Offshore staff

DOHA, Qatar -- Qatar Petroleum (QP) and Total have signed a research and technology agreement, designed to increase production from Qatar’s carbonates oil and gas fields through use of acid stimulation.

The research program will focus in particular on high permeability contrasted formations and, at the same time, strive to mitigate unwanted water production. Carbonates dissolve in acid. Injecting acid in wells and dissolving part of the surrounding rocks improves reservoir permeability, and hence output from producing wells.

Last November QP and Total signed a Technology Cooperation Framework Agreement. Both companies will provide a team of specialists in well acid stimulation based at the Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP), focus on developing laboratory testing and research capacity.

Total operates Qatar’s offshore Al Khalij field, and according to QP has developed expertise in carbonates acid stimulation, in part through its participation in the offshore South Pars and Dolphin developments.

Since 2010, the company has run a carbonates acid stimulation project via the Total Research Center – Qatar (TRC-Q), located at QSTP, conducting lab testing, scaling-up and modeling. 

5/18/2012