After almost 5 months of extended well tests in Tubarao Azul field, formerly Waimea, offshore Brazil, OGX Petroleo e Gas Participacoes SA has concluded that the ideal flow rate for the first two wells is 5,000 b/d of oil equivalent excluding the impact of any water injection operations.
The field, in the BM-C-41 block in the Campos basin, has been under EWT since early this year (OGJ Online, Feb. 1, 2012). OGX filed a development plan on June 1.
Since the start of the EWT, the OGX-26 and OGX-68 wells have tested at rates ranging between 4,000 and 18,000 b/d, improving the understanding of the reservoir model. The tests also indicated a need to replace the centrifugal submersible pump in OGX-26 with another pump with different features in order to enable pumping capacity beyond the ideal rate.
While OGX-26 was idle the last 5 days to replace the pump, the FPSO OSX-1 production unit has been producing 7,400 boe/d from OGX-68 at satisfactory reservoir pressures.
Within 12 months, two producing wells and two injection wells will be connected to FPSO OSX-1, allowing for a steady increase in oil production. In addition to water injection, the company plans to use technologies such as chemical hydraulic fracturing and other well-known industry techniques to optimize production.
OGX remains confident it will recover 110 million boe from the field, especially because throughout the EWT the company has identified natural fractures in the reservoir connecting OGX-26 and OGX-68.
The OSX-2 and OSX-3 FPSOs are scheduled to arrive in Brazil and begin production in the second half of 2013.
