Setup of Production Testing Facility at Loc.

HXR (Sesabil-1)
Process/ Product improvement/ simplification
Preamble:

The well Sesabil-1 (Loc. HXR) was drilled as an exploratory well in the Sesbil area near the Banks of
Dihing River. The Location is approximately 43km away from Duliajan. After reaching the target
depth, the well was perforated on 10.12.2022 and presence of oil was established at the aforesaid
area with a very promising potential of 100 to 150 KLPD. However, considering the distance of
nearest OCS from the well plinth, it is considered to produce the well using a Surface Production
Facility (SPF) and transport the produced crude oil by Bowsers to the nearest Bowser Unloading
Station.

View above, an initial recce was carried out on 09.12.2022 and it was found that due to space
constrains the low-lying area by the side of the effluent pits, approach road and CISF area is to be
earth filled for the placement of SPF setup as well as the entire area is to be hardstand to withstand
heavy static load of the plants and machinery of SPF setup. Also, a bowser loading pad along with
foundation for placement of indirect heater is to be constructed for the SPF. The primary route taken
for movement of Oil field vehicles was considered through ITF Road Via Belbari & Hatibandha Tiniali
to Loc. HXR.

The aforesaid location was proposed in the year 2015 but work at the site was not started until the
last of 2020. As the land got released after 2020, the drilling operations started thereafter. Thus,
during drilling improvisions were made to complete the well as early as possible. Thereafter, when
initial testing showed promising oil potential of enormous scale it was our topmost priority to start
production in no time. Accordingly, in this case too several measures and improvements were taken
by Civil Department and the Asset to achieve the same.

THESE ARE AS FOLLOWS.

01. During Drilling

Well Sesabil-1 was drilled down to 4087 m MD (TD) which consisted of 684 m of 8.½" section.
The 8.½" section was drilled by using Single PDC bit in one run in 15 days. Generally, drilling 8
½" section take 3 to 4 TCR bits which involve more tripping and more downhole complexity as
time consumes. The use of PDC bit saved lots of other resources and avoided downhole
complications.

During tripping in pipe after drilling down to 3403 m within 12.¼" section, the string got stuck at
depth of 3215 m MD. Work on stuck string for some time but could not be released. Without any
delay 82 bbls of spotting oil were spotted and stuck string got released within 6 hrs. of getting
stuck with the help of quick and right response to situation saved resources and avoided further
downhole complications. Using efficient Tools and Processes resulted in completing well in 118
days against 147 days planned (as per TDP).

Since the 8.5” section was drilled in one run using PDC bit, a smooth hole was offered for
open-hole wireline survey and because of which good data quality logs
(Resistivity-Density-Porosity-Dipole-sonic-Gamma-SP-Caliper-Inclinometer) were recorded in
three runs. Subsequently, after one round trip sidewall coring job was carried out without any
lost in hole of core barrel. The open-hole wireline logging as well as the sidewall coring jobs
were completed in the first attempts, providing required petro-physical information for better
formation evaluation.
The well was drilled using OIL’s In-house mud system avoiding highly cost mud system of
Service providers (mud cost per meter is Rs 5355.50/- with a total cost of Rs.2,18,87,931/- only)
and completed smoothly without any major downhole complicacies.

Also, HXR well drilled using OIL'S In-house polymer mud system had optimized mud parameters
and maintained mud weight with a minimal of 0.5pcf resolution while drilling against critical pore
pressure region of Oil string section. This led absolutely smooth tripping and drilling behaviour
throughout the reservoir section and therefore minimal reservoir damage was expected leading
to discovery of crude oil.

02. Civil Preparatory Jobs for placement of SPF and plying of Bowsers

Following points were intimated to Civil Engineering Department by DGM (Production)-(CA) vide
email dtd 15.12.2022 as per the joint recce conducted for SPF installation.

At first, considering, the operational and production point of view, it was decided to utilize a
single contract for the work instead of MMC contracts. Subsequently, an in-principle approval to
utilize the contract No. 6117713 was immediately put up from Civil Engineering Department on
16.12.2022 and approval was granted from the Competent Authority on 20.12.2022.

Estimated time of
Notation DESCRIPTION Work Work Volume
Completion in Weeks
A B D
Earth haulage Capacity of
Total Earth filling for SPF Setup 3-axel Dumper – 10.87 cum.
Maximum Truck Load per day
Steps involve to carry out the work: per dumper = 15 nos. (aprox.)
a) Identification of source
b) Assessing best possible Employing Three (3 Trucks =
5000 cum (approx.)
route for transportation of 45 dumpers per days = 45 ×
A materials 10.87 = 489.15 cum.
Distance of Source
c) Transportation of materials
= 10 kms
d) Unloading Days required for 5000 cum =
e) Spreading of earth in the low 11 days (aprox.)
laying area Spreading and compacting = 9
f) Compaction days (aprox.)
g) Dresing/ Grading
Total = 20 days
Total Hardstanding area for SPF 4000 sqm (aprox.)
Setup
Maximum truck loads per day
Which implies
= 15 nos.
Steps Involved- a) 700 cum of
GSB
Total days required for
a) Identification of source b) 700 cum of
Haulage = 1600 / (15×10.87) =
b) Assessing best possible Hand
B 10 days (aprox.)
route for transportation of broken
materials c) 200 cum of
Spreading and rolling = 5
c) Transportation of materials Gravel &
days.
d) Unloading Stone Dust
e) Spreading of GSB/ Hand Total Haulage
Total days required = 15 days
broken on prepared earth required = 1600
surface cum
 f) Rolling to proper grade and Distance of Source
slope. = 48 km
Construction of Bowser Loading Pad
size = 15m× 5m and indirect heater
foundation
RCC Volume = Cutting & Bending of
a) Dressing of Area
22.50 cum Reinforcement = 1 day
b) Cutting and bending
C Placement of Concrete = 1day
Reinforcement
Targeted strength =
c) Place of reinforcement
M20 i.e. 20 N/mm2 Total days required = 2 days.
d) Formwork
e) Pouring of concrete and
finishing
Fixing of Post (300 nos.) = 3
days
Shifting of Entrance Gate and Total Length =
D
perimeter fencing 721m Fixing of Fencing and welding
= 2 days
Total = 5 days

