the bottom of the velocity
to separate gas from liquids before top of the string. Would the annular string
the liquids flow into the pump space below the isolation provide ◗ One at the top of the velocity string
intake a place for gas to build up and then ◗ One at the pump intake
There are two key differences between slug into the velocity string? For ◗ One at the pump discharge
these systems. The isolation tool is at System B, the main concern was A large number of systems also were
the top of the velocity string for System about running full-diameter tools installed without gauges to confirm
A and at the bottom for System B. Addi- into laterals, with the potential the findings in the gauged wells and
tionally, the flow paths are quite differ- for becoming stuck and having to helped determine operational success
ent for the two systems, as illustrated in fish them. Because the system is factors using conventional surveillance
Figs. 1 and 2. designed for solids to settle in the and monitoring tools. Success param-
The separator used for System A has annular space above the isolation eters focused on the pressure difference
flow paths similar to that of a conven- packer, could the tubing or even across the velocity string, PIP, pump fill-
tional packer-style separator. Fluids flow the packer become stuck? age, and changes in production. Evalua-
from the tailpipe into the body of the sep- ◗ Which parameters are useful to tion was ongoing, with changes made as
arator, then turn a 90° corner to flow into predict success—gas/oil ratio, pump results dictated.
the annulus between the tubing and cas- intake pressure (PIP), total liquid
ing. Separation occurs in that space, and or gas rate, or something else? Conclusions
the liquids fall down to a liquid dip tube, For each useful parameter, what This study is not yet complete, but the au-
which carries the liquids to the pump. is the range of successful values? thors drew some firm conclusions. Tail-
The System B separator is different. Are there dependencies between pipe systems can achieve the effects for
Fluids from the tailpipe exit the separator the variables? For example, does which they are designed, in particular
head into the annulus in a near-vertical the range of good gas/liquid ratio slug mitigation and increased drawdown
direction, which is assumed to be less vary with PIP? in some wells. Both systems can perform
turbulent to produce better separation. Testing focused on SRP and ESP instal- as intended, although questions remain
lations because they are more prone to about particular risks the different de-
Trial Details problems with gas interference than gas- signs pose and about production vari-
To understand the utility and operating lifted wells. All but one of the test instal- ance in the trial wells. Details from the
ranges of these systems, extensive field lations were SRPs, for which the tailpipe trial wells and additional conclusions are
testing addressed the following questions. technology is most fully developed. presented in the complete paper. JPT
E lectrical-submersible-pump (ESP)
technology is a proven artificial-
lift method for shallow, low-pressure
Run 1—plug arm/motor/seal Run 2—pumps
Run 4—tubing stop
Run 3—packoff
For a limited time, the complete paper is free to SPE members at www.spe.org/jpt.
Production Monitoring
Rohit Mittal, SPE, Reservoir Engineer
It stands to reason that a major draw These new technologies the monitoring difficulties posed by the
for JPT’s readers is the continual discus- waterflooding process.
sion of new technologies and emerging prove that Finally, as the big data revolution over-
methods in its pages. Professionals in petroleum engineers takes our industry as well as many oth-
our industry, working in a highly techni-
remain at the forefront ers, increased attention has been paid to
cal field to begin with, appreciate inno- the area of machine learning. The authors
vation backed by rigorous study that will of innovation and discovery. of paper SPE 192819 use artificial neural
make their jobs easier and enable the goal networks to interpret data and estimate
of improving life for the planet’s popula- production rate effectively in both simu-
tion. (For more reflections on this theme, without requiring costly interventions lated and field data. Though many factors
please see the Professional Pride sec- and associated health, safety, and envi- can influence the outcomes (as with any
tion.) To this end, I have selected three ronmental risks. type of measurement), the method holds
papers that join this desire for innova- In a similar vein, precise monitoring of promise for improving the flowmetering
tion with the potential offered by emerg- the waterflooding process by tradition- and back-allocation phases of monitoring.
ing technologies. al means of seismic- and gravity-based As noted last year in this space, our
Oil-rim position is literally a mov- methods is problematic for a variety of industry is one often considered reac-
ing target in the context of production reasons. One potential solution is the tive and overly tradition-bound. These
monitoring and is often too challeng- use of controlled-source electromag- new technologies, however—and, more
ing a task for the conventional approach netic (CSEM) techniques, but these have importantly, the drive of these research-
of using periodic gradiometric surveys. mostly been limited to 2D geometries. ers to harness their capabilities—prove
The authors of paper SPE 188868, how- In paper SPE 191544, the authors dis- that petroleum engineers remain at the
ever, explore the possibilities presented cuss the implementation of a technique forefront of innovation and discovery
by optical pressure gauges in capturing that marries CSEM technology with and that we all may share in their profes-
these fluid levels with greater accuracy 3D-measurement capability to overcome sional pride. JPT
Rohit Mittal, SPE, is a reservoir engineer with more than 5 years of Recommended additional reading
experience in reserves estimation, reservoir simulation, fluid model- at OnePetro: www.onepetro.org.
