The initial field data come from exploration wells and seismic acquisition. Later, with drilling and commencing the operating well stock, the volume of data expands mostly leading to a sufficient update of field concept. Updated data on developing targets, consequently, affect the design concepts.
White Tiger field in the South offshore of Vietnam is one of the biggest fields of South-East Asia, in terms of oil reserves. The successful development within 1986-1991 of this unique field, from the standpoint of geophysical properties, led Vietnam to the number of long-term oil-producing states of that region. Engineering of such unique and geologically complex field required phased approach, since composing and estimating the most efficient development system under initial stage was impossible due to absence of analogues in global practices.
The article covers the engineering design concepts for “White Tiger” field in various stages, analysis of the current state and efficiency of the applied development technology, justification for the initial characteristics and selection of designed engineering cases, comparison of designed and actual development parameters of the area, justification for the long-term oil production, water injection and drilling plan, main promising trends and actions on improving the targets development. The need to update design documentation for engineering and development of White Tiger field is obvious. The design documentation defined outlook for oil production development and field construction, efficient drilling scopes, offshore construction and geotechnical activities for well production stimulation, amount of capital investments and operating costs, as well as profit margin for the upcoming years and long-term perspective. At the same time, the obtained forecast indicators required constant monitoring and, probably, an update considering new data in geology and analysis of the oil-field development. Prerequisites to this related to partial extent of field exploration and to planning of applying new process decisions.
1 Ivanov A.N., Veliev M.M., Bondarenko V.A., Historical aspects of the offshore exploratory drilling at the rise of Vietnam petroleum industry (In Russ.), Neftyanoe khozyaystvo = Oil Industry, 2019, no. 4, pp. 38–43.
