SPE 153967

A Reservoir Management System for the Worlds First Thermal Gas Oil
Gravity Drainage Project
Keith Rawnsley, Augustine Ikwumonu, Solenn Bettembourg, Pristwanto Putra and Ibrahim Al-Ismaili, Petroleum
Development Oman



Copyright 2012, Society of Petroleum Engineers

This paper was prepared for presentation at the SPE EOR Conference at Oil and Gas West Asia held in Muscat, Oman, 1618 April 2012.

This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE program committee following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents of the paper have not been
reviewed by the Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject to correction by the author(s). The material does not necessarily reflect any position of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, its
officers, or members. Electronic reproduction, distribution, or storage of any part of this paper without the written consent of the Society of Petroleum Engineers is prohibited. Permission to
reproduce in print is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words; illustrations may not be copied. The abstract must contain conspicuous acknowledgment of SPE copyright.


Abstract
Thermally Assisted Gas Oil Gravity Drainage of a fractured carbonate heavy oil field in Oman is starting the full field phase.
Unlike a normal steam flood, steam is used as a heating agent to enhance the existing gravity drainage mechanisms. The
project has been piloted successfully.
The project start-up sequence consists of increasing off take from deviated producers followed by steam injection and aquifer
pump-off. Steam will progressively fill the fractures whilst heated oil drains down in the matrix blocks and accumulates in an
oil rim below the steam in the fractures. The fracture oil rim will be lowered by approximately 100m. Horizontal producers
will be completed in the final fracture oil rim position.
As no analogues exist a large degree of flexibility has been incorporated in the field development plan to cover uncertainties
including caprock integrity, erratic oil rim movement and heterogeneous steam distribution. To facilitate decision making an
enhanced reservoir surveillance, modelling and management system has been built. Reservoir pressures, oil rim positions,
temperatures and rock strain data are obtained from a range of observation wells. Further data are obtained from surface uplift,
microseismic monitoring and fluid sampling. Static, fracture, dynamic and geomechanical reservoir models have guided the
design of the reservoir surveillance program and underlie the operating guidelines for the reservoir. These provide operator
reactions for a wide range of what-if events. A corporate real time data portal has been optimised for the unique
requirements of this project allowing for analysis of all data streams. A system allows 3D display, through time, of reservoir
data and model forecasts to ensure optimum performance analysis.
Initial application has resulted in identification of optimised well configurations and start-up sequence giving higher oil
forecasts.
The learning is being applied further in Oman and has wider application.



Introduction
The worlds first full field Thermally Assisted Gas-Oil Gravity Drainage (TAGOGD) project has started in Oman (Fig. 1). It is
in a highly fractured carbonate field with an oil viscosity in the order of 200cp. Historically the field was operated at very high
water cut due to aquifer influx through the fractures to the producers. The recovery process was a mixture of Gas-Oil-Gravity-
Drainage (GOGD) and water-oil-gravity-drainage (WOGD) but the high oil viscosity and low matrix permeability prevented
recoveries reaching more than a few percent. To attempt to unlock the oil in place a TAGOGD development concept has been
piloted in the field over approximately 10 years (Ref. 1, Ref. 2, Ref. 3). This led the way to the full field project that has now
started (Fig. 2). The steam is mainly generated by Heat Recovery Steam Generators (HRSGs). This steam is injected into the
natural fractures at the crest of the reservoir and the fractures distribute the steam in the reservoir. The oil in the matrix is
heated, its viscosity decreases by a factor of 100 and drains down by gravity through the matrix into the fracture oil rim. From
here it is produced into the production facility. The aquifer influx is produced via dedicated Aquifer Pump Off (APO) wells
below the oil water contact. All the produced water is disposed into a deep aquifer. The reject water from the steam plant is
disposed partly into a shallow aquifer and into the deep aquifer. Raw water supply is obtained from a shallow aquifer.