ing, and advanced data analytics. He most recently worked for the
SPE 193051 Revisiting Petrophysical
reservoir-consulting arm of Baker Hughes, a GE company, in and Fluid Characteristics of a Mature
Houston. As a reservoir engineer, Mittal has worked on most of the Smectite-Rich Shally Sand Reservoir for
major shale plays in the US and a number of Gulf of Mexico fields. EOR Screening in the Sultanate of Oman
His current area of interest is the application of machine learning to by Arwa al-Harrasi, Petroleum Development
find insights hidden in a large amount of data. Mittal holds a bach- Oman, et al.
elor’s degree in chemical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, India; a SPE 193183 Real-Time Hydrocarbon
master’s degree in petroleum engineering from Texas A&M University; and an MBA Mapping by Time-Lapse Borehole Electric
degree from INSEAD, France. He is a member of the JPT Editorial Committee and can be Tomography by Paolo Dell’Aversana, Eni,
reached at rohit.mittal17d@insead.edu. et al.
For a limited time, the complete paper is free to SPE members at www.spe.org/jpt.
System Value
Fig. 1—Images of initial DPTS installation. Left: pressure gauges being clamped Providing a quantitative statement of sys-
to tubing string. Middle: fiber-optic cable exits the wellhead. Right: solar-
powered surface instrumentation records and transmits pressure data.
tem value is not possible because of the
confidential nature of production rates
gauges were tubing-deployed, strapped the interrogator hardware was and other operational statistics. However,
to the outside of a 3½-in. tubing string increased steadily to suit summer the ways in which the system has provid-
that was run in hole by a workover rig. desert wellhead temperatures. ed value, in addition to improved reser-
The optical cable connecting the down- ◗ The company’s software engineers voir understanding, can be summarized
hole gauges to the surface interrogator worked on an algorithm to convert as follows:
was strapped to the tubing as the string the pressure data into fluid-contact ◗ Reduction of production deferment—
was run in hole and then passed through a or “cut” levels. This algorithm Use of real-time monitoring prevents
surface pressure barrier after penetrating took advantage of the multitude the repeat of previous situations in
the wellhead. From there, the optical cable of combined data points between which gradiometric surveys missed
was trenched to the location of a pole- the various gauges in the system the thinning and the lowering of the
mounted instrument cabinet some tens of to deliver a result with lower oil rim.
meters away in a nearby safe area. Here, uncertainty. Furthermore, the ◗ Operational expenditure reduction—
the surface interrogator collected the data algorithm automatically identified Long-term cost reductions can be
from the downhole gauges and passed and discounted erroneous data seen when comparing the cost of a
them to an industrial computer, which points within the system. single DPTS system deployment with
then transmitted the data to the local flow Two further trial deployments were that of repeated gradiometric surveys.
station through a remote telemetry unit. conducted to demonstrate that the solu- ◗ HSE risk reduction—A DPTS system
The first deployment encouraged the tion could be replicated and to validate requires only one well intervention
sponsors to support further work on the system-design improvements. during the life of the well completion.
improvements to the system: ◗ System-expansion capability—The
◗ The mechanical design of the gauge Results fiber used in the DPTS system could
was amended to reduce the cross The three trial deployments progres- also be used for distributed acoustic
section to a ¾-in. diameter and sively provided more accurate data and sensing, vertical seismic profiling,
to relocate the sensitive pressure greater system reliability. In particular, or distributed temperature sensing,
diaphragm from the outside of the the stability of the pressure measure- enabling the simple addition of
gauge to inside. ments from the downhole optical gauges other monitoring systems.
