DOCSLIB.ORG

New Intelligent Completion System Enables Compartment-Level Control in Multilateral Wells

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
New Intelligent Completion System Enables Compartment-Level Control in Multilateral Wells TECHNOLOGY UPDATE New Intelligent Completion System Enables Compartment-Level Control in Multilateral Wells Stephen Dyer, SPE, Schlumberger, and Brett Bouldin, SPE, Saudi Aramco Although early inflow control devices tight formations and a shortage of suit- ration and Petroleum Engineering Cen- and intelligent completions (ICs) were able surface locations drove the need to ter Advanced Research Center issued an introduced almost 20 years ago, comple- dramatically increase reservoir contact industry challenge in 2007 requesting tion technology has not kept pace with per wellhead. an extreme reservoir contact (ERC) well advancements in drilling technology. Before 2007, the company had suc- containing 50 to 100 intelligent later- Today, wells completed in multilay- cessfully drilled and completed a num- als to efficiently drain the reservoir and ered reservoirs, multilaterals with com- ber of multilateral ERD wells, achieving ultimately maximize economic recovery. partments of varying pressure, and more than 5 km (16,400 ft) of reservoir The company’s goal since then has been extended-reach drilling (ERD) with well- contact per well. These maximum reser- to increase average reservoir contact to bores as long as 12 km are becoming com- voir contact (MRC) wells were completed approximately 10 km (32,800 ft). mon. In complex, hard-to-reach reservoirs with then state-of-the-art IC technolo- and tighter formations, operators need to gy. Completions consisted of permanent Next-Generation Technologies maximize reservoir contact in every well downhole gauges (PDGs) and downhole Saudi Aramco embarked on an 8-year col- to optimize reservoir drainage and mini- flow-control valves (FCVs), which could laboration with Schlumberger to develop mize costs. Yet the evolution of ICs has be partially or fully opened or closed by next-generation IC technologies. The pri- lagged, creating a technology gap with sig- hydraulic control lines from the surface. mary objective was to replace multiple nificant ramifications. Monitoring and control stations were hydraulic and electric control lines with IC reliability has been steadily increas- installed in the motherbore above the one electric control line that could power ing over the years, reaching more than junction to each side lateral. a theoretically unlimited number of intel- 97% for the life of the well in many While IC systems provided distinct im- ligent laterals. The result, commercial- applications. Most permanent downhole provements, three challenges remained. ized in September 2015, is the Manara monitoring and control solutions still 1) PDGs monitored only pressure production and reservoir management consist of a separate “kit” of products and temperature, and these system (Fig. 1). rather than an integrated system. measurements came from an entire The modular system is the industry’s Traditional IC systems lack sufficient lateral or well, not from individual first IC platform to enable simultaneous, real-time measurements in individual zones within each lateral. Thus, real-time monitoring and control of up producing zones to facilitate “cause and there was insufficient information to 60 compartments in multilateral wells effect” decision making. Without detailed to fully diagnose zonal issues or extended-reach sections longer than compartmental information and control without resorting to traditional 12 km (39,370 ft), using a single electric in case of water or gas breakthrough, costly and time-consuming control line. operators are forced to restrict produc- interventions. The system minimizes connection tion, intervene, and in some instances 2) The need to install a separate points and splices, simplifying installa- work over the entire well. control line from the wellhead tion and enhancing reliability. Compact Until recently, there has been no way to every hydraulically activated stations integrate an infinitely adjustable to maintain production from other unaf- FCV imposed an upper limit on FCV with sensors that measure water fected zones during the long diagnostic the number of ICs in each MRC cut and fluid flow rate, as well as tradi- process of production logging, well test- well. Only three or four controlled tional pressure and temperature, in real ing, interpretation, and execution of an laterals were feasible. time. The backbone to this innovative appropriate well intervention. The typi- 3) There was no ability to get power ERC solution is a set of robust, patented cal optimization cycle substantially rais- and telemetry into multilateral inductive couplers integrated into the es operating costs while delaying vital branches and allow effective zonal casing or tubing, providing bidirectional production for weeks or months. monitoring and control. power and telemetry between the upper Consider Saudi Aramco’s experience Saudi Aramco’s vision was more ambi- and lower completion stages and across with ICs in remote oil fields, where tious than that. The company’s Explo- any number of lateral junctions. Copyright 2016, Society of Petroleum Engineers. Reprinted from the Journal of Petroleum Technology with permission. 