2 SPE 153967

Figure 1. The Field located in Oman showing the top structure, main faults and the wells drilled. Well colours: Blue = Aquifer Pump-
Off, Red = Producer, Green = Steam Injector, Purple = Gradio-Temperature observation wells, Yellow = Temperature observation
wells, Black = Micro-seismic observation wells, Grey = Abandoned wells. Wells not shown include water supply and disposal, and the
future horizontal producers.
RO Reject Water
Continuous oil rim lowering
OOWC
Aquifer
Final Fracture Oil Rim
Initial Oil Rim
Gas Cap
Steam Plant
Production Facility
Water of other Fields
Produced Fluids
+Water
25 OP Wells Produced Water
from APO
6 APO Wells
Produced Disposal Water
12 DWD Wells
Expectation Oil Export
Steam Injection
18 SI Wells
Shallow Water
Disposal
13 SWD Wells
Deep Water Disposal Deep Water Disposal
Shallow Water Supply
38,000 m3/d
RO Reject other fields
Reject Water
10,000m3/d
4 DWD Wells
27 SWS Wells 6 Monitoring wells
PADS B & C
PAD A
25 OBS Wells
14 MS Wells
RO Reject Water
Continuous oil rim lowering
OOWC
Aquifer
Final Fracture Oil Rim
Initial Oil Rim
Gas Cap
Steam Plant
Production Facility
Water of other Fields
Produced Fluids
+Water
25 OP Wells Produced Water
from APO
6 APO Wells
Produced Disposal Water
12 DWD Wells
Expectation Oil Export
Steam Injection
18 SI Wells
Shallow Water
Disposal
13 SWD Wells
Deep Water Disposal Deep Water Disposal
Shallow Water Supply
38,000 m3/d
RO Reject other fields
Reject Water
10,000m3/d
4 DWD Wells
27 SWS Wells 6 Monitoring wells
PADS B & C
PAD A
25 OBS Wells
14 MS Wells

Figure 2. The TAGOGD project and facility schematic.
SPE 153967 3
The field life can be divided into two phases. The first phase, now started, is the transition period during which the oil rim in
the fractures is lowered from its position near the top of the reservoir to a position close to the matrix oil water contact. This
increases the oil column height exposed to TAGOGD to over 100m (Fig. 3).



Figure 3. The simulated oil rim in the fractures displayed (black) moves down approximately 130m from near the top of the reservoir
to a final operating depth close to the matrix oil water contact. Offtake via 25 gas lifted producers equipped with gas breakthrough
controllers and Sliding Sleave Door offtake points and 6 aquifer pump off wells. The oil rim position is monitored in the Gradio-
Temperature observation wells.


This period is expected to last about two years and production is via gas lifted producers which are 45 degree inclined wells to
intersect fractures. These are completed with sliding sleeve door completions allowing variable off take position to manage the
oil rim position. At the same time the steam injection heats the crestal area and coalesces into a steam chest from which the
heated, lower viscosity oil drains down into the oil rim in the fractures (Fig. 4).

4 SPE 153967

Figure 4. 18,000 tonnes/day of steam will be injected via 18 steam injectors injecting into the fracture system. The steam gradually
heats the matrix. The colours displayed show simulated temperatures elevated above ambient. The reservoir heating is monitored
with the Gradio-Temperature and Temperature observation wells, and indirectly with microseismic and uplift monitoring.

The second phase is the plateau/tail period when the oil rim will be maintained at its deep position. Production in the second
phase will be through horizontal producers drilled close to the oil water contact that will be drilled later this year and next year.

Development of a field by means of TAGOGD is far more complicated than conventional recovery methods or even steam
flooding. The project complexity is seen in both the field operations and the subsurface behavior, description and
understanding. In the oil reservoir, the oil rim in the fracture network needs to be continuously managed across the field. Its
position depends on the gas cap pressure and the balance between steam injection and production. This requires a continuous
focus on surveillance, interpretation and corrective action. The producers need to be operated in such a way as to keep them
from coning steam or gas. Because of the complexity it may not always be obvious to operators what actions are best for the
maximum long term recovery. Hence excellent communication between the subsurface and operations teams is of paramount
importance.


