Design and Execution of the First Large-Scale Polymer Injection Pilot in Sirikit Oil Field

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weeraya Wuttipittayamongkol ◽  
Pannapon Trinavarat ◽  
Warisa Nuntaprayoon ◽  
Monrawee Pancharoen ◽  
Rapheephan Laochamroonvorapongse
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Oil Field ◽  
Production Performance ◽  
Water Flooding ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Mechanical Degradation ◽  
Close Monitoring ◽  
Polymer Injection ◽  
Fluid Saturation ◽  
Water Cut

Abstract Becoming more mature with field-wide water flooding implementation for more than 30 years, Sirikit Oil Field (S1) is going forward to the next rejuvenating step of enhanced oil recovery (EOR). Generally, the field contains light oil (40° API) in highly stratified sand-shale sequences with low net-to-gross ratios. High reservoir temperature, low permeability, and high water cut observed from production make it even more challenging for polymer injection projects. Nonetheless, the success from a small-scale field trial has shown a promising future of EOR application in the field and brought an execution of the first large-scale polymer injection pilot. Polymer screening laboratory tests, a reservoir simulation study, data acquisition program and techniques, injectivity tests, polymer injection unit design, and risk assessment were parts of the pilot preparation, in which the key learnings from the previous pilot have been incorporated. The gathering and determination of baseline parameters including production performance, injection profiles, reservoir fluid saturation profiles, etc., were registered for ultimate evaluation. Then, the continuous polymer injection has been started since October 2019 in two separated fault blocks where 12 injectors and 20 producers are located in different injection patterns. During several months of polymer injection, both foreseen and unforeseen changes have enlivened the pilot management. Although the injectivity test with polymer solution prior to the pilot demonstrated no injection difficulty, several wells have shown injectivity deterioration with time. Mechanical degradation is induced in these wells by the installation of flow restriction devices to lessen solution viscosity and, hence, prolong polymer injectivity. Well integrity issues and artificial lift breakdown negatively affect field production and close-in wells make it harder for voidage replacement control. Immediate troubleshooting and close monitoring have been placed and eventually leads to the recognition of encouraging results. Polymer helps improve vertical injection profiles as seen from injection logging. Saturation logging presents a sign of oil saturation decrease around the wellbore area. Reduction of water cut and rise of oil production have pleasantly come after a few months from the start. Intensive surveillance program will be continued over the course of pilot injection. The critical success of the EOR pilot execution depends on the detailed planning, prudent surveillance and comprehensive evaluation. Sirikit oil field is moving to a turning point and the pilot outcome would lead the way to a further milestone, so as to avoid premature end of the field's production.

Numerical Simulation Study on Advanced Water Injection for Fuyang Ultra-Low Permeability Fractured Reservoir

2013 ◽  
Vol 421 ◽  
pp. 286-289
Author(s):  
Hui Hui Kou ◽  
Xian Gui Liu ◽  
Han Min Xiao ◽  
Ling Hui Sun ◽  
Dong Dong Hou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
History Matching ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Water Injection ◽  
Sedimentary Facies ◽  
Oil Field ◽  
Water Flooding ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Low Permeability ◽  
Fractured Reservoir ◽  
Production Ratio

According to the features of low porosity and low permeability fracture as well as small scale of channel development, frequent sedimentary facies changes of planar sandstone, poor connectivity, large variation of sequence thickness and great development difficulties for oil layer in Fuyang Oilfield. In this paper, on the basis of fully considered of fracture features, built a more accurate 3-D geological model. And on the basis of the history matching, determined the formation pressure maintenance level under different injection-production ratio and rational water-flooding timing by the simulation of the different programs in the process advanced water injection development. The results show that: the reasonable injection-production ratio of Fuyang oil layer is 1.4, and the rational water-flooding timing is three months after advanced water injection. This provides theoretical guidance for the large-scale development of Fuyang oil layer, and also provides the technical basis for the developing of the other low permeability fractured oil field by advanced water injection.

