IPA18-46-E

PROCEEDINGS, INDONESIAN PETROLEUM ASSOCIATION

Forty-Second Annual Convention & Exhibition, May 2018

SUCCES GAINED FROM RENEWAL PLAN OF AN ABANDONED DISCOVERY, CASE STUDY

OF THIN HEAVY OIL RESERVOIR

Kwartono*
Hasrony Maridhona*
Hari Sudono*
Badar Hilal Al Aamri*
Badr Al Amri*
Muhammad Mirza*

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION

XYZ field is located in the central part of Karim Small XYZ field is located in the central area of Karim
Fields’ (KSF) Block, southeastern of South Oman Small Field (KSF) Block, southeastern of South
Salt Basin. The oil accumulation in this field is Oman Salt Basin (Figure 1). Structurally, it is
discovered by the exploration well XYZ-1 that was characterized as truncated rim plays. Oil in the field is
drilled by the previous operator of the field in 1975. discovered by the exploration well XYZ-1 that was
The well recovered 0.5 liter of oil with 16o API from drilled by the previous operator of the field in 1975.
DST of 2 meters Gharif reservoir’s interval. Four The well encountered good oil shows in Gharif sands
vertical wells were drilled until 2006 to delineate the with a pay thickness of 21.6 meters. However, DST
discovery but no commercial oil flow is recorded. was conducted only with 2 meters open interval and
Previous wells were subsequently classified as recovered 0.5 liter of oil with 16o API. DST results
abandonment candidates due to sub-economic oil were inconclusive and the reason for low influx
accumulation of low thickness, in a truncated rim remained unknown.
play, that contains heavy, viscous oil.
Encouraged by XYZ-1 discovery, four vertical wells
Medco took over the block in 2006 and a renewal plan were drilled until 2006 and were situated in different
was introduced. An integrated Field-Development- levels of the structure (Figure 2). XYZ-2 and XYZ-4
Planning study was conducted in order to provide an wells were drilled in June 1982 and 1987 in the crestal
optimum strategy to develop the field. Structural part of the structure and targeted the deeper
configuration of Middle and Lower Gharif reservoirs formations of Haushi and Haima. Accordingly, the
is reconstructed using updated well tops and 3D wells did not encounter Gharif formation due to
seismic data to identify truncation area and avoid having it eroded before the cap rock shale of Nahr
locating the wells in areas without reservoir. Umr is deposited as an impact of uplift of the eastern
Horizontal wells were selected to obtain bigger high due to rifting India from Arabia (Sharland et al.,
reservoir exposure and designed perpendicular to the 2001). However, log analysis shows that low,
reservoirs’ distribution to penetrate multi layers. This immobile oil saturation is seen in Al-Khlata
strategy shall result in a better reservoir performance formation. On the other hand, the wells XYZ-3 and
and also minimizes the risk of missing the reservoirs XYZ-5 that were drilled at the flank of structure,
due to uncertainty in the truncated structure. This encountered oil pay in Middle and Lower Gharif with
effort led to an infill drilling campaign that was possible Oil-Down-To (ODT) for both intervals. The
started in 2016 and successfully proved that well XYZ-3 encountered 10.1 pay interval in Middle
commercial oil production can be achieved in this Gharif reservoir with an ODT at -803 mSS while
field. According to updated 3D fine grid model, XYZ-5 encountered 3.5 m of pay out of 12.5 m of
original oil in place in XYZ field has been increased gross-thickness in Lower Gharif with an ODT at -847
than initial estimation and distributed within Middle mSS. The hydrocarbons are dominated by the heavier
and Lower Gharif reservoirs. Up to now, Medco has immobile component and the pyro-bitumen is quite
drilled and completed sixteen wells and renewed the low. The average viscosity for the Lower Gharif is
status of the field from in-active into a productive estimated at approximately 300 cP whereas it is more
field. than 200,000 cP for the Al-Khlata. However, none of

* Medco LLC Oman

these four vertical wells was tested, hence, plugged and shale streaks and have potential of being
and abandoned except XYZ-5, which is still discontinuous due to existence of high shale volume.
suspended for further evaluation. According to updated well correlations, there are four
distinguishable Middle Gharif sands separated by
Available wells and 3D seismic data in the XYZ shale streaks; they are namely MG-1, MG-1-B, MG-
structure show that fluid properties, thin reservoir 2 and MG-3. The most prolific sand that is considered
thickness, erosional truncated rim plays and reservoir continuous and thicker than others is MG-1-B, while
continuity are the main challenges in developing the MG-2 is considered as a non-productive zone. On the
discovery. Therefore, reservoir identification and other hand, there are five distinguishable sands of
characterization are key factors for well planning, Lower Gharif separated by shale streaks, namely LG-
completion strategies and development plan. 1 to LG-5 (Figure 5 and Figure 6).