18 JPT • SEPTEMBER 2016 Fig. 1—The new electric production and reservoir management system for the first time provides downhole permanent monitoring and in-lateral flow control of multiple zones and compartments in real time—including in multilateral wells. Source: Schlumberger. By decoupling upper and lower com- Other compartments in front of or Electronics were tested with more pletion stages, engineers can now reli- behind the problem compartment can than 12,000 impact shocks at 250g, and ably deploy the lower completion to any continue producing uninterrupted. Addi- ICs were subjected to horizontal drill- target depth by means of drillpipe, with- tional logging and well testing are no ing shocks at 210 rev/min for 100,000 out fear of damaging the electric umbili- longer necessary to allocate production revolutions. The variable choke on the cal. This “two trip” method minimizes or identify, isolate, and rectify the source FCV survived high-pressure erosion tests the risk of running completions in very of problems. including 40 tons of sand. long horizontal wells. To enable production engineers to Such extensive testing was a minimum The upper completion is connected integrate, analyze, and act decisively on requirement to field a permanent elec- through an inductive coupler, which has a high volumes of real-time surveillance trical system in the harsh environment robust, debris-tolerant stab-in connector data from multiple laterals and compart- where its use was planned. that requires no orientation or rotation. ments, a new intelligent software inter- Stages can be connected and disconnected face was developed, which is fully com- Shaybah Oil Field Case Study as often as necessary, simplifying upper patible with existing data infrastructures, After years of development, testing, and completion workovers. For example, an provides automated well performance refinement, the first fully electric IC sys- electrical submersible pump or safety status, updates reservoir and production tem was installed in two wells in the valve can be replaced without having to models, and recommends adjustments to Shaybah oil field of the Rub’ al-Khali pull the lower completion. This inductive continuously optimize recovery. Work- desert, 800 km southeast of Dhahran, coupling connector system is inherently flows that previously consumed weeks or Saudi Arabia, during 2015. The field is more reliable than wet connectors. months can now be completed in a day. surrounded by mountainous semicircu- Integrated monitoring and control sta- The all-electric system was jointly lar sand dunes as high as 200 m (656 ft). tions can be installed in each lateral or developed by more than 190 research Multilateral wells are distributed across well section, and sensors placed before and engineering experts from Saudi the oil rim between a large gas cap and the FCV analyze the production char- Aramco and Schlumberger. Two hundred the underlying aquifer. acteristics of each compartment before fifty man-years were invested in research The conventional IC configuration commingling in the tubing. When water and development. More than 525 tests for a trilateral well consisted of a dual or gas is detected in a compartment, the were performed to verify reliability and pressure and temperature gauge for the FCV can be choked or closed to minimize integrity, some as short as hours and entire well, with three downhole FCVs undesirable fluid production. others lasting more than a year. and four mechanical control lines. The 20 JPT • SEPTEMBER 2016 metric PDGs in the well tubing. Adjust- ments were made to correct the condi- tion and balance production from each compartment of the lateral at very differ- Station Coupler Single cable ent drawdowns. Had this been a single conventional lat- One control line Water cut eral, the tight area would have produced Flow rate Pressure almost nothing, but the additional com- Coupler Temperature partments and fine flow control enabled Pressure Temperature different compartment drawdowns in the same lateral. The production could still Sandface measurement and control be balanced even though the compart- ment permeabilities were different. Fig. 2—The world’s first fully electric intelligent completion system was installed in Saudi Aramco’s Shaybah oil field, in a trilateral well with 6 km The well was then optimized to give of reservoir contact. Source: Schlumberger. uniform influx
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Rising to Iran's Challenge
    RISING TO IRAN’S CHALLENGE GCC Military Capability and U.S. Security Cooperation Michael Knights Policy Focus 127 | June 2013 THE WASHINGTON INSTITUTE FOR NEAR EAST POLICY RISING TO IRAN’S CHALLENGE GCC Military Capability and U.S. Security Cooperation Michael Knights Policy Focus 127 | June 2013 All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. © 2013 by The Washington Institute for Near East Policy Published in 2013 in the United States of America by The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, 1828 L Street NW, Suite 1050, Washington, DC 20036. Cover photo: UAE, Italian, Bahraini, and U.S. armed forces sight in on a mock target while performing a Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure demonstration at the Port of Zayed area in Abu Dhabi, UAE, as part of Exercise Leading Edge 13, January 2013. Leading Edge 13 military-to-military engagements are intended to sharpen capabilities among nations in an effort to foster relationships and build regional security. (USMC photo/MSgt. Salvatore Cardella) CONTENTS The Author v Acknowledgments vii Executive Summary ix 1 | Introduction 1 2 | SWOT Analysis of the Gulf Militaries 7 3 | Key Missions for GCC Allies 23 4 | Implications for U.S. Security Cooperation 37 THE AUTHOR MICHAEL KNIGHTS is a Lafer fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, specializing in the military and security affairs of Iraq, Iran, Libya, Yemen, and the Gulf states.