Field Demonstration of the Impact of Fractures on Hydrolyzed Polyacrylamide Injectivity, Propagation, and Degradation

SPE Journal ◽  
2022 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Marat Sagyndikov ◽  
Randall Seright ◽  
Sarkyt Kudaibergenov ◽  
Evgeni Ogay
Keyword(s):  
Polymer Solutions ◽  
Mechanical Stability ◽  
Field Operator ◽  
Oil Field ◽  
Low Flow ◽  
Mechanical Degradation ◽  
Injection Wells ◽  
Polymer Injection ◽  
Step Rate ◽  
The Impact

Summary During a polymer flood, the field operator must be convinced that the large chemical investment is not compromised during polymer injection. Furthermore, injectivity associated with the viscous polymer solutions must not be reduced to where fluid throughput in the reservoir and oil production rates become uneconomic. Fractures with limited length and proper orientation have been theoretically argued to dramatically increase polymer injectivity and eliminate polymer mechanical degradation. This paper confirms these predictions through a combination of calculations, laboratory measurements, and field observations (including step-rate tests, pressure transient analysis, and analysis of fluid samples flowed back from injection wells and produced from offset production wells) associated with the Kalamkas oil field in Western Kazakhstan. A novel method was developed to collect samples of fluids that were back-produced from injection wells using the natural energy of a reservoir at the wellhead. This method included a special procedure and surface-equipment scheme to protect samples from oxidative degradation. Rheological measurements of back-produced polymer solutions revealed no polymer mechanical degradation for conditions at the Kalamkas oil field. An injection well pressure falloff test and a step-rate test confirmed that polymer injection occurred above the formation parting pressure. The open fracture area was high enough to ensure low flow velocity for the polymer solution (and consequently, the mechanical stability of the polymer). Compared to other laboratory and field procedures, this new method is quick, simple, cheap, and reliable. Tests also confirmed that contact with the formation rapidly depleted dissolved oxygen from the fluids—thereby promoting polymer chemical stability.

Optimization Design for Oil-Water Separator of Injection-Production Technology in the same Well

2013 ◽  
Vol 803 ◽  
pp. 383-386
Author(s):  
Shu Ren Yang ◽  
Di Xu ◽  
Chao Yu ◽  
Jia Wei Fan ◽  
Cheng Chu Yue Fu
Keyword(s):  
Production Technology ◽  
Optimization Design ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
High Water ◽  
Oil Field ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
Water Separator ◽  
Oil Water ◽  
High Water Cut ◽  
Water Cut

In order to solve the problem of high water cut wells in some oil field in Daqing that it could not get the large-scale application because of the bad separating effect of down hole centrifugal oil-water separator, we optimize the design of multi-cup uniform flux oil-water separator according to the similar separation principle of multi-cup uniform flux gas anchor, and it is obtained to achieve of injection-production technology in the same well which is of high water cut. The design concept of the separator is increasing the number of opening every layer and aperture gradually in subsection from up to down in the design process. The purpose is to get the close intake quantity of every orifice and guarantee the residence time is long enough in the separator, effectively shorten the length of down hole oil-water separator and reduce the production costs and operating costs.

Barrow Island enhanced oil recovery polymer pilot—part two: progress and way forward

2011 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 672
Author(s):  
Daniel León ◽  
John Scott ◽  
Steven Saul ◽  
Lina Hartanto ◽  
Shannon Gardner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Injection Pressure ◽  
Fracture Network ◽  
Oil Field ◽  
High Porosity ◽  
Polymer Injection ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Successful Design ◽  
Fit For Purpose ◽  
Water Cut

After successful design and implementation phases that included both subsurface and facilities components, an EOR polymer injection pilot has been operational for two years in Australia's largest onshore oil field at Barrow Island (816 MMstb OOIP). The pilot's main objective was to identify a suitable EOR technology for the complex, highly heterogeneous, very fine-grained, bioturbated argillaceous sandstone—high in glauconite, high porosity (∼23 %), low permeability (∼5 mD, with 50+ mD streaks)—reservoir that will ultimately increase the recovery of commercial resources past the estimated ultimate recovery factor with waterflooding (∼42 %). This was achieved using the in-depth flow diversion (IFD) methodology to access new unswept oil zones—both vertically and horizontally—by inducing growth in the fracture network. During the pilot operating phase, the main focus has been on surveillance and monitoring activities to assess the effectiveness of the process, including: injection pressure at the wellheads—indicating any increase in resistance to flow; pressure fall off tests at the injectors—to determine fracture growth, if any sampling and lab analysis at the producers—to identify polymer breakthrough; frequent production tests—quantifying reduction in water cut and oil production uplift; and, pressure build up surveys at the producers. These activities provided input data to the fit for purpose simulation model built in Reveal incorporating fractures and polymer as a fourth phase. With more than 96 % compliance to the surveillance plan, this paper will present the present findings and evaluation of the results, which may lead to the continuation of the pilot in other patterns of the reservoir and, possibly, to further expansion in the field.

