Academic literature on the topic 'Abandoned hydrocarbon well'
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Journal articles on the topic "Abandoned hydrocarbon well"
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Johnson, Caroline, Morteza Haghighat Sefat, Ahmed H. Elsheikh, and David Davies. "Development of a Probabilistic Framework for Risk-Based Well Decommissioning Design." SPE Journal 26, no. 04 (May 6, 2021): 1946–63. http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/200608-pa.
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Summary In the next decades, tens of thousands of well plugging and abandonment (P&A) operations are expected to be executed worldwide. Decommissioning activities in the North Sea alone are forecasted to require 2,624 wells to be plugged and abandoned during the 10-year period starting from 2019 (Oil&Gas_UK 2019). This increase in decommissioning activity level and the associated high costs of permanent P&A operations require new, fit-for-purpose, P&A design tools and operational technologies to ensure safe and cost-effective decommissioning of hydrocarbon production wells. This paper introduces a novel modeling framework to support risk-based evaluation of well P&A designs using a fluid-flow simulation methodology combined with probabilistic estimation techniques. The developed well-centric modeling framework covers the full range of North Sea P&A well designs and allows for quantification of the long-term (thousands of years) evolution of hydrocarbon movement in the plugged and abandoned well. The framework is complemented by an in-house visualization tool for identification of the dominant hydrocarbon flow-paths. Monte Carlo methods are used to account for uncertainties in the modeling inputs, allowing for robust comparison of various P&A design options, which can be ranked on the basis of hydrocarbon leakage risks. The proposed framework is able to model transient conditions within the well P&A system, allowing for the development of new key performance indicators (e.g., time until hydrocarbons reach surface and changes in hydrocarbon saturation within the P&A well). Such key performance indicators are not commonly used, because most published work in this area relies on steady-state P&A models. The developed framework was used in the assessment of several P&A design cases. The results obtained, which are presented in this paper, demonstrate its value for supporting risk-based decision-making by allowing for quantitative comparison of the expected performance of multiple P&A design options for given well/reservoir conditions. The framework can be used for identifying cost-effective, fit-for-purpose P&A designs, for example by optimizing the number, location, and length of wellbore barriers and evaluating the effectiveness of annular cement sheath remedial operations. Additionally, this framework can be used as a sensitivity analysis tool to identify the critical parameters that have the greatest impact on the modeled leakage risks, to guide data acquisition plans and model refinement steps aimed at reducing the uncertainties in key model parameters.
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Bretán, Dávid, Péter Szűcs, Rita Miklós, and Csaba Ilyés. "Feasibility of repurposing existing and abandoned hydrocarbon wells in the form of a geothermal well-triplet system." Multidiszciplináris tudományok 11, no. 2 (2021): 2–8. http://dx.doi.org/10.35925/j.multi.2021.2.1.
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There are various types of extraction and utilization possibilities of geothermal energy, of which a large group is energy recovery. The development of this sector is slow mainly due to its high initial investment demand and the long planning phase. The overall goal of the present research is cutting the cost of the drilling phase as the most expensive part of the establishment by repurposing unused and abandoned hydrocarbon wells. The article assesses the feasibility of a geothermal well-triplet system chosen to be the most promising technique amongst several utilization possibilities depending on the characteristics of both the geological media and the method itself. From the 14 examined abandoned wells three were found to be suitable based on their current condition and distance from each other. The mentioned technique requires an adequately porous and permeable media which was not provided by the initial depth of the wells, thus the considerable option left was to overdrill the existing wells till they reach the target geology, the known fractured karstic aquifer below. The current study summarizes the final results of a long going research, from the geographical-, lithological surveys till the potential heat-transport modeling. This article supports the final aspirations of a further going research project as an integral part of it carried out by the University of Miskolc.
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Macenić, Marija, and Tomislav Kurevija. "Revitalization of abandoned oil and gas wells for a geothermal heat exploitation by means of closed circulation: Case study of the deep dry well Pčelić-1." Interpretation 6, no. 1 (February 1, 2018): SB1—SB9. http://dx.doi.org/10.1190/int-2017-0079.1.
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The aim of our research is to use abandoned deep-hydrocarbon reservoirs and dry wells in the Croatian part of the Pannonian Basin as a geothermal energy source. Croatia has been exploring and exploiting hydrocarbon reserves in the Pannonian Basin from the mid-20th century. Therefore, many oil and gas wells are reaching the end of their production phase and many are already abandoned. These wells could be considered for geothermal energy production through the coaxial heat exchanger principle, which is usually used in shallow geothermal energy extraction. Using the abandoned deep well Pčelić located in the Drava subbasin as a case study, we have derived the available energy and fluid temperature changes during 20 years of operation for two cases: one with a constant base heat load throughout the year and the second as a variable heat load depending on outside air temperatures. We determined that the maximum potential heat extraction in a variable system is 1750 MWh per year, with 1.5 MW of peak heating power in winter, depending on the sink temperature, climate, and consumer input data. The maximum theoretical constant heat extraction for possible industrial direct heating could be 400 kW during the entire period of 20 years, with fluid temperature reaching steady state at a favorable 50°C. To define steady-state ratio between extracted heat and consumed energy at the circulating pump, we evaluated seasonal performance factor (SPF) analysis similar to heat pump systems. Lower values of SPF linked to a higher flow rate implies higher energy extraction. Our results show that when using a lower flow, steady-state SPF ratio is as high as 280, and for a higher flow, steady-state SPF ratio drops to only 25.