    [Show full text]
  • Saudi Aramco by the Numbers
    making a difference Annual Review 2010 Table of contents Introduction ......................................................................... 10 Exploration ........................................................................... 18 Oil Operations ..................................................................... 22 Gas Operations .................................................................. 28 Refining & Petrochemicals .......................................... 34 Table of Research & Technology ................................................. 40 Transportation & Distribution ..................................... 48 contents Human Resources ............................................................ 54 Safety & Health ................................................................. 62 Communities ....................................................................... 68 Corporate Citizenship ...................................................... 72 Awards ................................................................................... 84 Saudi Aramco by the Numbers ................................ 88 A Saudi Aramco engineer checks pressure on a propane-transfer pump at a company gas plant. Making a difference Saudi Saudi Aramco Aramco Annual Review Annual Review 2010 2010 2 1 Saudi Saudi Aramco Aramco Annual Review The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS AMIR SULTAN Annual Review 2010 2010 2 King ‘Abd AllAH IBN ‘Abd Al-’Aziz Al SA’ud IBN ‘ABD AL-’AZIZ AL SA’UD 3 The Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister,
    [Show full text]
  • Maritime Boundary Agreements 172 6.1 Introduction 172 6.2 Saudi-Bahrain 1958 Agreement 172 6.2.1 Historic Background 174 6.2.2 Boundary Delimitation 176
    Durham E-Theses Maritime boundary delimitation of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia a study in political geography Al-Muwaled, Faraj Mobarak Jam'an How to cite: Al-Muwaled, Faraj Mobarak Jam'an (1993) Maritime boundary delimitation of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia a study in political geography, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/10368/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 MARITIME BOUNDARY DELIMITATION OF THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA A STUDY IN POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY Fara.i Mobarak Jam'an AI-Muwaled The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without his prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged. Thesis submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Social Science in the Department of Geography, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Durham, U.K.
    [Show full text]
  • University of Bradford Ethesis
    A Possible Framework for Analysing National Security. The Saudi Arabian Perspective. Item Type Thesis Authors Nasif, Mahmoud Abdullah Rights <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by-nc-nd/3.0/"><img alt="Creative Commons License" style="border-width:0" src="http://i.creativecommons.org/l/by- nc-nd/3.0/88x31.png" /></a><br />The University of Bradford theses are licenced under a <a rel="license" href="http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/">Creative Commons Licence</a>. Download date 27/09/2021 15:48:31 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10454/7272 University of Bradford eThesis This thesis is hosted in Bradford Scholars – The University of Bradford Open Access repository. Visit the repository for full metadata or to contact the repository team © University of Bradford. This work is licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence. A Possible Framework for Analysing National Security The Saudi Arabian Perspective Mahmoud Abdullah NASIF Submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of Social and International Studies University of Bradford 2014 i M. A. NASIF A Possible Framework for Analysing National Security The Saudi Arabian Perspective ii Abstract This study will focus on explaining the dynamics of Saudi Arabia’s national security. In explaining these dynamics, the study will consider two of Buzan’s frameworks for analysing national security. Further enhancement will be given by conceptualising specific assumptions about Saudi Arabia’s national security – these will be based on the manner in which certain features are utilised within the Saudi state. Semi- structured interviews will be utilised to examine the findings from the adapted frameworks.
