Saudi Arabia

The renewable energy sector, particularly the solar PV generation, is to play a key role in the energy transition and decarbonization process and the green hydrogen production is a subsequent element of this decarbonization process as a clean energy carrier. When power output from these renewable installations exceeds the grid requirements, instead of stopping the energy generation, that power surplus can be used to produce hydrogen by electrolysis process. Despite being a technically simple process to produce via electrolysis, fuel cost and equipment are the two most significant economical elements to consider as part of the LCOH equation and act as economical boundary conditions. Combining an in-depth analysis while applying the financial modeling toolbox, this project has evaluated specific conditions for solar PV installations in Morocco and Saudi Arabia markets in terms of a techno-economic analysis for a potential investment for green hydrogen production in 2021 as well as near future projections in 2023 and 2025. The most potential application of green hydrogen production and usage is to decarbonize heavy industries (e.g., cement and steel) that cannot be electrified but this will require an extensive transport infrastructure with low-cost incidence for the green hydrogen to be an economically viable solution. Near future projects will require public funding in the form of grants or tax redemption to scale up to economical maturity. After carrying out a detailed financial modeling and a discounted cash flow valuation model, the resulting LCOH for Morocco is $3,2695/kg while Saudi is $1,5757/kg as of the end of 2021 with a projected reduction to reach $2,3678/kg and $1,4417/kg respectively in 2025, which means that by 2025 both countries will be below the $1,5-2,5/kg green hydrogen threshold, on a competitive level with fossil fuels, enabling both countries to grasp unique commercial opportunities to lead the implementation of a green business models towards a hydrogen economy, and eventually a net zero world. The paper will elaborate on the rational driving the need for green hydrogen, will elaborate on the geopolitical framework supporting this emerging business and dives in with the techno-economic analysis while creating a 2023-2025 look-ahead. 2 SPE-214375-MS

OnePetro

doi: 10.2118/214375-MS

SPE

SPE-214375-MS

SPE EuropEC - Europe Energy Conference featured at the 84th EAGE Annual Conference & Exhibition

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Asia > Middle East > Saudi Arabia (1.00)
Africa > Middle East > Morocco (1.00)

Genre: Financial News (0.34)

Industry: Energy > Renewable > Hydrogen (1.00)

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Management > Asset and Portfolio Management (1.00)
Health, Safety, Environment & Sustainability > Sustainability/Social Responsibility > Sustainable development (1.00)
Health, Safety, Environment & Sustainability > Environment > Climate change (1.00)

Technology: Information Technology (0.46)

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A Field-Scale Real-Time Prediction of Reservoir Porosity from Advanced Mud Gas Data

Anifowose, Fatai (Saudi Aramco) | Mezghani, Mokhles (Saudi Aramco) | Badawood, Saleh (Saudi Aramco) | Ismail, Javed (Saudi Aramco)

OnePetroJune, 2023

Abstract In our previous study, we presented the preliminary results of the first attempt to predict reservoir rock porosity from advanced mud gas (AMG) data within the wellbore. The objective was to investigate the feasibility of generating a porosity log while drilling prior to wireline logging and core description processes. Knowing that porosity remains a critical property of petroleum reservoirs, this work improves on the previous research to predict porosity within a field. The methodology leveraged the machine learning (ML) paradigm in the absence of established physical relationship between AMG data, comprising light and heavy flare gas components, and reservoir rock porosity. More than 15,000 data points collected from representative wells in a field were used to prove the possibility of predicting the missing porosity in a well within the field. Optimized models of artificial neural network (ANN), decision trees (DT) and random forest (RF) were applied to the combined dataset. The dataset was randomly split into training and validation subsets in 70:30 ratio simulating the complete and missing sections respectively. Comparing the results of the ANN, DT, and RF models using statistical model performance evaluation metrics, the RF model consistently outperformed the others. In one of the test cases, the RF model gave a correlation coefficient (R-Squared) value of 0.84 compared to 0.46, and 0.78 for ANN and DT models respectively. The RF model also has a mean squared error (MSE) of 0.001 compared to 0.02 and 0.01 respectively for ANN and DT models. Having showed in a previous publication that a multivariate linear regression model could not handle the complexity in the relationship between porosity and the flare gas components, these results have further confirmed the robustness of nonlinear solutions based on the ML methodology. It can be deduced that the ML approach to predicting reservoir rock porosity from advanced mud gas data is feasible and better results are achievable with more research. This study has confirmed the feasibility of predicting porosity at the field scale and the huge benefit in utilizing AMG data beyond the traditional fluid typing and petrophysical correlation processes. The presented approach has the capability to complement existing reservoir characterization processes in assessing reservoir quality at the early stage of exploration. Future work will investigate the impact of integrating the AMG with surface drilling parameters to possibly increase the prediction accuracy.

