An Innovative Integrated Asset Modeling for an Offshore-Onshore Field Development. Tomoporo Field Case

Abstract

Abstract A reliable future development plan of an oilfield would require that all of the elements in the petroleum system are modeled in an integrated manner if a timely response, a more realistic economical evaluation, and risk analysis are needed for better decisions making. The main goal for future development of Tomoporo field is to change the traditional focus (petroleum system elements by separated) by enabling to multidisciplinary team members to take advantage of their expertises within a collaborative environment based on interaction among petroleum system components. The Tomoporo field's hydrocarbon reserves have been largely developed in offshore, but barely in onshore. It has been planned to increase production twice through new producing wells in onshore area which presents several limitations for handling production. Also a plan for pressure support, and improved oil recovery have been considered by implementing a waterflooding project. This paper shows an innovative integrated asset methodology, applied for forecasting scenarios where reservoir, surface network, geographic location aspects, economy, risk, and uncertainty analysis were considered. The evaluation of forecasting scenarios was performed by implementing an integrated asset modeling (IAM) where all of simulation scenarios were coupled with a surface network model. Such network modeling included itself three integration levels to address complexity of surface facility needed for future offshore-onshore field development. In addition, an innovative link from reservoir-surface network models to the economic model was developed for a fully assisted asset modeling, resulting in faster and more reliable scenarios evaluation. The IAM for Tomoporo field provided valuable information for all team members of the production stream, maximizing benefits from decision making based on a fully coupled asset model. This integrated approach determined that greater recovery factor and less reservoir pressure drop are achieved if an onshore flow station is added for new onshore wells in spite of existing capabilities in offshore surface facilities. The IAM approach triggered warnings about future needs (investment, expenses), and also to be alert in minimizing bottlenecks in order to ensure no violation of surface capacity constraints. In addition, it allowed to define operating limits of water injection plants, enabling that optimum operation conditions are set, and the added value of the Tomoporo field development be maximized.