Thesis (M.S.)--Baylor University, 2009. / Superscript: 6 and 3 in "106m3". Includes bibliographical references (p. 170-175).

This thesis explores two themes on upstream oil and gas economics centred on offshore safety economics and third party access to infrastructure in the United Kingdom Continental Shelf (UKCS). The first part involves work that explores the nexus between the offshore safety regime and safety outcomes. It contributes to the literature by explaining the post-Piper Alpha safety regime changes with regard to our understanding, framing of safety decision making and benchmarking of safety outcomes. The second part investigates third party access to infrastructure issues in the UKCS. It contributes to our understanding of how different third party access to infrastructure arrangements can be utilised to maximise economic recovery. Each chapter addresses fundamental issues of North Sea oil and gas operations through the application of microeconomic, operations research and econometric methods within a formal analytical framework. The results provide insights into decision-making complexities in the upstream oil and gas industry by guiding policy makers. Specifically, part one of this thesis looks at safety performance in the post-Piper Alpha era in the UKCS. It investigates ways through which a more comprehensive and theoretically informed framework can be used to understand the linkages that arise when dealing with safety regulations and their impacts on the offshore oil and gas industry. Our objective is to empirically ascertain the determinants of offshore hydrocarbon releases within the context of the post-Piper Alpha offshore safety regime regulations. This is done using an observed number of hydrocarbon releases linked to a population denominator data of the number of the installations present in the UKCS. Three research problems are examined: (1) the transmission mechanisms through which safety regulation influence firm and industry productivity; (2) the assessment methods utilised in measuring and benchmarking regulatory outcomes in terms of safety compliance; and (3) the extent to which safety policies contribute to enhancing safety levels in the oil and gas industry. We initially review the background and literature on offshore safety with a particular emphasis on the UKCS in Chapter 2. We also frame our research questions and underlying hypothesis here. In Chapter 3, we present our underlying empirical framework and model specifications followed by some descriptive analysis of the hydrocarbon releases data. The results of the various econometric model specifications are analysed in Chapter 4. The second part of the thesis explores how possible different ownership patterns (including access arrangements) might affect the economic viability of exploiting remaining resources in the UKCS. This section attempts to answer two critical questions namely how the impact of the separation of infrastructure and field ownership affect economic recovery and the impact of taxation on field and hub economics in a mature oil basin. We explore how possible different ownership structures and access arrangements might affect the economic viability of remaining UKCS reserves. We apply a mixed integer programming (MIP) model to field data from the Northern North Sea. Specifically, we examine how the unbundling of infrastructure and field ownership, as well as different cost sharing and tariff arrangements, affect the long-term economics of hubs and their user fields. Regarding the layout, Chapter 5 talks about access to infrastructure issues in the UKCS namely the regulatory framework for access and related legislation. It leads to the development of a conceptual framework and model based upon which extractions are made to capture the various potential market outcomes. In Chapter 6, the empirical model, which utilises the mixed integer programming approach, is discussed. The data sources and characterization, as well as the presentation of the results from the Baseline Model, are presented in Chapter 7. The analysis of the Tax Model and the Cost Sharing plus Tax Model including structure and simulated results with underlying assumptions are presented in Chapter 8. Finally, Chapter 9 leads to a thorough discussion of the results followed by conclusions and policy recommendations.

