Recovering More Than 70% From the Johan Sverdrup Field

Abstract

This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Judy Feder, contains highlights of paper OTC 30525, “Toward a Recovery Ambition of More Than 70% for the Johan Sverdrup Field,” by Eli Eikje, SPE, Tone Nedrelid, and Elisabeth Bratli, Equinor, et al., prepared for the 2020 Offshore Technology Conference, originally scheduled to be held in Houston, 4-7 May. The paper has not been peer reviewed. Copyright 2020 Offshore Technology Conference. Reproduced by permission. Before the giant Johan Sverdrup barrel of oil, operator Equinor and its license partners set a recovery ambition of greater than 70% for the field. The complete paper discusses key elements driving this ambition. These include the field size and reservoir characteristics, early assessments and investments for improved oil recovery (IOR), data acquisition, reservoir monitoring, and digitalization. Introduction With a recoverable volume range of 2.2-3.2 billion BOE, Johan Sverdrup is a giant oil field approximately 150 km west of Stavanger, the third-largest oil field on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS). The reservoir features hydrostatic pressure and undersaturated oil with a low gas/oil ratio (GOR). The first phase of the field came on stream in October 2019. A predrilling campaign included eight oil producers and 12 injectors. The field is being developed in two phases. Phase 1 includes four bridge-linked platforms: Living quarters with utility-system functions Process platform Drilling platform Riser platform (RP) with tie-in of onshore power Three injection templates are tied back to the RP. All platforms have jacket substructures. Main power to the field is from shore. The full field development includes 64 platform and subsea wells. Phase 2 of the development was approved in 2019 and is expected to start production in Q4 2022. It includes development of another processing platform, modifications of the RP and the field center, five subsea production and injection templates, and power-from-shore supply. The central area with highest hydrocarbon thickness and the highest relief to the free water level was chosen for the field-center location.