Objectives/Scope: A Saudi Aramco facility is forecasted to process crude from an adjacent oil field. Additionally, the forecasted produced water rates and injection pressure are anticipated to increase. This requires pump upgrades thatincrease power consumption. Moreover, the produced water, normally reinjected into the reservoir, needs to be redistributed through upgraded headers to align with the overall reservoir management strategy. A hydraulic assessment was conducted to determine the ideal balance through optimization of capital expenditures and forecasted operating expenses.
Methods, Procedures, Process: The study was conducted using a hydraulic model of the pipeline network and produced water pumping system. Several scenarios of pump stages and disposal header configurations were simulated. Pump discharge pressure can be manipulated by increasing the number of stages. Alternatively, the existing disposal water injection network can be upgraded by replacing with larger lines, looping and or rerouting of injection headers. Based on the scope of each upgrade, capital costs and forecasted operating expenditures were quantified.
Results, Observations, Conclusions: Technical solutions through a hydraulic assessment was developed to achieve the ideal balance through optimization of capital expenditures and operating expenses. A 15% reduction in forecasted energy consumption was achieved by reducing the required discharge pressure from the salt water injection pumps. A major capital cost avoidance was also accomplished because of the proposed modification. Moreover, additional operational flexibility is provided, allowing for the facility to inject into other flanks as required, to reduce injection header pressure and fulfill reservoir management strategy. Further optimization will be explored in the future, as water injection redistribution to other flanks are introduced.
Novel/Additive Information: This study was conducted using detailed hydraulic assessmenttools that were used to determine the optimum facility designrequired to achieve the overall water injection strategy for the field. It includes hydralic modeling with Geographic Information System(GIS) capabilities, which considers the impact of the elevation profile on the hydraulics.
