Berri

Berri Oil Field Expansion Project Profile

Location and Ownership

The Berri oil field is located in the eastern coast of Saudi Arabia, partly onshore and partly offshore in shallow water. It is owned and operated by Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco).

History and Discovery

The Berri field was discovered in 1964 and commenced crude oil production in 1970. The Berri gas plant was brought into operation in 1977. Over the years, the field has undergone several expansions and upgrades, including the use of horizontal drilling techniques for offshore wells in 1991 and the installation of sulphur recovery trains and new storage tanks in 2004.

Current Production and Reserves

As of the latest data, the Berri field currently produces 250,000 barrels per day (bpd) of Arab Light crude. The field has recovered approximately 49.32% of its total recoverable reserves, with peak production achieved in 1976. It is estimated that production will continue until the field reaches its economic limit in 2062. The field's 2P reserves are estimated at 15,300 million barrels, and the estimated ultimate recovery (EUR) is 18,200 million barrels.

Berri Increment Program (BIP)

The Berri Increment Program (BIP) is a significant expansion project aimed at doubling the crude production capacity of the Berri field to 500,000 bpd. Here are the key components of the program:

New Facilities

• A new 250,000 bpd gas oil separation plant (GOSP) at the existing Abu Ali GOSP facility.
• Additional gas processing facilities at the Khursaniyah gas plant to produce 40,000 bpd of hydrocarbon condensate.
• A 140MW gas-fired power generation unit at the new GOSP.
• Sulphur removal trains to process 370 million standard cubic feet per day (Mscfd) of associated sour gas.

Infrastructure Development

• Two drilling islands, one water injection facility, 11 oil and water offshore platforms, and nine onshore oil production and water supply drill sites.
• Associated pipelines and other necessary infrastructure.

Contractors Involved

• Amec Foster Wheeler: Front-end engineering and design (FEED) studies for the new GOSP and additional gas processing facilities.
• National Petroleum Construction Company (NPCC): Engineering, procurement, construction, and installation (EPCI) of nine offshore jackets.
• SNC-Lavalin: Engineering and project management services for the new facilities.
• China Harbour Engineering: Construction of the two drilling islands.
• Subsea 7 and L&T Hydrocarbon Engineering: EPCI contract for the subsea pipelines.
• Saipem: EPCI contract for the new processing facilities at Abu Ali and Khursaniyah.

Investment and Timeline

The Berri oil field expansion project is estimated to cost approximately £4.8 billion ($6 billion). The project was initiated with FEED studies in 2017, and key engineering and construction contracts were awarded in 2018 and 2019. The project is scheduled for commissioning in 2023, although some components like the drilling islands were expected to be completed by mid-2020.

Economic and Employment Impact

The expansion is part of Saudi Aramco’s strategy to maintain its maximum sustained crude production capacity at 12 million barrels per day by 2023. The project is expected to create thousands of direct and indirect job opportunities for Saudi nationals and support the company’s In-Kingdom Total Value Add Program (IKTVA) goals by maximizing the procurement of materials and equipment from local suppliers.

Environmental and Technological Aspects

The project includes the use of advanced technologies such as enhanced oil recovery methods and best-in-class well completion and reservoir management practices. It also aims to reduce the carbon intensity of the crude oils produced, aligning with Saudi Aramco’s strategy to reduce emissions while meeting energy demands.

In summary, the Berri oil field expansion project is a significant undertaking by Saudi Aramco to increase the field's production capacity, support the country's oil output, and contribute to the local economy through job creation and local procurement.