◗ The optical cable interconnection was very high—critical in avoiding a false
between the gauges was changed indication of fluid-contact movement. Conclusions
from a commercial optical con- Pressure and temperature measure- The authors present a project in which
nector, which had proved unreliable, ments, and system-health and self- the possibility of measuring fluid lev-
to a custom-built splicing chamber, diagnostic data, are transmitted from els in a wellbore using optical pressure
within which permanent spliced the wellhead interrogator into a data- gauges was conceived, prototyped, field-
fiber connections could be isolated base at 3-hour intervals. When new data trialed, and refined to the point of wide-
from wellbore fluids and pressure. sets are received, an algorithm processes spread commercialization. The system
◗ The surface interrogator evolved them into gas/oil-contact and oil/water- provides real-time data to the desk of the
from a laboratory-grade instrument contact locations. Using a suite of vi- operator’s reservoir engineers, inform-
to a field-grade model. A power- sualization tools, engineers are able to ing production-optimization decisions
hungry and temperature-range- view real-time and historical pressure, and delivering significant value. The per-
limited polarization scrambler temperature, and fluid-level data, which formance of the final trial deployment
was removed. An industrial are used to influence the production- led to the determination that the system
computer was removed by optimization program. was sufficiently mature to pass its final
integrating its functionality DPTS technology has been continually technology-readiness level, informing
into the field interrogator. The developed since the trial deployments in operating units that the DPTS solution
operating temperature range of the Sultanate of Oman, with two goals in was commercially available. JPT
Introduction
Fig. 1—Details of the electric and magnetic borehole receiver array and wireline
CSEM techniques for reservoir-fluid char- operations at the observation well.
acterization and monitoring are applied
on a commercial basis for cross-well con- years. The results of the study led to mod- forming the dipole antennas were in-
figurations. The method is based on elec- ifications of the cross-well EM acquisition stalled at a 200-m separation forming a
tromagnetic (EM) induction and, as such, system where electric field sensors were setup of 48 inline (radial-direction) and
uses magnetic sources and magnetic re- added to the existing magnetic field sen- 48 cross-line (tangential-direction) di-
ceivers. While it has been implement- sors. A powerful custom electric-current poles generating Ez and a vertical mag-
ed successfully in many field trials, the source was also developed. netic field (Hz) at the observation well.
method is limited to 2D geometries and The borehole receiver comprised two
its sensitivity is biased toward detecting Survey Design vertical magnetic field sensors (H1 and
conductors. Modeling has shown that the Three-dimensional surface-to-borehole H2) and two vertical electric field sen-
setup of magnetic sources and magnet- CSEM data were acquired in a deep sors (E1 and E2) coupled to the borehole
ic receivers in a 3D surface-to-borehole (reservoir-level) research well drilled walls by means of well centralizers. The
configuration does not provide a useful near the known waterfront position. Sur- receiver array was operated as a wire-
signal above the estimated noise floor. For face current dipoles (transmitting anten- line tool, with which special care had to
such configurations, an electric source nae) were prepared by drilling shallow be taken to insulate the electrodes from
needs to be adopted. Realistic modeling boreholes and completing them with a the wireline cable and from the body of
of 3D surface-to-borehole CSEM suggest- steel pipe coupled to the rock formations the tool (Fig. 1). The receiver (Rx) setup
ed that the vertical electric field (Ez) is the using a slurry of carbon backfill (coke was operated by means of a crane, and
only component of EM radiation showing breeze) to achieve sufficient electrical synchronization of the Rx and the trans-
a signal above the estimated noise floor contact. The electrode setup was com- mitting (Tx) position was provided by
for waterfront variation over a period of 2 pleted by cementing the top. Electrodes Global Positioning System timing. Low-
frequency magnetotelluric and surface/
surface CSEM data were also acquired to
This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights
build a 3D model of the overburden. The
of paper SPE 191544, “Surface-to-Borehole Electromagnetics for 3D Waterflood additional data provide primary sensitiv-
Monitoring: Results From First Field Deployment,” by Daniele Colombo and Gary ity to the overburden and allow control
McNeice, Saudi Aramco, and Nestor Cuevas and Mauro Pezzoli, Schlumberger, and discrimination of the response of the
prepared for the 2018 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Dallas, overburden from the response of the res-
24–26 September. The paper has not been peer reviewed. ervoir during interpretation.
For a limited time, the complete paper is free to SPE members at www.spe.org/jpt.
w1 Threshold
Output Unit
Summer
real-time virtual flowmetering and back- Layer w2
allocation in production wells. The main x3
w3
goal was to develop computationally Output
efficient data-driven models to
wn
determine multiphase production rates Artificial Neuron
of individual phases (gas and liquid) in 1
xn
wells using existing measured data in w1,w2,w3,wn—Weights of Connection
fields. The results showed that ANNs b x1,x2,x3,xn—Inputs b—Bias
were capable of estimating multiphase
flow rates accurately in both simulated
and field data. Fig. 1—An example of a feed-forward ANN (left) and a mathematical
representation of a feed-forward neural network (right).