    [Show full text]
  • Saudi Aramco: National Flagship with Global Responsibilities
    THE JAMES A. BAKER III INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY RICE UNIVERSITY SAUDI ARAMCO: NATIONAL FLAGSHIP WITH GLOBAL RESPONSIBILITIES BY AMY MYERS JAFFE JAMES A. BAKER III INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY JAREER ELASS JAMES A. BAKER III INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY PREPARED IN CONJUNCTION WITH AN ENERGY STUDY SPONSORED BY THE JAMES A. BAKER III INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY AND JAPAN PETROLEUM ENERGY CENTER RICE UNIVERSITY – MARCH 2007 THIS PAPER WAS WRITTEN BY A RESEARCHER (OR RESEARCHERS) WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE JOINT BAKER INSTITUTE/JAPAN PETROLEUM ENERGY CENTER POLICY REPORT, THE CHANGING ROLE OF NATIONAL OIL COMPANIES IN INTERNATIONAL ENERGY MARKETS. WHEREVER FEASIBLE, THIS PAPER HAS BEEN REVIEWED BY OUTSIDE EXPERTS BEFORE RELEASE. HOWEVER, THE RESEARCH AND THE VIEWS EXPRESSED WITHIN ARE THOSE OF THE INDIVIDUAL RESEARCHER(S) AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THE VIEWS OF THE JAMES A. BAKER III INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY NOR THOSE OF THE JAPAN PETROLEUM ENERGY CENTER. © 2007 BY THE JAMES A. BAKER III INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY OF RICE UNIVERSITY THIS MATERIAL MAY BE QUOTED OR REPRODUCED WITHOUT PRIOR PERMISSION, PROVIDED APPROPRIATE CREDIT IS GIVEN TO THE AUTHOR AND THE JAMES A. BAKER III INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY ABOUT THE POLICY REPORT THE CHANGING ROLE OF NATIONAL OIL COMPANIES IN INTERNATIONAL ENERGY MARKETS Of world proven oil reserves of 1,148 billion barrels, approximately 77% of these resources are under the control of national oil companies (NOCs) with no equity participation by foreign, international oil companies. The Western international oil companies now control less than 10% of the world’s oil and gas resource base.
    [Show full text]
  • Energy to the World: the Story of Saudi Aramco Volume 2
    ENERGY TO THE WORLD: TO ENERGY ENERGY TO THE WORLD: THE STORY OF SAUDI ARAMCO OF SAUDI THE STORY THE STORY OF SAUDI ARAMCO VOLUME 2 VOLUME 2 VOLUME www.saudiaramco.com J ENERGY TO THE WORLD : VOLUME ONE TITLE K VOLUME TWO Energy to the World The Story of Saudi Aramco II ENERGY TO THE WORLD : VOLUME ONE VOLUME TWO Energy to the World The Story of Saudi Aramco Supertankers load crude oil at Ras Tanura Sea Island Terminal in 2003. Contents Copyright First Edition Volume One Volume Two © 2011 by Aramco Services Company Printed in 2011 Preface xi Illustration: Saudi Arabia viii ISBN All rights reserved. No part of this book Illustration: Saudi Arabia xiv 1 National Resources 1 978-1-882771-23-0 may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or 1 Prospects 1 2 Boom Time 27 Library of Congress by any means, electronic, mechanical, 2 Negotiations 33 3 Transformation 67 Control Number photocopying, recording or otherwise, 200922694 without the written permission of 3 Reading the Rocks 59 4 Rising to the Challenge 99 Aramco Services Company, except by 4 The War Years 93 5 Achieving the Vision 131 Written by a reviewer, who may quote a brief Scott McMurray passage for review. 5 Expansion 123 Appendix 168 6 Growing Pains 153 A. Upstream 170 Produced by The History Factory 7 Balancing Act 189 B. Downstream 184 Chantilly, Virginia, USA List of Abbreviations 215 C. Operations Data 194 Project Coordinators Notes on Sources 216 Company Leadership 204 Theodore J. Brockish, Kyle L.
