EN / FR

SkypeLinkedinTwitterFacebook
FerasaFerasa
Ferasa
  • Home
  • About us
  • Services
  • Products
  • Download
  • Gallery
  • Members
  • News
  • Contact
Menu back  
 

What are the main steps of an oil or gas field development project?

Thursday March 17th, 2016News

Hydrocarbon field has a long life cycle: From the discovery of a petroleum deposit to the first oil/gas, exploration and production activities are spread over several decades.

Five main steps can be distinguished in the life of an oil or gas field:

picture

EXPLORATION AND EVALUATION

1 | Field discovery

  • Oil and gas are trapped in reservoir rocks buried underground (on shore/ off shore),
  • To locate hydrocarbon accumulation, geoscientists analyze images of the earth’s subsurface produced by seismic echography. They build a model of geological layering of the subsurface, and then identify potential reservoirs called «prospects»,
  • Exploration wells need to be drilled to check if the identified prospect does indeed contain hydrocarbons. These wells are typically several kilometers deep

 

Untitled1

 

2 | Field evaluation

Once discovery has been confirmed, 3D numerical reservoir simulation models are built:

  • To estimate the initial volume of oil and gas in the reservoir,
  • To simulate the reservoir fluid flow behavior and optimize the field development scenario (number, type and location of wells, level of field production, etc…). Appraisal wells are drilled to improve the field description through further data acquisition.

Untitled2

 

OIL & GAS PRODUCTION

3 | Field development

A field development plan establishes the following:

  • The number of wells to be drilled to reach production objectives,
  • The recovery techniques to be used to extract the fluids within the reservoir,
  • The type and cost of installations, such as platforms, depending on the marine environment (tides, storms, waves, winds, corrosion, …),
  • The separation systems for gas and fluids, > the treatment systems needed to preserve the environment.

Untitled3

 

4 | Field production

The time period over which hydrocarbons may be extracted varies between 15 to 30 years and may be extended up to 50 years or more for «giant fields». The lifetime of a reservoir is composed of different successive phases:

  • A period of production increase,
  • A stabilization phase or «plateau»,
  • Injection phases (water, gas or chemical products) to «assist» the hydrocarbon recovery and thus maintain a satisfactory volume of produced resources,
  • The depletion period when hydrocarbon production declines progressively.

Untitled4

 

5 | Field abandonment

When the hydrocarbon production rate becomes non economical, the reservoir is abandoned. Before abandoning the field, the oil companies:

  • Dismantle facilities such as platforms,
  • Put the well in a safe state, Preserve the field’s residual hydrocarbon reserves of the field,
  • Clean, depollute and rehabilitate the site.

Untitled5

 

(Source : IFP SCHOOL)

Related posts
Cathodic Protection Systems
May 3, 2016
What are the main steps of an oil or gas field development project?
March 17, 2016
Starting of the Industrial Security Management Training Course
March 9, 2016
National Oil Corporation Statement Regarding Hydrocarbons Smuggling Operations
February 19, 2016
Tender for Analysis
February 17, 2016
Services
  • Access Control Management
  • Asbestos Treatment
  • Cameras
  • Corrosion Monitoring & Cathodic Protection
  • Cranes and Equipment
  • Emergency Lighting
  • Evacuation Signs
  • Filling Station
  • Gas Detection
  • Gas plant
  • Generators
  • High Security Bollards
  • Offshore Services
  • Public Address Voice Alarm
  • Public Systems and Solutions
  • Repair and Maintenance
  • Rescue Equipment
  • Safety Equipments
JOIN US
Address

Al Mansora, Aljomhorea Street
Building no.: 10.12.47
Tripoli-Libya

Email

info@ferasa.net
zuhair@ferasa.net
mahmoud@ferasa.net

Phone / Fax

00218 21 333 4747
00218 21 363 8568

Websites

www.ferasa.net
www.ferasa.ly

Copyright © 2015 Ferasa. All rights reserved.