Introduction
Virtual-flowmetering (VFM) methods poral dependencies. ANNs were used for Recurrent neural networks (RNNs)
are categorized in two types generally: real-time gas flowmetering at an individ- are suggested for prediction of systems
physics-based models (hydrodynamical ual well level using total production rates in which states are changing continu-
approach) and data-driven models. In measured downstream of the combined ously before reaching an equilibrium,
the physics-based approach, multiphase production separators. or when the time-dependency of states
flow rates are estimated by simplified hy- is crucial for predicting these states. A
drodynamical models using sensor data Methodology common disadvantage of some RNNs is
(e.g., pressure and temperature) as input The feed-forward ANN is a suitable meth- their inability to capture long-term de-
parameters. The second approach is sole- od for modeling the relations between pendencies in the data. Use of an LSTM
ly dependent on the available data in the a set of features and output parameters network is suggested for predictions in-
field, performing statistical analysis on by functional mapping of the features volving systems in which both short- and
this data and deriving relations between in the input layer to the outputs. Fig. 1 long-term dependencies are present. An
input features and quantities of interest shows a schematic of a feed-forward LSTM network is composed of sever-
(in this case, multiphase flow rates). Such ANN. The relation of the input to the al units of RNN, with each unit com-
an approach requires a sufficient data output parameters is found by calibrat- posed of a cell with an input, output,
set to train the models. In the context of ing the weights and biases in the hidden and forget gate.
data-driven VFM, such a data set could (middle) layers. Depending on the com- For the feed-forward neural net-
be obtained from periodic test-separator plexity of the input/output relations, the works, a single hidden layer was used
data or well tests. number of hidden layers, and neurons and the number of neurons in the hid-
In this study, two types of ANNs were therein, could be varied. The disadvan- den layer was varied to find the archi-
assessed: feed-forward (multilayer- tage of feed-forward networks is their tecture that provided optimal accuracy
perceptron) and recurrent [long short- inability to identify temporal trends in for flow-rate estimation. The Levenberg-
term memory (LSTM)] to capture tem- the data set. Marquardt back-propagation method
was used for training the feed-forward
neural network.
This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights
of paper SPE 192819, “Improving the Accuracy of Virtual Flowmetering and Back-
Case Study
Allocation Through Machine Learning,” by Pejman Shoeibi Omrani, SPE, Iulian Simulated Data. Steady-State Gas and
Dobrovolschi, and Stefan Belfroid, SPE, TNO, and Peter Kronberger and Esteban Liquid Flow Rates. The simulated data
Munoz, Wintershall Noordzee, prepared for the 2018 Abu Dhabi International set for the steady-state predictions was
Petroleum Exhibition and Conference, Abu Dhabi, 12–15 November. The paper has not used for training and validating the ANN
been peer reviewed. model. A feed-forward neural network
For a limited time, the complete paper is free to SPE members at www.spe.org/jpt.
After a year, I could begin my editorial If above-threshold drilling major operator mentioned previously
the same way I did in 2018, with the shows, frontiers of technology such as
words, “The industry is slowly recovering costs shelve a project, (extreme) HP/HT are best explored in the
from the worst downturn we have seen we can have the nicest spirit (and the contractual framework) of
in many decades … .” But now, at least,
production hardware technology partnerships, because very
we see some clear indications that the little of the required equipment and pro-
“HP/HT spring” is upon us, most nota- in the world, but the project cedures is commodified enough to allow
bly the announcement by Chevron and will not fly. And, without the corporate supply chain to decide
Transocean that they will partner on what the most-cost-effective solution for
construction of an ultradeepwater drill- projects, all HP/HT a project may be. This is not even con-
ship. Because significant financial com- know-how and equipment sidering the rare and valuable innova-
mitment is behind this agreement, tive HP/HT know-how that only a few
we can safely say that ultradeepwater
quickly disappears. experts in our industry really possess
high-pressure/high-temperature (HP/HT) and can apply, allowing the cost sav-
drilling is alive and well and that geol- and equipment quickly disappears. So, ings of this new level of HP/HT drilling
ogists see major resource potential in this focus is in the interest of the entire efficiency to be realized. I hope that the
this environment. HP/HT value chain. papers selected will enhance the broad-
That said, the mantra given out at the Being able to construct wells efficient- er dissemination of this efficient HP/HT,
beginning of the downturn, “Fit for 50,” ly is especially important for a techno- narrow-margin well-construction knowl-
by then SPE President Helge Haldorsen logical frontier operation such as HP/HT. edge and lead to a step change in HP/HT
of Equinor, is still the benchmark many Industry veterans remember the enthu- drilling-cost efficiency that is necessary
(wisely) applied for their projects—and, siasm of the 1980s for subalpine HP/HT in our operating environment. Interest-
given the volatility of oil prices we have exploration. The resource basis was ingly, geographically, the eastern Medi-
seen in the past year, rightly so. There- there, but the failure of several wells terranean and Asia Pacific regions seem
fore, and similar to last year’s HP/HT to reach their objective (unfortunately to be at the forefront of this develop-
feature, we must concentrate our paper something that happens all too often in ment, as the selected papers show. I hope
selection on technology and operat- conventional HP/HT exploration drill- you will enjoy them and learn a lot. And,
ing methods that make HP/HT drilling ing) killed the potentially very important please, provide any feedback you believe
operations faster, safer, and more cost- resource development that could have to be useful to advance efficient HP/HT
efficient. If above-threshold drilling mitigated the decline of own-gas produc- well-construction practices. JPT
costs shelve a project, we can have tion in western and central Europe with
the nicest production hardware in the all its geopolitical consequences.