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Shirdam, Ravanbakhsh, Ali Daryabeigi Zand, Gholamreza Nabi Bidhendi, and Nasser Mehrdadi. "Phytoremediation of hydrocarbon-contaminated soils with emphasis on the effect of petroleum hydrocarbons on the growth of plant species." Phytoprotection 89, no. 1 (March 2, 2009): 21–29. http://dx.doi.org/10.7202/000379ar.
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To date, many developing countries such as Iran have almost completely abandoned the idea of decontaminating oil-polluted soils due to the high costs of conventional (physical/chemical) soil remediation methods. Phytoremediation is an emerging green technology that can become a promising solution to the problem of decontaminating hydrocarbon-polluted soils. Screening the capacity of native tolerant plant species to grow on aged, petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated soils is a key factor for successful phytoremediation. This study investigated the effect of hydrocarbon pollution with an initial concentration of 40 000 ppm on growth characteristics of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) and common flax (Linum usitatissumum). At the end of the experiment, soil samples in which plant species had grown well were analyzed for total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) removal by GC-FID. Common flax was used for the first time in the history of phytoremediation of oil-contaminated soil. Both species showed promising remediation efficiency in highly contaminated soil; however, petroleum hydrocarbon contamination reduced the growth of the surveyed plants significantly. Sorghum and common flax reduced TPHs concentration by 9500 and 18500 mg kg‑1, respectively, compared with the control treatment.
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Chmielowska, Anna, Anna Sowiżdżał, and Barbara Tomaszewska. "Prospects of Using Hydrocarbon Deposits from the Autochthonous Miocene Formation (Eastern Carpathian Foredeep, Poland) for Geothermal Purposes." Energies 14, no. 11 (May 26, 2021): 3102. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/en14113102.
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There are many oil and gas fields around the world where the vast number of wells have been abandoned or suspended, mainly due to the depletion of reserves. Those abandoned oil and gas wells (AOGWs) are often located in areas with a prospective geothermal potential and might be retrofitted to a geothermal system without high-cost drilling. In Poland, there are thousands of wells, either operating, abandoned or negative, that might be used for different geothermal applications. Thus, the aim of this paper is not only to review geothermal and petroleum facts about the Eastern Carpathian Foredeep, but also to find out the areas, geological structures or just AOGWs, which are the most prospective in case of geothermal utilization. Due to the inseparability of geological settings with both oil and gas, as well as geothermal conditionings, firstly, the geological background of the analyzed region was performed, considering mainly the autochthonous Miocene formation. Then, geothermal and petroleum detailed characteristics were made. In the case of geothermal parameters, such as formation’s thickness, temperatures, water-bearing horizons, wells’ capacities, mineralization and others were extensively examined. Considering oil and gas settings, insights into reservoir rocks, hydrocarbon traps and migration paths issues were created. Then, for evaluating geothermal parameters for specific hydrocarbon reservoirs, their depths were established based on publicly available wells data. Thereafter, the average temperatures for selected reservoirs were set. As the effect, it turned out that most of the deposits have average temperatures of 40/50 °C, nonetheless, there are a few characterized by higher (even around 80 °C) temperatures at reasonable depths.
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Kaiser, Mark J., and Richard Dodson. "Cost of Plug and Abandonment Operations in the Gulf of Mexico." Marine Technology Society Journal 41, no. 2 (June 1, 2007): 12–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.4031/002533207787442204.
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To explore, delineate, and produce hydrocarbon reserves, holes must be drilled into geologic formations. During the course of production, wells may become inactive because of diminished economic returns or technical problems, and be shut-in or temporarily abandoned. At the end of the life of every well, the well will be permanently plugged and abandoned (P&A). The P&A process is the first stage of a decommissioning program in which a site is returned to its original greenfield status in accord with regulatory requirements. The purpose of this paper is to describe the factors that influence P&A operations and summarize cost statistics from a sample of 118 jobs and 390 wells performed by Tetra Applied Technologies in the Gulf of Mexico from 2002-2003. Descriptive statistics are summarized and the impact of learning and scale economies are examined. Regression models are derived that estimate the cost of P&A activities based on job characteristics.