Modelling.
The Thermal Gas Oil Gravity process will be the first application of the technique at field scale in the world. In
addition the accompanying water supply, water disposal and geomechanical challenges are also significant. This has
meant that no direct analogues are available for many of the key processes. Modelling has therefore taken, and will
SPE 153967 5
continue to take, a more substantial role than in more conventional fields both to build confidence and to act as
interface between the Reservoir Surveillance Data and opportunity generation. The modelling strategy is designed to
ensure that the predictions are accurate, capture the ongoing uncertainties, and improve with experience. As more
data becomes available, the understanding will improve, which will be reflected in changes in the modelling strategy.
The main objectives of the modelling strategy are:

To provide Forecasts of the key reservoir responses in order to support the Production System Optimisation
processes:
Daily/Weekly: Provide Forecast envelopes for Wells allowing comparison of Model Forecast vs. Field Data
to support daily/weekly operational decision making
Monthly/Quarterly: Provide Forecast envelopes for the Reservoir and Wells, together with visualisation and
analysis tools, to allow optimization and mitigation options to be evaluated.
Annually: Provide up to date, history matched forecasts to support well and field reviews, program build and
reserves allocation.

Reduce uncertainty on the performance forecasts, in particular:
Updated rim movement/pressure forecasts
Updated produced fluid temperatures forecasts
Updated water disposal requirement and performance forecasts
Updated water supply requirement and performance forecasts

Specific objectives during the transition phase are to:
Identify opportunities to mitigate and prioritise updated commissioning schedules
Provide What If scenarios to provide input to operator responses to possible operational incidents (steam
plant shut-down, compressor shutdown etc)
confirm scenario for horizontal producers layout and design
confirm the scenarios for steam redistribution by conversion of deviated producers and observation wells to
steam injectors
reduce the main subsurface uncertainties on aquifer strength, effective fracture spacing, permeability and
porosity, effective matrix vertical permeability and geomechanical effects due to thermal expansion
including:
uplift of the overburden and ground surface
reactivation of faults in the reservoir and overburden causing localised uplift gradients at the
surface, possible steam conduits from reservoir to surface and well integrity issues
changes in the permeability of the fracture system that could impact on productivity/injectivity

The main reservoir model platforms include a commercially available static modeling package that is also used to
hold the static data reference project, an in-house natural fracture analysis and fractured reservoir modeling package
(Ref. 4) that exports to a commercially available fluid flow simulation package that specializes in thermal processes.
The simulation is full field, in dual porosity, dual permeability, multicompositional and thermal mode. This in turn is
exported to a commercially available finite element geomechancial package that also includes over, under and side-
burden models (Fig. 5) (Ref. 5). The models are constrained the static data acquired during drilling, the 30 years of
cold production history, the 10 years of TAGOGD pilot and the current reservoir data (as described below).

The static, fracture, dynamic and geomechanical reservoir models have guided the design of the reservoir surveillance
program and underlie the operating guidelines for the reservoir.


6 SPE 153967

Figure 5. Simulated ground level changes due to thermal expansion of the reservoir.


Well and Reservoir Management (WRM).
Due to the uniqueness of the reservoir oil recovery process, and the interdependency between the different processes from
water supply & treatment, to steam injection, to reservoir fluid production to water disposal, that all directly impacts the
oil production, WRM value loops are defined around the following axes:
1) Raw Water supply : Well, Reservoir and water treatment
2) Thermal Oil recovery : Steam Chest ( Steam injection, Reservoir & Surface Integrity, Reservoir Steam Chest)
and Oil Rim : ( Oil & Water production, Oil & gas facility, fractured oil rim monitoring)
3) Water Disposal : Deep and Shallow water disposal

For each value loop, a management strategy, and a resulting surveillance plan is defined. An in-house WRM Portal was
built to honor the value loop requirement, for short to medium/long term optimization. Each value loop contains different
steps that relate to:
1) Data : acquisition, management, and interpretation
2) Model: How do the data compare to the model?
3) Decision making
4) Activity execution and asset management

