Publications

The Rantau Bais Field, located in the Bengkalis Area with 223 MMSTB STOOIP, had been partially idled due to external issues that had not been resolved for 8 years. The field was initially produced in 1985 and continued to be developed in primary mode with 74 producer wells with a peak oil rate of 1770 BOPD in 2004. Efforts to increase oil recovery included drilling infill wells, production optimization, and reviewing ways to further enhance oil recovery. Then subsurface, surface, operational, and external challenges came into play. 32 well locations were shut down, causing a production drop to the lowest ever of 185 BOPD from the loss of the main producer well. This paper describes subsurface aspects of recent production recovery plans in Rantau Bais Field. The Rantau Bais field is characterized as a high complexity field in the Duri – Bekasap sand play, being a highly compartmentalized reservoir, multi-layer with mixed heavy – medium oil characteristics, high water production, sand production, gas occurrences, and depleted reservoir pressure. Interpretation of the subsurface evaluation and artificial lift evaluation can properly tackle this challenge. It requires firstly a relevant understanding of the field characteristics and mechanisms and, secondly, a diagnostics process to reinvent the well problems related to production decline. Thirdly, the implementation of solutions, and lastly the monitoring and comparison between the plan and results in order to improve the workflow performance. Resultant activities included reactivating idle wells, massive recompletions, water shut-off, regular release of casing pressure, and operational modifications post put-on-production (POP). With excellent coordination, the team has put wells back on production and increased production. To date, 19 wells have been put back on production with a combined oil rate increase of 493 BOPD. Efforts continue to bring back the remaining 11 wells with the expectation of a total increase in oil rate of 1080 BOPD. Since the application of these activities, the field has operated with a decreasing failure rate and has improved production by up to 300%. Future potential exists such as steamflood in the Duri formation and additional infill wells in the Bekasap Formation.