Title : Overcoming surface congestion constraints through strategic utilization of evaporite pits a success case from greater Burgan field
Abstract:
South & East Kuwait (S&EK) has been facing a persistent challenge of severe surface congestion near Gathering Center 21 (GC-21), which has prevented the drilling of new wells in the area for over seven years—despite the presence of significant untapped oil potential in the Burgan reservoir. A breakthrough was achieved through collaborative efforts between the Greater Burgan Subsurface (GBS), Field Development South Kuwait (FD SK), and Production Operations South Kuwait (PO SK) teams. The solution involved the innovative repurposing of an inactive evaporite pit to host new well placements. This initiative not only resolved the surface constraint issue but also enabled the successful drilling and completion of three new Burgan producers—Well 1, Well 2, and Well 3—resulting in a combined estimated production gain of 4,500 BOPD. Looking ahead, this success has paved the way for future development targeting the Minagish reservoir. The original plan involved Extended Reach Drilling (ERD) wells, each costing approximately 3 MMKD, with an estimated total of 29.5 MMKD for 10 planned wells. By utilizing the same evaporite pit and adopting a conventional deviated well profile instead, the revised approach is expected to reduce the cost to 2 MMKD per well, resulting in projected savings of 12 MMKD. This initiative exemplifies adaptive planning, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and efficient resource utilization. Key to the project’s success was the identification of underutilized evaporite pits—originally used for water disposal—that became available following increased subsurface disposal capacity. The technical teams aligned to repurpose these locations for drilling, enabling the inclusion of three Burgan producers in the 2023/24 budget and planning of 40 Minagish wells on four additional pads in future budget years (2025/26 and beyond). The integration of subsurface data with seismic interpretation allowed the teams to effectively define and execute suitable well targets. The success of this initiative reflects the outstanding collaboration and coordination among GBS, FD SK, PO SK, and GC-21 teams, and would not have been possible without the strong support and leadership of FD SEK management. This case study highlights the importance of innovation, flexibility, and teamwork in overcoming operational challenges and achieving strategic reservoir development goals.
