Student Paper Contest is the first event of its kind in the UK. Students from a number of universities submitted their abstracts and 8 chosen finalists will present their projects in a dinner meeting setting. On the day, the following universities will be represented;

• Imperial College London
• University of Manchester
• University of Leeds
• Coventry University

Come along and experience a different kind of event:

• Meet the soon to be young professionals from across the UK.
• Help to select the winning student paper, which will be entered into the European SPE Paper Contest.
• Learn about the cutting edge research.

Please read more about the agenda, topics and booking information below.

Agenda

Venue: London Geological Society (Burlington House, Piccadilly – London W1J 0BG).
http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/gsl/society/contact

Booking: http://www.eventelephant.com/tudentpapercontest
Cost: FREE TO ATTEND

ABSTRACTS

‘Skin Uncertainty in multi-layered commingled reservoirs with non-uniform formation damage’ - Sudhakar Mishra, Imperial College London

Pressure build-up transient analysis is commonly used for estimating skin effect and permeability. In a multi-layered reservoir, however, skin and permeability values derived using single layer analysis can be misleading if damage is not uniform along the well: good pressure and pressure derivative matches may be obtained, but the existence of high skin factors in highly damaged layers may be missed.

The motivation of the present study comes from suspiciously low skin values observed in onshore oil producers in field “X” operated by Cairn India, whereas production was short of expectations. Although rock properties were uniform throughout, it was found that the field exhibited a multilayer behaviour, due to significant variation in oil viscosity with depth, thus requiring multi-layer testing and analysis. This is illustrated on one well in field “X”.

In addition, a single well radial model based on the field example has been used to generate a multi-layer test and further illustrate the multi-layer interpretation procedure. It is shown to provide satisfactory results for both geologically layered formation and layered behaviour due to fluid property variation with depth.

'The Great Orme Outcrop as a naturally fractured reservoir analogue’- Mohammed Farrag, University of Manchester

A 3D reservoir model of the Great Orme outcrop was constructed using data collected through field visits and analogue data. A methodology for modelling fault related dolomitisation was implemented using bed thickness and distance from faults as constraints. Following this the model was simulated as a dual permeability dual porosity system. Uncertainties in matrix porosity, fault transmissibility and fracture porosity/permeability surrounding naturally fractured reservoirs due to uncertain extents of diagenesis were analysed using the initialized model. It  is important to incorporate diagenesis and fractures into carbonate reservoir models due to their impact on porosity, permeability and sweep efficiency. The model was populated with a preset light oil and gas in Petrel. A completed sensitivity analysis demonstrated that uncertainty in fracture porosity & permeability had the greatest effect on total produced oil, production rate and recovery efficiency. Uncertainty in matrix porosity was found to have a massive effect on oil/gas in place. An initial ten year water flood development plan using an inverted 5-­‐spot pattern with 6 injectors, 12 producers and ≈1000m well spacing was implemented. As a result the effect of the extent of diagenesis on possible project profitability was calculated giving a range of NPV from $5,672.35million to $15,727.54million.

’Prediction of Onset of Gas Hydrate Formation in Offshore Operations’- Peter Mogbolu, Imperial College London

It is not uncommon to encounter gas hydrate problems in the oil industry. Gas clathrate hydrates could form at low subsea temperatures and high pressure and serve as nuisance by blocking flowlines, reducing production capacity. It may form in subsea production facilities such as wellheads, jumper sections and risers during shut-in, start-up and steady-state conditions. Preventive methods employed include heating and chemical inhibition but these turn out to be progressively uneconomical, thus application of time-dependent kinetics is essential to manage production operations.

This paper seeks to remediate this by utilizing thermal transient analysis and nucleation kinetics to estimate the time before the onset of gas hydrates in a production system. The induction time was estimated using empirical models and compared to flow loop tests results. The laws of heat transfer for an unsteady state system were applied to generate temperature decline curves specific to a subsea installation. The hydrate formation equilibrium condition was predicted from existing correlations that fit experimental results.

