Reservoir Engineer
Resume:
MARISOL EMILCE LEIVA
***********@*****.***.**
SUMMARY
** ***** ** ************ ********** in the Oil & Gas Industry: Offshore and onshore projects, exploration, green fields, mature fields, waterflooding, unconventional (shale) resources, production optimization and reservoir management. I have discovered and increased reserves and production in several opportunities in my career, heavily relying on big data simulation software and made aware of mistakes that had been costing a fortune to the company.
I am results oriented, able to find solutions to challenging technical problems, enjoy working in multi-disciplinary teams and mentoring others in-company and even as a part time professor in the university. Ability to deal with high workload peaks and high commitment to reach deadlines.
TECH COMPETENCIES
Type Curve well studies/ Benchmarking/Well Optimization/Reservoir Management (SPOTFIRE/OFM/Gas Lift /ESP optimization/Prosper/MBAL)
Surveillance, well testing, monitoring and production optimization (Sapphire, Topaze, Sahara, CRM tool, VRR studies)
Reserves Estimation and Production Forecasting/Oil & Gas Field Development Plan and Execution
Analytical Reservoir Engineering Techniques (Material Balance, Decline Curve Analysis, RTA, OFM)
Numerical Simulation-Black Oil/Compositional/Conventional & Unconventional Shale Reservoirs -(Eclipse/CMG/PTREL/INTERSECT/IMEX/CHEARS/Harmony)
Reservoir & Fluid Characterization – thorough knowledge of PVT and SCAL laboratory techniques, QA/QC data, and validation for input in simulation.
Uncertainty Analysis. Design of Experiments and Application to Numerical Simulation Studies (Crystal Ball/Genopt)
Economic evaluations. Mostly using (Merak. Peep.)
WORK EXPERIENCE
Chevron Corporation Buenos Aires, ARG (April 2019 – Present)
Senior Reservoir & Production Engineer unconventional reserves
OFM Champion: I led the OFM deployment for ET field and upgrade the OFM version for Vaca Muerta project.
Led the digitalization project of the workflow for waterflooding monitoring making Chevron save time and money.
Led the deployment of IPM and Reveal integrated tool to efficiently operate shale gas wells applying the choke management concept and mentoring the rest of the production team that now operates almost independently.
IX Simulation Champion for Argentina, mentoring Reservoir Engineers in Simulation workflows for UCR.
Reserves certification of Vaca Muerta to present to SEC, which always have accepted by them.
Conducted the Type curve study to support the High density completions, delineating a methodology based on probabilistic analysis of large amount of data. Data analytic integration of fracs data and production well data by reservoir bench (Spotfire). That allowed the company to justify an increment of 30 %.
Regional benchmarking study to support de development of new target in Vaca Muerta, Loma Campana (sporfire).
Participated in CVX mentoring program, teaching the module of Reservoir Drive Mechanism with focus in PVT data.
Organize lesson learned talks between Bs As and field completions engineers, helping to stablish networks.
Generated diagnostic RTA plots (SPOTFIRE), allowing comparison in between large among of wells to identify the better completion designs as wells distance, proppant type and intensity, frac’s stages distance, cluster number.
Chevron Corporation El Tigre, Venezuela (July 2016 – March 2019)
Senior Petroleum Engineer/Production Optimization and Reservoir Management Advisor.
Huyapari is one of biggest field concessions in the giant Orinoco Heavy Oil belt in Eastern Venezuela, about 150000 BOD.
I Identifed the opportunity to improve the Well testing and Production allocation workflow and led the implementation of a New methodology in three major CVX operated areas in Venezuela. Designated as OFM production data base software’s champion in Venezuela, in charge of the deployment in all Venezuela CVX areas ( Maracaibo, El Tigre, Puerto Ordaz). (OFM/SPOTFIRE)
I designed and Executed the Surveillance plan and Quality Assurance studies (pressure test, PVT, viscosity and water samples).
Led analytical studies (DCA, PTA, Joshi) to support the critical variables of the development plan for mid and long term, number of wells, locations, wells potential, wells reservoir target and wellslater length.
Generated the fluid forecasts for mid and long term, for cold development that helped to make critical decision of facilities expansions and debottlenecking.
Led the Pro-cycling and Screening of Earth Model (GOCAD/Petrel/IX/CMG) to QC the volume and critical properties as SWIR and SWAT, before to run the dynamic simulation (IX).