world, but the project will not fly. And As the technical and commercial part- Recommended additional reading
without projects, all HP/HT know-how nership of a drilling contractor and a at OnePetro: www.onepetro.org.
OTC 28327 Maharaja Lela South:
Robert Ziegler, SPE, is global director for well-control technol- Innovation at Work To Push the Limits
ogy at Weatherford International. His career spans 30 years in and To Deliver by Sebastien Cochet,
the industry, mainly with Shell, Chevron, Petronas, and Cairn Vallourec Asia Pacific, et al.
India. Ziegler’s achievements include involvement in the first OTC 28624 Subsea High-Pressure/
deepwater application of preblowout-preventer riserless mud- High-Temperature Technology Verification,
line pumping and the first application of a commercial deep- Validation, and Regulatory Requirements:
water dual-gradient system in the form of post-blowout- HP/HT Riser Technology Challenges
preventer-controlled mud level. He also has overseen dozens of by Selcuk Dincal, 2H Offshore, et al.
successful offshore managed-pressure-drilling jobs using rotating control devices for OTC 18869 HP/HT Hands-Free Drilling
several operators on both jackup rigs and semisubmersible rigs as well as the com- Riser System With Superior Fatigue
mercial use of directional casing drilling offshore, with more than 100 sections drilled. Performance by Colton Sandman,
Ziegler is a member of the JPT Editorial Committee. Dril-Quip, et al.
For a limited time, the complete paper is free to SPE members at www.spe.org/jpt.
For a limited time, the complete paper is free to SPE members at www.spe.org/jpt.
For a limited time, the complete paper is free to SPE members at www.spe.org/jpt.
Seismic
Mark S. Egan, SPE, Consulting Geophysicist
Last year saw continued contraction in Last year saw continued covered other important seismic topics.
the seismic data-acquisition industry. These included inversion and reservoir
This included both onshore and offshore contraction in the seismic characterization, 4D interpretation, seis-
operations. Most notably, WesternGeco data-acquisition industry. mic for carbonate plays, and machine
exited land and marine data acquisi-
This included both onshore learning. (Similar to what is happening
tion. (In the case of marine, Western- in other industries, machine learning is
Geco sold all of its vessels, facilities, and and offshore operations. receiving tremendous attention now in
technologies to Shearwater GeoServices.) the seismic world.) Though industry fluc-
Ironically, it was just 1 year ago when I tuations may affect our areas of specialty,
discussed in this column the new and of Thailand. Another paper deals with there will always be room for improve-
exciting acquisition-related advances in leading-edge techniques that were used ment driven by innovation. JPT
the industry that had been developed for in a recent onshore 3D survey in Abu
the purpose of better data sampling. Dhabi. And a third paper showcases the
With this drop in acquisition busi- application of a relatively new technol- Recommended additional reading
ness, it is not surprising that there were ogy, distributed acoustic sensing (DAS). at OnePetro: www.onepetro.org.
fewer seismic data-acquisition papers DAS is rapidly finding a home in vertical-
published in SPE proceedings. Neverthe- seismic-profile surveys and in unconven- SPE 189888 Seismic Attributes
Application for the Distributed Acoustic
less, several excellent SPE papers cov- tional programs. Indeed, this third paper Sensing Data for the Marcellus Shale:
ered important acquisition and process- deals with a DAS study performed in the New Insights to Cross-Stage Flow
ing topics. One of the papers deals with Marcellus Shale. Communication by Payam Kavousi
the current state of the art for address- Offsetting the drop in the number of Ghahfarokhi, West Virginia University, et al.
ing marine challenges. This is described acquisition papers was a proportionate SPE 192948 How Broadband, High-
with a 3D case history from the Gulf increase in the number of SPE papers that Density, Full-Azimuth, and Point-Source
Point-Receiver Acquisition Improves
Seismic Interpretation in Onshore Abu
Dhabi by Sheikha Al-Naqbi, ADNOC
Mark S. Egan, SPE, is a consulting geophysicist. He worked for Onshore, et al.