All WRM data acquired have a standardized QA/QC process, and are saved in dedicated corporate databases. The Portal
has been built to ensure that all data related to WRM value loops are directly accessible from any desktop. The majority of
the data acquired are real-time data, and special attention is given to the data stream availability. For short term
SPE 153967 7
optimization, exception based surveillance was implemented as part of the Portal (Fig. 6). Operating envelopes of the
wells and equipment are defined and updated on a regular basis. These are compared to the actual data to determine which
wells are outside their performance envelope. These are preferentially reviewed on a daily/weekly basis for remedial
activity assessment. For longer term optimization, reservoir surveillance reviews are organized as part of a collaborative
work environment. Through a set of structured collaborative meetings, the WRM loops are monitored. An early version of
the WRM strategy has been published (Ref. 6) and has evolved considerably since then.

Figure 6. Sample views of field and well performance in the real time WRM Portal. Top left; field summary, top right; Daily Review well
exceptions, bottom; Key Performance Indicator compliance.

Water Supply value loop.
The objective of W&RM with respect water supply is to sustain supply for 30 years to generate 18,000 tonnes/day
steam, with the composition within the operating envelop of the water treatment plant. Water is pumped from a
shallow sandstone reservoir some 25km north of the field. Supply well and reservoir performances are monitored, and
rapid changes in demand are managed through variable speed electrical submersible pumps (ESPs). Reservoir
pressure is monitored on a monthly basis through 6 observation wells. A fine gravel pack was designed and installed
in all the 27 supply wells, to reduce the sand production. Water property is monitored daily, to ensure optimum use of
the RO Plant. Bacterial contamination is minimized through a campaign of well flushing and biocide injection prior
to well hook-up and following long shut-ins. Long term options for the sustainable production of water from this
reservoir include a dewatering option.


Thermal oil recovery value loop.
The objective of W&RM with respect to the thermal oil recovery value loop is to safeguard the optimum steam
injection rate, quality and distribution at all times, while maintaining a stable oil rim across the field in order to
accelerate and maintain a stable oil production from the field and individual wells. In this Value loop, special
attention is given to well, reservoir and cap rock integrity, steam chest expansion and heated rock volume, the oil rim
position, TAGOGD process upsides and the facility integrity.

8 SPE 153967
Obs. Well 1 Temperature
Obs. Well 2 Temperature
Obs. Well 1 Upper and lower pressure gauge


Figure 7. Sample views of the real time data in the WRM Portal. Top; live distributed temperature data in 2 wells. Bottom; live gas cap
pressure data.

Well, reservoir and cap rock integrity are monitored real time. Down-hole fiber optic pressure gauges are measuring
the fracture gas cap pressure, and fiber optic distributed temperature sensors (DTS) data are acquired hourly to
monitor the heat in and above the reservoir (Fig. 7). Exception Based Surveillance was developed to detect any rapid
change in temperature in shallower horizons, as well as increases in A-Annulus pressure of the steam injectors. The
defined operating envelope for the reservoir is used in the office and control environment, to ensure that the operators
react directly in case of the gas cap pressure rising above the limit. Microseismic data and surface deformation are
also acquired to monitor and further constrain the geomechanical model of caprock integrity.
Steam chest expansion and heated rock volume is constantly monitored through the DTS fiber optic system, deployed
in 25 observation wells and extending from below the reservoir to the ground. Steam chest development is compared
on a monthly basis with the model, to ensure consistency. Engineering design of the steam lines allows for steam
redistribution if necessary and future plans are also flexible to include conversion of existing producers to steam
injectors.

SPE 153967 9


Figure 8. Sample view oil rim data in the WRM Portal with 2 time steps. Depth scale on vertical axis (inverted) and gas-oil-contact in
orange/red per time step and oil-water-contact in blues.


