Reservoir management for the Iraqi oil fields
Issam al-Chalabi's article (OGJ. Mar. 24. 2003, p. 42) regarding the Iraqi oil policy: present and future perspectives provided us with an excellent historical background of the Iraqi oil fields and a political plan to restart its production. Due to the extreme past neglect of Iraq's huge reserves development and operation along with the confusion and ramifications of the future oil policy, it is predicted that Iraqi oil fields will continue to suffer major reservoir mismanagement. To upgrade Iraqi oil fields from textbook examples of mismanaged reservoirs to properly managed reservoirs, the reservoir management principles should be integrated and implemented in any future plans early on and without indulging in any hit and miss approach. It is a unique opportunity and challenge for the future operator to take the lead in the proper restart of Iraqi oil and gas production using this modern technology for the benefit of all.
The writer defines reservoir management as follows:
An orderly and repetitive (modify/update) process that integrates all the reservoir characteristics to predict its performance using sound reservoir engineering principles in order to prudently design the needed surface facilities and subsurface equipment and to develop, monitor, control, and maximize recovery for the duration of the reservoir's productive life with an integrated, synergistic approach in an economical and timely fashion.
C. T. Sawabini
Reservoir Management Consultant
San Marino, Calif.
Iraq map attribution
Thank you for publishing my Iraq oil policy article (OGJ, Mar. 24, 2003, p. 42). The map of the Iraqi oil fields should be attributed to the original source, Petrolog & Associates.
Issam al-Chalabi
Amman, Jordan
