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Introduction

Institute of Reservoir Studies (IRS) is the nodal agency for formulating the development schemes of oil and gas fields of ONGC. With the emphasis on Integrated Reservoir Management combining seismic, geological, well logging, reservoir and production data, Institute of Reservoir Studies (IRS) was set up in May 1978 with the aim of maximising recovery at minimal cost through identification of appropriate Enhanced Oil Recovery techniques.

A modest beginning was made with thirteen research laboratories for Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR), reservoir rock and fluid characterization, and well productivity enhancement studies, along with mechanical workshop, one field development group and one reservoir modelling group functioning from Dehradun.

Soon, after setting up, the domain of IRS activities widened to encompass development of oil and gas fields. Since its inception, IRS has contributed to the development of new concepts and innovative techniques besides adopting state-of-the-art technological advancements as part of its concern.

Over the years the institute has been able to build up a team of geo-scientists of various disciplines having a blend of field practices, theory and laboratory experience.

Multi-disciplinary approach for carrying out integrated studies has been adopted under one roof to network multi-disciplinary knowledge, skill, information and technology for achieving the desired objective. IRS has consistently networked knowledge, skills, and technology to achieve ONGC's objectives in reservoir management and development.

Capabilities

At IRS, Laboratories, G&G (Geology & Geophysics), and Development Groups operate cohesively under one roof to provide comprehensive support for all types of reservoirs and reservoir fluids.

Institute of Reservoir Studies (IRS) boasts state-of-the-art infrastructure and advanced capabilities to cater to the development and management of ONGC’s oil and gas fields. With its multidisciplinary approach, IRS integrates cutting-edge technology, expertise, and facilities to achieve its goals.

Infrastructure:

  1. Development Group:
    • Advanced systems for conducting simulation and development studies: Expertise in integrated field development planning, encompassing greenfield, brownfield, and redevelopment projects to maximize resource utilization and recovery.
    • Capabilities for formulation of EOR/EGR strategies:  From laboratory to pilot to field scale applications for various types of reservoir and fluid.
    • Facilities for designing and monitoring water injection programs for maintaining reservoir health: Specialized capabilities for planning and implementing pressure maintenance strategies and enhanced recovery mechanisms, ensuring sustainable reservoir management.
  1. G&G Group:
    • Equipped with tools for reservoir characterization, including the preparation of fine scale Geocellular /static models.
  1. Specialized Laboratories:
    • Petrophysical Lab: Offers core analysis capabilities for porosity, permeability, and capillary pressure measurements, along with advanced studies like SCAL for reservoir understanding.
    • Thermodynamics Lab: Conducts fluid characterization using PVT analysis, phase behaviour studies, and flow assurance research, including wax and asphaltene studies.
    • Probe Centre: Houses sophisticated equipment like Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) for mineralogical and elemental analysis, as well as thin-section analysis for geological studies.
    • Advanced EOR Lab: Focuses on high-pressure oxidation studies, thermal EOR techniques like HPAI, and hybrid air-foam injection for improved sweep efficiency.
    • Chemical Flood Lab: Facilitates screening and optimization of chemical EOR formulations, including polymer, surfactant-polymer (SP), and ASP flooding.
    • Gas Injection & CCUS Lab: Specializes in CO2 flooding, WAG injection studies, and capability of real-time monitoring of gas injection processes.
    • MEOR Lab: Provides capabilities for microbial formulation screening and efficiency evaluation for enhanced oil recovery. Improving well productivity through microbial applications and removing Scale Deposits in the Effluent Dispatch Lines.
    • Water Flood Lab: Supports the design of water injection strategies and sweep efficiency studies.
    • Water & Gas Control Lab: Focuses on polymer gel technology for water shut-off in oil and gas wells and profile modification in water injectors.

Advanced Tracer Lab: Advanced tracer detection at parts per trillion (ppt) levels, ensuring precise measurements of very minute concentrations. Supported by state-of-the-art GC-MS/MS techniques, it enables high-resolution analysis and compatibility studies for accurate reservoir evaluations.

