Chapter 20: Reservoir Management Programs

Reservoir management has been in place in most producing organizations for several years. Several authors ^{1 – 8}  have described how reservoir management is structured; however, the type, quality, and consistency of programs vary. This chapter defines reservoir management and suggests how to maintain an effective, ongoing program that can be sustained and continually updated to represent the changing needs of an organization or resource.

Reservoir management consists of processes that require the interaction of technical, operating, and management groups for success. The complexity of the problem and size of the asset dictate the type and number of personnel assigned to the task. Commitments can vary from part-time assignments for technical and operating staff members to the full-time use of multifunctional and, in some instances, multiorganizational teams. Personnel changes, altered priorities, insufficient surveillance data, and lack of documentation, however, can reduce the effectiveness of reservoir management programs.