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Recognizing the growing potential tion opportunities here. However, he offshore Egypt, with water depth rang-
of deepwater developments off the acknowledged that the pace of tech- ing from 150 to 1600 m and mainly
coast of India, SPE hosted its second nological progress is sometimes too consisting of gas reservoirs with sand-
deepwater-focused applied technology rapid for operators, who need to have stone formations. Exploration started
workshop (ATW) in Mumbai in less a great deal of confidence and assur- from May 1995, and a total of 60
than 2 years. The ATW, “Unlocking ance in technologies prior to bidding exploratory wells were drilled and
Deepwater Potential: Strategies and for deepwater blocks. He stated that 10 drillstem tests performed before
Technologies,” brought together 131 critical areas for study going forward full-scale field development started
delegates from 11 countries and 40 include drilling and completions; sub- in 2008. The deepest well drilled is
companies to share information and sea facilities; and health, safety, and at 1429 m water depth. Development
help Indian companies assimilate the environmental factors. and exploration costs are USD 281
knowledge they will need to monetize million and USD 46 million, respec-
India’s deepwater assets. Pushing Boundaries tively, and reserves are on the order of
Sudhir Vasudeva, director (Offshore)- The first technical session provided 2,000 MMscf. The completion strategy
ONGC and ATW Steering Committee case histories highlighting two recent includes dual completion, three zones,
chair, opened the ATW with an address deepwater developments from differ- and subsea development spread over
describing India’s deepwater potential. ent parts of the world. K.V.K. Prasad of 10 phases.
The country’s deepwater regions hold Shell Technology India first presented
approximately 51 billion bbl of oil the development strategy for Shell’s Deepwater Drilling
and gas equivalent in a sedimentary Perdido oil field in the US Gulf of and Completions
area spanning 1.35 million km2. Thus Mexico (GOM). Operational and sub- Gavin Munro of BJ Services, UAE,
far 31 hydrocarbon discoveries have surface challenges included extreme discussed completion fluids, with an
been made—26 gas discoveries and the water depth (8,000 ft at the platform), emphasis on selection criteria, crys-
remaining 5 oil and gas discoveries. The extreme metocean conditions, rugged tallization temperature, and hydrate-
discoveries are spread over Mahanadi, sea floor, flow assurance, a high-risk formation inhibition. He also reviewed
Krishna-Godavari, and Cauvery basins reservoir (the first Paleogene produc- insulating fluids and their performance
off the east coast of India, which is tion in the GOM), low pressure, and related to flow assurance.
poised to be a gas hub of Asia. high gas-to-oil ratio. In selecting the optimum completion
Vasudeva projected that given India’s Overcoming these challenges called fluid, his recommendations were:
gross-domestic-product growth rate of for a phased development scheme and • Perform extensive testing
8–9%, hydrocarbon requirements will the incorporation of artificial-lift sys- • Prepare a compatibility-test matrix
increase from the current level of 125 tems, waterflooding as a recovery tech- • Consider operation implications
million tonnes of oil equivalent (toe) nique, subsea boosting, and reservoir • Consider cost impact, but do what
to 435 million toe in the next 25 years. management using smart-well technol- is best for the well
Global energy consumption is expect- ogy. Shell also used wet-tree direct-ver- • Perform detailed planning and
ed to grow by 50% over the same tical-access wells, the first such applica- review of logistics and operation pro-
period, putting the onus on the oil tion from a spar. cedures
and gas industry to find more reserves The initial development called for a BG’s de Lange returned to discuss
and curb production declines in exist- total of 6 risers (5 for production and well construction at West Delta Deep
ing assets. After 2012, deep water is 1 for high-pressure drilling & comple- Marine, located in the Nile Delta. Given
the only sector which is expected to tion). An update on the work being that a typical single-gravel-pack com-
grow continuously to meet burgeoning done to prepare for the deepest subsea pletion might take nearly 49 days and
global demand. well at the Tobago sector (depth of cost USD 30 million, he mentioned
R.S. Sharma of ONGC next stressed 9,627 ft or 2934 m), which is scheduled several cost-saving solutions, which
that because 43% of India’s sedimentary for next year, was also provided. included: riserless mud recovery (up to
basins lie in deep and ultradeep water, John de Lange of BG India next 1500 m well depth), expandable casing
the E&P industry has ample explora- discussed a gas-field development in for deeper week shoes, and continuous