The first phase of the TAGOGD project consists of lowering the oil rim by over 100m. Oil rim position is monitored
monthly in 14 observation wells, through gradio surveys (Fig. 8). A new technology, more cost effective and less
intrusive has been developed and is currently being applied. It measures the fluid levels in the well from thermal
relaxation time (Ref. 7). The oil rim position and distribution is managed by the reservoir off take distribution and
level through the field. A set of aquifer pump off wells have been drilled to support the management of the oil rim.
These wells are equipped with variable speed drive ESPs. To support the GOGD process, gas breakthrough
controllers are installed on all oil producers, to reduce the risk of gas production. Also, all deviated producers are
equipped with sliding sleeve door completions that allow the depth of the producing interval to change in response to
the oil rim position.
Cores have been taken in a number of cold and hot observation wells, and are used as base line for matrix oil
saturation measurement. Time lapse saturation logging will be taken from 2013 onwards in an open hole well, using
an NMR tool in a specially developed thermal shield (Ref. 8). Cores will be taken from 2014 onwards to further
measure rock changes in oil saturation.
The surface facilities have been designed for cold sour production. To ensure the integrity of the facility, produced
fluid temperature, and H2S levels in produced gas are monitored. It is expected that hot production will occur later
in the project. At this stage, well head coolers will be installed. Increases in H2S levels during the steam pilot have
been measured, and taken into account in the facility design.


Water disposal value loop.
The objective of W&RM with respect to the water disposal value loop is to safeguard the disposal capacity for all
produced water (including that of surrounding fields) and water treatment reject water for the life of the field. For
Deep Water Disposal, fluid compatibility studies showed that injectivity in the reservoir will not be affected unless
Oil In Water concentration is above 50 ppm. Produced water is treated in a corrugated plate interceptor (CPI) and
induced gas floatation (IGF), and the oil in water is measured in real time. Well injectivity is accessible in real time
in the WRM Portal.



10 SPE 153967
Reservoir Surveillance.
Reservoir surveillance is key input to effectively manage the TAGOGD project including well based and geophysical
based techniques, starting from the water well source to feed boiler-feed water generating steam, hydrocarbon
production and steam injection wells, aquifer pump off wells, observation (GradioTemperature) wells to the RO
reject/waste and produced water disposal wells.

Well Production & Steam I njection.
Production and steam injection data acquisition use on-line data transmission via RTU V-monitor from wellhead to the
control room or via fiber optic cable, depending on the well locations relative to the control room.
- All active gas lift production and steam injection wells; pressure, temperature and flow rate readings are
transmitted on-line. In high risk wells annulus pressure is also on real time reading.
- All ESP data readings from aquifer pump off and water supply wells are also transmitted online.

Well surveillance.
Intensive well surveillance surveys are run to monitor: oil rim position, steam chest growth, gas cap pressure, pressure
connectivity in deep water disposal wells, and water table in shallow water disposal wells as well as in raw water supply
wells. A few key surveillance for steam injectors are planned to be executed: steam injection rate and quality
measurement in representative wells from each steam manifold, and down hole pressure and temperature in steam injector
wells.
- GT wells completed with permanent DTS, monitoring heat growth in the fracture and gas cap pressure. All these
temperature and pressure data are also transmitted online through fibre optics. DTS Thermal relaxation is also
executed via the permanent DTS in this well to monitor the oil rim position: Fracture Gas-Oil-Contact (FGOC)
and Fracture Oil-Water-Contact (FOWC) are delivered by the contractor for QC and loading to a specialised data
base from where the WRM Portal can access.
- Steam injection rate and quality to validate the steam quality for both steam manifolds for heat injection
calculation
- Down hole pressure and temperature in steam injection is to validate the down hole steam quality model for a
proper heat and mass balance calculation.

Well integrity surveillance.
In addition to the on-line pressure production and injection data the integrity assurance for the high risk wells
includes well head integrity test (WIT) and sub-surface integrity test (SIT). Regular WIT and SIT are conducted as
per company well failure model for each well. This is automatically scheduled in the company well integrity
management system. Inflow test is the first technique to check the WIT and SIT if the closed in tubing head pressure
(CITHP) is greater than zero (0 kPa), otherwise the positive (+) pressure test is conducted. In high risk wells,
exposed to high H2S content, corrosion logs are run to monitor the loss of the casing wall in a regular basis.