This technique was applied to a subsea system in an offshore field. The induction time estimate corroborated flow loop test results to be about 10 minutes. However, nucleation phase is random and probabilistic distribution was used to define confidence levels. The thermal transient model was modified to fit the system using relative error analysis, and applied to the same system at different shut-in periods and consistency was observed at average relative error of 0.001%. The results showed that hydrate formation could begin within 12 hours for an uninhibited system.

‘Oil Spill Trajectory simulation for the Saltpond oilfield, Ghana, West Africa’ - Percy Korsah, Coventry University

The exploration and production of petroleum resources is not without environmental consequences and these remain an important factor in contemporary global oil industry. As emerging oil producing nation, very little or nothing is known about the behaviour of Ghana’s sweet light crude under varying environmental conditions.  This is crucial for an efficient management of accidental spills. Therefore, this study aims to design a deterministic model for oil spill trajectory simulation using the Saltpond oilfield (Ghana) as study location. A combined Eulerian-Lagrangian approach was utilised with a hydrodynamic model containing localised environmental parameters from the Saltpond oilfield. The General NOAA Operating Modelling Environment (GNOME) based on C++ programming language was used to execute the analyses. In addition, the ADIOS2 oil weathering tool was used to estimate the oil budget for different spill quantities based on the physical and chemical properties of Ghana’s sweet light crude from the Saltpond field. The key findings are: 5000 barrels of spilled oil beached after a minimum of 12 hours in 97% of the scenarios under the influence of winds from the South. Wind speeds leading to beaching were 35.7% for 14 and 16 knots, 14.3% for 17 knots and 7.1% for 15 and 20 knots. Weathering results showed a maximum of 43% of spilled oil evaporated after 116 hours with a minimum and maximum dispersal of 1% and 7% respectively. This study, for the first time, has provided hitherto unavailable analysis and information on oil spill transport forecasting and trajectory simulation for the Saltpond Oilfield in Ghana which environmental managers/engineers would find readily useful in responding to future oil disasters.  The approach and methodology used in this study could also be adapted for other offshore region in Ghana and other West African countries.

‘Reservoir Characterization: multi-scale permeability data integration, Lake Albert Basin, Uganda’ - Tony Ongin, Imperial College London

Permeability and its distribution in the reservoir model have been recognized as the most critical parameters in the Lake Albert basin development. Several different permeability measurements - Cores, Log derived, Dual Packer, and DST were acquired during the Exploration/Appraisal phase of the Lake Albert Development. However, there has been a big challenge in harmonizing the different scales of measurements and ensuring coherency for the ultimate goal of populating the reservoir models.

Reconciling multi-scale data for spatial modelling of reservoir properties is generally important as different data types provide different information about the reservoir architecture and heterogeneity. It is also essential that reservoir models preserve small scale property variations observed in well logs and core measurements and capture the large-scale structure and continuity observed in global measurements such as seismic and tests data.

This paper presents a systematic approach and workflow for integrating permeability measurements from different sources and scales (at multi-scale level).  The method involves the optimization and the use of Power Averaging factor ω and performing co-simulations of the permeability on the effective porosity with the use of the correlation coefficients computed by an in-house software tool. The end product of this workflow is an up-scaled dataset (K, Phie, Phie_Net and NTG) consistent with the Geology, large scale data and small scale data, and appropriate for reservoir facies modelling.

TBC - Ashraf A. AL-Ruwishan, University of Leeds

Particle resuspension behaviour and characteristics in a turbulent flow at areas close to solid surfaces is of a great significance for some certain industrial and chemical processes. This importance arises from the reliance of such industrial processes on the particle resuspension mechanism and behaviour in delivering their main assigned for functions. For instance, electronic chips cleaning, chemical powders handling and other pipeline and nuclear waste-related processing and transportation are examples of such industrial process where particle resuspension behaviour involves.

