Reservoir Management Challenges and Improved Hydrocarbon Recovery Activities on Kvitebjorn HPHT Gas Condensate Reservoir (SPE-121976)

摘要

The Kvitebjcorn medium rich gas condensate field in the Norwegian North Sea is characterized as a HPHT reservoir with 770.5 bar pressure and 150oC temperature. Despite high temperature and depth, the average reservoir properties are reasonably good. The main reservoir is 70-175m thick Brent Group of Middle Jurassic age which is extensively faulted. The uncertainty related to vertical and lateral communication is a formidable challenge for effective reservoir management. One of the main challenges is the drilling in depleted reservoir. The strategy to mitigate the problem has been to put the field on reduced production and/or to actively manage reservoir pressure by producing more from areas far away from the drilling locations.Advanced drilling technologies have also been developed to improve drillability. Improved oil/gas recovery methods include infill drilling, process capacity upgrading, low pressure- production and gas recycling. Infill drilling is challenging due to reservoir depletion. Capacity upgrading is to be implemented to expedite hydrocarbon recovery. Gas recycling has some potential for improved condensate recovery, but the project economy is poor. Considering the challenges, the low pressure production appears to be the most viable option. Several concepts for installation of an export compressor have been studied and the challenges related to space and weight limitation, possibility for future drilling and intervention operations, explosion hazard, tie-in of other prospects and future export facilities etc. have been evaluated. Subsurface challenges include uncertainties related to well integrity and productivity, reservoir communication, reservoir volumes, etc. The purpose of this paper is to present the challenges related to development and management of this HPHT gas condensate reservoir, the strategies to overcome the challenges and the methods to improve gas and condensate recoveries from this field.