Under the
deal for technological studies on nine oil fields across Iran, South Azadegan
was assigned to the Institute of Petroleum Engineering affiliated with the
University of Tehran, Darquain was assigned to Amir Kabir University of
Technology, Soroush was assigned to Sahand University of Technology, Ahvaz was
assigned to the Research Institute of Petroleum Industry, Karanj to Islamic
Azad University, Kupal to Sharif University of Technology, Mansouri to the
University of Shiraz, Gachsaran to the Petroleum University of Technology and
Bibi Hakimieh to the Enhanced Recovery Research Center.
Mehdi
Escrochi, director of the Mansouri project at the University of Shiraz, said
the agreement for studying the Mansouri oil field was signed between the
University of Shiraz and the Ministry of Petroleum in 2014.
"The
idea was first developed in the form of EOR consortium after a microbial EOR
system was unveiled at the University of Shiraz," he told” Iran
Petroleum”.
Escrochi
said ever since the agreement was signed, the University of Shiraz and the
National Iranian South Oil Company (NISOC), as the party to agreement, started
planning for cooperation.
**No
Frustration with Halts
Escrochi
said 19 priorities were defined based on the specifications of the Mansouri
field, three of which were selected by the client. Finally, he added, one of
them resulted in an agreement.
"Certain
measures had been taken, but in 2016 the agreement was revised as approaches
changed. Of course this change was not good for us, because it occurred at a
time when we had finished the first phase of the project and consequently
changes in approach called a halt to our previous work," he added.
Escrochi
said: "The sudden change and halt in the agreement and changes in the
approaches changed planning and the content of the previous agreement was
transferred to the third phase (at least four years later). We were making
efforts to boost motivations in the new approach."
"In the
new agreement, the scope of authority, details and the value of agreement were
not specified and have yet to be specified. That is while more than 16 months
has passed since the first agreement was implemented and the first package of
the agreement has to be completed" by next March, he added.
"This
dilemma is the most significant weakness of the project. Nonetheless, we are
happy with the process of work and cooperation on the part of NISOC and we are
making efforts to benefit from this national chance in favor of national
objectives," he said.
"But we
expect other organs involved in the project to seriously and quickly approve
the content, and avoid any delay in the conclusion of the project," said
Escrochi.
He laid
emphasis on the involvement of individuals who firmly believe in research work.
"Our
main issue is that a small group of individuals involved in this project make
no distinction between research and technological development and their
long-term impacts on national economy on one side, and the work of an ordinary
reservoir study company on the other," said Escrochi.
"Such
sensitivity and attention already exists among senior managers and qualified
experts of National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) and those who strongly believe
in this job, but among managers of lower position are there some key officials
who restrict the implementation of job. Consequently, creativity, which is the
most important ground for the conclusion of research projects, is destroyed due
to insistence on old mechanisms of study. That is the case while the culture of
technological development must exist on both sides of the contract," he
said.
Touching on
NISOC's all-out cooperation in the project, Escrochi said: "Our good
cooperation started from the very beginning and they provided all necessary
data to the University of Shiraz. We have had a common understanding of this
project and therefore we can say that only marginal changes in the agreement
caused problems for us."
"NISOC
has a good impression of the University of Shiraz and such trust is a result of
previous communications of knowledge between us," he said. "We've had
many joint meetings over this time and the confidential data about the
background of the field was provided to us on the first day," he said.
"Although there are data shortages and uncertainty, which both sides are
well aware of, we know pretty well why and when they had been caused."
"Since
the very beginning up to now, NISOC has been informing us of any effective
change and action," Escrochi said.
"Such
circumstances are a result of mutual understanding between us and they know
that our job generates value for them," he added.
**No Impact
from Management Changes
Escrochi
said the University of Shiraz had been subject to major changes ever since the
project began.
He said the
university has seen three chancellors, three vice-chancellors for research
affairs and two project managers.
"These
changes have been time-taking and coupled with marginal changes, but
fortunately all former chancellors agreed to this project and joint
cooperation, and see it as an obligation upon university for the country,"
he said.