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He, Xi, Wen Wen Liu, Gui Lai Xu, Hui Liu, Min Jing Li, Shi Song Yang, Zheng Hua Peng, et al. "Investigation of Soil Contamination in Jianghan Oilfield." Advanced Materials Research 726-731 (August 2013): 1500–1503. http://dx.doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.726-731.1500.
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There are several hundred of abandoned oil wells in Jianghan oil field now. They were mainly started to be used in 70-80`s of last century, and mainly closed around 2000. After closure, the soil around the oil wells left uncultivated because of oil pollution, which caused serious waste of soil resource. In the present paper, 135 soil samples were collected from 15 oil well areas. Salinity, pH, petroleum hydrocarbon, heavy metals and some other elements were analyzed. According to the investigation, the soil of Jianghan oilfield showed high salinity, and tended to alkali. Petroleum hydrocarbon is dotted distribution, and some sites showed extremely high content as 24.67%. Some elements containing some heavy metals in Jianghan oilfield exceeded standard values and control samples, which may also be caused by oil exploitation.
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Carpenter, Chris. "Well-Integrity Risk-Assessment Strategy Applied to CO2 Sequestration Project." Journal of Petroleum Technology 75, no. 01 (January 1, 2023): 78–80. http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/0123-0078-jpt.
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_ This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper IPTC 22348, “Scrutinizing Well Integrity for Determining Long-Term Fate of a CO2 Sequestration Project: An Improved and Rigorous Risk-Assessment Strategy,” by Parimal A. Patil, SPE, Asyraf M. Hamimi, and M. Azuan B. Abu Bakar, Petronas, et al. The paper has not been peer reviewed. Copyright 2022 International Petroleum Technology Conference. Reproduced by permission. _ Depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs are considered inherently safe for carbon sequestration, but a high density of wells penetrating the carbon dioxide (CO2) storage reservoir could compromise containment performance in a carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) project. A risk-management methodology can be incorporated to evaluate primary and secondary barriers in existing plugged and abandoned (P&A) and development wells to ensure long-term viability of CO2 sequestration projects. The complete paper evaluates well-integrity and CO2 leakage risks along the wells in a depleted field that penetrates the CO2 storage reservoir. Background The identified CO2 storage site offshore Malaysia is a depleted hydrocarbon field discovered in the early 1980s. Subsequently, two appraisal wells were drilled to further assess the field’s development potential. The structure is a north/south anticline with an aerial extent of approximately 35 km2 and a vertical closure of 100 m on top of the reservoirs. Eighteen major and minor gas-bearing reservoirs exist in the field. The hydrocarbons from deeply buried reservoirs were produced over a period of approximately 15 to 25 years through deviated wellbores. In total, 24 wells are in the targeted field; of these, three are abandoned exploration and appraisal wells and 21 are development wells drilled from the platform. All exploration and appraisal wells are P&A, while 21 development wells are still accessible from the platform. High uncertainties are associated with the P&A wells because the well sites were restored per a regulatory requirement in which the casings were cut below mudline and a surface cement plug was placed with no intention of re-entering these wells. Development wells, on the other hand, were assessed and screened for reuse by conversion into CO2 injectors. Understanding Well Integrity for CO2 Storage Potential leakages that may occur through various mechanisms during geological storage of CO2 in the storage field include failed caprock and trap integrity and leakage along existing wellbores. Parameters that could cause leakage of CO2 because of failed caprock include existing faults or fractures, reactivation of faults, development of new fractures during injection, and caprock failure caused by pressures exceeding fracture pressure during or after injection. The geological analysis of the depleted field for potential development as a future CO2 storage site must understand and mitigate associated risks by integrating information from various databases. However, the integrity of wells in the storage project must be ensured over very long time scales, in the thousands of years.
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Boza, Marianna, and Ana Paola Gutierrez Rico. "Duties and challenges of the regulation related to decommissioning and abandonment of oil wells in Colombia." Journal of World Energy Law & Business 12, no. 5 (October 1, 2019): 387–93. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jwelb/jwz025.
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Abstract Under Colombian petroleum legislation, certain procedures must be applied when an oil well that has been drilled turns out to be dry or must be abandoned due to mechanical problems. In these cases the steps of physical abandonment, dismantling of facilities and restoration must be fulfilled, a situation that can occur in any of the phases of the contract, leading to a variation in the obligations by the concessionaire according to the activities that must be performed in each phase. The Agencia Nacional de Hidrocarburos (ANH by its acronym in Spanish) is the administrator of the hydrocarbon resource in Colombia and within its functions is the concession aire of the areas for the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons. This document highlights the role of the ANH as a contractual subject and responsible for compliance with the contractual obligations between the Agency and the concessionaires as well as the rules and regulations established by law. Liabilities may arise in relation to non-fulfilment of these obligations, which have led to a series of solution mechanisms being devised, according to the special nature of the concession.
