MELEIHA: DISTINCTIVE EXPLORATION RESERVOIR SYNERGY TO UNLOCK NEW POTENTIAL IN WESTERN DESERT

摘要

A successful ongoing cycle of optimization, unlocking opportunities and expanding development has enabled Western Desert fields not only to achieve production levels that assure asset value but also set the area on a growth path through expansion beyond original scope. The Western Desert is located between Libya-Egypt and the Agiba/IEOC production started in 1984. The historical and main producing oil formation is Bahareyia, a shallow reservoir composed of unconsolidated sand layers with gross thickness of 50 ft and oil density ranging from 30°- 40° API. However, the deep reservoir targets have improved their contribution in the last years driven by successful exploration and the increase in gas treatment facilities. The peculiarity of play drove the distinctive exploration/reservoir synergy, which consists on near field appraisal with a time to market competitive with a standard development well in the Western Desert. Such approach allows continually discovering new resources and constantly renew/enlarge the field basket to sustain/enhance production. The tangible result reflects on a stable oil production over 30 years of history and its ramp-up in the last decade. In this framework, the Western Desert gas debottlenecking will be a key factor to fully exploit the deep reservoir potential. In order to accomplish such task new infilling and facilities upgradation would need to be taken into account.