    [Show full text]
  • Sovereignty and Boundaries in the Gulf States Settling the Peripheries
    2 Sovereignty and Boundaries in the Gulf States Settling the Peripheries J. E. PETERSON The concept of territorial boundaries for the states of the Gulf Coop- eration Council (also referred to in this paper as the Gulf states) is a relatively new phenomenon. Until recently, a principal difficulty in conceiving of territorial boundaries, let alone defining them, was the alien nature of boundaries them- selves, the lack of any need for them, and the absence of putative states in most of the Peninsula. It was not until well into the twentieth century—and in some cases late in the century—that the nature and the form of today's seven states became clear. In large part, the dynamics between present states derives from the jostling that took place as the states began to differentiate themselves. In 1952, Saudi Arabia intensified its claims to the Eastern Arabian oasis of al- Buraymi by occupying militarily one of the villages of the oasis. After three years of fruitless negotiations, the British-officered Trucial Oman Scouts evicted the Saudi garrison and reestablished Omani and Abu Dhabi control over the oasis. Yet even after the bilateral settlement of Saudi-UAE and Saudi-Oman borders, the issue remains contentious, particularly in the context of other unresolved border questions. Al-Buraymi is but one example of the long history of contentious border disputes involving the Gulf states. Boundary questions have frequently been the source of complications, frustration, and outright hostility. Land boundaries, Y, which scarcely mattered a century ago, have provoked skirmishes up to recent 21 • 22 I J.
    [Show full text]
  • Bahrain Economic Quarterly| June 2016
    BAHRAIN ECONOMIC QUARTERLY| JUNE 2016 Bahrain Economic Quarterly June 2016 Please refer to the disclaimer at the end of the document. Page 1 of 41 BAHRAIN ECONOMIC QUARTERLY| JUNE 2016 SUMMARY SUMMARY 2 GRADUAL PROGRESS With the notable exception of the “Brexit”-related jitters, the second quarter of the GLOBAL ECONOMY 3 year has been characterised by a generally benign environment for global financial markets. This is underpinned by a growing conviction that loose monetary conditions in the leading economies are not about to be modified significantly in the near term. THE GCC REGION 10 This appears to have somewhat eased concerns of dollar appreciation and supported the ongoing recovery in oil prices. Economic growth in Bahrain rebounded in Q1. Following a 0.9% QoQ pick-up from BAHRAIN 21 4Q15, the headline YoY real growth rate reached 4.5%. The rebound was led by a 12.4% YoY increase in the oil sector. Non-oil growth at 2.7% YoY was was comparable to the second half of last year. KEY SECTORS 37 Services and construction drove non-oil growth. The fastest growing sectors of the non-oil economy were Social and Personal Services (mainly private education and health care), Construction, and Financial Services. These expanded by 8.4%, 5.4%, and 3.1% YoY, respectively. The GCC governments are redoubling their efforts to support economic diversification. A number of steps toward fiscal re-engineering are going hand in hand with an increasingly clear strategic commitment to reducing the oil dependency of the regional economies. Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 represents an important roadmap for the kind of paradigm shift pursued by all GCC governments.
    [Show full text]
  • Arabian Sun 2 Company News
    May 20, 2020 Vol. LXXV, No. 21 a weekly Saudi Aramco publication for employees Dear colleagues, practicing physical distancing, and avoiding humbling and inspiring. Countless people in gatherings of any kind. Any complacency is as need will directly benefit from your generosity With the Holy Month of Ramadan coming to dangerous as an infection and continued vig- as your donations will be matched 100% by a close, I would like to extend my personal best ilance will ensure our own health and safety Saudi Aramco and distributed to a wide range wishes to you and to your families for a peace- along with the well-being of our families and of worthwhile social, medical, and educational ful ‘Id al-Fitr. friends, our colleagues and communities. causes. This ‘Id will be unlike any we have experi- During this time, our individual actions While traditionally this is a time when we enced before. are for the greater good and for the benefit gather with family and friends, we can take However, it is vital that we still observe all of others. I also want to convey my sincerest great comfort in knowing that by staying apart, the precautionary and preventive measures gratitude to all of you who contributed to our we are truly in this together. ‘Id Mubarak! that have been put in place to stop the spread donation campaigns prior to and during Ra- of COVID-19. This includes maintaining high madan. You have demonstrated an enormous Amin Nasser standards of hygiene, wearing facemasks, amount of compassion and care that is both President and CEO ‘Id Mubarak wild footprints return to soaring dunes Shaybah: Engineering feat enhancing nature Biodiversity provides us with the essential foundations for our very existence, livelihoods, and prosperity.