OnePetro

doi: 10.2118/214398-MS

SPE

SPE-214398-MS

SPE EuropEC - Europe Energy Conference featured at the 84th EAGE Annual Conference & Exhibition

Country:

Europe (0.68)
Asia > Middle East > Saudi Arabia (0.46)
North America > United States > Texas (0.28)

Genre: Research Report > New Finding (0.48)

Industry: Energy > Oil & Gas > Upstream (1.00)

Oilfield Places:

Oceania > Australia > South Australia > Cooper Basin > Patchawarra Formation (0.99)
Oceania > Australia > Queensland > Cooper Basin (0.99)
Asia > Japan > Honshu Island > Kumano Basin (0.99)
(2 more...)

SPE Disciplines:

Reservoir Description and Dynamics > Reservoir Characterization (1.00)
Reservoir Description and Dynamics > Formation Evaluation & Management > Open hole/cased hole log analysis (1.00)
Data Science & Engineering Analytics > Information Management and Systems > Artificial intelligence (1.00)

Technology: Information Technology > Artificial Intelligence > Machine Learning > Statistical Learning > Regression (0.69)

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Director's Blog

SPE WebsiteJune, 2023

They say, "Time slips through our hands like sand, reminding us to seize each moment and make it grand." Dear Industry Colleagues, as we stand at the midpoint of this remarkable year, let us take a moment to reflect on the incredible journey we have embarked on in the MENA region. The first half has been filled with noteworthy achievements that highlight our unwavering dedication, ingenuity, and collaborative spirit. These accomplishments have laid the foundation for an even more extraordinary second act. I take this opportunity to extend a warm welcome to Mr. Simon Seaton, the newly appointed SPE CEO.

SPE Website

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SPE Disciplines: Health, Safety, Environment & Sustainability > Sustainability/Social Responsibility > Sustainable development (0.50)

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Current Distinguished Lecturers

SPE WebsiteJune, 2023

SPE Distinguished Lecturers allow members to enhance their knowledge and grow professionally by hearing experts in their fields.

SPE Website

asia government, Canada government, current distinguished lecturer, data Science, distinguished lecturer, environment, health, safety, Saudi Arabia government, social responsibility, sustainability, united states government, Upstream Oil & Gas

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Industry: Energy > Oil & Gas > Upstream (1.00)

SPE Disciplines: Health, Safety, Environment & Sustainability > Sustainability/Social Responsibility (0.36)

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Hydraulic Fracturing Operations-2023

Journal of Petroleum TechnologyJune, 2023

W ith the global normalization of economies over the past 2 years after the pandemic, the demand for energy has only been increasing, and all forecasts show this demand will continue to grow. In light of the current geopolitical situation globally, balancing the energy trilemma (ensuring energy security, energy equity, and environmental sustainability) is a key global challenge. With the ever-increasing energy demand, oil and gas remains a major component within the energy mix to address this challenge and to aid in satisfying the growing demand. Hydraulic fracturing continues to be the main technology differentiator that enables enhancing recovery from both green- and brownfield reservoirs globally. During the past few years, the industry has made great strides in reducing carbon emissions through the deployment of new technologies in fracturing equipment manufacturing, including electric, hybrid, and turbine-driven fracturing equipment spreads.

