Introduction:

Field development planning represents the structured process through which oil and gas assets are evaluated, conceptualized, and organized into coherent development strategies. It integrates geological understanding, engineering constraints, economic modeling, and regulatory expectations into a unified decision making framework. Modern energy markets require development plans that balance production efficiency, cost governance, safety standards, and long-term sustainability. This training program presents the institutional models, analytical structures, and governance mechanisms that shape field development planning across upstream operations.

Program Objectives:

By the end of this program, participants will be able to:

Analyze institutional frameworks that govern field development planning in upstream projects.
Evaluate subsurface characterization structures and their influence on development scenarios.
Assess engineering configuration models for wells, facilities, and surface infrastructure.
Explore economic evaluation processes supporting investment selection.
Identify governance, risk, and regulatory factors influencing field development decisions.

Targeted Audience:

Petroleum engineers and field development planners.
Reservoir, drilling, and production engineers.
Project managers and asset-development specialists.
Energy economists and planning analysts.
Professionals involved in upstream strategy and technical governance.

Program Outline:

Unit 1:

Strategic Foundations of Field Development Planning:

Institutional context linking exploration, appraisal, and development phases.
Structural components defining a comprehensive field development plan.
Stakeholder governance relationships across technical and regulatory bodies.
Decision gating models controlling progression through development stages.
Key steps for integrating subsurface, engineering, and economic domains within planning frameworks.

Unit 2:

Subsurface Characterization and Reservoir Assessment:

Geological, petrophysical, and reservoir modeling structures shaping development options.
Classification of reservoir uncertainties and their influence on concept selection.
Volumetric estimation frameworks supporting resource categorization.
Well placement concepts derived from reservoir quality and deliverability indicators.
Subsurface risk matrices incorporated into field development scenarios.

Unit 3:

Engineering Configurations and Surface-Facility Design:

Conceptual models for well architecture, drilling sequences, and production systems.
Structural options for surface facilities, gathering systems, and processing units.
Flow assurance considerations within production-system design.
Infrastructure integration frameworks across upstream, midstream, and utilities.
Environmental and safety governance parameters influencing facility configurations.

Unit 4:

Economic Evaluation and Scenario Planning:

Cost estimation structures for drilling, facilities, and lifecycle operations.
Economic screening models including NPV, IRR, and breakeven assessments.
Scenario evaluation frameworks addressing uncertainty and price volatility.
Institutional processes for investment ranking and portfolio alignment.
Fiscal, contractual, and regulatory influences on project economics.

Unit 5:

Governance, Risk, and Regulatory Oversight in Field Development:

Regulatory structures shaping approvals, licensing, and environmental compliance.
Governance systems ensuring decision transparency across development stages.
Risk management models addressing subsurface, operational, and financial exposure.
Institutional mechanisms for performance monitoring and project assurance.
Long term sustainability considerations guiding responsible resource development.

Field Development Planning for Oil and Gas Projects