Joint R&D collaboration yields optimized reservoir performance

A joint research and development (R&D) collaboration effort aimed to optimize production and well processes in increased oil recovery has achieved some success. Collaborators StatoilHydro and Schlumberger Information Solutions (SIS) announced favorable pilot project results at SPE's Intelligent Energy Conference 2008, which indicate optimized reservoir performance for increased production.

The two-year collaborative effort focused on new technologies and practices to optimize StatoilHydro's water alternating gas (WAG) processes. The WAG technique was reportedly optimized with respect to all reservoir and surface constraints using Schlumberger's technologies. A new process was developed in which real-time reservoir data and third-party technologies were incorporated via PRODML. The result was a WAG schedule which promises increased production.

"The techniques and workflows developed through our collaboration on this initial project have the potential to allow optimization beyond WAG processes to control and optimize a number of production management systems," said Astrid Jorgenvag, vice president of research and development, Increased Oil Recovery, for Statoil Hydro. "Many of our fields use WAG processes to enhance recovery, and we expect material production increases from implementing similar work processes on other fields going forward."

In addition to this successful pilot project, StatoilHydro and SIS have reportedly developed several other deliverables, including new "coarse" reservoir models designed to provide high-resolution around wells that support rapid reservoir simulation and automated real-time data management processes. The two companies have also focused on developing automated calculation and monitoring key performance indicators on a continued basis in order to free field engineers to focus on diagnostic tasks.

To learn more about this joint collaboration, contact Schlumberger media relations manager Susan Ganz by email.