Na perfuração de poços para extração de petróleo são utilizados fluidos de perfuração compostos por diversos produtos químicos com finalidades específicas em função das características de cada poço. Durante vários anos utilizou-se fluido a base de óleo diesel, devido à excelente performance proporcionada à perfuração. O aumento da preocupação ambiental levou a indústria do petróleo a elaborar composições de fluidos que fossem menos agressivas ao ambiente e, ao mesmo tempo, apresentassem performances semelhantes à do fluido base óleo diesel, destacando-se na atividade de perfuração na bacia do Recôncavo, Bahia, o fluido n-Parafina. Entre os compostos de interesse ambiental presente neste tipo de fluido, destacam-se a n-Parafina e cloretos, algumas vezes com traços de BTEX (benzeno, tolueno, etilbenzeno e xilenos). Como durante a perfuração podem ser atravessados aqüíferos portadores de água doce, resta a preocupação de que o contato desses fluidos com estes aqüíferos possa gerar problemas de contaminação ambiental. Este trabalho apresenta uma avaliação de situações de poços, onde o aqüífero São Sebastião, principal da bacia do Recôncavo, foi atravessado utilizando-se fluido n-Parafina. A avaliação foi baseada em simulações matemáticas do transporte dos compostos encontrados no fluido n-Parafina e em amostras coletadas a partir de testes de formação a cabo durante a perfuração dos poços. A partir da simulação destes valores reais, pôde-se concluir que, a menos de 0,5 m da parede dos poços, as concentrações encontram-se perfeitamente dentro dos padrões de potabilidade para todos os compostos analisados. De acordo com a metodologia utilizada, as utilizações do fluido n-Parafina são ambientalmente inofensivas como fluido de perfuração a ser utilizado neste tipo de cenário hidrogeológico. / The use of drilling fluids or muds is standard practice in oil industry. The composition of these fluids is designed according to the formation and the well properties. For many years oil- based muds (OBM) had a worldwide use because they offered advantages over water-based muds (WBM). Increasing environmental concern led the oil industry into the formulation of a variety of syntetic organic based mud (SBM) or low-tox mineral oil- based mud, like the n-parafin based mud, with a large use at the Reconcavo Basin, Bahia, Brazil. Some of the compounds that are common to most fluid formulas are considered potential environmental contaminants, among them n-parafin and chloride, sometimes with trace BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes). The drilling of the well might cross aquifers that are used for drinking purposes before reaching the oil reservoir and the contact of the water with the drilling fluid might pose some concern about the aquifer contamination. This paper presents case studies where a well penetrated São Sebastião Aquifer, in Reconcavo Basin, using n-Parafin based mud and a mathematical model was applied to simulate the fate and transport of the compounds found in fluid and samples collected during the drilling. The results indicated that all concentration values of the detected compounds were well below water drinking standards within 0,5 m from the well. According to this conclusion, the use of the n-parafin fluid is considered harmless to the environment and is recommended for similar geological scenarios.

Orientador: Paulo Roberto Ribeiro / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Mecanica, Instituto de Geociencias / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-12T20:48:00Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Atolini_TarcilaMantovan_M.pdf: 2488021 bytes, checksum: c3cbe83ac1e08cbfdb561f27e085ffcc (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008 / Resumo: Um dos avanços referentes ao desenvolvimento de tecnologias para perfuração de poços em condições severas de pressão e temperatura está ligado aos fluidos de perfuração. O entendimento do comportamento da mistura de fluido de perfuração e gás da formação, numa situação de influxo de gás da formação para o poço (kick), é essencial para as operações de controle de poço. Especialmente quando se utilizam fluidos orgânicos, os quais dificultam a detecção do influxo. O principal objetivo do presente trabalho é o estudo do comportamento termodinâmico desses fluidos a condições compatíveis com as de fundo de poços de alta temperatura e alta pressão (ATAP). Para atingir esta meta utilizou-se uma célula PVT com limite operacional de 200°C e 100MPa. Primeiramente estudou-se o sistema metano/nparafina nas composições de 0 a 95% em fração molar de metano e nas temperaturas de 70°C a 130°C. Numa segunda fase do trabalho foi estudado o sistema metano/emulsão com duas composições de emulsões, uma 60% n-parafina e outra 70%, variando-se também fração de gás e temperatura. Através dos dados experimentais do sistema metano/n-parafina realizou-se modelagem computacional para o cálculo da solubilidade, densidade e fator volume de formação, obtendo-se correlações que permitiram avaliar projeções baseadas na hipótese da aditividade. Para o cálculo direto dessas propriedades obtiveram-se correlações para o sistema metano/emulsões, as quais foram empregadas em cálculos de volume ganho no tanque como exemplo de sua aplicabilidade / Abstract: One of the advances in the development of drilling technologies under severe conditions of pressure and temperature is related to the drilling fluids. The understanding of the behavior of drilling fluid and the formation gas mixture, in a kick situation, is essential for the well control operations. Especially when organic fluids are used, which makes it more difficult to detect the influx of gas from the formation into the well. The main objective of this work was the study of the PVT behavior of these fluids at pressures and temperatures consistent with the HTHP well conditions. In order to accomplish that, a PVT cell with an operational limit of 200°C and 100MPa was used. First the system methane/n-paraffin was studied, with compositions from 0 to 95% in molar fraction of methane and at temperatures from 70 to 130°C. In a second phase of this work the system methane/emulsion was studied, for two different emulsions, one with 60% n-paraffin and another with 70%, also varying gas fraction and temperature. Through the experimental data of the methane/n-paraffin system a computational modeling was conducted to calculate solubility, density and formation volume factor, resulting in correlations that enabled the evaluation of the validity of the additivity hypothesis. For the entire experimental parameters spam, mathematical adjustments of the methane/emulsion system were done. This correlations were used in pit gain calculations as an example of its applicability / Mestrado / Explotação / Mestre em Ciências e Engenharia de Petróleo