Journal of Petroleum Technology

air emission, application, asia government, climate change, deployment, enhancement, hydraulic fracturing operation-2023, pooniwala, propagation, Saudi Arabia government, Saudi Aramco, social responsibility, sustainability, sustainable development, Upstream Oil & Gas

Country: Asia > Middle East > Saudi Arabia (0.21)

Industry: Energy > Oil & Gas > Upstream (1.00)

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Well Completion > Hydraulic Fracturing (1.00)
Health, Safety, Environment & Sustainability > Sustainability/Social Responsibility > Sustainable development (0.73)
Health, Safety, Environment & Sustainability > Environment > Climate change (0.73)
Health, Safety, Environment & Sustainability > Environment > Air emissions (0.57)

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Petroleum Engineering Certification

SPE WebsiteMay, 2023

Test Candidate Alert Due to COVID-19, some of the testing centers around the world closed temporarily and many are in the process of reopening. If you have registered for the SPE Certification Exam or plan to register, please visit the Kryterion Testing Center website to find out if your testing center is affected. How to become an SPE Certified Engineer? An undergraduate engineering degree in petroleum engineering or related science. SPE has partnered with Kryterion Global Testing Solutions to establish secure testing centers around the world, so you can take your certification exam at a facility that's convenient for you. Find a testing center near you.

SPE Website

Alberta, asia government, Canada government, Engineering Certification, exam, information, ncee website, only exam, pe license exam preparing, Petroleum Engineering Certification, professional certification, professional engineering petroleum exam, professional registration/certification, Saudi Arabia government, SPE certification, spe certified engineer, SPE Petroleum Engineering Certification, Upstream Oil & Gas

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On Field Implementation of Real-Time Bit-Wear Estimation with Bit Agnostic Deep Learning Artificial Intelligence Model Along with Physics-Hybrid Features

Zhan, Guodong David (Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia) | Dossary, Mohammed J (Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia) | Luu, Trieu Phat (Baker Hughes, United States) | Xu, Huang (Baker Hughes, United States) | Furlong, Ted (Baker Hughes, United States) | Bomidi, John (Baker Hughes, United States)

OnePetroMay, 2023

Abstract The estimation of bit wear during real-time operation plays a crucial role in bit trip planning and drilling optimization. Estimates by human learnings can be highly subjective and convoluted by changes in formation and drilling data. Conventional methods using physics-based model and supervised machine learning are time consuming and accuracy is significantly limited by the labelled data available. Moreover, those approaches do not consider the entire real-time time/depth series. In this study, we present a real-time field-validated bit agnostic wear model using unsupervised deep learning method to overcome these challenges. The framework is of unsupervised learning and representation of LWD sub-/surface drilling data) time/depth series data to lower-dimensional representation (latent) space with reconstruction ability and facilitating the downstream task e.g., bit wear estimation. Specifically, a bi-directional Long short-term Memory-based Variational Autoencoder (biLSTM-VAE) projects raw drilling data into a latent space in which the real-time bit-wear can be estimated through classification of the incoming real time data in the latent space. The deep neural network was trained in an unsupervised manner and the bit-wear estimation is an end-to-end process, and then implemented for evaluation in a real time lateral. The model training results had significant separation of bit-wear states in the lower dimensional latent space projected by the trained model, suggesting the feasibility of the real-time monitoring and tracking of bit wear states in the latent space. We then employed the trained deep learning model to estimate the bit wear in the real-time drilling for seven runs in a lateral. The predicted bit wear for all evaluation field runs were closely match the actual dull grade with the error smaller than 1.0. Among the seven prediction values, five of them agreed exactly with the actual field dull grading. Moreover, real time data of bits from different manufacturers and their results demonstrate the model to be bit-agnostic. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first field implementation of AI-assisted model for the real-time bit wear estimation that is both trained in an unsupervised manner in end-to-end process and AI predicted on completely unseen time/depth series data. Moreover, commonly available real time data is selected to ensure ease of applicability. Our approach also introduces a novel method of estimating bit wear based on the tracking of its trajectory in the latent space including the memory as opposed to isolated events. This helps improve the efficiency in drilling operations and can significantly affect economics of well engineering. As compared to traditional physic-based models that have been applied to estimate the bit wear, the proposed AI model is bit agnostic and is applicable to wide range of applications for drilling optimization