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Alwan, Dr Kareem A., and Hayder A. AlAttaby. "Abandonment of an Iraqi Well, justifications and feasibility study." Journal of Petroleum Research and Studies 10, no. 4 (December 21, 2020): 85–94. http://dx.doi.org/10.52716/jprs.v10i4.369.
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At the beginning of petroleum industry evolving the regulation did not focus on environmental issues, it was, mainly, looking to natural resources (oil and gas) production and protection. By the time, environmental and safety implications started to be the highest priority, as a result of undesirable impact of oil operations on plant. Huge numbers of dry wells were abandoned according to environmental regulations to prevent side effects which involved contamination of shallow water aquifers, surface seepage of hydrocarbon (whether oil or gas) or salty water, potential hazardous of explosion or soil contaminations, and water contamination at offshore unplugged wells. Based on the hazards above, the main objectives of plugging and abandonment operations is to achieve isolation and protection of all fresh and near fresh water zones, and all future commercial zones, as well as prevent leaks in perpetuity from or into the well and remove surface equipment and cut pipe to a mandated level below the surface.
In this paper, an Iraqi oil well was studied as a case study of abandonment processes. The well represents a danger to people, environment and subsurface fresh water; due to unusual raised pressure in different annuluses and copious surface leak from wellhead components while production. Worthily to say that, it is seldom in Iraq to abandon the wells in current time, according to good reservoirs situation. The reasons and justifications of this well plugging, depending on economic analysis and investigation were studied, and explained, according to international practices and procedures of such treatments. The workover option is most economic option, but it was eliminated due to failure in ensuring the well safety and severe environmental impact which expected. According to investigation, pressure and laboratory tests were revealed that P&A is mandatory for this well as soon as possible.
Dissertations / Theses on the topic "Abandoned hydrocarbon well"
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Magdic, Matthew James. "Assessment of Soil Properties in Proximity to Abandoned Oil Wells usingRemote Sensing and Clay X-ray Analysis, Wood County, Ohio." Bowling Green State University / OhioLINK, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1462537679.
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Borton, TiffanyAnn. "USE OF REMOTE SENSING AND GEOPHYSICAL TECHNIQUES FOR LOCATING ABANDONED OIL WELLS, WOOD COUNTY, OHIO." Bowling Green State University / OhioLINK, 2007. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1174928662.
Full textConference papers on the topic "Abandoned hydrocarbon well"
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Ratnakar, Ram, Birol Dindoruk, Silviu Livescu, and Sandarbh Gautam. "A Comparative Study of the Impact of the CO2 Properties on the Thermal Output of a Geothermal Well." In SPE Improved Oil Recovery Conference. SPE, 2022. http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/209362-ms.
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Abstract The problem of growing carbon footprint calls for the exploitation of cleaner and sustainable energy resources. Geothermal energy is clean, renewable, and in abundant supply underneath the surface of the earth, which makes it one of the most optimum solutions to this problem. With the depletion of hydrocarbon resources, geothermal energy also helps to close the gap between demand and supply of cleaner energy resources reliably, although several problems need to be solved before producing geothermal energy globally. In this study, an effort is made to understand and improve the reservoir heat extraction through a geothermal well. There are approximately 3 million abandoned wells within the U.S. and this number will only increase in the future. Producing electricity from these abandoned hydrocarbon wells, as the source of geothermal energy, have intrinsic importance in the context of extending the life of the well in the context of energy production and as well as generation of future options for new wells. Whether the costs are sunken or not (for the existing wells), incremental costs for the new potential wells can be minimum to redesign them to fit for future geothermal energy production. Not only the design/retrofitting the wells, but also the selection of right power fluid is crucial to effectively produce the geothermal energy. Using CO2 as the power fluid to generate electricity from low temperature abandoned hydrocarbon wells while sequestering it will help in reducing the well costs to a minimum as well as optimizing the energy production to lower temperature thresholds. In this paper, a previously developed coupled well-reservoir model (Livescu and Dindoruk, 2022a, for fixed reservoir delivery as successions of steady state) is extended to study the effects of the fluid properties on the thermal output. Specifically, the previous model considered fluids with constant properties. Several correlations and look-up tables are used in this study for pressure- and temperature-dependent fluid properties (i.e., density and viscosity) to explicitly quantify their effect on the thermal balance of the geothermal system. These results are important for understanding the effects of the fluid PVT properties on the physics and economics of the entire geothermal project. This study is important for the design of closed-loop systems and can be extended to enhanced geothermal systems. For a given reservoir intake conditions, it can also be used to perform economic evaluation for abandoned oil and gas wells to assess their feasibility for geothermal energy production while reducing the overall CO2 footprint. In particular, the novelty and importance lie in Impact of choice of fluid/fluid PVT properties on the physics and economics of the entire geothermal project. Parametric study of using CO2 as the power fluid to generate electricity from relatively lower temperature abandoned hydrocarbon wells and variants in terms of P&T ranges.
