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Basra, Iraq, June 2022: The first stage in a major project to create state-of-the-art digital connectivity at Rumaila has been completed with the laying of the first 45km of a 2,000km fibre optic cabling network. The network will be the foundation for increased automation of the oilfield, enabling the rollout of the latest digital technologies to optimize daily business performance. This in turn will underpin sustained production in the years ahead and make Rumaila one of the most digitally advanced oilfields in the Middle East.
Fibre optic cabling will replace the existing microwave network and is one of the most ambitious information technology projects ever undertaken by the Rumaila Operating Organisation (ROO). It will comprise a 150km core ring connecting main hub stations from the south to the north of the field, from which extensions will reach all key facilities. The first 45km completed in Phase 1 forms the southern part of this ring; during 2022, this will be extended to reach all remaining degassing stations and cluster pump stations. Then, from 2023, other facilities such as wells and electrical submersible pumps will be connected. The 2,000km of fibre optic cabling required in total is the equivalent of running a cable from Basra to Istanbul.
The network will help transform the operation. It will enable deeper automation of many aspects of activity at Rumaila by providing increased bandwidth, faster data speeds, greater reliability and high levels of security. This will unlock the potential for new ways of working and add richer functionality for all facilities across the field. This includes: making a substantial difference to the real-time applications that monitor various systems, providing richer interpretation of data; facilitating staff in carrying out essential field activity remotely; simplifying secure data management by reducing the need for separate servers and network storage; and opening the door for the introduction of artificial intelligence tools and other business-critical applications.
ROO General Manager, Madhi Abdul-Razzaq Swadi, said: “This is a really exciting development and takes our recent history of investing in IT and communications infrastructure to a new level. Great credit goes to our people from across a number of teams who are working together to fully integrate all of these developments.”
ROO Deputy General Manager, Orkhan Guliyev, commented: “Rumaila will become one of the most digitally advanced fields in the Middle East region, thanks to this landmark project. It gives us a really strong foundation for future development and moreover, the foundations for future remote operations.”
Rumaila Special Deputy General Manager, Liu Zundou, added: “This will enhance integration and co-operation at Rumaila. It will improve speed of communication, as well as delivering stability and security, and should improve the daily working environment for our workforce.”
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Basra, Iraq, November 2021: One of the most advanced water pumping facilities in Iraq has been constructed at the Rumaila oilfield to help boost oil production and support the field’s long-term strategy. Cluster Pump Station Six (CPS-6) is the first CPS facility to be built at Rumaila for around 40 years. It is also the first CPS constructed by the Rumaila Operating Organisation (ROO), the joint venture between the Basra Oil Company (BOC), bp, PetroChina and State Oil Marketing Organisation (SOMO), which operates the field.
Water injection is fundamental for sustaining Rumaila’s high volumes of oil production. After almost 70 years of extracting oil, gas, and water, Rumaila’s mature reservoirs have seen pressure levels fall; injecting water into the subsurface helps to replace this lost pressure and push oil and gas to the surface. Since CPS-6 has become fully operational, 18 formerly producing wells have been reactivated and around 63,000 additional barrels of oil per day are being produced for Iraq.
ROO Deputy General Manager, Hussein Abdul Khadim Hussein, said: “Rumaila’s daily oil production has increased by around 40% under ROO’s stewardship. Key to this has been the water injection strategy, which rose from around 250 mbds in June 2010 to reach peaks exceeding 1.5 million barrels of water per day (bwpd) in 2021. CPS-6 marks a new chapter as we extend water injection to the south of the field for the first time in more than a decade and will help us to maintain high oil production for years to come.”
Cluster pump stations pressurize treated industrial water to a specified level, which is then sent for injection into water injector wells in the field. With a capacity to inject up to 320,000bwpd, CPS-6’s features include digital monitoring of the site’s key equipment and components to manage pressure levels and ensure performance is maximized from the purpose-built control room. The site has a pumping house with five powerful Sulzer pumps, each individually capable of pressurizing up to 80,000bwpd; a manifold to direct water to 20 injector wells; 2.5 km of piping inside the facility; 75 km of supporting pipeline infrastructure outside the facility, and an office for staff.
Construction entailed more than a million hours of work, and the installation of 16,700 metres of electrical cabling, 1,721 flanges and 575 valves. Multiple logistical challenges had to be overcome in order to adapt to the pandemic and to create a COVID-safe working environment, which included erecting fences inside the compound to delineate which contractor could operate in each part of the site.
ROO General Manager, Orkhan Guliyev, said: “The full operation of CPS-6 is a major milestone in our drive to maintain oil production in the south of the field. For the past 11 years, water injection has been focused in North Rumaila – which has seen production increase by more than 150%. Safely injecting water in South Rumaila is a key part of ROO’s strategy for future success.”
Rumaila Special Deputy General Manager, Fan Jianping, added: “Work has also begun to construct a second new pumping station, CPS-7, which will further our ambitions to ensure the reservoirs in South Rumaila continue to produce effectively and efficiently.”
