| Abstract: | This paper presents a case study of using oil fingerprinting technology to correctly back allocate commingled pipeline crude to production from six contributing fields in an offshore southeast Asia basin. A large number of oil and pipeline samples were collected over time and analyzed by gas chromatography for their oil fingerprints. In this case, production from each field pipeline could easily be distinguished by their whole-oil fingerprints that changed little with time. However, oils collected from the commingled pipelines showed significant chromatographic variation with time, indicating production contribution from the different fields to the pipelines varied with time. Quantitative results were attained using a proprietary computer program which mathematically calculates relative contributions (±3%) of oil mixes based on a best-fit least-squares regression of selected chromatographic peak ratios. This allocation method assisted operations to more accurately determine production for each field or a group of fields in the basin. The technique, which provides a new approach to supplement and cross-check production metering necessary for defining tax liability, has helped save significant tax dollars for field operation units. |