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Tveit, Mari R., Mahmoud Khalifeh, Tor Nordam, and Arild Saasen. "Fate of Hydrocarbon Leaks From Plugged and Abandoned Wells Compared to Natural Seepages." In ASME 2019 38th International Conference on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering. American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2019. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/omae2019-95674.
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Abstract As the hydrocarbon fields mature and reach the end of their productive lives, their Permanent Plug and Abandonment (PP&A) become inevitable. Even though new technology and verification methods are being researched, it is evident that operational, barrier material and qualification challenges together contribute to a risk of leaks from abandoned wells. Well integrity standard NORSOK D-010 constitutes zero leak acceptance criteria to protect the environment; however, natural hydrocarbon seepages are occurring all over the world on a daily basis. In this study, we introduce the comparison between leaking wells and natural seeps and suggest conducting a fate analysis is appropriate to provide necessary data for evaluating environmental implications of leaking wells. Two case studies were analyzed using SINTEF Ocean’s OSCAR (Oil Spill Contingency And Response) software; one historical gas leak (Field A) and a theoretical oil leak (Field B). It is found that for releases of natural gas at 70 m water depth, 95 to 99 % dissolve in the ocean, and the fraction of gas reaching the atmosphere is dependent on the initial gas bubble size. Fate of oil is more complex than gas, but evaporation, sedimentation and biodegradation are the main contributing mechanisms in the fate analysis.
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Khalifeh, Mahmoud, Babak Akbari, Ahsan Khan, and Daniel C. Braga. "A Critical Review of Rules and Regulations for Permanently Plugged and Abandoned Wells." In ASME 2019 38th International Conference on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering. American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2019. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/omae2019-95330.
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Abstract Permanent Plug and Abandonment (P&A) of wells has been an inevitable part of hydrocarbon exploration and production; however, the methodology has not evolved with the same pace as the rest of the industry. Nonetheless, after the environmental impact of some recent events including the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, permanent P&A of hydrocarbon wells has been receiving more attention. Accordingly, regulatory authorities who oversee the P&A activities and operators have tried to improve the pre-existing P&A methodology by defining a modern P&A philosophy, zero leakage criterion. Although the legislated criterion, adapted by most authorities, has challenged the industry and it had a constructive impact on P&A operations, due to technology deficiencies, the associated cost of operation has significantly increased. In this work, most of the publicly available regulations and their recommended practices addressing P&A have been reviewed and discussed. The focus has been given to zero leakage acceptance policy, conventional versus risk-based approach, barrier verification, human factor in P&A, and technology deficiencies. Although Norway is not a major hydrocarbon producer based on the daily production rate, but because of its stricter requirement on P&A, its recommended practice (NORSOK D-010) for P&A has been used in different oil producing countries. As P&A and its impact on environment is a transnational subject, it is suggested to formulate an international guideline or standard on P&A, given the fact that every well is unique when considering P&A operation.
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Yap, Yun Thiam, and Avinash Kishore Kumar. "A Client's Fit for Purpose Solutions in Well Abandonment." In International Petroleum Technology Conference. IPTC, 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.2523/iptc-21418-ms.
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Abstract Typically, most of the well abandonment practice is reference to the recognized industry standards i.e. NORSOK, UK Oil & Gas and etc, and this is how the wells abandonment was carried out in the past. These practices however evolved/changed over time with lessons learnt and experiences and turn into a fit for purpose solutions for the Client. The shift in international and local standards and regulations for a robust plug and abandonment approach has placed the need for a better and long lasting permanent P&A methodology. Adhering to the existing industry standards in well abandonment is somehow not practical and not cost effective to be implemented in different part of the well, where there are major differences in local regulations, reservoir conditions, caprock thickness, well design philosophy and etc. The magnitude of abandonment cost increase is not at par with the risk reduction in long term hydrocarbon leakage. A fit for purpose solutions is recommended in closing the gap between cost and risk. Due to the extremely varied well architecture between wells, the approach to permanent abandonment varies depending on casing sizes, presence of packers and no of casings present to the caprock area. On top of that, identifying the highest depth for a placement of cement plug will reduce on the amount of plugs to be placed, saving rig time and operational time. So far, 16 idle wells have since been permanently abandoned with the systematic approach of applying caprock restoration concept and reinstating the poor isolation across caprock areas with cement with the assistance of technology to the likes of perf-wash-cement, and hydro mechanical casing cutter. These wells have successfully been abandoned as per host authority standards. This paper will explore a major local oil company’ approach to decommissioning of wells, in line with local regulations enforced, while ensuring a cost effective approach is applied in line with the available technologies.
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Ansari, Ubedullah, Najeeb Anjum Soomro, Farhan Ali Narejo, Shafquat Ali Baloch, and Faiz Ali Talpur. "Geo-Thermo-Mechanical Modeling of Pre-Drilled Wellbores to Extract Geothermal Energy from Subsurface to Produce Cleaner Energy for United Arab Emirates." In Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference. SPE, 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/207844-ms.