Key Aspects of Project Design for Polymer Flooding at the Daqing Oilfield

2008 ◽  
Vol 11 (06) ◽  
pp. 1117-1124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dongmei Wang ◽  
Randall S. Seright ◽  
Zhenbo Shao ◽  
Jinmei Wang
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Weight ◽  
Polymer Concentration ◽  
Oil Production ◽  
Polymer Flooding ◽  
Oil Field ◽  
Polymer Injection ◽  
Polymer Flood ◽  
Daqing Oil Field ◽  
Water Cut ◽  
Injection Rates

Summary This paper describes the design procedures that led to favorable incremental oil production and reduced water production during 12 years of successful polymer flooding in the Daqing oil field. Special emphasis is placed on some new design factors that were found to be important on the basis of extensive experience with polymer flooding. These factors include (1) recognizing when profile modification is needed before polymer injection and when zone isolation is of value during polymer injection, (2) establishing the optimum polymer formulations and injection rates, and (3) time-dependent variation of the molecular weight of the polymer used in the injected slugs. For some Daqing wells, oil recovery can be enhanced by 2 to 4% of original oil in place (OOIP) with profile modification before polymer injection. For some Daqing wells with significant permeability differential between layers and no crossflow, injecting polymer solutions separately into different layers improved flow profiles, reservoir sweep efficiency, and injection rates, and it reduced the water cut in production wells. Experience over time revealed that larger polymer-bank sizes are preferred. Bank sizes grew from 240-380 mg/L·PV during the initial pilots to 640 to 700 mg/L·PV in the most recent large-scale industrial sites [pore volume (PV)]. Economics and injectivity behavior can favor changing the polymer molecular weight and polymer concentration during the course of injecting the polymer slug. Polymers with molecular weights from 12 to 35 million Daltons were designed and supplied to meet the requirements for different reservoir geological conditions. The optimum polymer-injection volume varied around 0.7 PV, depending on the water cut in the different flooding units. The average polymer concentration was designed approximately 1000 mg/L, but for an individual injection station, it could be 2000 mg/L or more. At Daqing, the injection rates should be less than 0.14-0.20 PV/year, depending on well spacing. Introduction Many elements have long been recognized as important during the design of a polymer flood (Li and Niu 2002; Jewett and Schurz 1970; Sorbie 1991; Vela et al. 1976; Taber et al. 1997; Maitin 1992; Koning et al. 1988; Wang et al. 1995; Wang and Qian 2002; Wang et al. 2008). This paper spells out some of those elements, using examples from the Daqing oil field. The Daqing oil field is located in northeast China and is a large river-delta/lacustrine-facies, multilayer, heterogeneous sandstone in an inland basin. The reservoir is buried at a depth of approximately 1000 m, with a temperature of 45°C. The main formation under polymer flood (i.e., the Saertu formation) has a net thickness ranging from from 2.3 to 11.6 m with an average of 6.1 m. The average air permeability is 1.1 µm2, and the Dykstra-Parsons permeability coefficient averages 0.7. Oil viscosity at reservoir temperature averages approximately 9 mPa·s, and the total salinity of the formation water varies from 3000 to 7000 mg/L. The field was discovered in 1959, and a waterflood was initiated in 1960. The world's largest polymer flood was implemented at Daqing, beginning in December 1995. By 2007, 22.3% of total production from the Daqing oil field was attributed to polymer flooding. Polymer flooding should boost the ultimate recovery for the field to more than 50% OOIP--10 to 12% OOIP more than from waterflooding. At the end of 2007, oil production from polymer flooding at the Daqing oil field was more than 11.6 million m3 (73 million bbl) per year (sustained for 6 years). The polymers used at Daqing are high-molecular-weight partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamides (HPAMs). During design of a polymer flood, critical reservoir factors that traditionally receive consideration are the reservoir lithology, stratigraphy, important heterogeneities (such as fractures), distribution of remaining oil, well pattern, and well distance. Critical polymer properties include cost-effectiveness (e.g., cost per unit of viscosity), resistance to degradation (mechanical or shear, oxidative, thermal, microbial), tolerance of reservoir salinity and hardness, retention by rock, inaccessible pore volume, permeability dependence of performance, rheology, and compatibility with other chemicals that might be used. Issues long recognized as important for polymer-bank design include bank size (volume), polymer concentration and salinity (affecting bank viscosity and mobility), and whether (and how) to grade polymer concentrations in the chase water. This paper describes the design procedures that led to favorable incremental oil production and reduced water production during 12 years of successful polymer flooding in the Daqing oil field.