Orientador: José Ricardo Pelaquim Mendes / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Mecânica e Instituto de Geociências / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-22T11:39:24Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Salmazo_Eduardo_M.pdf: 7818535 bytes, checksum: a2f7369fd589c6f6e85ce6c997e8c112 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013 / Resumo: Neste trabalho discute-se os desafios associados à atividade de perfuração de poços de petróleo através de formações afetadas pela presença de domos salinos. Domos salinos podem induzir grandes tensões nas formações subjacentes e adjacentes, impondo a necessidade de um planejamento específico para a perfuração e manutenção de poços de petróleo. Durante a perfuração, em frente à zonda de sal, há relatos de problemas de aprisionamento de coluna, dissolução de sal no fluido de perfuração, ocasionando a formação de batentes mecânicos e cavernas. Há ainda, nas formações que rodeiam um domo salino, devido à alterações no campo de tensões, problemas de instabilidade nas paredes do poço aberto e formação de zonas anormalmente prossurizadas. Após o revestimento do poço, há casos de colapso do revestimento. Para prever e mitigar os riscos associados à essa atividade é de fundamental importância o entendimento dos fenômenos físicos que o ocasionam. Com essa finalidade, foi feito um estudo à respeito de tais mecanismo físicos como fluência e instabilidade hidrodinâmica, mais especificamente a instabilidade de Rayleigh-Taylor. Desenvolveu-se, a partir de tal estudo, um modelo analítico para prever o desenvolvimento de um domo salino e discutiu-se a forma como este pode interferir em parâmetros importantes para a atividade de perfuração como, por exemplo, o campo de tensões nas formações adjacentes às camadas de sal / Abstract: In this present work are discussed the challenges associated with the drilling activities in oil wells through formations affected by the presence of salt domes. This geological structures can induce large stresses in the underlaying and adjacent formations, imposing the necessity of specific planning for drilling and maintenance of such oil wells. During drilling, facing the salt, there are reports of problems of stuck pipe, salt dissolution, forming mechanical stops and caves. There are still, in formations around a salt dome, due changes in the stress field, problems of well instability and abnormally pressure zones. After casing, there are cases of case collapse. To prevent and mitigate risks associated to this activity, is crucial understand the physical phenomena behind it. With such finality, was made an study related with such physical mechanisms, such hydrodynamic instability, specifically the Rayleigh-Taylor instability. Was developed, from this study, an analytical model to predict the salt dome development and was discussed the way such it can interfer in important paramenters related to the drilling activity as, for exemple, the tension field in the formation around the salt dome / Mestrado / Explotação / Mestre em Ciências e Engenharia de Petróleo

Due to the usefulness of sonic logs in formation evaluation, efforts have been made to develop a method for calculating pseudosonic logs for wells in which sonic logs were not originally obtained. These efforts attempt to use electrical resistivity data in the calculation of pseudosonic logs by means of empirical scale functions. The purpose of this study is to examine ways of applying these relationships in relatively shallow wells where the principal formation fluid is fresh or brackish water. Data from four wells situated in Brunswick, Georgia were used in this study. Conventional focused resistivity logs are sensitive to beds as thin as one foot and can provide detail similar to that seen on sonic logs. Focused resistivity logs should be best for conversion to pseudosonic logs in shallow wells, where invasion is minimal and the water used for drilling fluid has electrical resistivity close to that of formation water. Sonic and resistivity logs from a representative well are needed in the procedure for finding an empirical relationship between sonic transit time and resistivity. Values of transit time plotted versus resistivity are read from corresponding depths on both types of logs. The graphs obtained in this study reveal significantly more scatter than previously published graphs based upon deep well data. An important feature clearly evident in the graphs is the presence of groups of points which me offset from each other. A separate scale function relating transit time and resistivity can be obtained from each group of points. It is noted that the different groups correspond to differences ir1 the chlorinity of the formation water. The results of this study indicate that it is necessary to consider the salinity of the formation water as well as electrical resistivity for purposes of calculating pseudosonic logs. In previous studies three constant coefficients were deterrnined experimentally in order to obtain an empirical scale function. The present study suggests that it may be possible to replace these constants with chlorinity dependent coefficients. The final results of this study indicate that reasonably reliable pseudosonic logs can be obtained only by using high quality focused resistivity logs from wells where information about the salinity of the formation water is also available. / Master of Science

