Abstract
Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) has undertaken implementation of an Alkali-Surfactant-Polymer EOR pilot in probably the world's first carbonate reservoir in Sabiriyah Mauddud reservoir with billions of barrels in oil-in-place. This project in the North Kuwait area is being pursued with the help of industry experts in chemical EOR who are involved in conceptualization, pre-planning, pilot design and execution. A normal 5-spot, 5.5-acre pilot is presently operational since June 2017 with water injection in progress.
Encouraged by the excellent results of a series of Single Well Chemical Tracer Tests and of course and of course not unmindful of the risks, the company looks at this pilot as a ‘game changer’ with huge potential to enhance and sustain the North Kuwait oil production and reserve growth. It follows a path where an early lead could not only give it a distinct advantage in terms of achieving its goals but also create favorable conditions for commercial potential of this new technology. The decision to go ahead with this project is certainly backed an ambitious leadership with an appetite for entrepreneurial risk-taking and determination to succeed.
Commercial excellence in frontier technologies such as this would be determined after full evaluation of the ongoing or more pilots as necessary since there are no preexisting benchmarks for comparison.
The project continues to test and challenge the capabilities of individuals and the organizations alikeresearch financing, customization of chemical recipe for the reservoir, project logistics and economics being so demanding.
KOC views EOR as an opportunity to achieve its strategic medium and long-term objectives. The plan is to acquire and direct the cutting-edge technology of ASP flooding for unleashing the full production potential of its reservoirs to meet its 2040 strategy objectives.