scholarly journals Research on solutions for connecting to marginal fields at Cuu Long basin to process and transport the products basing on existing petroleum technology and equipment

2021 ◽  
Vol 62 (3a) ◽  
pp. 65-75
Author(s):  
Thinh Van Nguyen ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Crude Oil ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Oil Production ◽  
Oil Field ◽  
Oil Fields ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Oil Drilling ◽  
Doi Moi ◽  
Oil Deposits

The Cuu Long basin is equiped with infrastructures and processing facilities serving for large-scale crude oil drilling and production operations. However, most of resevoirs in this area are now depleted, it means that they have reached their peaks and started to undergo decreasing productivity, which lead to a noticable excess capicity of equipment. In order to benefit from those declined oil fieds and maximize performance of platforms, solutions to connect marginal fields have been suggested and employed. Of which, connecting Ca Ngu Vang wellhead platform to the CPP -3 at Bach Ho oil field; platforms RC-04 and RC-DM at Nam Rong - Doi Moi oil filed to RC-1 platform at Rong oil field; wellhead platforms at Hai Su Den and Hai Su Trang oil fields to H4-TGT platform at Te Giac Trang oil field are typical examples of success. Optimistic achivements gained recently urges us to carry out this work with the aim to improve oil production of small reserves and to make best use of existing petroleum technology and equipment at the basin. Results of the research contribute an important part in the commence of producing small-scale oil deposits economically.

Polymer-Flooding-Pilot Learning Curve: Five-Plus Years' Experience To Reduce Cost per Incremental Barrel of Oil

2014 ◽  
Vol 18 (01) ◽  
pp. 11-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.. Buciak ◽  
G.. Fondevila Sancet ◽  
L.. Del Pozo
Keyword(s):  
Learning Curve ◽  
Produced Water ◽  
Water Injection ◽  
Oil Production ◽  
Polymer Flooding ◽  
Oil Field ◽  
High Porosity ◽  
Polymer Injection ◽  
Injection Pump ◽  
Water Cut

Summary This paper deals with the learning curve of a five-plus-year polymer-flooding pilot conducted in a mature waterflood that includes, for example, several works related to injector and producer wells and reservoir management. The scope of this paper is to describe the learning curve during the last 5 years rather than the reservoir response of the polymer-flooding technique; focus is on the aspects related to reduce cost per incremental barrel of oil for a possible extension to other waterflooded areas of the field. Diadema oil field is in the San Jorge Gulf basin in the southern portion of Argentina. The field is operated by CAPSA, an Argentinean oil-producer company; it has 480 producer and 270 injector wells (interwell spacing is 250 m on average). The company has developed waterflooding over more than 18 years (today, this technique represents 82% of oil production in the field) and produces approximately 1600 m3/d of oil and 40 000 m3/d of gross production (96% water cut) with 38 400 m3/d of water injection. The reservoir that is polymer-flooded is characterized by high permeability (average of 500 md), high heterogeneity (10 to 5,000 md), high porosity (30%), very stratified sandstone layers (4 to 12 m of net thickness) with poor lateral continuity (fluvial origin), and 20 °API oil (100 cp at reservoir conditions). Diadema's polymer-flooding pilot started in October 2007 on five water injectors (it includes 13 injectors today) with an injected rate of 1000 m3/d (today, 2000 m3/d). Polymer solution is made with produced water (15,000 ppm brine) and 1,500 ppm of hydrolyzed polyacrylamide polymer reaching 15- to 20-cp fluid-injection viscosity. Oil-production rate from the original “central” producers (wells that are aided with 100% of polymer injection) has increased 100% at the same time as average reduction in water cut is approximately 15%. The main aspects presented in this work are depth profile modification with crosslinked gel injected along with polymer, use of “curlers” to regulate injection in multiple wells with one injection pump without shearing the polymer, and an improved technology on producer wells with progressing-cavity pumps to decrease shut-in time and number of pump failures. The plan for the future is to extend this project to other areas with the acquired knowledge and to improve different aspects, such as water quality and optimization of polymer plant operation. These improvements will allow the company to reduce operating costs per incremental barrel of oil.