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Abstract The middle eastern countries including United Arab Emirates (UAE) have enjoyed the energy production from hydrocarbon resource for a very long period. Indeed, now various countries in this region has shifted to alternative resources of power generation with cheaper and cleaner sources. Geothermal is the top of the list among those sources. Therefore, this study presents an ultimate model converting abandoned oil and gas wells into subsurface geothermal recovery points. Fundamentally, this study offers a geo-thermo-mechanical model of abandoned wellbore which can help in developing an optimistic geothermal energy not only from subsurface thermal reserve but also from abandoned casing and pipes installed in Wellbores. In this approach the source of heat is thermally active rock formations and the metallic pipes that are present in wellbores drilled through hot dry rocks. In the model the already drilled wells are incorporated as medium of heat flow in which water in injected and brought back to surface along with thermal impact. The results of this study revealed that, at the depth of 6000 m of high temperature wellbore the temperature is above 85°C and at this temperature the metallic casings further rise the reserve temperature thus the conversion of water into steam can be processed easily. Moreover, at high depths the stability of wellbore is also issue in high temperature formation, so mechanical model suggests that injection of water and conversion into steam in already cased wellbore can sustain up to 6 MPa stress at around 100C. Thus, the geo-thermo-mechanical model of wellbore will illustrate the possibility of converting water into steam and it will also reveal the average amount of heat that can be generated from a single well. henceforth, the thermal recovery from abandoned wells of UAE is best fit solution for clean energy. The abandoned wells are used as conduit to transport heat energy from subsurface by using water as transport medium, as water at surface temperature is injected in those wellbores and let thermal energy convert that water into steam. Later the steam is returned to surface and used as fuel in turbines or generators.
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Vikane, Rune, Jon Tømmerås Selvik, Eirik Bjorheim Abrahamsen, and Hans Petter Lohne. "The Assumption of Zero Leakage from Permanently Abandoned Wells on the Norwegian Continental Shelf." In SPE Symposium: Decommissioning and Abandonment. SPE, 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/208476-ms.
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Abstract Quality data is essential for calculations of expected leakage in wells post Permanent Plug and Abandonment (PP&A). Such data may come from surveys studying hydrocarbon leakage to the marine environment. However, recent literature suggests that current regulatory practices for environmental surveys are suboptimal, giving reason to question the assumption that wells have experienced zero leakage from the deep reservoir post PP&A on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS). We investigate whether such an assumption is credible. The credibility of the assumption of zero leakages is investigated through a review of literature addressing the integrity of wells post PP&A on the NCS, with particular emphasis on a 2021 report from the Norwegian Environmental Agency (NEA). Based on the review, the strength of knowledge supporting the assumption that no wells on the NCS have experienced leakages from their deep reservoirs is discussed. The implications of the uncertainty associated with the assumption of zero leakage on the NCS, the rationale for collecting more relevant data, and how these data may be obtained is also discussed in brief. The NEA report details the current regulatory practice for environmental surveys on the NCS. This regulatory practice, as it is described in the NEA report, give limited support to a zero leakage assumption. Norwegian regulations require two environmental surveys post Cessation of Production (CoP). These surveys may however occur in the period between CoP and PP&A, and the closest test stations are generally located 250 meters from the wells. Environmental surveys carried out that far from the well, and possibly prior to PP&A, influence data quality. We argue that the environmental survey data claiming zero leakage, lack sufficient evidence. Thus, based on the reviewed literature outlining the current environmental survey practice, although PP&A well design on the NCS should build on sound principles, we are not able to conclude on the assumption of zero leakage. The interest in risk-based PP&A approaches is increasing globally, and risk-based approaches rely on credible leakage calculations. The failure rates used in these leakage calculations should be based on quality data. The NEA report and other literature indicate that the quality of post PP&A leakage data on the NCS is questionable, and in some cases the data are non-existent. The paper includes suggestions on how to improve the regulatory practice related to environmental surveys.
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Belhaj, Hadi, M. S. Zaman, and Terry Lay. "Economical Feasibility Study of Abandoned Oilfields Utilizing Smart Modeling Approach: Case Study." In ASME 2009 28th International Conference on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering. ASMEDC, 2009. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/omae2009-80206.