The investigation of dense phase bed particles resuspension process induced by turbulent flow regime in a two-wall bounded channel applying Large Eddy Simulation (LES) along with a two-way coupled Discrete Phase Model (DPM) was the target of this research project conduction. This research project was conducted implementing a (CFD), Computational Fluid Dynamics, programme in order to assess the focused on particle resuspension process in reference to two tested particle sizes beds, 20 and 100 micron, run in two separate simulations. Another distinctive characteristic of this research project is the application of a number of oilfield industry related parameters into the CFD simulation to make it as relevant possible to the researcher area of educational speciality, which is petroleum engineering. The selection of the CFD simulation fluid type and its flow rate as well as the particle type is made and intentionally linked to the oilfield industry.

In reference to this research case study investigation scope, the effect proportionality of the forces acting on the tested particles, such as the lift, drag, and gravitational forces, as a function of time, as well as the particle relaxation time, was coherently linked to the observed particle-motion behaviour recorded by this research project findings analysis. From this research project results and finding analysis, it has been stated that no significant resuspension process was recorded for the two tested particle bed sizes, 20 and 100 micron, with a 0.3% and 0.4% attained particle maximum elevation percentage from the channel total height respectively, which was followed with a gradual deposition process in both simulations. Whereas, the generic case scenario of the difference in the resuspension and deposition particle processes, in terms of their pattern and time progression, in reference to the two tested particle sizes showed an agreement with their findings obtained from a one-way coupled simulation as well as conducted experiments.

‘A Simulated Approach in Gas Hydrate Recovery Using Combustion From a Localized Source’ - Ine Solomon Iyogun, Coventry University

The decreasing level of fossil fuel reserves in the world calls for search for alternative and hence the study of gas hydrates. Gas hydrates are naturally occurring crystalline substances composed of water and gas, mainly methane, in which a solid water-lattice accommodates gas molecules in a cage-like structure or clathrate. As an attractive material, methane hydrate is abundant on the earth, and, when extracted, promises to potentially solve the world’s energy needs for many centuries. Increasingly, methane hydrates are considered a potential energy resource. Three processes have been proposed for dissociation of methane hydrates: thermal stimulation, depressurization and inhibitor injection.

This study conceptualizes a model involving two reservoir: injection and production reservoir. A thermal combustion is being proposed to be conducted down hole. Mathematical models were employed in studying the dissociation mechanism and validate the method against previous models. A novel technology of combusting from the injector well, heating the hydrate zone to cause dissociation of free methane from water and producing the methane from the production well becomes the obvious thing undertaken by this study.

Proposed model when compared with experimental data were seen to agree on the fact that down hole combustion is cheaper and environmentally safe due to lesser heat lost to non-producing reservoir as against heat introduced from the surface as earlier used.

‘Development Of A Test Cell To Assess How Underderdeposit Corrosion Inhibitors Affect The Rates And Mechanisms Of Underdeposit Corrosion’ - Benjamin Pickles, University of Leeds

A new test cell for measuring underdeposit corrosion rates was developed which addressed the problems with the current cell.  It was significantly reduced in size, has greatly improved sand retention and now allows for uniform sand coverage.  A new two part electrode containing four steel samples was also produced, this allowed for two of the samples to be placed under the sand deposits while the other two samples remain uncovered.  This allows the corrosion rate to be measured on one covered and one uncovered sample.  The remaining two samples can then be coupled through the potentiostat and the galvanic current which flows between the remaining two samples (one covered and one uncovered) measured.

The test cell was used to test 4 inhibitors specifically designed to inhibit underdeposit corrosion.  The height of sand on the covered sample was varied.  The effect of increasing the amount of sand was two-fold; the minimum obtainable corrosion rate on the covered sample and the time taken to penetrate through the sand both increased significantly.  When more sand was present the inhibitor was found to be less effective at reducing the corrosion rate indicating that the inhibitor is being adsorbed by the sand.

There is considerable scope for future work to be undertaken using the new test cell. Several potential experiments were identified which could analyse the problems caused by the presence of sand in pipelines.  These include- adsorption of the inhibitor onto the sand, pitting corrosion under deposits and film formation in underdeposit environments.