Geophysical Surveillance.
Different geophysical tools are employed as surveillance tools. These provide monitoring of surface deformation, cap
rock integrity and reservoir changes. Each method has its strengths and limitations, but these complement each other
and the other non-geophysical surveillance tools to ensure good surveillance.

The geophysical surveillance has two main impacts:
1. Impact on HSE & integrity: This is the driver for most of the surveillance. The tools aim at ensuring a proper
monitoring of changes that can affect the integrity of facilities or cap-rock which in turn carries both HSE
and financial risk.
2. Impact on development: A second objective is assisting development. Some of the tools provide information
useful in making development decisions. The ability to monitor e.g. how steam and heat is spreading in the
field could allow taking actions to increase the value of the TAGOGD development.

Microseismic monitoring has been shown to provide supporting areal information on steam propagation as well as
cap-rock integrity. The pilot demonstrated that steam will generate microseismic events. A full microseismic
monitoring system is now deployed and involves 13 microseismic wells, drilled to approximately 50m above the top
of the reservoir, 750m apart each with 8 channels of 3C geophones and a temperature gauge. The system sends data
via radio transmitters to be received at an in-field server where data are sent for interpretation (Fig. 9). A data flow
and reporting procedure is in place to ensure the interpreted events get properly loaded with the field model for
response and model update.
SPE 153967 11


Figure 9. Example of microseismic interpretation. Cumulative events magnitude (moment), on the vertical axis, with some initial start
up production data.


Other geophysical tools are employed for surface deformation monitoring and these include precise GPS; 62 stations
are well positioned in and around the field to measure precise location through GPS. The tools employed and stations
placed are designed to provide sub-mm accuracy. The monitoring is carried through four campaigns every year and
through permanent monitoring at four of the stations. These are independently complimented with optical levelling
that also provides a back-up for the GPS station heights if these need any restoration. Again the procedure employed
should provide sub-mm accuracy. The levelling traverses 70 km throughout the field and with wings on the four
corners to peg the field results to areas where no movement takes place. The levelling campaign is done once a year.
Complementing both these is satellite InSAR: satellites are programmed to capture images over the field at constant
intervals. These images are processed through advance processing techniques to allow deformation of as low as mm
scale be seen and captured as it evolves. InSAR allows an additional tool to GPS that can be integrated for more
precision. Additionally it allows a full 2D area to be monitored for deformation.

Additional tools are in test stage including surface based micro-gravity to measure gravity at micro-gal scale to allow
monitoring of desaturation of the reservoir and downhole source imaging to visualize part of the top reservoir and any
changes.

4D data and model display.
To facilitate comparison between the model results and the reservoir behavior the in-house fractured reservoir
modeling package has been extended to read the output from all the models, as grid properties at each time step. At
the same time the package reads in the real-time data exported from the WRM Portal, and the geophysical data
(Figures 10 and 11).
12 SPE 153967

Figure 10. Bringing together real time and geophysical data with reservoir models; static, fracture, simulation and geomechanical
properties and forecasts in 4D Tool.


Figure 11. Real time and geophysical data are covisualised and analysed with static, fracture, simulation and geomechanical model
properties and forecasts in 4D Tool.
SPE 153967 13
The 3D display of multiple model results and actual reservoir data can be played through time to help identify
trends and linkages in 4D. In Figure 12 a monthly sequence of actual microseismic events is displayed in the model
before and after the start of stages of current steam injection in November. All events are < -0.25 magnitude. This
data allows fault movement to be detected and also detects well interventions. Both cap-rock and well integrity will
be monitored with this technique. Geomechanical model microseismic forecasts will be built, constrained to the data
during this year.


Figure 12. 4D Tool display of microseismic data linked to well interventions, the pilot heated zone and slip on a fault plane.

Comparison of the oil rim as observed with time from gradio-surveys in an observation well, and as modeled in one
example of a simulation scenario is shown in Figure 13. In this case the model data did not match well the actual data
and consequently the model was updated. Analysis tools allow automatic visualisation of the difference between
forecasted oil rim position and actual oil rim position in all the monitoring wells.

