1 R&D ACTIVITIES IN OIL INDIA LTD H DUBEY Head – R&D Services.

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OIL’S R&D EFFORTS IN UPSTREAM HYDROCARBON SECTOR

IN KEEPING WITH INTERNATIONAL PRACTICES,

OIL HAS DEVELOPED A STRONG AND VIBRANT

IN-HOUSE R&D ESTABLISHMENT TO MEET THE

CHALLENGES AND PROBLEMS IN THE E&P

SECTOR AND TO PROVIDE VIABLE AND COST

EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS.

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OIL’S R&D CENTRE

OIL IS ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN CUTTING EDGE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE UPSTREAM SECTOR

OIL’S MAIN THRUST ON R&D IS RELATED TO SPECIFIC PROBLEMS IDENTIFIED IN OIL’S AREAS OF OPERATION SUCH AS :

EXPLORATION

DRILLING & WORK OVER

PRODUCTION

ENHANCED OIL RECOVERY

PIPELINE TRANSPORTATION

COAL TO OIL CONVERSION

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OIL’S R&D INFRASTRUCTURE

THE R&D LABORATORY ESTABLISHED IN DULIAJAN IS ONE OF THE STATE-OF- THE – ART CENTRE IN INDIA

SOME OF THE MAJOR EQUIPMENTS AVAILABLE FOR R&D INCLUDE :

XRD

SEM

ISOTOPE RATIO MASS SPECTROMETER

INFRA-RED SPECTROMETER

PILOT PLANT FOR COAL LIQUIFACTION

HIGH TEMPERATURE GAS CHROMATORGRAPH

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EXPLORATION

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RESERVOIR FLUID IDENTIFICATION USING GEOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF SIDE WALL CORES

SOURCE ROCK CHARACTERIZATION AND OIL – OIL CORRELATION

GRAIN SIZE ANALYSIS FOR SAND CONTROL OPTIMIZATION

XRD & SEM STUDIES FOR CLAY MINERAL TYPING PETROPHYSICAL PROPERTIES, MINERAL COMPOSITION & LITHOSTRATIGRAPHY

INTEGRATION OF LAB INVESTIGATIONS WITH G & G STUDIES

ACTIVITIES

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BENEFITS

GEOCHEMICAL STUDIES HELP IN UNDERSTANDING THE PETROLEUM SYSTEM AND IN BUILDING CONCEPTUAL GEOLOGICAL MODEL OF PETROLEUM GENERATION, MIGRATION AND ACCUMULATION CYCLE

OIL TO SOURCE CORRELATION HAS INDICATED FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT ALL THE OILS GENERATED IN THE ASSAM BASIN ARE DERIVED FROM TERRIGENOUS ORGANIC MATTER

NEW CHROMATOGRAPHIC TECHNIQUE HAS CLEARLY IDENTIFIED THE NORMAL OIL BEARING, HEAVY OIL BEARING WATER BEARING ZONES IN THE WELLS ANALYZED

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THE NEED

OIL DOES NOT HAVE ADEQUATE INFRASTRUCTURE TO CARRY OUT R&D WORK IN THE AREA OF MICROBIOLOGICAL PROSPECTING

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DRILLING, WORKOVER &

PRODUCTION

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ACTIVITIES RELATED TO DRILLING & WORKOVER

OIL HAS BEEN CARRYING OUT R&D WORK ON

DEVELOPING APPROPRIATE DRILLING AND WORKOVER

FLUIDS TO TACKLE DOWNHOLE PROBLEMS

FEASIBILITY STUDY OF HORIZONTAL DRILLING IN OIL’S

OPERATIONAL AREAS OF ASSAM (CONSULTANCY

PROJECT FUNDED BY OIDB)

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MOST OF THE PROBLEMS IN DRILLING AND

WORKOVER FLUIDS HAVE BEEN SOLVED

EXPERIENCE GAINED IN HORIZONTAL DRILLING WILL

ENABLE OIL TO CARRY OUT SIMILAR STUDIES FOR

OTHER RESERVOIRS INDEPENDENTLY

OIL WILL BE ABLE TO DRILL HORIZONTAL WELLS FOR

ENHANCING PRODUCTION( eg. MAKUM –HAPJAN FIELD)

BENEFITS RELATED TO DRILLING & WORKOVER

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THE NEED

OIL IS FACING HOLE INSTABILITY PROBLEM IN DRIILING DEEP EOCENE WELLS

OIL REQUIRES APPROPRIATE WORKOVER FLUID FORMULATIONS FOR HIGHLY DEPLETED RESERVOIRS TO ARREST HEAVY FLUID LOSS

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ACTIVITIES RELATED TO PRODUCTION, EOR

STUDIES ON THE MORPHOLOGY OF WAX CRYSTALS FOR MITIGATING

WAX DEPOSITION PROBLEMS

DEVELOPMENT OF POLYMERIC FORMULATION FOR WATER SHUT-OFF

JOBS FOLLOWED BY CEMENT SQUEEZE FOR WATERED OUT SANDS OF

LOW TEMPERATURE WELLS

TRACERS FOR MONITORING OF INJECTION WATER FRONT

INJECTIVITY DECLINE OF WATER DISPOSAL WELLS

DEVELOPMENT OF ASP FORMULATION FOR EOR IN OIL’S RESERVOIRS

DEVELOPMENT OF MICROBIOLOGICAL FORMULATIONS FOR MEOR

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STUDY OF WAX MORPHOLOGY HAS GIVEN VALUABLE INSIGHT INTO WAX DEPOSITION PHENOMENA AND HAS HELPED IN SOLVING WAX DEPOSITION PROBLEMS

WATER SHUT-OFF TECHNIQUE HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY USED IN REDUCING WATER INGRESS PROBLEMS IN PRODUCING WELLS