Led the Dynamic Simulation model and HM (IX/CMG) Implementation of J function in Dynamic model to improve the water production coming from transition zones that reduce the water forecast uncertainty that has a high impact in the final development plan and facility design expansion.
Conducted integrated study of critical variables to select the new locations, as pressure, temperature, viscosity, water regions, water oil contact and generate maps in Petrel.
Mentoring local Engineers and interns in the generation of dynamic simulations and production and reservoir software and concepts. (IX/CMG/OFM/TOPAZE/PROSPER/MBAL/SPOTFIRE).
Identified well re-entry opportunity, estimated potential and led the execution.
Post-mortem and lookback studies for new well drilled and workover jobs. Economic study to support the following BP.
Identified and evaluate new assets to develop, using benchmarking study of reservoir and production data properties to estimate well potential. (SPOTFIRE tool)
Chevron Corporation Houston TX (April 2009 – Jun2016)
Senior Production & Reservoir Simulation & Reservoir Management Engineer Support
Area B, Block 0, Angola field produces significant volumes of oil from six fields that include two major gas injection projects on key Chevron Assets, where Identified candidates to perform workover as fishing job, velocity string (tubing diameter reduction). Supported the forecasts with Nodal Analysis and DCA. Run the economics study of the potential alternatives selected. (PROSPER/MBAL/PEEP)
Conducted a simulation model that was successfully matched and wells were drilled on new well placements and drived key decisions related to maximizing OIL, LPG and LNG value through area wide gas management. Blow Down alternatives and facility limitations were evaluated, looking for the oil and gas reserves optimization in a long term. (IX)
FST Fast Track Production Growth Assessment, Block 0 Performed a high level screening and ranking of all the potential Block 0 prospects for the pilot testing of a fast track field development program. Estimated hydrocarbon-in-place volumes, average well rates, and expected recoveries using probabilistic tools, log data, and benchmarking reservoir and production data from all Block 0 areas to ensure reasonable forecasts.
Lifua Project, Off-shore Green Field Development, (Block 0, Africa) I conducted PVT Quality assurance test study. Led the validation and quality check of the input for the simulation model. Integrated all available Block 0 PVT to check the consistency of density and viscosity with RDT log and DST well control data. I selected P10-P50-P90 PVT to support the Experimental Design study.
Estimated the BHT free from mud cooling effects by applying the Horner method on data from the RDT samples and log temperature records. Impact: Expected waterflooding efficiency from simulation increased 20%, because of the implication of more favorable fluid properties.
Conducted Experimental Design study: Uncertainty ranges for key variables were identified and runs changing one variable at a time (OVAT) were conducted to select the significant variables to carry forward to the Experimental Design study. Monte Carlo simulation was run using Crystal Ball, a statistical software add-on for Excel. Full Factorial tables were generated using a proxy equation from the experimental design work. The cases that matched the Monte Carlo analysis closely, and had a realistic combination of variables, were selected as P10-50-90 models.
Performed J function sensitivity study to quantify the impact of capillary pressure on OOIP and water production forecasts, which was critical in defining the surface facility capacity.
Responsible for several development plan alternatives that were evaluated: peripheral water injection, infill patterns, gas lift, ESP, and primary depletion, water flooding, horizontal and high deviated angle wells.
Conducted the simulation model conversion from Chears to Eclipse.
Takula Field, Mature waterflood Off-shore Field, (Block 0). Completed WOR versus Np study which aided base decline and reference case analysis. The water forecast was a critical factor for surface facility design and had been identified as a high impact uncertainty.
Conducted Quality Assurance study of PVT and Pressure tests. Validated PVT consistency with DST pressure test data and several viscosity samples taken in different wells. Impact: Resulted in an update of Bo, representing a 2% change in OOIP. I updated the Lift tables for gas lift and ESP wells to input in the simulation model, that improved the water match.
Generated the scale up model from the fine earth model using streamline (Petrel).
I conducted analytical study by applying the capacitance resistance model (CRM) and Stagg tools (diagnostic plot to evaluate the water injection efficiency) to confirm and quantify the flux between TK field, neighbors’ fields, and the surrounding aquifer. Impact: Simulation pressure and saturation match were improved, reducing the water forecast uncertainty that impact in the final decision of facility design expansion plan.