14 SPE 153967


Figure 13. Fracture oil rim comparison through time between simulated (grid and well) and actual well data that was taken in
October and November.

DTS data from the same observation well is visualized daily though the month of January (Figure 14). Increased
temperatures are observed adjacent to the oil water contact in the fracture system and at one of the most potentially
flowing fractures, a Large Non Mineralised fracture. The presence of temperature increase below the oil rim suggests
that hot condensed water from a nearby steam injector is flowing through the fractures past this well.


Figure 14. Distributed temperature sensor data through time in observation well close to steam injector showing
temperature increase due to steam injection below the oil rim (FOWC= Fracture Oil Water Contact = base of the oil rim). This
indicated hot condensed water reaching the observation well.



SPE 153967 15
This type of analysis has already allowed decisions to be made regarding the future design and management of the
horizontal producers. Figure 14 shows early indications of temperature breakthrough at three locations corresponding
to fractures. The horizontal wells will be drilled at 360mTVDss, 10m above the OWC, from the outside of the
reservoir towards the centre. This early temperature data suggests the possibility that the toe of the well could
experience temperature breakthrough, but that also zones towards the heel could also. With this possibility in mind
the temperature management strategy for the horizontal producers has been enhanced to include firm options for
plugging back from toe temperature breakthrough and setting liners across heel break throughs. This early data has
also ensured that fiber optic DTS cables will also be installed in the horizontal producers to preempt any temperature
breakthrough zones. In the following months this data will be followed closely.



Figure 15. Cross section W to E with NE direction fracture spacing shown (red = close spacing). Three possible temperature
breakthrough zones. Potentially discrete fracture network paths with hot condensed water being pulled to the producers
and dropping under gravity.


A further advantage of this 4D data and model display is the ease of communication between the different disciplines
in the collaborative work environment. These displays, especially when played through time create a common
window to the field behavior, as it is behaving and as we forecast it to behave.

Operator Guidelines.
For each WRM loop, Steam chest and caprock, production, APO, water supply, deep and shallow water disposal, an
Operation Guideline document has been created in combination with all the relevant disciplines and authorities. As
well as providing guidance for start-up, shut-down and normal operations the guidelines also include what-if
scenarios to cover situations where operator response may not be intuitive. These guidelines are based on simulation
of the event and the mitigation scenarios. For example in the case of a steam plant shutdown, in addition to protecting
the steam injection wells from backflow from the steam chest, the APO wells need to be switched to maximum
production. This is to ensure that the oil rim is held in place and does not lift in response to the pressure drop to above
the completion depths leaving the producers producing only water. During the simulation of this event it was
observed that the pressure drop due to the sudden condensation of steam in the fractures actually pumped oil from
the adjacent matrix into the fractures. This influx of oil to the fractures is then available for production giving
increased rates and recovery. Further investigation of this resulted in publication of the Cyclic Pressure Pumping
paper (Ref. 9).

Mitigation.
As with most major projects the exact timing and sequence of the completion, commissioning, start-up and ramp up
of the various components of the surface facilities will be subject to challenge. On occasion significant changes in the
16 SPE 153967
timing have resulted in deferment of forecasted production. In order to mitigate these potential losses the modeling
packages were used to investigate recovery scenarios. One example was due to a delay in the completion of the APO
system which had been expected to drop the reservoir pressure before steam injection started, and so avoid gas cap
pressures exceeding safe limits. This was mitigated by reversing the sequence of producer start up and steam start up
in order to allow the producers to drop the pressure ahead of steam injection pending the availability of the APO. To
further mitigate the effect of the APO delay the simulated depth of the open SSDs in the producers was varied to find
the optimal depth. Both the above mitigations resulted in quite significant changes to activity plan. The ability to
model and quantify the impact of these scenarios was essential to support the decisions that needed to be taken to
employ the mitigation strategy. Undoubtedly over the next months more events will occur related to the unique nature
of the TAGOGD project that will require the full power of the reservoir management system in place.
Pending the success of this project similar projects in Oman could be given the go-ahead. The work that has gone into
the reservoir management system will be available, together with any updates and improvements that will be made.

