Reservoir Engineering

Behind Pipe Reserves

Behind-Pipe Reserves: Unearthing Hidden Potential in Existing Wells

In the world of oil and gas exploration, finding new reserves can be a costly and time-consuming endeavor. But what if the answer lies within already drilled wells? This is where behind-pipe reserves come into play.

Behind-pipe reserves represent the potential for additional oil and gas recovery from zones within existing wells that have not yet been fully exploited. These zones may have been bypassed during the initial completion process, left untouched due to limited technology at the time, or simply not identified during the initial exploration.

Key Characteristics:

  • Existing Infrastructure: The biggest advantage of behind-pipe reserves is the pre-existing infrastructure. This includes the wellbore, surface facilities, and potentially existing pipelines, significantly reducing the capital investment needed for production.
  • Potential for Increased Production: By accessing previously untapped zones, companies can potentially increase production from existing wells, extending their lifespan and generating additional revenue.
  • Reduced Environmental Impact: Compared to new drilling, exploiting behind-pipe reserves can have a lower environmental footprint, as it avoids the need for new well construction and land disturbance.

Unleashing the Potential:

To unlock the potential of behind-pipe reserves, specific actions are required:

  • Re-evaluation and Re-completion: Detailed geological and engineering studies are needed to identify the potential zones within existing wells and determine the best re-completion strategy. This may involve re-fracturing existing zones, targeting new zones with advanced technologies, or utilizing horizontal drilling techniques to access difficult-to-reach areas.
  • Technological Advancements: Recent technological advancements, including advanced imaging techniques, horizontal drilling, and improved completion tools, have made accessing behind-pipe reserves more feasible and economically viable.
  • Cost-Effective Approach: The potential for increased production, coupled with the pre-existing infrastructure, makes targeting behind-pipe reserves a cost-effective strategy compared to drilling new wells.

Challenges:

While promising, tapping into behind-pipe reserves comes with challenges:

  • Uncertainty: Identifying and characterizing behind-pipe reserves can be challenging, requiring significant investment in advanced geological and engineering studies.
  • Technical Complexity: Re-completing existing wells to access behind-pipe reserves can be technically complex and require specialized expertise.
  • Cost Considerations: Although cost-effective compared to new wells, re-completion projects still require significant investments and careful planning.

Conclusion:

Behind-pipe reserves offer a promising opportunity to increase production from existing wells, extending their lifespan and providing a more sustainable approach to oil and gas exploration. By embracing advancements in technology and adopting strategic approaches, companies can unlock the hidden potential of these reserves, contributing to a more efficient and responsible energy sector.

Test Your Knowledge

Behind-Pipe Reserves Quiz

Instructions: Choose the best answer for each question.

1. What are behind-pipe reserves?

(a) Oil and gas reserves found in new, unexplored areas. (b) Oil and gas reserves found in previously untapped zones within existing wells. (c) Oil and gas reserves that are difficult to extract due to their location. (d) Oil and gas reserves that have already been exploited.

Answer

(b) Oil and gas reserves found in previously untapped zones within existing wells.

2. What is the main advantage of targeting behind-pipe reserves?

(a) The potential for discovering new oil and gas fields. (b) The availability of pre-existing infrastructure. (c) The use of environmentally friendly extraction methods. (d) The lower cost of exploration compared to new wells.

Answer

(b) The availability of pre-existing infrastructure.

3. What is a key technological advancement that has made accessing behind-pipe reserves more feasible?

(a) Improved seismic imaging techniques. (b) Horizontal drilling techniques. (c) Increased use of fracking. (d) All of the above.

Answer

(d) All of the above.

4. What is a major challenge associated with tapping into behind-pipe reserves?

(a) The high risk of environmental damage. (b) The lack of available technology. (c) The difficulty in identifying and characterizing potential zones. (d) The high cost of exploration.

Answer

(c) The difficulty in identifying and characterizing potential zones.

5. What is the main benefit of exploiting behind-pipe reserves in terms of environmental impact?

(a) Reduced greenhouse gas emissions. (b) Less land disturbance compared to new drilling. (c) Improved water conservation techniques. (d) Increased use of renewable energy sources.

Answer

(b) Less land disturbance compared to new drilling.

Behind-Pipe Reserves Exercise

Scenario: You are an oil and gas engineer tasked with evaluating the potential of behind-pipe reserves in a mature oil field. The field has several existing wells that have been producing for many years, but production has been declining.