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Petrel, Eclipse and Monte Carlo are three simulators often used separately to evaluate reservoir structure, production performance and economics/planning/risk analysis respectively. Integration of the three packages provides a very comprehensive and efficient assessment tool for oilfields or blocks with limited data by avoiding incompatibility, data transformation and interface problems. Many oil and gas fields that have been discovered in the past and abandoned as a high risk venture have become of prime interest to numerous smart investors taking advantage of high oil prices and advanced technology. Some of these discoveries have exhibited reasonable hydrocarbon accumulations through seismic surveys, actual drilling and initial well-testing. Their development has previously been hindered by uncertainty and by low oil prices. The ALT Field, North Africa, is a typical example. Only nine vertical wells were drilled in the ALT Field during the 1960’s including three dry holes. Low production from three zones of Chalk Carbonate formation with moderate porosity and very low permeability (less than 1 md), meant the field has been abandoned for over three decades. Recently, with oil prices flourishing, the field has caught the eye of many potential developers. By utilizing the three-simulator approach, the ALT field has been verified as a potential producer of commercial oil. Two scenarios, single-pool and two-pool, have been established for describing the field structure, both are economically feasible, with more profitability foreseen from the single-pool scenario. The two-pool scenario demonstrated the field contains 885MMblls OIIP with estimated total reserves of 310MMbbls of oil using waterflooding alone and an additional 89MMbbls using CO2 injection. The existing six vertical producers are recommended to be used for injection, while a pattern of horizontal wells are suggested to be drilled and used as producers. The horizontal wells are favored over vertical ones to overcome the very low permeability situation. Development of the ALT Field is ongoing based upon the findings of this study. The idea of the three-simulator approach has proven workable, thus has potential to be used in similar cases once minor technical software problems are resolved.
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Toempromraj, Wararit, CW Graham Grant, Chakrit Chanpen, Kittipat Wejwittayaklung, Pornchuda Konganuntragul, Parthasarathi Bandyopadhyay, Noppadon Kosiri, et al. "Old Field, New Well: Well Design Challenge for Long-Terms CO2 Storage in a Depleted Field." In IADC/SPE Asia Pacific Drilling Technology Conference and Exhibition. SPE, 2022. http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/209861-ms.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract Interest in CCS project development is accelerating in SE Asia, driven by the need to monetize emission-intensive assets in the region while complying with increasingly ambitious GHG emissions targets. Depleted hydrocarbon fields represent an attractive storage option for early CCS project due the enhanced understanding of the reservoir, its dynamic behavior, and proven storage capability. Re-use of existing infrastructure also presents the potential to reduce both project costs and time to first injection, however, these brownfield sites also carry significant risk to the long-term, safe containment of injected CO2 through risk of leakage via legacy wells. A methodology is presented in this paper to investigate the risk-reward balance of developing a depleted gas field as a storage site in the Gulf of Thailand. A screening process to assess all abandoned, suspended, and active wells is used to identify wells with re-use potential as CO2 injectors or CO2 plume monitoring wells, and those which represent a leakage risk to the project. A set of legacy well risk identifiers is generated for the field based on well construction records, descriptions of current well barriers, well utilization history, and current best practice guidelines. Southeast Asia has significant remaining reserves of oil and gas, and coal, and an active liquefied natural gas (LNG) export industry. The region's energy demand is increasing rapidly and is forecast to continue to grow over the next decades (World Economic Forum, 2019). To date, fossil fuels have supplied nearly 90% of this growth in the demand for energy in the region (IEA, 2021). To meet this growing energy demand, several new gas projects are under development across Southeast Asia, but many of these are associated with high CO2 gas fields where the produced gas contains significant (up to 70% by volume) CO2 (GCCSI, 2020). In Thailand, where nearly 94% of the primary energy is met by fossil fuels (BP Statistical Review, 2022), the energy sector represents the biggest contributor (74% in 2013) to the country's greenhouse gas emissions (GHG; UNFCCC, 2020). However, as per the nationally determined contribution to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Thailand intends to reduce its GHG emissions by at least 20% from projected business as usual levels by the year 2030 (UNFCCC, 2020). Carbon capture and storage (CCS) represents one option to help meet this increased demand in fossil energy while also reducing GHG emissions. An approach which is gaining traction across the region is to utilize the high concentrations of CO2 stripped out of the raw gas streams at gas processing plants and, instead of venting to atmosphere, the CO2 can be compressed, dehydrated, and transported to suitable long-term storage locations. Depleted oil and gas fields form an attractive opportunity for long-term storage of CO2 due to the wealth of both static and dynamic knowledge available from appraisal through production activities. Depleted fields also have the advantage that they have a working primary seal for hydrocarbons, which has been proven over geological time and so can be considered, in general, to carry low risk of leakage through geological means. Brownfield sites can, however, also represent a challenge to project success through an increased risk to the containment of the injected CO2 due to the presence of legacy wells. These existing wells represent a variable risk to containment depending on well age and type, well history, well design, and plug and abandonment methodology applied. This paper presents the outcomes of a CO2 storage feasibility study for a depleted gas-condensate field in the Gulf of Thailand. The main aims of the study were to:1) identify the project risk associated with the integrity of the field legacy wells, and 2) to evaluate the potential for well re-use for the CO2 injection project. Reusing an existing field offers new life to an otherwise end-of-life asset, inching towards decommissioning and site closure. As commercial scale CO2 storage in depleted hydrocarbon fields represents a ‘First of a Kind’ project, the feasibility study is designed to evaluate the current status of the field and surface facilities with respect to CO2 injection and long-term storage. As a feasibility study, the focus of the technical work was to identify any ‘showstoppers’ which might indicate that the selected site was not suitable for long-term CO2 storage and, if sufficient positive storage indicators were identified, to select the most appropriate options for progression into a Concept Selection study in which more detailed engineering studies will be completed.