TRACER MONITORING HELPED IN CONTROLLING MOVEMENT OF WATER FRONT

INJECTIVITY DECLINE STUDES HAS HELPED IN IMPROVING INJECTIVITY IN WATER DISPOSAL WELLS

BENEFITS RELATED TO PRODUCTION,EOR

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THE NEED

DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNIQUES/CHEMICALS TO TACKLE PARAFFIN DEPOSITION PROBLEM

TECHNIQUES/PROCESS TO TACKLE SRB PROBLEM

DEVELOPMENT OF SURFACTANT, POLYMERS, MICROBES ETC FOR EOR AND MEOR

TECHNIQUES FOR PRODUCTION OF HIGH VISCOUS/HIGH POUR POINT OIL FROM DEEPER HORIZON

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PIPELINE TRANSPORTATION OF CRUDE

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ACTIVITIES

ESTABLISHING CHEMICAL (FLOW IMPROVER) TREATMENT

AT LOW DOSAGE AS A TECHNO-ECONOMICALLY VIABLE

ALTERNATIVE TO THERMAL CONDITIONING FOR DULIAJAN

COMPOSITE AND MORAN ONGCL CRUDE FOR

TRANSPORTATION THROUGH MAIN PIPELINE DURING

WINTER.

TREATMENT DESIGN AND PRESSURE DROP/TEMPRATURE

PROFILE CALCULATIONS FOR VARIOUS CRUDE OIL FLOW

LINES

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SWITCHING OVER FROM THERMAL CONDITIONING

PROCESS TO FLOW IMPROVER TREATMENT HAS

RESULTED IN CONSIDERABLE COST SAVINGS FOR THE

COMPANY

RHEOLOGY MEASUREMENT AND PRESSURE DROP

CALCULATIONS HAVE HELPED IN SOLVING BOWSER

LOADING / UNLOADING AND PIPELINE TRANSPORTATION

PROBLEMS

BENEFITS

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THE NEED

DEVELOPMENT FLOW IMPROVER CHEMICALS SUITABLE FOR HIGH ASPHALT/HIGH WAX OILS

DEVELOPMENT OF PROCESSES/CHEMICALS FOR FLOW ASSURANCE IN FLOW LINES

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ALTERANATE ENERGY RESOURCE

COAL TO OIL CONVERSION

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LIQUIFACTION OF ASSAM COAL USING STATE-OF-THE-ART

TECHNOLOGY FOR PRODUCTION OF SYNCRUDE

OIL HAS ESTABLISHED A PILOT PLANT FOR COAL

LIQUIFACTION AND IS IN THE PROCESS OF EXAMINING

VARIOUS TECHNOLOGIES FOR OPTIMUM SYNCRUDE

PRODUCTION

DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROCESS FOR LIQUIFACTION OF

COAL WILL HELP IN ESTABLISHING AN ALTERNATE

SOURCE OF LIQUID FUEL

ACTIVITIES & BENEFITS

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HEAVY OIL & BITUMEN PRODUCTION IN RAJASTHAN

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PDVSA, VENEZUELA IS PROVIDING CONSULTANCY SERVICE ON METHODOLOGY TO DRILL AND PRODUCE HEAVY OIL FROM BAGHEWALA FIELD USING HUFF AND PUFF STEAM INJECTION TECHNIQUE

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AWARDS / RECOGNITION

OIL’S R&D EFFORTS HAVE BROUGHT IN MANY LAURELS WHICH INCLUDE

NPMP AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE FOR THE 1999-2000 FOR APPLICATION OF RESERVOIR GEOCHEMISTRY IN CORRECT RESERVOIR FLUID IDENTIFICATION. THIS INNOVATION TOGATHER WITH OTHER ESTABLISHED TECNIQUES HAS RESULTED IN CONSIDERABLE SAVING IN COST AND TIME SPENT IN DECISION MAKING REGARDING PERFORATION AND TESTING POLICY

NPMP AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE FOR THE YEAR 2001-2002 FOR DEVELOPING CRUDE VISCOSITY MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUE AND FOR SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTING A MODIFIED TECHNO-ECONOMICALLY BETTER CRUDE TREATMENT PROCESS.

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FUTURE OUTLOOK

OIL WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON R&D EFFORTS TO PROVIDE TECHNO-ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE SOLUTIONS TO VARIOUS PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED BY THE COMPANY IN ITS OPERATIONS

PRIORITY WILL BE GIVEN TO TRANSLATE LABORATORY FINDINGS INTO FIELD IMPLEMENTATION

ASSIMILATION OF NEW TECHNOLOGY WILL BE ENCOURAGED

WITH OIL VENTURING INTO NEW FRONTIER AREAS, ALL EFFORTS WILL BE MADE IN R&D TO MEET THE CHALLENGES AND PROVIDE WORKABLE SOLUTIONS

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REACHING OUT

THE RESULTS OF OIL’S R&D EFFORTS ARE REGULARLY PRESENTED /

PUBLISHED IN LEADING NATIONAL / INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES

AND TECHNICAL JOURNALS

OIL HAS CONSTANT INTERACTION WITH UNIVERSITY FACULTY AND

RESEARCHERS IN THE COUNTRY SPECIALLY FROM NORTH-EAST INDIA.

OIL REGULARLY HELPS ACADEMIA WITH LABORATORY FACILITIES

OIL HAS CARRIED OUT/IS CARRYING OUT COLLABORATIVE R&D WORK

WITH INSTITUTES LIKE RRL, JORHAT, TERI,NEW DELHI, IIP, DEHRADUN,

DIBRUGARH UNIVERSITY, GAUHATI UNIVERSITY, BIRBAL SAHNI

INSTITUTE OF PALEOBOTANY, LUCKNOW, IASST, GUWAHATI.