Shifting Focus to Electrical Submersible Pump (ESP) Technology to Enhance Well Productivity and Recovery in Malaysia Fields

Abstract

More than 50% of Malaysia fields are matured or at its late life stage. These fields are mostly highly dependent on gas lift as the artificial lift method to maximize well potential and reserves recovery. Many of these fields are presently facing matured field operational challenges such as high water cut, shortage of gas lift supply, reservoir pressure depletion and aging facilities. As host authority for all hydrocarbon resources in Malaysia, PETRONAS Malaysia Petroleum Management (MPM) has initiated a Malaysia- wide effort to improve the production rate and recovery of hydrocarbon by expanding the usage of Electric Submersible Pump (ESP) as an alternative artificial lift method. ESP is an alternative artificial lift method that has been successfully pilot deployment. This paper focuses on the strategy of ESP replications at Malaysia to address production decline and extending well life through various enabler to support the target. PETRONAS has identified 10% of producing wells in Malaysia that will benefit from ESP technology, resulting in 6% incremental production. Subsequently, PETRONAS embarking ESP Feasibility Study with Solution Partner to mature ESP opportunities basket in integrated approach surface and subsurface and acts as an enabler for PAC to evaluate future fields for ESP replications. There are four main scopes in Feasibility Study which are, (i) Data Gathering and Well Screening, (ii) Potential Candidate Identification, (iii) Maturation of Opportunities Proposal and (iv) cost effective solution for ESP implementation. At the same time, ESP Integrated Contract which will serve as end-to-end solution for all PACs, is being developed by MPM as a key enabler to enhance ESP replications via more volume of work, lower cost, and improved lifecycle efficiency. There were five fields were under the ESP Feasibility Studies where comprehensive of subsurface and surface study were conducted. More than 500 strings were evaluated. A 50 well proposals were completed and the ESP opportunities to be implemented by phases to address production decline and to increase well life, leveraging on ESP Integrated Contract to create more value to PETRONAS and PAC. The feasibility study has also guided PETRONAS in candidate prioritization. Long term roadmap on ESP replications was developed to fully capitalize on ESP Technology to enhance Malaysia production and reserves monetization by creating the right ESP eco-system for the Oil & Gas Industry. The feasibility Studies approach enable future ESP studies in Malaysia fields.