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Smith, Louise Matilde, John Rogers Smith, Lauren Pattee, and Julius Langlinais. "A Study of Hydrocarbon Releases in the Gulf of Mexico, 1996 Thru 2010." In ASME 2012 31st International Conference on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering. American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2012. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/omae2012-84123.
Full textAbstract:
The events surrounding the Deepwater Horizon (Macondo) disaster have changed the face of deepwater operations. Safety and environmental systems (SEMS) plans and capping or containment capabilities are required to meet current Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) permitting requirements for the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). More generally, industry must identify the operational risks associated with future deepwater operations and specify their plans for responding to those risks, in order to maximize the effectiveness of methods to prevent and respond to potential future releases of hazardous, polluting hydrocarbons. This paper describes a study of public BSEE (previously MMS and BOEMRE) data on incidents involving releases of formation fluids to the environment. The purpose of this study was to provide a factual basis for identifying the operational risk of hydrocarbon releases in offshore operations as a starting point for additional work on identifying opportunities to reduce the frequency, severity, and consequences of such releases, especially for deepwater operations. Incidents reported over the past 15 years were reviewed and organized in a spreadsheet. A total of 90 non-pipeline incidents were identified as including enough description to be useful. Most of these incidents were spills greater than 50 barrels (bbls), but blowouts, fires, and explosions are important and included. To the extent possible, the review determined: the flow path taken from the formation to the point in the well or production system where the fluids were released, the release point, the barriers that were used to reestablish control, and what can these events tell us about potential future deepwater events. It is notable that most of these releases occurred in shelf operations rather than deepwater (water depth ≥ 1,000 ft), which was expected due to the much larger number of wells on the GOM shelf. Nearly two-thirds of the releases happened during active drilling, completion, workover, or well-servicing operations. The remaining events occurred during other operations, particularly production, and include two spills after the wells were plugged and abandoned (P&A’d). The number of blowouts per year was relatively small, varying from 2 to 9 for the 15 year period. The number of blowouts has remained roughly constant despite the recent decrease in the rig activity level. Similarly, the size of most spills was relatively small, if the Macondo event is excluded. Nevertheless, the data gives a factual basis for identifying the kinds of events that could lead to future catastrophes if not prevented or identified and controlled successfully.
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Nguyen, Tam Chanh, Devesh Bhaisora, Nga Thi Ninh, and Tai Trong Nguyen. "Delivering a Dependable Zonal Isolation Barrier for an Extreme HPHT Well in Offshore Vietnam - Lessons Learned from Cementing High Pressure High Temperature Well." In Offshore Technology Conference Asia. OTC, 2022. http://dx.doi.org/10.4043/31383-ms.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract With recent discoveries, offshore Vietnam continues to provide promising prospects for hydrocarbon production, especially with rapid exploration and deployment in the offshore HPHT fields in the last decade. However, Vietnam has some of the most complex and hottest wells in the region. An operator was planning to break the barrier of the hottest well in offshore Vietnam. Bottom hole pressure and temperatures for this well were predicted to be around 12,000 psi and 200 deg C, respectively. Designing and delivering a dependable zonal isolation barrier was paramount to the success of the well. The well architecture included the primary cementing job for six casing strings - 30-in. conductor casing, 20-in. surface casing, 16-in. casing, 13 5/8-in. casing, 9 7/8-in. casing, and 7-in. production liner. The well was for exploration purposes and was to be abandoned by seven (7) cement plugs in cased hole across various depths. A total of 4,200 bbls of cement slurry with a wide density range from 12.0 lbm/gal for the surface casing to 18.0 lbm/gal for the production liner, were tailored and pumped in the well. Rigorous slurry testing was conducted up to 198 deg C and 13,000 psi downhole pressure for the production section slurries. To provide for proper hole cleaning a tailored spacer was designed and tested for stability under the same downhole pressure and temperatures. A total of ~1,000 bbl of spacer were pumped in the well, having a density range from 10 lbm/gal to 17.2 lbm/gal. To maintain the robustness of the slurry design in order to handle any changes in well parameters various sensitivity tests were performed at different temperatures, retarder concentrations and with mud contamination levels (predicted by computational fluid dynamic modelling). For the production section, an aggressive slurry with less than a 15 min transition time was designed to avoid any gas migration in the setting cement. This case study, techniques and lessons learned can be applied to similar wells around the globe especially in the challenging environments of extreme HPHT.