[pt] A resistência não confinada (UCS) é um parâmetro de interesse na análise de problemas geomecânicos: estabilidade de poços, restrição quantitativa das magnitudes das tensões in situ, determinação do potencial de produção de areia e seleção de brocas. É intuitivo que a resposta da broca de perfuração deveria refletir as propriedades de resistência da rocha sob as condições reais no fundo do poço. Porém a taxa de perfuração (ROP) é dependente de um número de outros parâmetros (desenho e tipo da broca, parâmetros de operação). Têm sido propostos, avaliados e verificados vários modelos de perfuração para os diferentes tipos de brocas em poços no Mar do Norte e no Canadá. Esses modelos, quando usados numa metodologia inversa, permitem estimar a resistência da rocha à perfuração, S. Esta pesquisa tem como objetivo correlacionar as resistências S e UCS. Uma vez alcançado esse objetivo a UCS pode ser calculada somente com base em parâmetros de perfuração (WOB, RPM, ROP). Foram encontradas duas correlações para as litologias folhelhos e arenitos do campo de estudo da bacia de Campos. Estas foram avaliadas e comparadas com a UCS estimada de perfis de poço obtendo-se resultados bastante satisfatórios. O espaço UCS/S vs. WOB/RPM usado para correlacionar as resistências mostra-se muito promissor para outras aplicações: planejamento/otimização de um novo poço (selecionando a melhor combinação de WOB e RPM), avaliação/diagnóstico da perfuração em Tempo Real. / [en] Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) is a parameter of interest in geomechanics problems analysis: Wellbore Stability, quantitative constrains stresses in situ magnitudes, assessment sanding potential and selection of bit drilling. It is intuitive that the drilling would have to reflect the strength rock properties under the real conditions in the bottomhole. However rate of penetration (ROP) is dependent of a number of other parameters. ROP models have been proposed for the different types of drilling bits and evaluated and verified in wells in North Sea and Canada. These models when used in an inverse methodology they allow estimate the drilling strength, S. This work was addressed to correlate drilling strength (S) and UCS. When this objective was reached the UCS can only be calculated of drilling parameters (WOB, RPM, ROP). Two correlations for shale and sandstone lithologics are proposal by the study field in Campos basin. Satisfactory results were obtain when these correlations were evaluated and compared with estimated UCS profiles from geophysical well logs. Space UCS/S vs. WOB/RPM used to correlate the strengths seems very promissory for other applications such as: planning/optimization of a new well (selecting the best combination of WOB and RPM), diagnostic and evaluation of the drilling in Real Time TR.

O objetivo dessa dissertação é apresentar um problema de otimização do uso de recursos críticos no desenvolvimento de poços de petróleo marítimos e a técnica empregada para a abordagem proposta ao problema. A revisão da técnica de Programação por Restrições é feita analisando aspectos relevantes de modelagem, propagação, busca e paradigmas de programação. A especialização da técnica para problemas de escalonamento, o Escalonamento Baseado em Restrições, é descrita com ênfase nos paradigmas descritivos e nos mecanismos de propagação de restrições. Como subsídio ao uso da técnica em outros problemas, a linguagem comercial de modelagem OPL é apresentada no Apêndice. O objetivo da abordagem ao problema é obter um escalonador para maximizar a produção de óleo obtida no curto prazo. O escalonador proposto baseia-se na declaração de um modelo empregando variáveis de intervalo. Um algoritmo e um modelo de Programação Linear Inteira abordando relaxações do problema são apresentados para que se obtenha um limitante superior ao valor de produção ótimo. Para o cenário real no qual a análise experimental foi feita, foram obtidas soluções a menos de 16% do ótimo após uma hora de execução; e os testes em instâncias de tamanhos variados evidenciaram a robustez do escalonador. Direções para trabalhos futuros são apresentadas ponderando os resultados obtidos. / The aim of this work is to present a problem of optimizing the use of critical resources to develop offshore oil wells and the technique used to approach the problem. The review of the Constraint Programming technique is made by analyzing relevant aspects of modeling, propagation, search and programming paradigms. The specialization of the technique to scheduling problems, known as Constraint-Based Scheduling, is described with emphasis on descriptive paradigms and constraint propagation mechanisms. In order to support the use of the technique to tackle other problems, the commercial modeling language OPL is presented in the appendix. The aim of the approach to the problem is to obtain a scheduler that maximizes the short-term production of oil. The scheduler presented relies on the description of a model using interval variables. An algorithm and an Integer Linear Programming model approaching relaxations of the problem are presented in order to obtain an upper bound for the optimal production value. For the real scenario upon which the experimental analysis was done, there were found solutions within 16% of the optimal after one hour of execution; and the tests on instances of varied sizes gave evidence of the robustness of the scheduler. Directions for future work are presented based on the results achieved.