"The
chancellor of the University of Shiraz is directly engaged in the meetings
related to the project which is continuing regardless of management
changes," he added.
"In
addition to the Mansouri oil field, the University of Shiraz has two projects
under review; development of technical knowhow for methanol value chain and
light naphtha isomerization," he said.
The
University of Shiraz, now 70, launched its chemical engineering department in
1964. Iran's first PhD in chemical engineering was graduated from this
university.
Research in
petroleum engineering started at the university in 1995 when EOR-IOR research
group was set up.
"Since
1999, we have had 10 research agreements with different sections of NIOC and
that is why our cooperation is 20 years now and we have not been
inexperienced," he said.
Escrochi
said an agreement had been signed with NISOC to study water coning due oil
production.
He noted
that the agreements signed with the University of Shiraz were different from
others as they involve enhanced oil recovery and improved oil recovery.
"The
University of Shiraz considered a separate division for improved recovery. In
light of integrated well-oriented and reservoir-oriented studies are expected
to produce better results as the bulk of production problems and the low
capacity of reservoir production stems from the well problems," he said.
"This
project must be carried out in an integrated manner engaging reservoir
engineering and operation engineering and NISOC has laid emphasis on this
issue. The main focus is on this issue. In the future, an
installations-oriented division will be added in the next phases as downstream
sector," said Escrochi.
He said the
field's identification process has concluded with reasons behind the low
recovery rate having been explored.
"We
have classified more than 100 wells of this field. The recovery rate in the
Bangestan section is about 11% and in the Asmari section stands at 50%.
However, our study has yet to reach the stage of recovery rate setting,"
he said.
But,
Escrochi said, "our studies have not yet reached the phase of determining
a new recovery rate. But we have to see to what extent the proposals offered
would be applicable in terms of operation and financing for NISOC."
He said the
Mansouri field could continue producing for long years, stressing the need for
maximum efficient recovery.
"In
this project, the University of Shiraz is seeking to leave long-term impacts on
this field. We have identified similar reservoirs all across the globe and
reported them. Based on similar fields, we have conducted screening for
EOR," said Escrochi.
**Recovery
Rate Forecast
Escrochi
said five potential methods were envisioned for predicting the rate of recovery
from the Mansouri oil field in coming years.
"Some
of these proposals have been submitted to be assessed. In case they win
approved, we will present the final scope of the project and new projections
for recovery" next year, he added.
Escrochi
said the Mansouri field's specifications are shared by many other fields in
their Bangestan and Asmari reservoirs.
"We can
hope that good conditions and progress in the process in the Mansouri field
would be of help in similar fields," he added.
"Of
course, each field has its own certain conditions and generalizing such results
is not reasonable. Each field has its own specific features and a separate
process would be needed," said Escrochi.
** 4
Technological Products
Escrochi
also touched on the financing of the project, saying: "Advance payments
have been made to the University of Shiraz for the new approach and at present
the University of Shiraz can claim nothing from NIOC."
"In
fact, the University of Shiraz has so far delivered four technological
products, which are being examined for endorsement at the specialized
committee. Four more technological products remain to be delivered," he
said.
"The
academic team active in this project at the University of Shiraz comprises 29
faculty members, manly from the University of Shiraz staff and young members
with interdisciplinary specialties," he said.
He added
that experts from the University of Persian Gulf, University of Bushehr,
Isfahan University of Technology, Ferdowsi University and Ilam University are
cooperating with the University of Shiraz based on needs.
"In the
agreement, there is an obligation to hire a foreign partner while at the same
time the process of development of technology is under way outside Iran.
Universities have good experience of cooperation with neighboring and European
nations. Applying such experience could be a value-added for us," said
Escrochi.
"Transfer
of technology is certainly good, but its advantages are short-term. We have to
be able to institutionalize innovation in order to indigenize this
technology," he added.
Escrochi
expressed hope for the success of the project in light of cooperation on the
part of the petroleum industry and the engagement of people with good knowledge
of research.
Courtesy of
Iran Petroleum
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