OnePetro

doi: 10.2118/214603-MS

SPE

SPE-214603-MS

SPE/IADC Middle East Drilling Technology Conference and Exhibition

Country: Asia > Middle East > Saudi Arabia (0.28)

Genre:

Research Report > New Finding (0.55)
Research Report > Experimental Study (0.35)

Industry: Energy > Oil & Gas > Upstream (1.00)

SPE Disciplines:

Well Drilling > Drill Bits > Bit - rock interactions (1.00)
Data Science & Engineering Analytics > Information Management and Systems > Neural networks (1.00)
Data Science & Engineering Analytics > Information Management and Systems > Artificial intelligence (1.00)

Technology:

Information Technology > Artificial Intelligence > Machine Learning > Neural Networks > Deep Learning (1.00)
Information Technology > Architecture > Real Time Systems (1.00)

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Linking Geomechanics and Drilling Practices in Tight Carbonate Reservoir Using High-Resolution Caliper Data

Almasmoom, Salahaldeen S. (Saudi Aramco, Dhahran, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) | Santoso, Gagok I. (SLB, State, Dhahran, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) | AlDaboos, Mostafa H. (SLB, State, Dhahran, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)

OnePetroMay, 2023

Abstract The latest borehole ultrasonic and resistivity imaging technology in oil-based mud (OBM) environment enabled acquiring high-resolution image logs to ease identifying the several borehole breakouts and washed-out enlargements in a tight carbonate reservoir. However, the logs deliver limited information when correlating drilling practices to the resultant borehole shape and geomechanics stresses. This paper will link the different patterns which associate the tight carbonate rock geomechanics with the different drilling activities using both high-resolution ultrasonic image and caliper logs, and advanced drilling interpretation. The recently developed logging-while-drilling (LWD) technology enables acquiring high-resolution borehole images for fracture interpretation. Furthermore, it also acquires high-resolution ultrasonic caliper log (180 sector resolution) of the drilled wellbore, painting a picture of the internal diameter of the drilled wellbore. When it comes to horizontal wells, the geomechanics evaluation of the drilled rock becomes more challenging; when correlating the lateral variations and laminations with the offset wells data evaluation. Therefore, the high-resolution ultrasonic caliper logs acquired while drilling the lateral sections through tight carbonate reservoir have been used to discern several wellbore enlargements. Those enlargements are linked with the several drilling activity patterns applied while drilling and tripping through the lateral section. Linking those drilling patterns with the resultant wellbore enlargements revealed several findings that can link the applied drilling practices with the rock geomechanics evaluation. The real-time apparent resistivity images are used to pick formation dips and assist geo-steer through the target sweet spot while drilling the lateral section. Both ultrasonic and apparent resistivity images acquired in a recorded mode are used to interpret fractures, faults, cross-beddings, and secondary porosity intervals. The processed high-resolution caliper image logs (180 sectors) highlight the direct relationship among the drilling parameters applied while drilling, the resultant wellbore trajectory (the small changes in inclination and azimuth), and the resultant wellbore shapes (and in turn the tortuosity level in the wellbores). The processed logs are also used to estimate the effects of the different bottom-hole assembly (BHA) configurations on the wellbore shapes and tortuosity. The BHA configurations effects can be linked with the different applied drilling modes to also estimate the effects on the wellbore shape and tortuosity. Understanding the effects of the drilling processes allows differentiation between the drilling-induced shape artifacts and the geological causes for borehole tortuosity changes. Recommendations are gathered in an attempt to reduce wellbore damage associated with drilling and tripping activities as much as possible across the extended lateral section (wells converted to extended-reach wells).

