SOCAR seeks to ramp up oil production at Gunashli field

The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) is working on increasing oil production in the shallow water part of the Gunashli field by boosting water injection volumes over the next three years, Report informs, citing SOCAR.

Discovered in the 1980s, Gunashli is one of Azerbaijan's largest oil fields, with over 200 wells currently in operation. Although current production is lower than peak levels, the field remains a crucial asset in SOCAR's portfolio and plays a significant role in the country's economy.

Effective development of the Gunashli field is primarily achieved through water injection into the reservoir, a process that helps maintain reservoir pressure and oil production levels over an extended period. This task requires accurate field data, in-depth technical analysis, drilling high-capacity water injection wells, installing surface equipment, and laying pipelines.

Water injection at Gunashli began in 1986 and has long relied on Soviet methods and manual calculations. Currently, the replacement rate of produced fluids with injected water in the field's productive horizons ranges from 8% to 35%, while the target is approximately 100%. The insufficient volume of injected water has led to a nearly two-fold pressure drop, complicating efficient field operation.

SOCAR plans to achieve a 50% replacement of produced fluids with injected water over the next three years, which will increase overall oil production and prevent further pressure decline. Previously, water injection at Gunashli was carried out from the No. 9 offshore platform using a single pump through 8 wells, with a daily volume of 3,500 cubic meters.

However, under the new project, the total injection capacity has been increased to 17,000 cubic meters per day by installing additional pumps on platforms No. 9, 6, and 15. Daily oil production at the field has already increased by 200 tons, and 27 wells have been selected for transfer to the injection system.

SOCAR is conducting a comprehensive study of the reservoir using models to forecast the transfer of wells to the injection system. Additionally, complex research is being carried out, and the results are analyzed using the model.

The shallow part of the Gunashli field has been in operation since 1980 and accounts for up to 65% of SOCAR's total oil production.