Economic efficiency criterion is the basis of definition of Recoverable Reserves given in 1987 by SPE and utilized in the Petroleum Resources Management System (PRMS) published in 2007.
In PRMS, the resource classes and categories are tied with geological certainty, anticipated economic outcome from exploitation of reservoirs and status of the existing wells. Not all discovered fields have Recoverable Reserves according PRMS. Besides geologic and technologic parameters of development project, classification of Reserves depends on a number of legal, contractual, infrastructure conditions and forecast economic parameters.
The new Russian classification of reserves that will go into effect Jan. 1, 2016, also considers the effect of economics on reservoirs’ depletion. It also specifically takes into account interests of the State, the subsoil owner. It is planned to book two corresponding values of the Recovery Factor (RF) and Recoverable Reserves estimated in the field development plan - for the economic period and technologically achievable, which takes into account hydrocarbon production after the point when net operating cash flows are negative. In situation where the two RFs differ significantly, full reserves’ depletion will require government intervention to make production economic, otherwise the operators will cap production before the technological limits are reached.
In Russia, the producing life of a well often goes past its economic limit as long as its negative cash flow is offset by cash-positive wells until the field as a whole reaches its economic limit. That is at odds with the SPE-PRMS) where the life of a well lasts until its economic limit is reached and the well is shut down.
Understanding of these particularities is necessary while analyzing the volumes of recoverable reserves booked at the Russian State Balance and those estimated according to the international standards.
About Authors
Dmitry Pavlovich Zabrodin, Vice-President of LLC FDP Engineering
Dmitry Pavlovich Zabrodin was born in 1950. In 1972, he graduated from I.M.Gubkin Moscow Institute of Petrochemical and Gas Industry with a degree in Mining Engineering. Dmitry has a PhD in Engineering Science. In addition, he has a significant experience in research works and consultations in the field of reserves evaluation, field development and enhanced oil recovery. He is familiar with Russian and international hydrocarbons classifications. Fluent in English and French. Member of SPE.
From 1973 till 1993 he had been working in A.P. Krylov All-Union Oil and Gas Research Institute (VNIIneft) starting from a junior research associate to leading researcher, deputy chief of laboratory of EOR physical and chemicals methods. He was responsible for carrying out the laboratory tests, design and design supervision for EOR tests on fields with waterflooding and use of chemicals, cyclic waterflooding and horizontal wells at fields in Tatarstan and Western Siberia. Dmitry has conducted the support and analysis of two field experiments on micellar-polymer flooding at Romashkinskoye field which were unique tests for Soviet Union.
Twice, in 1986-1989 and 1993-1994, he was invited to Algeria as a Chief Engineer of oil and gas field development in the state company SONATRACH. Dmitry has participated in expert operations for such oil fields as Hassi Messaoud, Edjelleh, etc.
From 1994 till 1999 he was a manager in oil and gas fields operation and development department in the company RPS Overseas (Russian Petroleum Consultants). Dmitry was a head of the group of specialists, which work included the following aspects: geological audit, assessment of well intervention efficiency, well designs, feasibility study for oil recovery, reservoir simulation. He took part in Russian language support and distribution of a computer program Production Analyst (workplace for petroleum engineer and field geologist). Also, he has worked as Chief Engineer assistant in the international project on well workover operations for 700 wells in Western Siberia.
In 1999, Dmitry had worked in Indonesia as a field development expert of Consortium VP-PPU. He performed the geological engineering analysis of vibro-acoustic impact technology for increased oil production in Pager oil field (o.Sumatra)
From 2000 till 2006 he was a lead specialist, head of department in OJSC Unified consultants FDP. As a part of this work, he carried out the broad-ranging consultations in oilfield development design, oil and gas reserves estimation and certification, independent evaluation of oil and gas facilities in various international and former USSR regions, including in cooperation with the company Ryder Scott Petroleum Consultants (USA).
From 2006 Dmitry Zabrodin is the Vice-President of LLC FDP Engineering. He is managing the projects and proactively participating in various consulting services and certification of oil and gas resources and reserves in compliance with both Russian and international standards. Along with this, he is taking an active part in the oilfield development analysis and independent evaluation of oil and gas production projects and exploration sections in international and former Soviet Union areas.
Author and co-author of more than 60 published and library works, articles in relevant magazines, the monograph “Enhanced oil recovery for waterflooded reservoir”, M., Nedra, 1989. Science editor for Russian translation of the monograph «Reservoir Exploration and Appraisal», Luiz Amado, ELSEVIER, 2013.