Thesis. 1977. Ocean E.--Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Ocean Engineering. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ENGINEERING. / Includes bibliographical references. / Ocean E.

Os hidrocarbonetos são encontrados sob alta pressão em rochas porosas, denominadas rochas reservatório. A camada pré-sal apresenta rochas reservatório cobertas por uma camada impermeável de sal de grande espessura. Ocorrências de estruturas salinas são favoráveis para o aprisionamento dos hidrocarbonetos e aumentam a probabilidade de sucesso na prospecção de óleo e gás, pois são excelentes rochas capeadoras, de porosidade e permeabilidade praticamente nulas. As rochas salinas apresentam deformação lenta e contínua quando submetidas a tensões constantes, fenômeno conhecido como fluência. Durante a perfuração de poços através de espessas camadas de sal podem ocorrer problemas operacionais, como o aprisionamento da coluna de perfuração e o colapso do poço. Ainda, a fluência pode levar ao colapso os revestimentos de um poço de petróleo revestido. Estes contratempos geram grandes desafios e criam oportunidades de evolução na indústria do petróleo. Neste contexto, este trabalho consiste na análise numérica da escavação de poços em rochas salinas para exploração de petróleo, com o estudo do comportamento geomecânico do sal utilizando o programa de elementos finitos Abaqus®. O efeito da fluência do sal durante e após a perfuração e cimentação dos poços foi verificado utilizando diferentes pesos de fluido de perfuração, simulado como não penetrante. Análises dos deslocamentos, deformações e tensões na parede do poço e em sua vizinhança foram realizadas por meio de análises de deformação plana e análises axissimétricas. Após a instalação do revestimento e cimentação do poço que engloba tanto o processo de endurecimento do cimento, quanto a resposta de fluência da camada de sal, pôde-se analisar os deslocamentos, deformações e o comportamento das tensões na fronteira sal-cimento, evitando possíveis intervenções em poços que acarretam perdas econômicas. Sendo assim, este estudo auxilia no monitoramento e controle do fechamento de poços de petróleo em evaporito, após a escavação e cimentação do poço, evitando os diversos problemas decorrentes do comportamento de fluência do sal. / Hydrocarbons are found under high pressure in porous rocks, called reservoir rocks. The presalt layer shows reservoir rock covered by an impermeable salt thick layer. Occurrences of salt structures are favorable for trapping of hydrocarbons and increase the probability of success in oil and gas prospecting. They are excellent cap rocks with porosity and permeability practically nil. Salt rock present creep when subjected to continuous and constant stress. During well drilling through thick salt layers operational problems may occur like the imprisonment of the drill string and the collapse of the well. Also, creep may cause the collapse of the well casing. These setbacks create great challenges and opportunities for the evolution of the oil industry. In this context, this work proposes the numerical analysis of well excavation in salt rock for oil exploration with the study of the geomechanical behavior of salt using a finite element method (FEM) software Abaqus®. The effect of salt creep during and after drilling and cementing of wells was verified using different weights of the drilling fluid assumed to be non-penetrable with respect to the wellbore formation. Analysis of displacements, strains and stresses on the face of the wellbore and into the salt formation were performed with plane strain and axisymmetric techniques. After installation of the well casing, cementing is simulated encompassing cement hardening as well as salt creep. It was possible to analyze displacements, strains and the behavior of the stress interactions between the existing boundary cement-salt formation, avoiding possible unnecessary workover operations that cause economical losses. Thus, this study assists in the control and monitoring of closing oil wells in evaporite, after excavation and cementing the well, avoiding many problems stemming from the behavior creep of salt.