Schlumberger and its heritage companies from 1975 to 2016, at
SPE 192956 Comparing Seismic Inversion
which time he retired. Egan’s last position at Schlumberger was as Methods on a Carbonate Reservoir: A Case
global chief area geophysicist in the Land Unconventionals Group Study From the Mishrif Reservoir, Rumaila
within the WesternGeco segment. His previous postings included Field, Iraq by Olabode Joseph Olatoke, BP,
chief geophysicist positions in North America, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, et al.
and London. Egan holds a PhD degree in geophysics, an MS degree SPE 192927 Effect of Seismic Acquisition
in acoustics, and a BS degree in physics and mathematics. He is a and Processing Techniques in Challenging
member of SPE, the Society of Exploration Geophysicists, the European Association of Subsurface Imaging, Block G11/48, Gulf
Geoscientists and Engineers, and various local societies. Egan is a member of the JPT of Thailand by Phansakorn Kaewprain,
Editorial Committee and can be reached at egan9@hotmail.com. Mubadala
For a limited time, the complete paper is free to SPE members at www.spe.org/jpt.
The training steps of the democratic ◗ Lithofacies logs at the three In the lithofacies reconstruction re-
ASNN can be summarized as follows: ESM wells sults at the wells (Fig. 2), there are three
◗ Define a number p of neural ◗ Poststack seismic attributes, well tracks. The first is the input litho-
networks. including: facies, the second is the upscaled litho-
◗ Apply learning over the p neural o High-resolution, 138-Hz prestack facies (identical to the input lithofacies
networks with each training set time-migrated stack log), and the third is the reconstructed
and examine the training quality o Instantaneous frequency lithofacies log curve. By the term recon-
by analyzing misclassification o Instantaneous Q factor structed, the authors mean that this is
rates at well locations. o P-impedance from seismic the predicted lithofacies curve that re-
◗ Apply a democratic vote system over inversion sults from applying the neural network
a user-defined set of soft data and o Semblance model at the well location using only
add the ones that pass the majority o Dominant frequency seismic data as input. Therefore, it is a
vote test as training data, with a o Most-negative curvature best-case scenario for reconstruction
lower weight than hard data. ◗ Prestack seismic data in the form of lithofacies using this method. Imme-
◗ Apply learning over p neural of partial angle stacks (from 0 to diately to the right of the reconstructed
networks using the expanded 40°, every 5°) lithofacies curve is the maximum prob-
training set now containing hard ability curve, which shows the probabil-
and soft data. Data and Results ity of the most-probable reconstructed
The final output result of the work flow Fig. 1 shows the well and seismic data lithofacies. Finally, to the far right are
is a lithofacies distribution for each point at the well location (training data set), the individual nine facies probabilities
in the area of interest, as well as the max- which are inputs to the DNNA process. for each of the nine lithofacies classes.
imum probability for all facies and the From left to right appear a lithofacies The facies prediction is extremely good
probability for each facies. log, then another lithofacies log that is compared with the input lithofacies;
a duplicate of the first one (because op- this is true for all three wells. There are
Equipment and Processes tional upscaling was not chosen, the up- small differences in lithofacies predic-
◗ To carry out the DNNA machine- scaled log is identical to the input litho- tion, and occasionally the DNNA meth-
learning rock-type classification facies log). Next, there are 15 seismic od loses a few thin beds. There are also
procedure, a number of different traces representing the 15 seismic at- some minor differences in terms of the
data objects had to be delivered tributes extracted at the well location. positioning and thickness of the litho-
by the exploration and production Together, the lithofacies logs and the facies, but overall, the reconstruction is
company to be used as inputs. 15 seismic-attribute traces comprise the excellent. The collection of lithofacies
◗ Top and base of the interval training data set for DNNA. The collec- logs and probability logs is duplicated
of interest, as 3D seismic tion of lithofacies logs, upscaled litho- three times, again representing the
interpretation horizons, in two- facies logs, and 15 seismic traces is du- three wells collocated within the ESM
way time plicated three times, representing the 3D seismic survey.