Basra, Iraq, 10 May 2021: The Rumaila Operating Organisation (ROO) today announced its 2020 performance results. The field’s oil production rate averaged 1.392 million barrels per day (bpd), despite the impact of COVID-19, a budget reduction and compliance with instructions from BOC to reduce oil production, which reflected OPEC+’s request for Iraq to curtail oil exports.
The year’s strong performance has been attributed to the dedication of the field’s workforce (which is 96% Iraqi) to adapt to and overcome major new challenges. These included a revised and reprioritized production strategy, which benefitted from the strong foundations laid in previous years to modernize facilities, optimize wells and deploy advanced technologies.
Basra Oil Company (BOC) Director General, Mr Khalid Hamza Abbas, said: “Rumaila’s achievements in 2020 deserve great recognition, not least within the context of the global pandemic. My thanks go to every member of staff who did his or her utmost to ensure the field continued to serve the nation at this most difficult time.”
Rumaila’s 2020 achievements included record-breaking levels of water injection, averaging 1.35 million bpd of water – volumes never previously seen at the field. New digital technologies were deployed to maximize efficiencies; 21 new wells were drilled, 115 wells were optimized or renewed, and almost 7,000 well services jobs were conducted to further maintain production, while preventative maintenance and repairs ensured the continued performance of ageing facilities. In addition, new projects were initiated to reduce Rumaila’s operational carbon emissions, particularly utilizing electricity from the gas-fired Rumaila Power Plant, rather than diesel generators, to power some key facilities in the field.
Rumaila also continued to support local communities living near or within the field during the pandemic, with ongoing initiatives to help the Al-Khora Primary Health Care Clinic and the North Rumaila Mobile Health Clinic; ROO also oversaw and delivered the procurement, shipping, installation and training on a computed tomography (CT) scanner for the Basra Al-Sadir Teaching Hospital. Major renovation works also took place at Al Sikak, Al Rumaila and Al Nukhaila schools in order to enhance the quality of local education.
With the onset of the pandemic, global oil demand contracted, resulting in the already low international oil price falling further and causing governments and companies around the world to review their plans. Iraq was no exception and resulted in the ROO’s annual budget reduced by around 30%, with adverse impacts on some development projects and well and production-raising activities. In addition, government-requested curtailments averaged 55,000 bpd over the course of the year, partly in response to Iraq’s compliance with OPEC+’s request to reduce the country’s overall oil exports.
2020 was therefore a year defined by COVID-19. It has always been ROO’s commitment to place the health and safety of staff members above all other considerations. COVID-19 therefore required multiple preventative and responsive activities to limit the transmission of the virus. Field personal protective equipment (PPE) was sourced and distributed, including 300,000 sets of gloves, 20,000 masks, and 1,300 units of hand sanitizing products. Two new clinics were established; additional respiratory and life support equipment were secured; 4,370 diagnostic tests were carried out; contact tracing was instigated after each suspected and confirmed COVID-19 case, and wellbeing initiatives were introduced.
Operationally, the field had to adapt to major disruptions to the way everyday work was delivered. Field staff had to contend with working fewer, yet longer shifts patterns; movement was restricted at Rumaila headquarters which is staffed by a limited number of Iraqi and international colleagues who all adhered to strict quarantining protocols on arrival; hundreds of Iraqi and expatriate staff adapted to working from home. A new IT terminal server enabled staff working remotely in Basra and around the world to securely access emails, files and industry applications, while the number of videoconferencing users increased 960%.
“With the virus making its way to Iraq, we knew we had to do everything we could to keep our people as safe as possible while at work,” said ROO Deputy General Manager, Hussein Abdul Khadim Hussein. “We also had to move quickly, to ensure that the day-to-day operation of the entire field could be maintained, so that Rumaila could continue to deliver for Iraq. The human cost of COVID-19 has been felt by everyone at Rumaila; to everyone affected, we extend our deepest sympathies.”
ROO General Manager, Orkhan Guliyev, said: “The tremendous co-operation and teamwork between BOC, bp and PetroChina, which in previous years had been key to Rumaila surpassing targets, expressed itself in 2020 through a shared sense of resilience. The determination, dedication, patience and endurance of our people enabled us to continue to make progress during what was an extraordinarily challenging year for everyone.”
Rumaila Special Deputy General Manager, Fan Jianping, added: “It has been a difficult operating environment for national and international oil companies across the world. At Rumaila, it has been humbling to see such strength of purpose in overcoming complex challenges. 2020 has further illustrated that our partnership has the focus, fortitude and capability to face tough challenges.”
Basra, Iraq, January 2021: The Rumaila Operating Organisation (ROO) today announced that the Rumaila oilfield has reached the production milestone of five billion barrels of oil since ROO – an unincorporated joint venture between the Basra Oil Company (BOC), bp and PetroChina – began operating the field in July 2010.
Reaching this milestone represents a major achievement for several reasons. It comes in a year when everyone at Rumaila has had to show the highest levels of resilience to overcome the challenges posed by COVID-19. It also comes after several years of ROO having to address the significant issue of sustaining production from reservoirs where pressure is falling. While operational budgets and investment have been reduced as a result of the unstable oil price.