OnePetro

doi: 10.2118/214618-MS

SPE

SPE-214618-MS

SPE/IADC Middle East Drilling Technology Conference and Exhibition

Country: Asia > Middle East > Saudi Arabia (0.47)

Geophysics: Geophysics > Seismic Surveying > Borehole Seismic Surveying (1.00)

Industry: Energy > Oil & Gas > Upstream (1.00)

SPE Disciplines:

Well Drilling > Wellbore Design > Wellbore integrity (1.00)
Well Drilling > Drilling Operations > Directional drilling (1.00)
Reservoir Description and Dynamics > Formation Evaluation & Management > Open hole/cased hole log analysis (1.00)

Technology:

Information Technology > Data Science (0.94)
Information Technology > Sensing and Signal Processing > Image Processing (0.34)

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Resolving Critical Build-Up Section Challenges in a Major Oilfield in the Middle East Using Enhanced Oil-Based Mud Solution

Elmohandes, M. A. (Baker Hughes Co. Saudi Arabia, Baker Hughes, Dammam, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia) | Algaiar, M. M. (Baker Hughes Co. Saudi Arabia, Baker Hughes, Dammam, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia) | Farahat, M. Y. (Baker Hughes Co. Saudi Arabia, Baker Hughes, Dammam, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia)

OnePetroMay, 2023

Drilling mixed lithology formations of Shales, soft/hard Carbonates, and long Anhydrite intervals in a single section that comprises directional drilling from vertical to well landing with elevated mud weights and high overbalance represents numerous challenges including wellbore stability, tight hole, formation ledges, differential sticking, high torsional and lateral vibration levels, erratic drilling torque, poor rate of penetration, and failure to run the 7" liner to bottom. Controlling such formations with water-based mud system is difficult, even with large percentage of water-based lubricant, thus leading to multiple downhole tools failures and failing to drill this challenging section in one run. Due to the fact that drilling this section falls under a lumpsum turnkey project and the section performance and cost are crucial to the well delivery, the drilling engineering and drilling fluids teams worked together to address the section challenges by replacing the water-based mud system with a customized oil-based mud system. All associated risks for this replacement including the spill control measures and environmental hazards were discussed and presented in a risk assessment form. Wireline and logging-while-drilling formation characteristics logs in different field locations, offsets drilling performance, stuck pipe incidents, and tripability data were gathered and a rigorous lab testing was performed to formulate an efficient oil-based mud formulation with optimum bridging design to control the formation challenges whilst maintaining a competitive system cost compared to the previous water-based mud system. The optimized bridging materials design in accordance with the very low lubricity coefficient of the oilbased mud system helped strengthening the weak formations, reduced the stuck pipe risks and intensely minimized the drilling vibrations thus helped in applying full drilling parameters, improved the rate of penetration well after well, and delivered the section in one run without downhole tools failure. In addition, the controlled filtration showed exceptional tripability compared to the old mud system and saved more than 8 hours to pull the directional assembly back to surface. The 7" liner was run smoothly to the planned depth with an improved section delivery time and operational costs. 2 SPE/IADC-214754-MS

OnePetro

doi: 10.2118/214754-MS

SPE

SPE-214754-MS

SPE/IADC Middle East Drilling Technology Conference and Exhibition

Country: Asia > Middle East > Saudi Arabia (0.29)

Industry: Energy > Oil & Gas > Upstream (1.00)

SPE Disciplines:

Well Drilling > Drilling Operations (1.00)
Well Drilling > Drilling Fluids and Materials > Drilling fluid selection and formulation (chemistry, properties) (1.00)

Technology: Information Technology > Sensing and Signal Processing (0.34)

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Degradable Plug Technology Holds Pressure for 32 Hours and Eliminates Risk of Intervention in Tight Gas Reservoirs