METHODS Concurrent with the drilling efforts, a fine-grid 3D

geologic model of XYZ field was constructed and
Medco took over KSF Block in 2006 and conducted updated for OOIP determination and simulation
an integrated Field-Development-Planning study to purposes. Due to lack of core data, the model is built
evaluate findings on XYZ discovery. The objective is based on regional understanding of Gharif formation
turn the in-active discovery to a productive field with (Figure 7 and Figure 8). Lower and Middle Gharif are
limited subsurface data availability and find the best vertically separated by shale and paleo soils. Lower
strategy to bring out the heavy oil from the thin, Gharif is dominated by marine deposition and mostly
truncated reservoirs of Middle and Lower Gharif. consists of sand-shale intercalation of deltaic
sediments. Middle Gharif re-marks the transition
Structural configuration of Middle and Lower Gharif from marine to terrestrial deposition and deposited
reservoirs is reconstructed using updated well tops during semi-arid climate resulting in low sinuosity
and 3D seismic data. It is aimed to identify truncation channels with common sheet-flood deposition.
areas and to avoid locating wells in areas with no Channels were often thin and stacked. Widths are
reservoir. To mitigate the impact of poor - fair 3D often higher than in the wet channels but were often
seismic data quality, especially at the reservoirs’ connected and dominated by sheet-flood deposits
intervals, the structure is built from Rahab marker as (Alsop et al, 2016).
a base for Lower Gharif reservoir and Top Natih E as
a guidance for the unconformity’s surface. Structure RESULTS
of Lower and Middle Gharif is then calculated using
isochore thickness assumption controlled by the Horizontal wells drilled in XYZ field successfully
thickness observed in XYZ-3 as the key well that increased the open intervals in thin sands of Gharif
penetrated the complete Gharif formation. formation and resulted in good oil production rates.
Meanwhile, the unconformity surface is subtracted As a comparison, the net pay thickness in the vertical
from Natih E surface (Figure 3). wells of XYZ-1 and XYZ-3 is ranging from 10 to 21
meters while in the horizontals it ranges from 30 to
Considering the characters of having high-viscosity 124 meters (70 meters in average). In addition, it also
oil and relatively-thin reservoir, horizontal wells are reduced risk of losing reservoir due to erosional
considered as the main scenario for developing this truncation.
type of reservoirs. Horizontal wells can provide larger
flow-area with minimum drawdown in order to Petrophysical analyses show average reservoir
minimize sand production. In addition, pre-perforated permeability, for all sands, of approximately 500 mD
liners and Wire Wrap Screens (WWS) were and a porosity ranging from 22-28%.
accordingly used to control the sand production
problems (Figure 4). There are fifteen horizontal wells drilled in XYZ field
up to December 2017. Six horizontal wells produce
A horizontal infill drilling campaign was started in oil from Middle Gharif reservoir, namely XYZ-8,
2014 and successfully produced oil in XYZ field XYZ-11, XYZ-13, XYZ-15, XYZ-16 and XYZ-17.
(Table 1). The wells drilled perpendicular to the Meanwhile, four wells, specifically XYZ-7, XYZ-10,
reservoirs’ distribution in order to penetrate the multi- XYZ-14 and XYZ-21 produce oil from Lower Gharif.
layers of Gharif reservoirs and to minimize the risk In addition, three wells which are XYZ-12, XYZ-18
due to the uncertainty in the truncated structure. The and XYZ-20 produced comingled from both Middle
well data in XYZ field show that Middle and Lower and Lower Gharif while one well, XYZ-19 produced
Gharif are relatively heterogeneous with stacked sand from Lower Gharif and Al-Khlata. Only XYZ-6 and