Sequence of work diagram with PERT/ CPM analysis:

SLACK = 0 days SLACK = 0 days

Earthwork 0 20 Hard 20 35
Standing
20 days 0 20 35 days
15 days 20 35
Start Finish
Foundation 20 22

SLACK = 30 days 2 days 33 35

Fencing & 0 5 SLACK = 10 days
Gate
5 days 30 35

From above PERT/CPM analysis on the basis of Table. A, the earliest finish time for the aforesaid
work is 35 days. However, considering the operational urgency and huge potential of the well it
was determined to complete all the civil works within 2 weeks from starting of the civil works i.e.
from 20.12.2022 instead of 5 weeks. While doing so the following process improvements and
simplification of work was carried out so that the work can be completed within the stipulated
time (2 weeks).
Steps taken for process improvement and Simplification in Civil Jobs:

a) Increasing the working hours in shifts from 8 hrs of the day to 16 hrs by deploying
separate work force on different shifts.
b) Breaking down each head into several sub-heads e.g.
a. Earth-filling and hard-standing work were divided into different zones and
completing each zone individually in the specific area wherein next jobs is to be
started which in turn reduced the required time frame for earth filling from 20
days to 9 days and for hard standing from 15 days to 5 days. Also, in order to
carter huge earth volume within a short period of time two sources of earth were
selected instead of one. Entire earth-filling area is divided into following zones.
i. Production setup area
ii. Bowser Loading Pad area
iii. Flare pit area
iv. CISF Area
c) For rapid compaction of earth both methods of vibratory and static load were applied.
Due to change in processes and simplifying the work methodology the time frame could be
reduced to 14 days as shown in the PERT/ CPM analysis given below:

SLACK = 0 days SLACK = 0 days

Earthwork 0 9 Hard 9 14
Standing
9 days 0 9 14 days
5 days 9 14
Start Finish
Foundation 9 11

SLACK = 9 days 2 days 12 14

Fencing & 0 5 SLACK = 3 days
Gate
5 days 9 14
 03. Process improvement for Installation of SPF

The usual time required for setting up of surface production facility from is about two to three
weeks. However, surface production facility has been set up in just 9 days. Several jobs were
done parallelly, and some improvements were made to compensate for the delay caused by
logistics, ongoing civil jobs, material placement etc. Some significant ones are highlighted below:

a) The well production line was made parallelly alongside with SPF by making a foresight of
the final layout of SPF beforehand and laying the lines accordingly, saving almost 3 days.
b) In the similar note the flare line was also approximated and made parallelly with SPF.
This too enabled us to reach the target 3 to 4 days before.
c) The owner of the land was not allowing the flare pit wall to be constructed citing concern
that the heat of the flare might damage his nearby tea plantation.
In view above, improvisation was made in the design of flare pit and wall. The fire pit
header was placed towards the remotest end from the tea plantation side of the flare pit
and additionally, a separate wall was raised in addition to the existing wall of the flare pit
towards the side facing the tea plantation. The space between these two walls was kept
open in a definite shape to enable natural convection and cooling of the wall facing the
flare. This would prevent the heat from the flare to reach the second wall. These
arrangements were explained to the land owner and assured that the plantation would
not get affected and in case, it does he would be compensated accordingly.
d) Another major challenge was that the contractor could not transfer the tanks to the site
due to logistics problems. To resolve the issue 03 numbers of 37 KL tanks from different
locations were brought in. However, the outlet and the inlet of these tanks do not comply
with the pipe fittings available with the contractor. Thus, appropriate crossovers for
connecting these tanks with the contractor pipelines were fabricated in house within a
single day. These crossovers were later installed in the tanks, and this enabled us to use
this for taking production from the well and also one tank was used for firefighting.
e) Apart from this, the crude oil rheology was analysed and based on the result an
appropriate chemical dosing was arranged for keeping the well flowing and preventing
the separators and flow lines from getting plugged.
f) The night before opening the well, all the casing annulus were checked for any sort of
leak or damaged and a leak was observed from the C annulus 2-inch bull plug.
Accordingly, the workover section was informed and next day in the early morning, the
plug was tightened properly, and the leak was arrested.
 g) Lighting arrangements were made to work beyond day hours and complete critical jobs in
a single day

All these job were done in the shortest possible time by working for long hours in the field
continuously to complete the task before the target date of 14th January 2023. And the well was
opened in the afternoon of 14th January 2023 just before the festival of Magh Bihu.