I was awarded for Excellence in Reservoir Management for the development of novel integrated characterization workflows, and reviving ‘old’ data to improve characterization and static to dynamic model fidelity. Impact: Infill wells and work over activities were successfully proposed to capture bypassed oil, enhancing the water flood performance and improving in the field decline trend.
Wamba, Mature Off-shore Field, Primary Depletion I built the PKS model with a reliable history match (Petrel and Chears simulator), provided feedback to earth modelers on permeability and fault transmissibility values. Impact: The location and number of new producer and injector wells to drill was refined in the Asset Development Plan. To achieve this I performed material balance and regional energy model using MBAL software to confirm the OOIP and potential communication with neighboring fields and aquifer support, which validated the simulation results. Impact: A water flooding project planned was aborted on time and saved millions of dollars to the company.
Chevron Corporation Buenos Aires, ARG (June 2006 – March 2009)
Senior Petroleum Engineer.
El Trapial field is one of the most successful waterfloods in Neuquén Basin, Argentina. I made a high contribution in the goal, to identify bypassed oil, select the locations for infill drilling campaign, and generate the fluid forecast to define the surface facility capacity. I improved the simulation local pressure and saturation match by improving the water injection match at the well level honoring the ILT data.
Successfully integrated the infill pilot post-drill data into the new simulation model. Special core and MDT fluid samples data taken in the pilot wells helped to calibrate the saturation in the model and reduced the uncertainty in by passed oil locations. Thus, the next infill campaigns, drilled in 2011 and 2012, were more successfully predicted and the facility design uncertainty was reduced.
Austral Basin, Chorrillos Central I provided technical support to attain 2008-10 business plan development activities. Performed production estimations and delivered forecasts for the 2009-2011 Business Plan.
Prepared the reserves estimation and documentation required for internal and external auditors.
El Trapial Field, Base Business: I was responsible for the estimation of the reserves and business planning for El Trapial Field, Curamched and Confluencia fields. I predicted field performance by area based on WOR vs. Np methodology and decline curve analysis, impacting the facilities design. Successfully estimated and presented field Reserves; to internal and external auditors.
Led a feasibility study on conformance treatment to improve water flood efficiency. Reviewed tracer studies to select the pattern to test as pilot, coordinated the core data to define the rates and volumes to inject, prepared the production forecasts, and estimated potential earnings. The first pilot was executed in 2009 with very successful results and has been extended to other patterns in the last years.
El Porche Major Capital Project, green area: I conducted a regional pressure test study (using MBAL and Boronoi method in Saphir) that helped to estimate the oil water contact depth, understand the pressure support needed for this new area, improve the water flood by changing the pattern design, and select the most efficient well distance to accelerate the production
I estimated the optimal rate to produce wells based on voidadge replacement ratio calculation, BHPs, and SFT pressure data, to avoid pressure depletion. I designed and interpreted pressure tests to evaluate the fault transmissibility between areas. The results helped to define the water injection plan.
I was in charge of organizing the collection of a new PVT sample and validating it. Impact: The uncertainty in the gas rate forecast was reduced, which had a big impact on the facility capacity design plan, by confirming the initial gas saturation (Rs) and bubble point (Pb)
PLUSPETROL Buenos Aires ARG (Oct 2004 – May 2006)
Senior Petroleum Production and Reservoir Engineer
Ramos field: is the main gas-condensate naturally fractured field in Argentina and one of the few in the world.
I was responsible for compositional simulation this gas reservoir, history matching, and forecasting production. This work was used to design compression stages for the field which was successfully implemented. This study was done using MBAL work and core compression test data given our hypothesis that the fracture had closed.
I worked on validation and QC of the input data for simulation as: PVT validation and lumping. (Winpro CMG module). Vertical lift tables updated and exported
I led an integrated build up and pressure transient tests interpretation study in all the wells.
Created conceptual models to predict liquid buildup to optimize the wells production rate.
PETROBRAS ENERGIA Rio Negro/Neuquén ARG (Jul1998 – Sep2004) Senior Reservoir & Production Engineer
Banderita Oeste field: I lead the exploration and development project that was successfully developed, almost duplicating the production of the Medanito Company. Based on old seismic information and with a dynamic simulation model that I built in Eclipse with the information of only two exploration wells and seismic data. This reservoir was under a lake, not well known and considered marginal field at that time.