◗ Accurate time-depth curves for the three wells collocated within the ESM 3D In examining the overall quality of
three ESM wells seismic survey. the lithofacies log reconstruction, each
of the three wells has a well reconstruc- When pay facies are juxtaposed pay facies, using lithofacies logs and 15
tion rate varying between 96 and 98%. against lithofacies logs in 3D space, the 3D seismic volumes as input, then prop-
The lithofacies class reconstruction rate voxel-visualization display allows the agated to the full volume using the final
varies between 75% for Class 8 to 100% analyst to visualize where the pay facies operator. At the wells, the training statis-
for Classes 1 through 6. The global aver- may be located. A map view of a two- tics are high quality; most importantly,
age reconstruction rate is 97% for the way time/thickness evaluation of the oil- there is no confusion about pay facies.
entire project. filled packstone pay facies shows clearly Higher vertical and horizontal resolution
In the 3D classification results, the ver- that there are other drilling opportuni- was obtained compared with that ob-
tical resolution of the 3D volume match- ties in this area. tained by conventional high-resolution
es that of the lithofacies logs and there 138-Hz prestack time-migrated seismic
is a near-perfect tie at the well locations, Conclusions volume. This project suggests that the
which is expected considering the 97% The ensemble of neural networks was method has validity in Permian carbon-
global facies reconstruction rate. trained at the wells to identify a specific ate rocks in west Texas. JPT
For a limited time, the complete paper is free to SPE members at www.spe.org/jpt.
Frequency
Frequency
Probability
Probability
0.08 0.15 150,000
80,000
0.12 120,000
0.06 60,000
0.09 90,000
0.04 40,000
0.06 60,000
0.02 20,000
0.03 30,000
0.00 0 0.00 0
OOIP (MMSTBO)—4D+Production Filters Cumulative Oil (End of Lease) (MMSTBO)—4D+Production Filters
OOIP (MMSTBO)—4D Filter Only Cumulative Oil (End of Lease) (MMSTBO)—4D Filter Only
OOIP (MMSTBO)—Production Filter Only Cumulative Oil (End of Lease) (MMSTBO)—Production Filter Only
OOIP (MMSTBO)—Unfiltered Cumulative Oil (End of Lease) (MMSTBO)—Unfiltered
Fig. 1—The 4DAHM work flow provides updates to key metrics such as original oil in place. MMSTBO=million stock-tank
barrels of oil.
matching quantitatively and probabilisti- tional overheads. Resolution differences Deepwater Africa Case Study
cally. In comparison with other methods, that arise from seismic and synthetical- A detailed case study and results from
one of the main advantages of this method ly modeled data from simulation mod- adopting the 4DAHM filtering work flow
is the ability to reduce uncertainty with a els increase the challenges of achieving a in two different deepwater reservoirs off-
relatively small amount of work or time. history match. shore Africa are presented in the com-
If the uncertainty in the seismic pre- The third approach—proposed in this plete paper. Using the proposed method-
diction of flow properties is understood, paper—assumes the seismic data can be ology not only reduced uncertainty but
incorporating seismic data in a probabi- interpreted or inverted for pressure and also provided information on key perfor-
listic history-matching work flow is rela- saturation changes, avoiding additional mance indicators critical in obtaining a
tively straightforward. Seismic data can steps whereby the reservoir-simulation robust history match to informing deci-
be integrated into reservoir models in model must be modified to determine a sions on infill drilling opportunities.
three different approaches: match to seismic. Mismatches can be an- History matching was achieved by
◗ Matching the seismic response alyzed quickly and used to drive chang- changing both dynamic and static prop-
through forward seismic modeling es or selections to improve the histo- erties. Erosional contacts and sand-
◗ Matching the changes in elastic ry match. The proposed work flow uses on-sand connections were established
properties with seismic inversion pressure and saturation changes inter- through 4DAHM efforts. Pore volume,
◗ Matching interpreted pressure and preted from 4D surveillance data and transmissibility, and multiplier ranges
saturation changes compares them with simulation out- were tested. Latin hypercube sampling
The first approach is computation- comes, eliminating the need to have a was used to generate 500 probabilistic
ally extensive, requiring seismic for- fully coupled model for history matching. simulations and, subsequent to chang-
ward modeling, which usually adds un- Design of experiments is used ini- es in water saturation, changes in pres-
certainties associated with the seismic tially to generate the probabilistic sure were extracted. Production rate and
data. The second approach also is com- history-match simulations by varying the pressure matching reduced the 500 sim-
putationally intensive because it requires range of uncertain parameters. Satura- ulations to a subset of 77, which were fur-
the simulation model to be coupled with tion maps are extracted from the pro- ther reduced to 20 simulation models
a given petroelastic model, as well as duction history-matched simulations after applying a 4D filter. Original oil in
