Integrated Production System Modeling in SPDC, Nigeria

Abstract As part of the Shell in-house simulation platform, the Hydrocarbon Field Planning Tool (HFPT) provides capabilities for the rigorous integrated subsurface-surface production forecasting in the medium to long term. The flexible programming language and the sophisticated development planning and contracts module have made the tool the core of SPDC's detailed project planning as well as of SPDC's business planning. Shell aspires to attain zero flaring by end 2008 and so gas commercialization and the subsequent need to plan the size and quality of the various associated and non-associated gas streams; SPDC can no longer simply maximise oil production from its reservoirs, without first performing integrated capacity planning checks. With Associated Gas (AG) being routed to NLNG, there exist a high value optimization opportunity of supply and demand between the SPDC's fields and wells, the capacity of the various oil and gas processing plants (e.g. flow stations, terminals, associated and nonassociated gas plants) and pipelines, and the requirements of SPDC's various gas customers. HFPT addresses problems that cannot be resolved by stand-alone reservoir or surface facilities models and as such brings significant business benefits. In order to address the above, various models are used in SPDC. The Corporate model describes all 3000+ oil drainage points and is used for annual reserves reporting and for the yearly business planning cycle. The model directly connects to a database.Stranded Assets model describes multi-phase flow from flow-stations without AG facilities to central processing facilities.NLNG supply model granted SPDC a 20-year LNG contract.Western Domestic Gas model (integrated production system with multiple fields that feeds into the prestigious Western Africa Gas Pipeline from Lagos to Benin, Ghana and Togo).Eastern Domestic Gas model (integrated production system feeding into local consumers via various contracts).Forcados-Yokri model, SPDC's largest oil field, were gas lift optimization saved investment in a second lift gas compressor.