Al-Obaid, Hashem (Saudi Aramco, Dhahran, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia) | Al-Mulhim, Bassam (Saudi Aramco, Dhahran, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia) | Ashby, Scott (Saudi Aramco, Dhahran, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia) | Alyousef, Abdulmuin (Completion Energy, Dhahran, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia)

OnePetroMay, 2023

Abstract Plug and perf technique is a common method to unlock the potential of tight gas formations. The conventional method is to set millable plugs to establish zonal isolation between target stages. A new degradable frac plug has been introduced for high pressure and high temperature applications in sandstone formations plug and perf hydraulic fracturing operations. The development and deployment of the degradable frac plugs that are capable of holding 32 hours of targeted pressure to optimize the cost and time of the conventional well intervention in tight gas reservoirs in Saudi Arabia is presented in this paper. In conventional plug and perf stimulation operations each plug is milled out via coiled tubing. This process increases operational risk and cost associated with multiple downhole trips. Another challenge is wellbore accessibility post stimulation operations. Without changing the fracturing design, two degradable plugs in a three-stage well were deployed. Downhole conditions presented significant challenges including high temperatures of 285 F and pressures. By using a degradable plug, post-frac interventions can be eliminated as the entire plug will degrade in downhole conditions. This would allow the well to be brought online faster than a conventional method would allow. Operational challenges have been experienced during the first deployment of the plug. The plug has successfully held pressure for 32 hours while being exposed to wellbore fluids, which is one of the longest times achieved for a degradable frac plug. One of the main reasons of such success is that the plug is composed of high-grade material. While the plug maintained its integrity for 32 hours in high pressure, it degraded to fine particles post frac operations. Furthermore, the plug was trial tested without affecting the stimulation goals or the overall operation for such well. On this trial test, the plug has shown the ability to eliminate HPCT trips and the associated risks of HPCT intervention. To confirm dissolution of the plugs, an assessment CT run was performed and confirmed shallower plug was not dissolved after 32 hours while the deeper plug already dissolved. With the spread of plug and perf technology on a global level and the increase of horizontal multistage stimulation methods, it is important to capitalize on fit for purpose technologies versus a one-size fits all approach. To address the challenges associated with longer laterals and increasing stage counts, degradable plug technology can be used to improve well economics and reduce associated risks. The elimination of mechanical intervention is the next breakthrough in efficiency gains to increase laterals and achieve higher stage counts.

OnePetro

doi: 10.2118/214562-MS

SPE

SPE-214562-MS

SPE/IADC Middle East Drilling Technology Conference and Exhibition

Country: Asia > Middle East > Saudi Arabia > Eastern Province (0.16)

Industry: Energy > Oil & Gas > Upstream (1.00)

Oilfield Places: North America > United States > Texas > Sabine Uplift > Trawick Field (0.99)

SPE Disciplines:

Well Completion > Hydraulic Fracturing (1.00)
Well Completion > Completion Installation and Operations > Perforating (1.00)
Well Completion > Completion Installation and Operations > Coiled tubing operations (1.00)
Reservoir Description and Dynamics > Unconventional and Complex Reservoirs > Tight gas (1.00)

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Sun Powered Green Hydrogen - A Comparative Analysis from the Kingdoms Of Morocco and Saudi Arabia

A Field-Scale Real-Time Prediction of Reservoir Porosity from Advanced Mud Gas Data

Director's Blog

Current Distinguished Lecturers

Hydraulic Fracturing Operations-2023

Petroleum Engineering Certification

On Field Implementation of Real-Time Bit-Wear Estimation with Bit Agnostic Deep Learning Artificial Intelligence Model Along with Physics-Hybrid Features

Linking Geomechanics and Drilling Practices in Tight Carbonate Reservoir Using High-Resolution Caliper Data

Resolving Critical Build-Up Section Challenges in a Major Oilfield in the Middle East Using Enhanced Oil-Based Mud Solution

Degradable Plug Technology Holds Pressure for 32 Hours and Eliminates Risk of Intervention in Tight Gas Reservoirs

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Saudi Arabia