Development of an Integrated Metrics Reporting Tool to Monitor and Optimize Performance of the Greater Burgan Oil Field in Kuwait

Abstract Greater Burgan is the second largest oil field and the largest clastic reservoir in the world. There are over 1000 wells on production in this field. There is a robust plan to drill more wells in the coming years to cater for world demand in production. It is therefore necessary to track and report the production and field performance from this giant field in a timely and effective manner. This paper describes the approach taken towards the development of an integrated tracking and reporting metrics tool which displays operational data to key decision makers to monitor field performance and make practical decisions. The metrics report provides a comprehensive view of the performance of an asset using key performance indicators (KPIs) in the form of a dashboard. Information is captured from corporate databases, in house tools and data sources tracking daily operations. The report is displayed graphically for quick overview of categories such as daily production, subsurface and shut-in well potential, facility capacity and constraints, well work, production tests, surveillance activities, wet and dry completions, production allowables, and other pertinent highlights through a single visual interface. Designed as a scorecard the tool provides a platform for increased collaboration and knowledge capture between assets. It reduces time spent looking for data thereby allowing more time for higher priority issues. The impact is directly on the reservoir management strategies, production management, prioritization of well work and surveillance activity. The metrics report is a best practice implemented by KOC Field Development South East Kuwait Asset Group to monitor the Greater Burgan oil field performance and optimize its production. Value added decisions making is made easy wherein plans are properly implemented and targets are met. The designing, completing, and operating aspects of this successful reporting tool are highlighted together with the challenges and accomplishments. Introduction The Greater Burgan Field in Kuwait accounts for the largest amount of the oil produced in the country. Discovered in 1938 it has over a thousand wells drilled to date. A highly dynamic development plan is being implemented by KOC to achieve and sustain the production targets established by the corporate goals. The strategy involves an increase in well activity, production facility and capacity upgrade in the Greater Burgan field. Numerous wells are planned to be drilled including high producing horizontal wells in the main Burgan sands. All the reservoirs in the Greater Burgan field have distinct characteristics and are generally produced separately. Production from nearly 1500 completions is diverted into 14 Gathering Centers (GC). In each GC the streams coming from the field are processed through different sub-facilities depending on the pressure and water cut. Those include the high pressure wet system, high pressure dry system; the low pressure wet system and the low pressure dry system. In order to operate the facility safely, each of those equipments have to be operated within their safe limits. To add to the complexity even more, production at one time was also limited by the ability to dispose effluent water through evaporating pits and disposal wells. This problem as been eliminated with the upgrade of both wet and dry crude handling facilities at almost all of the GCs and addition of more disposal wells.