A new approach to localizing residual oil reserves in large brown fields

UDK: 553.98.04

DOI: 10.24887/0028-2448-2026-2-31-35

Key words: localization of recoverable oil reserves, brown fields development, sidetrack drilling, reservoir modeling

Authors: A.A. Pimenov (RN-GRD – IGiRGI Technical Competence Center LLC, RF, Moscow; Gubkin University, RF, Moscow) R.D. Kanevskaya (RN-GRD – IGiRGI Technical Competence Center LLC, RF, Moscow(RN-GRD – IGiRGI Technical Competence Center LLC, RF, Moscow Gubkin University, RF, Moscow) D.A. Aminev (RN-GRD – IGiRGI Technical Competence Center LLC, RF, Moscow), A.V. Cheketa (Samotlorneftegas JSC, RF, Nizhnevartovsk)

Currently, the vast majority of oil fields in Russia are brown fields. Infill drilling or sidetracking is one of the main ways to stabilize and increase oil production, and the problem of localizing residual oil reserves and selecting candidate wells for sidetracking arises. The study reviews existing approaches (hydrodynamic modeling, digital development analysis, and simplified proxy modeling) to localize residual oil reserves in large mature fields, to identify areas for infill drilling or sidetracking. Applying these approaches can be very time-consuming and not always effective. To improve the efficiency of the candidate well selection technology for sidetracking, a new approach was developed. This approach enables rapid identification of priority areas for well intervention operations, infill drilling, and sidetracking. The approach involves modeling the movement of oil reserves driven by producing and injection wells, taking into account the actual geology of the reservoir, rock and fluid properties, and historical production data. Using this new approach, residual reserves were localized for long term history reservoir, and a successful sidetrack was drilled. Furthermore, a comparison of the estimated residual reserves with the initial production rates of sidetracks drilled after the reservoir localization demonstrates the high efficiency of the approach and its potential for further development.

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