Optimization of the daily production rates for an offshore oilfield

This paper presents a model to assist in setting the daily production rates for an offshore oilfield to achieve a quarterly production target. The produced crude oil is frequently accompanied by the production of gas, which has a much lower value. Since there are environmental limits to the amount of gas that can be flared to waste, problems on gas-processing can very quickly limit oil output. With the commencement of natural decline in many oilfields in the North Sea, the loss of crude output as a result of gas constraints cannot be compensated in the same planning period. This makes the