Highlights of FY 2024-25

A total of 119 projects have been completed under AWP 2024-25.

Field Development Contributions

  • Development Projects and Schemes: Recently IRS contributed to the preparation of development schemes and FDPs:
    • MH Redevelopment Phase VI
    • Vadatal-3 & 5 fields
    • Simulation studies of Heera & South Heera
    • Integrated FR for Insitu Combustion in Balol, Lanwa & Santhal
    • Tight sand exploitation in Chhatral Pay of Gamij Field
    • Kasomarigaon GAGD Scheme.
    •  Integrated GCM of South Tapti adjoining blocks – development study supporting FDP.
    • Revisit of GS-OSN-2004/1 Block (Kutch-Saurashtra Basin) – to re-align FDP/development strategy.
    • Agartala Dome (new GCM) – basis for dynamic model revision.
  • Infill and Pressure Maintenance: Supported strategies for infill drilling, well reactivation, and pressure maintenance, driving production optimization across multiple assets.

Enhanced Recovery Initiatives

  • CSS in Lanwa & Charada Field: IRS spearheaded ONGC’s first Cyclic Steam Stimulation (CSS) pilot in Lanwa field, with laboratory studies and modeling enabling a upto 6-fold productivity increase in 7 wells
  • Based on the encouraging results of CSS in the Lanwa field, the IRS team identified the scope for testing CSS in the Charada field. The pilot well, CR#3_A, produced oil, and three additional CSS development locations have been identified, which hold promise to demonstrate the potential of steam application in the field.
  • Gas-Assisted Gravity Drainage (GAGD): Implemented midcourse corrections in the GAGD scheme at Kasomarigaon, reducing gas flaring while boosting production.
  • Low-Salinity Water Flooding (LSWF): Stabilized water cut and significantly arrested oil decline in pilot area of MHS L-III and also resulting in oil gain. Feasibility studies for LSWF expansion to Mumbai High North field has also been completed.
  • Dynamic Modelling for Polymer EOR in KS-II sand of Linch field : KS-II sand of Linch field, despite having an active aquifer support and very high permeability, has exhibited low primary recovery. This is primarily attributed to the adverse oil–water mobility ratio. To address this limitation, a polymer flooding study was undertaken as an Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) option.

AI/ML Integration

  • Production Optimization: Leveraged Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) techniques to identify missed production opportunities, enabling efficient field development planning and enhanced reservoir management.
  • Digital Milestone: ONGC’s first AI-enabled well, G-803 in the Gandhar field's GS-3A sand, was identified and validated using AI/ML-driven simulation techniques. The well initially produced 20 m³/day of oil with ~7% water cut.

Laboratory

In 2024-25, IRS Labs delivered extensive core, rock, fluid, and EOR studies across ONGC fields, including 285 RCA and 115 SCAL analyses, 450+ XRD/90+ SEM/20+ thin section studies, 27 PVT studies with 507 fluid analyses, 146 MEOR and 56 water samples were anlayzed.

Technology Upgrade

XRD equipment was installed at Probe Centre of IRS. The XRD equipment offers significant enhancements over the previous facility. Equipped with a 2D detector, it reduces scanning time to 10–15 minutes per sample, compared to the earlier 30–45 minutes. Additionally, its automated batch processing capability enables handling of multiple samples efficiently, minimizing transition times associated with manual sample changes.

Collaborative Projects

IRS partners with leading institutions around the world to advance field-specific studies. The current collaborations are:

  • University of Texas at Austin: Development of CEOR formulations.
  • University of Calgary: Implementation of LoSAL technique in Heera field
  • TERI: Development of microbial EOR Technologies for ONGC fields.
  • National Centre of Excellence in CCUS, IIT Bombay: Assessment of CO₂ Storage Potential, Risk Assessment, and Life Cycle Analysis in Select Fields of ONGC.

Technical Papers & Training:

  • 8 technical papers were published in FY 2024-25 & presented across national and international forums.

IPRs / Patents / Copyrights / Trademarks

The institute has been granted 6 patents and 5 copyright till 31st March 2025.