an inversion of the seismic data to es- and then compared with 4D-predicted place (OOIP), estimated ultimate recov-
timate changes in elastic properties. In swept anomalies. An automated extrac- ery (EUR), and initial parameter distribu-
both approaches, the reservoir models tion method was created and is used tions were analyzed for the simulations
must be transformed into a space to be to reconcile spatial sampling differences before and after 4D filtering to quantify
compared with the seismic data, which between 4D data and simulation output. the effect (Fig. 1). The analysis indicated
inhibits speed and efficiency in history Interpreted 4D data are compared with that 4D filtering resulted in an increase
matching. A variety of cases have used simulation output, and the mismatch of 24% P50 OOIP, an increase in P10
forward modeling techniques to calculate generated is used as a 4D filter to refine EUR, and assistance in reliably estimat-
impedance changes, or seismic attribute the suite of reservoir-simulation models. ing the sweep patterns at the target loca-
changes, as a function of reservoir prop- The selected models are used to identify tions. In addition to a reduction of OOIP
erties such as porosity, pore pressure, reservoir-simulation parameters that are uncertainty, the work flow helped quan-
and saturations. These techniques pro- sensitive for generating a good match. tify the optimal infill well target location
duce nonunique solutions, which makes The methodology and the steps involved by providing updated S-curves of satura-
constraining reservoir-simulation mod- in the work flow are discussed in detail in tion change. It also produced significant
els an iterative procedure with computa- the complete paper. cycle-time savings. JPT
For a limited time, the complete paper is free to SPE members at www.spe.org/jpt.
Editor’s Note: SPE’s Kingdom were known as the cities of steel (oil was chairman to 1 year. Nine years later,
of Saudi Arabia Section (SPE- also discovered in Pennsylvania). Haider Al-Awami became the first Saudi
KSA) recently celebrated its 60th Approaching the 1950s, the mem- chairman of the section in 1983. By
anniversary with a ceremony hosting bership’s significant growth led to a 1989, the section had already won a
Saudi Aramco President and CEO restructuring decision that shaped the total of 30 awards, marking the birth of
Amin H. Nasser. SPE-KSA is the future of the Society of Petroleum Engi- a shining star. This number of awards
largest section outside the US, with neers (SPE). In 1957, the new society doubled in the 10 years that followed,
more than 11,000 members, and has was established to address the tech- and continues to grow to this day.
won 11 consecutive SPE President’s nical interests of its growing mem- The section showed itself to be a
Awards for Section Excellence. bership. Today, SPE’s total profes- source of industry knowledge, leader-
sional and student membership is ship, and excellence, growing in scope
This article was written by Section more than 158,000 members from and scale. In 1990, it held the first Annu-
Chairman Bander Al-Ghamdi about 143 countries. al Technical Symposium and the number
the history of the section and the Two years later, this strong founda- of local events and activities continued
history of SPE in Saudi Arabia. tion found its way to the leading oil to increase.
exporter in the world, Saudi Arabia. The Saudi section marked its first
On 16 January, 1959, the SPE Saudi SPE international president in 2007
It all started in 1859 with the discov- Arabian Section was established as the with the appointment of Abdul Jaleel
ery of oil. With the growing petroleum first section outside of the United States. Al-Khalifah, the first Saudi and Mid-
industry, a standing committee on oil The chairman of the section at that dle Easterner to reach this prestigious
and gas was created within the Amer- time was D. Brown. Today, we are one position. That year marked another
ican Institute of Mining Engineers of 204 SPE sections around the world milestone, the inauguration of a pro-
(AIME) in 1913. The American Institute and one of the largest with more than gram dedicated to young professionals
of Mining was founded in 1871 in Penn- 11,000 members. and student outreach. The program is
sylvania to advance the production of In 1974, Bert Golding become chair- aimed to empower the youth and devel-
metals, as Philadelphia and Pittsburgh man, and established the term of each op future leadership.
Our history is full of success stories,
resembling the determination of our
members, sponsors, executive board of
directors, and all of our supporters. In
2008, the section received its first Presi-
dent’s Award for Section Excellence and
since then has received it for 11 consecu-
tive years.
SPE-KSA continued serving the SPE
family with diversified technical pro-
grams and community outreach endeav-
ors. We are proud of our history, marked
by many achievements aiming to indulge
our members’ interests in promoting
the latest industry trends in techno-
logical advancements and operational
risk mitigation. The section has eager-
Saudi Aramco President and CEO Amin H. Nasser (left) with SPE-KSA
2015–2016 Chairman Bander Khamies during the SPE-KSA 60th anniversary
ly worked to build partnerships with
ceremony. the public sector, private enterprises,
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