The Importance of Water Detection in
Risk-Based Flow Assurance Strategies:
Examples from Egypt and Indonesia
London, 26th of March 2015
Svein Erik Gregersen
Manager Flow Metering
Roxar Flow Measurements
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Agenda
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Water Production and Flow Assurance
Subsea Wetgas Metering Technology
Case study 1: Burullus West Delta Deep
Marine
Case study 2: Chevron Indonesia Deepwater
Development
Summary
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Formation Water Breakthrough
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Reservoir management:
– Formation water production.
– Coning of water.
– Increasing recovery demands.
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Onset of saline water can cause:
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Corrosion.
Scaling.
Sand production.
Hydrates
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Hydrate Formation – The four critical
stages of a plug forming
1. Water droplets emerge
2. Hydrate nucleation, growth at the water-hydrocarbon interface
3. Hydrate particles form large aggregates
4. Jamming of large aggregates to suspend flow
CRITICAL
TIME
WINDOW
Time / Risk / Cost of mitigation
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Source:
Luis E.
Zerpa
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4
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Hydrate Formation and MEG Optimization
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Continuous lean MEG injection is the current
main plan of attack.
– Effectiveness of MEG distribution system is critical for
production
– High cost of downtime.
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Challenge
– Optimize MEG system design based on risk based
injection strategies
– Realtime information on hydrate formation triggers!
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Roxar Subsea Wetgas Technology
– Specifically designed for wetgas applications
Gas
Oil
Water
– Allowing accurate measurements and unique
sensitivity to changes in water content
• Optimized performance for early detection of water
breakthrough
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Roxar Subsea Wetgas Technology
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Main measurements
• Differential pressure (over
cone)
• Microwave measurements
• Gamma measurement
• Pressure
• Temperature
• Salinity Measurement
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Based on Roxar’s 25 years experience
using Microwave technology for high
GVF applications.
Builds on the first generation wet gas
meter launched in 2002 as part of a
JIP to meet industry demands.
Installed base world wide
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Approx 260 SubseaWGM
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Approx 100 Topside WGM
First installed subsea 2004
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2015
Unmatched Water Measurement Accuracy
and Sensitivity
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WVF Accuracy:
– GVF ~ 99%: ±0.02 abs. vol.%
– GVF > 98%: ±0.1 abs. vol.%
– GVF < 98%: ±0.2 abs. vol.%
Water Sensitivity:
– < 0.00002 absolute volume%
(0,2ppm)
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New to the world: Accurate Salinity
Measurement for Wetgas applications
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Dedicated
salinity sensor for gas
This:
applications.
Fully integrated into the meter.
Outputs:
Salinity
Conductivity
Formation Water Indicator
Formation water flow rate
...is
more than enough.
One droplet is detectable.
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Case study 1
• The Field: West Delta Deep Marine (Egypt)
• Operator: Burullus (JV BG, Petronas, EGPC)
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51 Subsea meters delivered
34 meters in operation to date
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Case study 1
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Field Experience – an Example (WDDM)
Water Breakthrough Detection by Using Roxar SWGM
Gas: 75 mmscfd
Water: 10 bpd
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Field Experience – an Example (WDDM)
Water Breakthrough Detection by Using Roxar SWGM
Gas: 75 mmscfd
Water: 10 bpd
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Field Experience – an Example (WDDM)
Water Breakthrough Detection by Using Roxar SWGM
Gas: 75 mmscfd
Water: 10 bpd
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Field Experience – an Example (WDDM)
Water Breakthrough Detection by Using Roxar SWGM
Gas: 75 mmscfd
Water: 10 bpd
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Field Experience – an Example (WDDM)
Water Breakthrough Detection by Using Roxar SWGM
Gas: 75 mmscfd
Water: 10 bpd
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Field Experience – an Example (WDDM)
Water Breakthrough Detection by Using Roxar SWGM
Gas: 75 mmscfd
Water: 10 bpd
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Case study 2: Chevron Indonesia Deepwater
Development
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Technology philosophy applied for IDD
Challenges for Chevron:
Condensate measurement and production management
Water detection and flow assurance
Complex transients and critical point production profiles
Maximum performance focus for life of field.
Solutions from Roxar:
Next generation software package
Future proof design to allow salinity measurement (Q1.2015)
Gamma densitometer system
•Robustness against CGR uncertainty close to critical point.
•The GVF measurements at low GVF’s (85 - 95%), will be less
dependent of the internal PVT calculations.
•Combined measured WVF (µw) and GVF (Ɣ) enables the SWGM
to solve for the unknown CVF.
•Added robustness against variation in the composition
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Summary
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The onset of produced formation water represents a
major risk to the subsea system and well production:
– Flow Assurance
• Costly risk based preventive measures
– Reservoir Management
• Loss of production
• Loss of well
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Wetgas metering technology:
– Addressing specific needs of wetgas applications
• Accuracy
• Sensitivity
• Salinity Measurement
– Reducing risk («Well insurance»)
– Reducing cost (capex/opex)
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Thank You For Your Attention!
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Questions?
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Contact details:
– [email protected]
– Office +47 51 81 89 86
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