    [Show full text]
  • General Assembly Official Records Seventy-Fourth Session
    United Nations A/74/ PV.10 General Assembly Official Records Seventy-fourth session 10th plenary meeting Friday, 27 September 2019, 3 p.m. New York President: Mr. Muhammad-Bande ................................. (Nigeria) The meeting was called to order at 4.20 p.m. as witnessed firsthand by the 120 delegations that recently participated in the ministerial conference of Agenda item 8 (continued) the Non-Aligned Movement held in Venezuela — very much despite the media war that powerful media General debate corporations have unleashed to tarnish the reputation Address by Ms. Delcy Rodríguez Gómez, of Bolivarian Venezuela and despite the attempted Vice-President of the Bolivarian Republic coups d’état by extremist Venezuelan political factions, of Venezuela including even assassination attempts against the Head of State, the entire military and political command The President: The Assembly will now hear and the Venezuelan State authorities, as well as an address by the Vice-President of the Bolivarian Ambassadors accredited in the country. Republic of Venezuela. The world media says nothing, which is why I Ms. Delcy Rodríguez Gómez, Vice-President of the commend this space in which peoples can speak to Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, was escorted to one another, as they are unable to access that same the rostrum. apparatus, which is exclusively at the service of The President: I have great pleasure in welcoming the world hegemonic Power and its satellites. The Her Excellency Ms. Delcy Rodríguez Gómez, world media says nothing about the social-protection Vice-President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, system in Venezuela, which covers almost 19 million and inviting her to address the General Assembly.
    [Show full text]
  • The Dolphin Project: the Development of a Gulf Gas Initiative
    The Dolphin Project: The Development of a Gulf Gas Initiative Justin Dargin January 2008 NG 22 The contents of this paper are the author‘s sole responsibility. They do not necessarily represent the views of the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies or any of its Members. Copyright © 2008 Oxford Institute for Energy Studies (Registered Charity, No. 286084) This publication may be reproduced in part for educational or non-profit purposes without special permission from the copyright holder, provided acknowledgment of the source is made. No use of this publication may be made for resale or for any other commercial purpose whatsoever without prior permission in writing from the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies. ISBN 978-1-901795-69-1 ii CONTENTS Preface v Acknowledgements . vi Biography . vi 1. Introduction . 1 1.1 Reserves of the Gulf region and the North Field . 4 1.2 North Field reserves . 4 1.3 Economics and pricing of Gulf gas: The story of perverse incentives . 7 1.3.1 The Gulf gas market . 8 1.3.2 The UAE pricing regime . 9 1.3.3 Oman and perverse incentives . 10 1.4 The gas social contract . 11 2. Foreign and domestic policy initiatives for gas development . 13 2.1 The domestic reason: The initial development of the North Field . 13 2.2 Natural gas development . 13 2.3 The development of the North Field . 14 2.4 Qatar‘s investment model: the monetization of the North Field . 16 3. The Proposed GCC regional gas grid: the collapse of an ideal . 18 3.1 Reality hits and Saudi Arabia disengages .
    [Show full text]
  • Saudi Arabia
    U.S. Department of State FY 2000 Country Commercial Guide: Saudi Arabia The Country Commercial Guide for Saudi Arabia was prepared by U.S. Embassy Riyadh and released by the Bureau of Economic and Business in July 1999 for Fiscal Year 2000. TABLE OF CONTENTS I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY II. ECONOMIC TRENDS AND OUTLOOK III. POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT IV. MARKETING U.S. PRODUCTS AND SERVICES V. LEADING SECTORS FOR U.S. EXPORTS AND INVESTMENT VI. TRADE REGULATIONS, CUSTOMS, AND STANDARDS VII. INVESTMENT CLIMATE VIII. TRADE AND PROJECT FINANCING IX. BUSINESS TRAVEL X. ECONOMIC AND TRADE STATISTICS A. Country Data B. Domestic Economy C. Trade D. Investment Statistics XI. U.S. AND COUNTRY CONTACTS XII. MARKET RESEARCH AND TRADE EVENTS I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This Country Commercial Guide (CCG) presents a comprehensive look at Saudi Arabia's commercial environment, using economic, political and market analysis. The CCG was established by recommendation of the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee (TPCC), a multi-agency task force, to consolidate various reporting documents prepared for the U.S. business community. CCGs are prepared annually at U.S. Embassies through the combined efforts of several U.S. Government agencies. 2 The United States is Saudi Arabia's leading trading and investment partner. The United States also continues to be the leading supplier of services and defense equipment to the Kingdom. In 1998, the United States exported more than $10.5 billion in merchandise, representing a 25 percent increase over 1997 exports. The United States has more than $8 billion in direct investment in Saudi Arabia, primarily through joint ventures in petrochemicals.
    [Show full text]