Forecasting Reservoir Management Through Integrated Asset Modelling

Abstract

Abstract The main challenge of Integrated Asset Modelling (IAM) is to couple dynamic reservoir and surface facilities models into a single integrated tool that allows the simulation of the whole oil field system. It is possible to take into account the following issues in a realistic way: pressure interactions between surface and subsurface, identification of system bottlenecks and backpressures, the system constraints, the mixing of different fluids and flow assurance. An integrated asset model has been developed for an onshore Algerian asset which comprises three oil reservoirs connected through a surface network system to the same plant. The controller program used for the simulation is Resolve, by Petroleum Expert. It enables the integration of the network model (GAP) and the reservoir models (Eclipse). The results of the simulations show that IAM is able to reproduce the current field production data with an acceptable accuracy. Therefore, it can be used for forecasting purposes in order to evaluate different scenarios in terms of production rate and final oil recovery. Two different IAM scenarios have been evaluated: constrained and unconstrained by a maximum oil production rate. The results have then been compared with the field behaviour simulated with the stand alone Eclipse models. The analysis of the IAM approach effect on the production profiles with or without the maximum oil rate constraint demonstrates that the integrated Asset Model is a powerful tool providing useful guidelines for field management in addition to a greater accuracy in the production forecasts and final oil recovery.