 
XYZ-9 have never produced oil from Lower Gharif truncated structure. The horizontal wells successfully
for reasons that are not well-understood at this stage. increased the net pay thickness in these thin sands
from 10 - 21 meters (in verticals) to 30 - 124 meters
Field production rate from Gharif reservoir peaked at (70 meters in average). These wells are proven to
600 bopd in 2017 and to be sustained with infill produce up to 600 bopd.
drilling program. Wells’ locations and field
production history can be seen in Figure 9 and Figure RECOMMENDATION
10.
Acquiring core data, pressure build up (PBU),
CONCLUSIONS viscosity measurements as well as downhole
sampling in the selected wells is recommended to
The heavy oil discovery in the thin sands of Middle validate connectivity of sand, pressure boundary, skin
and Lower Gharif in XYZ structure, which is and reservoir quality. In addition, it might also justify
characterized as a truncation rim play, has been moving to a secondary or tertiary recovery plan in this
successfully converted to an active field by field.
implementing a renewal plan from an integrated
study. In order to avoid locating wells in areas with ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
no reservoir due to truncation, the structural
architecture was established by integrating wells and The authors gratefully acknowledge Medco LLC
3D seismic data in order to map the truncated area. Oman for supporting and permitting publishing this
Horizontal wells were selected for this field to provide paper, and Hassan Al Saadi, Saif Al Omairi, Badar Ali
a larger flow-area with minimum drawdown and Hilal Al Aamri and Badr Al Amri as the management
hence, minimize the sand production. In addition, pre- and Ali Al Shuaili and Said Al Alawi as colleagues
perforated liners and Wire Wrap Screens (WWS) for their support, input, suggestion, and discussion.
were accordingly used to control the sand production
problems. REFERENCES 
 
A horizontal infill drilling campaign was started in Alshop, D. B., C. Pentland., W. Hamed., J. Al
2014 and successfully produced oil in XYZ field. Ghulam., T. S. H. Al Ma’Mary., R. Svec., A. Al
New wells’ data identified four distinguishable Kiyumi., and Y. Al Daoudi., 2016., The Gharif
Middle Gharif sands and five different others in Development Catalogue: From Geoscience to
Lower Gharif that are separated by shale streaks. Development Decision. Paper SPE-183499-MS
presented at the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum
Concurrent with the drilling efforts, a fine-grid 3D Exhibition & Conference, Abu Dhabi, 7–10
geologic model of XYZ field was constructed and November
updated for OOIP determination and simulation
purposes. Petrophysical analyses show average Loosveld, R. J. H., A. Bell and J. M. J Terken., 1996,
reservoir permeability, for all sands, of approximately The Tectonic Evolution of Interior Oman. GeoArabia
500 mD and a porosity ranging from 22-28%. vol.1 No.1, p. 28-51.

Up to December 2017, a total of sixteen wells were Sharland, P. R., R. Archer., D. M. Casey., R. B.
drilled within the productive area of Middle and Davies., S. H. Hall., A. P. Heward., A. D. Horbury
Lower Gharif reservoirs. The wells mostly drilled and M. D. Simmons., 2001, Arabian Plate Sequence
perpendicular to the reservoirs’ distribution in order Stratigraphy. GeoArabia Special Publication 2, p. 97-
to penetrate the multi-layers of Gharif reservoirs and 102.
to minimize the risk due to the uncertainty in the

TABLE 1

PRODUCTION RESULTS OF HORIZONTAL WELL CAMPAIGN

 
 1. Well 2. Completion 3. Initial Rate
6. Less than 30 bopd, sub
4. Well #1 - #5 5. Vertical – Uncompleted
economic. P&A
8. Horizontal 4.5” WWS
7. Well #7 - #18 10. Between 100 – 200 bopd
9. Un-cemented

 
 Figure 1 - KSF Block Location Relative to South Oman Salt Basin (modified from Loosveld et al., 1996)

 
Figure 2 - Structural Configuration of XYZ Area and Distribution of Exploration and Delineation Wells
until 2006

Figure 3 - Seismic Interpretation and Isochore Thickness Approach Used to Generate Gharif Reservoirs
Horizons.

 
 Figure 4 - Typical Completion Design of Horizontal Wells in XYZ field

Figure 5 - E-W Stratigraphy Well Correlation Showing Definition of Zonation within Middle Gharif and
Lower Gharif Reservoirs

 
 Figure 6 - Updated Structural Model of Middle and Lower Gharif Reservoirs Simultaneously with Infill Drilling

 
Figure 7 - Regional Depositional Model and Relative Connectivity for Middle and Lower Gharif Reservoirs
(modified from Alshop et al., 2016)

 
 Figure 8 - Facies Distribution of Middle and Lower Gharif Reservoirs

 
 Figure 9 - Depth Structure Map of Top Middle Gharif overlaid by Oil Thickness in Middle and Lower Gharif Reservoirs and infill wells in XYZ Field.

 
 Figure 10 - Field Production History of XYZ Field