Task: Based on the information provided in the text, outline a plan for evaluating the potential of behind-pipe reserves in this field. Consider the following aspects:

  • Geological and engineering studies: What studies should be conducted to identify potential zones within existing wells?
  • Re-completion strategies: What are some potential strategies for accessing the behind-pipe reserves?
  • Technological considerations: What technological advancements could be utilized in this project?
  • Cost-benefit analysis: How would you assess the economic feasibility of targeting behind-pipe reserves?
  • Potential risks and challenges: What are some potential risks and challenges associated with this project?

Note: This is a hypothetical exercise, and you can use your knowledge of the oil and gas industry to develop a detailed plan.

Exercise Correction

A complete answer will include the following points:

**Geological and Engineering Studies:**

  • **Seismic re-interpretation:** Reviewing existing seismic data to identify potential zones that were missed during the initial exploration.
  • **Well log analysis:** Analyzing well logs from existing wells to identify zones with hydrocarbon potential and assess their characteristics.
  • **Reservoir simulation:** Using computer models to simulate the flow of hydrocarbons in the reservoir and evaluate the potential production from behind-pipe zones.

**Re-completion Strategies:**

  • **Re-fracturing:** Stimulating existing zones to improve production.
  • **Horizontal drilling:** Drilling horizontally from the existing wellbore to access new zones.
  • **Sidetracking:** Drilling a new wellbore from the existing well to target specific behind-pipe zones.
  • **Multi-zone completion:** Completing multiple zones in a single well to maximize production.

**Technological Considerations:**

  • **Advanced imaging techniques:** Using high-resolution imaging tools to assess the reservoir characteristics in detail.
  • **Horizontal drilling and steerable drilling technologies:** Accessing difficult-to-reach zones behind the pipe.
  • **Downhole tools and sensors:** Monitoring and optimizing production from behind-pipe reserves.

**Cost-Benefit Analysis:**

  • **Production estimates:** Calculating the potential increase in production from behind-pipe zones.
  • **Cost of re-completion:** Estimating the cost of re-completion projects.
  • **Return on investment:** Assessing the financial viability of the project based on projected production and costs.

**Potential Risks and Challenges:**

  • **Uncertainty in reserve estimates:** The potential production from behind-pipe zones can be difficult to estimate accurately.
  • **Technical complexity:** Re-completing existing wells can be technically challenging.
  • **Cost overruns:** Re-completion projects can be costly and prone to unforeseen expenses.
  • **Wellbore stability:** Accessing behind-pipe zones can pose risks to wellbore stability.

Books

  • Petroleum Engineering: Drilling and Well Completions by Adam T. Bourgoyne Jr., et al. (This comprehensive text covers well completion techniques and technologies that can be applied to behind-pipe reserves.)
  • Reservoir Engineering Handbook by Tarek Ahmed (Provides detailed information on reservoir characterization and production optimization, crucial for understanding behind-pipe reserves.)
  • The Economics of Oil and Gas by John M. Griffin (Offers insights into the financial aspects of exploiting behind-pipe reserves, including cost-benefit analysis.)

Articles

  • Unlocking Value From Existing Wells: Behind-Pipe Reserves by Schlumberger (A company-specific overview of behind-pipe reserves, highlighting their potential and technological solutions.)
  • Behind-Pipe Reserves: A New Frontier for Oil and Gas Exploration by SPE Journal (A peer-reviewed journal article discussing the technical challenges and opportunities of behind-pipe reserves.)
  • The Future of Oil and Gas Production: Re-Completing Existing Wells by Energy Technology Review (A review article exploring the role of re-completion technologies in maximizing production from existing wells.)

Online Resources

  • SPE (Society of Petroleum Engineers) Website: Search for articles, conference papers, and technical resources related to behind-pipe reserves, well completions, and reservoir characterization.
  • ONEPetro: This online database provides access to technical papers, patents, and other resources relevant to the oil and gas industry, including information on behind-pipe reserves.
  • OGJ (Oil & Gas Journal): A trade publication offering industry news, technical articles, and market analysis, including topics related to behind-pipe reserves and well re-completion.

Search Tips

  • Use specific keywords: Combine terms like "behind-pipe reserves," "well re-completion," "horizontal drilling," "re-fracturing," and "production optimization."
  • Refine your search: Use search operators like "site:" to limit your search to specific websites (e.g., "site:spe.org behind-pipe reserves").
  • Look for academic resources: Add keywords like "peer-reviewed," "scholarly," or "journal" to your search to find authoritative sources.

Techniques

Similar Terms
Piping & Pipeline Engineering
Drilling & Well Completion
Procurement & Supply Chain Management
Asset Integrity Management
Reservoir Engineering
Oil & Gas Processing
General Technical Terms
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