Basra Oil Company (BOC) Acting Director General, Mr Khalid Hamza Abbas, said: “We are delighted to recognise this important moment – a testimony to the success of the ROO Partnership. On behalf of BOC, I’d like to thank every single BOC staff member who has ensured that Rumaila continues to deliver successful oil production for Iraq, as well as pay tribute to the support of our partners, bp and PetroChina.”
ROO General Manager, Orkhan Guliyev, said: “Reaching this milestone is a positive outcome that demonstrates our ability to perform while transforming. Our Iraqi workforce together with bp and PetroChina’s specialists have worked together as one team, striving to achieve the common goal of delivering exceptionally high oil production rates for Iraq. Our relentless focus on safety has meant that we have been able to carry out our work while following stringent distancing and hygiene precautions. Everybody at Rumaila can take great pride in what has been achieved for the nation.”
Responsible for around a third of the country’s total oil production, Rumaila is Iraq’s greatest single source of revenue. The oilfield also makes a significant contribution to the local economy and society: some 94% of the Rumaila workforce are Iraqi and around $5.8 billion of contracts have been awarded to 185 Iraqi companies since 2010, covering 630 contracts – supporting tens of thousands of local jobs. ROO also provides support to local communities: more than 30 projects have been delivered by the Rumaila Social Welfare Fund including a CT scanner provided to Al-Sadir Teaching Hospital, Basra; new health clinics constructed; potable water piped to homes; training schemes set up; and new roads built.
In the last decade, daily oil production has increased almost 40%: from 1.066 million barrels per day (bpd) in December 2009 to up to 1.5 million bpd in recent years. Maximising production from reservoirs with low or declining pressure has become a key focus to sustain production. One of the world’s largest water injection programmes is underway to enable this, with some 1.45 million bpd of water injected each day – up from less than 60,000 barrels a decade ago.
ROO’s long-term strategy to transform the field has involved the introduction of world-class technologies, processes and procedures; the expansion of drilling and maximisation of well efficiency; the development of new skills for the workforce; and the prioritisation of safety. Outcomes have included:
ROO Deputy General Manager, Hussein Abdul Khadim Hussein, adds: “In such a tough year for everyone, reaching this landmark feels doubly significant. This has seen us not only continue to maximise oil from Rumaila’s mature reservoir, we have also been able to produce oil from reservoirs which historically had proved difficult to access. We are overcoming the geological challenges of Rumaila’s changing reservoirs, which bodes well for the field’s long-term future. I would like to say how much I appreciate the remarkable efforts of our national staff in delivering this achievement, despite the adverse conditions. They have proved once again their ability and dedication to attain goals under any circumstances.”
Rumaila Special Deputy General Manager, Fan Jianping, added: “Producing five billion barrels is a significant landmark, but we take great pride in the fact that we have achieved this within a safe working environment, especially in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. We of course want to increase production, but equally we want Rumaila to be the pride of Iraq, which can only be achieved by having safety as the number one priority.”
Basra Oil Company (BOC), through the operator of Rumaila oilfield, announces the completion of the installation and training on a computed tomography (CT) Scanner for the Basra Directorate of Health, Al-Sadir Teaching Hospital (Basra Centre for Radiation Therapy). The unit enhances the Centre’s capacity to diagnose conditions such as strokes, cancers, damage to bones, injuries to internal organs and problems with blood flow. The SIEMENS CT scanner is also a world-class diagnostic tool for detecting COVID-19 coronavirus cases.
The CT scanner is a medical imaging machine that uses X-rays and a computer to create detailed scans of inside the body from different angles, producing cross-sectional (tomographic) images. The unit will be used in tandem with the linear accelerator (LINAC) machine used for radiation treatments to provide cancer care for patients.
The installation of the unit was undertaken by Iraqi healthcare specialists, ALITKAN, official partner of SIEMENS Healthineers in Iraq; the selection of an Iraqi supplier will help ensure future availability of parts, ongoing maintenance, and the Centre staff training. As part of the project, the Basra Centre for Radiation Therapy Iraqi radiographers are being specially trained to operate the scanner.
The introduction of the unit, believed to be the most advanced CT scanner in Iraq, was made possible thanks to the Rumaila Social Welfare Fund (SWF), a fund established to address the most pressing needs of residents that live in and around the Rumaila oilfield. To date, tens of thousands of people have directly benefitted from SWF initiatives that focus on four key areas: healthcare, education, water projects, and critical infrastructure. The SWF is delivered by the Rumaila Operating Organization (ROO) which manages the oilfield – the largest of the Basra Oil Company’s fields and the second largest producing oilfield in the world.
Doctor Sina’a Sagir, the manager of the Basra Centre for Radiation Therapy said: “As well as playing an integral part in our treatment of cancer and stroke patients, this equipment is a vital tool in our battle to identify patients with COVID-19 and to tackle the pandemic.”
Deputy Rumaila General Manager, Mr Hussein Abdul-Khadim Hussein, added: “Rumaila is delighted to be able to assist the Basra Centre for Radiation Therapy and its patients from Basra and the southern region to receive world-class diagnostic treatment. This is a much-needed piece of equipment for the hospital and we hope it results in improving patient care and the lives of many Basrawis.”
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