Nontechnical Guide to Petroleum Geology, Exploration

• Review of reservoir inflow characterization and modeling tools: inflow performance relationships;
numerical vs. analytical modeling; steady-state, pseudo steady-state and transient reservoir flow.
• Review of multiphase flow modeling in wellbores, risers and flowlines: empirical vs. mechanistic models;
nodal analysis; steady-state flow models vs. transient flow models; tuning of multiphase flow models; flow
assurance issues (i.e. hydrates, asphaltenes, waxes, scales).
• Choke valves: the function of production choke valves; empirical vs. mechanistic models; critical and
subcritical flow; the use of choke valves to handle back-pressure effects along the production system.
• Surface facilities: production and test separators; treatment facilities; export lines; points of sale.
• Production optimization techniques: solutions to boost oil production; liquid unloading techniques in gas
wells; downhole and seabed water separation.
• Diagnosis of systems performance: real-time monitoring; production logging; multiphase flow metering;
downhole monitoring
• Production Allocation: commingling of produced hydrocarbons from different fields through the same
export facilities; well testing; fiscal allocation; metering points; metering accuracy; “value adjustment” for
hydrocarbons of different quality.
• Linking the reservoir, the near-wellbore, the wellbore and the surface facilities: the concept of boundary
conditions in steady-state flow and transient flow; the “near-wellbore” region; limitations of current
modeling tools.
• Planning short-, medium and long-term optimization of field management: water and gas shut-offs; reperforation;
stimulation; re-completion; debottlenecking of topsides facilities; handling transient flow
situations in the system; issues around the chosen export route; offshore vs. onshore scenarios.
Class Schedule: 2 75-min lecture sessions per week
Method of Evaluation:
Homework 20%
Mid-term Examination 35%
Final Project 45%
Total 100%
Contributions to Professional Component:
• Petroleum Enginnering: provides students with a clear understanding of the importance of an integrated
approach to production enhancement (from reservoir to surface, through the wells and the production
network), which is fundamental in modern petroleum engineering.
• General Education: provides students with experience working in teams, and develops analysis and
presentation skills.
Relationship of Course Objectives to Program Outcomes:
Course Objectives
Program Outcomes
1 Explain the fundamentals of integrated production systems – the
1, 5
underlying principles and the coupling techniques used to solve them.
2 Build an integrated production model – construct the dataset, execute 1, 3, 5, 11, 13, 18, 21
the simulator, review the results using post-processing software.
• Perform a critical review and screening of available input
data.
• Use sound engineering judgment to estimate values of
missing data required to execute the simulator.
• Generate and review results to extract relevant information
from which the conclusions required to make business
decisions can be drawn.
3 Select methods to optimize a production system and maximize the
1, 5, 11, 18
recoverable reserves from a field, given the physical constraints dictated
by the production system itself and knowing the limitations of current
modeling tools.
4 Identify bottlenecks in a production system 1, 5, 11, 18
5 Define the concept of “flow assurance” and recognize situations where 1, 5, 18
2