Conclusions
In order to manage the novel TAGOGD process to optimize recovery and minimize risks a comprehensive reservoir
management system has been built and is currently being employed. As no analogues exist a large degree of flexibility has
been incorporated to cover uncertainties including caprock integrity, erratic oil rim movement and heterogeneous steam
distribution. Enhanced reservoir surveillance, modelling and management systems have been built and are used to facilitate
decision making. Reservoir pressures, oil rim positions, temperatures and rock strain data are obtained from a range of
observation wells. Further data are obtained from surface uplift, microseismic monitoring and fluid sampling. Static, fracture,
dynamic and geomechanical reservoir models have guided the design of the reservoir surveillance program and underlie the
operating guidelines for the reservoir. These provide operator reactions for a wide range of what-if events. A corporate real
time data portal has been optimised for the unique requirements of this project allowing for analysis of all data streams. A
system allows 3D display, through time, of reservoir data and model forecasts to ensure optimum performance analysis.
Initial application has resulted in identification of optimised well configurations and start-up sequence giving higher oil
forecasts.
The learning is being applied further in Oman and has wider application.



Acknowledgements
The authors are indebted to the Oman Ministry of Oil and Gas, Petroleum Development Oman for giving permission to
publish this work. Shell EPT is thanked for supporting the development of the 4DTool.


References
1. Penney, R., R. Moosa, G. Shahin, F. Hadhrami, A. Kok, G. Engen, O. van Ravesteijn, K. Rawnsley, B. Kharusi, Steam Injection
in Fractured Carbonate Reservoirs: Starting A New Trend in EOR IPTC 10727, 2005.
2. Van Ravesteijn, O., R. Penney, G. Engen, K. Rawnsley, R. Moosa, M. Geneau, S. Baqi First Full Field Steam Injection in a
Fractured Carbonate in Oman WHOC 2006-728, 2007.
3. Ikwumonu,A,. K. Rawnsley, M. Habsi and R. Penney: Key Learnings From History Matching a Thermally Assisted Gas Oil
Gravity Drainage Pilot In Fractured Reservoirs, SPE paper IPTC 11411-PP, 2007.
4. Rawnsley, K., F. Hadhrami, A. Kok, R. Moosa, P. Swaby, S. Dhahab, S. Bettembourg, G. Engen, P. Richard, M. de Keijzer, R.
Penney, P. Boerrigter, D. Pribnow, M. Koning, and H. Hillgartner , Accelerated understanding and modeling of a complex
fractured heavy oil reservoir, Oman, using a new 3D fracture modeling tool, IPTC 10095, 2005.
5. Hussein, A., J. Minton, K. Rawnsley, L. Qiuguo, X. Zhang, and N. Koutsabeloulis Coupled Reservoir Geomechanical Modeling
of a Thermal Gas-Oil-Gravity-Drainage Project SPE 127822-PP, 2010.
6. Habsi, M., A. Ikwumonu, K. Khabouri, K. Rawnsley, I. Ismaili, R. Yazidi and P. Putra, The Well And Reservoir Management
Strategy For The Thermally Assisted Gas-Oil Gravity Drainage Project In Oman IPTC 12629-PP, 2007.
7. Edwards, J., G. Brown, M. Vincent, A. Keshishian, P. Putra, S. Bettembourg, Reservoir Surveillance - Fluid Contact Monitoring
in fractured Carbonate TA-GOGD Project, SPE 145554, 2011.
8. Edwards, J., A. Hammami, N. Bachman, M. Flaum, G. Bakker, S. Bettembourg, K. Rawnsley Technologies for Monitoring
Matrix Oil Saturation for TA-GOGD SPE-SAS-188, 2012.
9. Ikwumonu, A., K. Rawnsley and S. Bettembourg Cyclic Pressure Pumping (CPP): a potential recovery method for fractured
carbonate reservoirs SPE 149052, 2010.