RIASSUNTO
Summary
The Genesis project was ChevronTexaco's first Gulf of Mexico deepwaterdevelopment project and the first industry project to use spar technology fordrilling, completion, and production operations.1,2This paper discussesthe unique results and lessons learned through the first 4 years of the Genesisproject in the areas of integrated teams, organizational learning, sparoperations, completion practices, well performance, and reservoirmanagement.
Introduction
The Genesis field is located in Green Canyon Blocks 160, 161, and 205 in theGulf of Mexico.The spar is located in Green Canyon Block 205 in 2,590 ftof water.The Genesis project is a joint venture among three partners:56.67% ChevronTexaco (operator), 38.38% ExxonMobil, and 4.95% BHP Billiton.
The discovery well was drilled in 1988, and several delineation wellsfollowed in the early 1990s; development funding was approved in 1996.Asemisubmersible rig was used to batch set 36-, 26-, and 20-in. casing stringson 19 wells.The seafloor well pattern includes locations for 20 wells andtwo export riser bases.Spacing between locations is 20 ft in a140-ft-diameter circle.The semisubmersible rig also drilled and cased thefirst two development wells.
The spar was installed in mid-1998, followed by topside and riginstallation. Hookup work began, and the first rig operations—running theexport risers—began in November 1998; first production occurred in late January1999.
Through the first 4 years of the project, 14 producing wells have beendrilled in the Genesis field.These 14 wells include 10 wells with singlecompletions and four wells with stacked wireline-selective completions. Majorrig workovers to change producing zones have also been performed on two of theinitial 14 wells.
Maximum daily production from the Genesis field was 61,130 BOPD and 98,670Mcf/D of gas, achieved on 4 July 2001.Future plans for the field includenumerous sidetracks and major rig workovers.
Ref. 1 discussed the development plan for the Genesis field as it related todrilling and completion design and execution.This paper presents a uniquecomparison between the planned and actual development program and describesresults and lessons learned through the first 4 years of the Genesisproject.