I prepared and validated simulation input data; including- well test data, PVT analysis, special core analysis, and production data and was in charge of building a reservoir simulation model (in Eclipse).
I proposed the drilling of a highly deviated well to confirm oil below the lake and crossing a main fault. The simulation and material balance I did successfully predicted pressure and oil potential of this area.
I generated a final full development plan with more than 20 producers and injectors, which was successfully executed. Following this work, other companies developed the same formation which benefitted the local area in terms of job creation and activity.
Medanito Field: (Rio Negro) I participated actively in the selection of the new infill locations and in the design of the completions. Prepared and up-dated isobaric maps, by collecting all existing pressure tests (RFT and build up) and designed new tests Infill drilling opportunities and water injection well pattern realignment were proposed, which improved the decline trend of the field extending the life of that area. I was responsible for identifying gas or water coning conditions and mitigating it with a new well completion design or in pattern realignment forecast. I performed nodal analysis, IPR tracking to evaluate well potential.I conducted a study comparing water versus gel fracturing, that helped to understand and define the advantages and disadvantages of the different completion techniques.
Sierras Blancas, Bajada del Palo, Neuquén Basin, I was responsible for preparing the development plan of a horizontal well pilot in a reservoir with low permeability and heavy oil. It was a thin reservoir layer with high water and gas coning risk and this pilot was conducted to mitigate the water coning risk. To make it more complex, a shallower target had been depleted. I benchmarked all the wells in the area, which showed that vertical wells completed with hydraulic fractures performed better than regular completions, but they had severe risk of water coning. I ran a conceptual simulation of a horizontal well as well as implementing an analytical study based on Joshy methodology to estimate the performance of the horizontal well and validate the well type for the development plan. It was the first well was successfully drilled and completed and performed to expectations. I proposed a full development plan based on simulation, analytical and benchmarking studies, this plan was executed with successful results. Neighboring operators used my plan and made similar developments, successfully .
Punta Rosada, Tight Gas, Neuquén Basin, I was assigned to follow the completions of pilot wells in the tight gas formation and optimize it. I was responsible for interpreting the pressure and build up and fluency test in the pilot well. I prepared a look back up of the economic, reservoir potential results and lesson learned of the operative problems that helped to optimize the completion when the project made economic sense.
Waterflooding and EOR Projects Study Team; E & P Argentina. I was responsible for implement new tools for waterflood monitoring in mature field development. Loaded secondary projects into Sahara software, to identify communication between injector and producer wells. This work helped improve the water flood performance.
I was in charge of pattern design and reconfiguration programs. I designed and interpreted production and injection well tests (Saphir, Flosystem, and Pansystem). I led the diagnosis of fluid flow path study based on tracer testing.
Researched methodologies for water control conformance like polymer injection and surfactants, and lead screening and feasibility studies to inject these products in our projects. Assisted and followed-up on enhanced oil recovery laboratory study.
TEACHING BACKGROUND
2019 – Current ITBA (Technical Institute of Buenos Aires) Buenos Aires, ARG
Professor: “Petrophysical and PVT Lab Test” for Petroleum Engineering degree.
2005 – 2009 ITBA (Technical Institute of Buenos Aires) Buenos Aires, ARG
Professor: “Petrophysical and PVT Lab Test” for Petroleum Engineering degree.
2000 – 2004 UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL DEL COMAHUE Neuquen, ARG
Professor: “Petrophysical test and analysis” and Member and co-founder of CEPCO (Petrophysical Center of Comahue University).
1997 – 1998 UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL DE CUYO Mendoza, ARG
Assistant in reservoir lab and member of group of physics of liquids and porous media
1995 – 1997 UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL DE CUYO Mendoza, ARG
Assistant Professor: “Materials Science”.
EDUCATION
2019 – 2020 ITBA (Technical Institute of Buenos Aires) Buenos Aires, ARG
Postgraduate in Completion and Developments of Unconventional Resources.
2008 UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL DEL COMAHUE Neuquen, ARG
Master's degree in Economy of the Energy and Environment.
1997 UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL DE CUYO Mendoza, ARG
Petroleum Engineer Bachelor’s degree
LANGUAGES
Spanish: Native
English: Fluent
USA VISA STATUS
US citizen
Contact
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