Pavel Resnyanskiy

MEng 2008

Research topic: "Development of Marginal/Mature Oil Fields, A Case Study: The Sinclair Field"

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Mature field development is becoming more attractive due to high oil prices and decreasing trend of giant oil field discoveries. Objectives of Pavel’s research are two-fold: (1) Evaluation of the degree of the uncertainties of reservoir and fluid parameters, and (2) potential field development techniques for mature/marginal fields. He uses the Sinclair Oil Field operated by Husky Oil as an example case. 

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The Sinclair field is a small mature oil field at a near-abandonment stage: low well production profiles are paired with high water cuts. A method to “resurrect” and bring the field back to economic development is needed, and the possibility of finding one is to be accomplished through re-assessing the field’s potential. The major factor that stands obstacle in the way of fulfilling this task is geological uncertainty, which has a very strong impact upon evaluation of the recovery factor that can be achieved. The recovery factor in its turn is dependant upon the drive forces, formation and relative permeabilities, fluid properties, to name a few. Another considerable part of the project’s uncertainty that affects the recovery factor comes from production strategy - it is necessary to make sure that the reservoir is not being “choked” and produces at its full capacity - thus, possibility of its improvement should also be investigated. In general, the following variants can be considered:

• improving the existing scheme

• adding new wells/laterals

• implementing an EOR technique

• combining several opportunities above

 

 

Publications:

Resnyanskiy, P. and Babadagli, T.: "Development of Marginal/Mature Oil Fields, A Case Study: The Sinclair Field,” CIPC 2008-093 accepted for publication in JCPT vol. 49, no. 4, 29-35 (April) 2010.

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