A New Artificial Intelligence Method to Predict Water Flooding Performance in Layered Reservoir

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cunliang Chen ◽  
Xiaodong Han ◽  
Wei Zhang ◽  
Yanhui Zhang ◽  
Fengjun Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Numerical Simulation ◽  
Computing Time ◽  
Vertical Direction ◽  
Single Layer ◽  
Oil Production ◽  
Oil Field ◽  
Production Performance ◽  
New Method ◽  
Water Flooding

Abstract The ultimate goal of oilfield development is to maximize the investment benefits. The reservoir performance prediction is directly related to oilfield investment and management. The traditional strategy based on numerical simulation has been widely used with the disadvantages of long run time and much information needed. It is necessary to form a fast and convenient method for the oil production prediction, especially for layered reservoir. A new method is proposed to predict the development indexes of multi-layer reservoirs based on the injection-production data. The new method maintains the objectivity of the data and demonstrates the superiority of the intelligent algorithm. The layered reservoir is regarded as a series of single layer reservoirs on the vertical direction. Considering the starting pressure gradient of non-Newtonian fluid flow and the variation of water content in the oil production index, the injection-production response model for single-layer reservoirs is established. Based on that, a composite model for the multi-layer reservoir is established. For model solution, particle swarm optimization is applied for optimization of the new model. A heterogeneous multi-layer model was established for validation of the new method. The results obtained from the new proposed model are in consistent with the numerical simulation results. It saves a lot of computing time with the incorporation of the artificial intelligence methods. It showed that this technique is valid and effective to predict oil performance in layered reservoir. These examples showed that the application of big data and artificial intelligence method is of great significance, which not only shortens the working time, but also obtains relatively higher accuracy. Based on the objective data of the oil field and the artificial intelligence algorithm, the prediction of oil field development data can be realized. This technique has been used in nearly 100 wells of Bohai oilfields. The results showed in this paper reveals that it is possible to estimate the production performance of the water flooding reservoirs.

Rapid and Efficient Waterflood Optimization Using Augmented AI Approach in a Complex Offshore Field

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shawket Ghedan ◽  
Meher Surendra ◽  
Agustin Maqui ◽  
Mahmoud Elwan ◽  
Rami Kansao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
Oil Field ◽  
Machine Learning Algorithms ◽  
Data Driven ◽  
Water Flooding ◽  
Fault System ◽  
Fractional Flow ◽  
Operational Decisions ◽  
Water Cut ◽  
Offshore Field

Abstract Waterfloods are amongst the most widely implemented methods for oil field development. Despite their vast implementation, operational bottlenecks such as lack of surveillance and optimization tools to guide fast paced decisions render most of these sub-optimal. This paper presents a novel machine-learning, reduced-physics approach to optimize an exceptionally complex off-shore waterflood in the Gulf of Suez. Leveraging a hybrid data-driven and physics approach, the water flooding scheme in Nezzezat reservoir was optimized to improve reservoir voidage replacement, increase oil production, and reduce water production by identifying potential in wells. As a by-product of the study, a better understanding of the complex fault system was also achieved. Including the geological understanding and its uncertainty is one of the key elements that must be preserved. All geological attributes, along with production rates are used to solve for pressure and inter-well communication. This is later supplemented by machine-learning algorithm to solve for the fractional flow of inter-well connections. Combining the inter-well connectivity and fractional flow, an optimization was performed to reach the best possible conditions for oil gains and water-cut reduction. A global optimization is possible thanks to the low computational demand of this approach, as thousands to millions of realizations must be run to reach the best solution while satisfying all constraints. This is all done in a fraction of the time it takes to run a traditional reservoir simulation. For the present case, the paper will present the underlying physics and data-driven algorithms, along with the blind tests performed to validate the results. In addition to the method's inner workings, the paper will focus more on the results to guide operational decisions. This is inclusive of all the complex constraints of an offshore field, as well as the best reservoir management practices, when reaching optimal production and injection rates for each well. An increase in production was achieved with some reduction in water-cut, while honoring well and platform level limitations. While these represent the gains for a particular month, optimization scenarios can be run weekly or monthly to capture the dynamic nature of the problem and any operational limitations that might arise. The ability to update the models and run optimization scenarios effortlessly allows pro-active operational decisions to maximize the value of the asset. The approach followed in this paper solves for the critical physics of the problem and supplements the remaining with machine learning algorithms. This novel and extremely practical approach facilitate the decision making to operate the field optimally.

Cyclic Injection Scheme Optimization Research in Gaotaizi Reservoirs of Daqing Oilfield

2013 ◽  
Vol 803 ◽  
pp. 334-337
Author(s):  
Ji Hong Zhang ◽  
Zi Jian Zhou ◽  
Xi Ling Chen ◽  
Ming Jun Liu
Keyword(s):  
Effective Means ◽  
High Water ◽  
Oil Field ◽  
Water Flooding ◽  
Injection Timing ◽  
Scheme Optimization ◽  
High Water Cut ◽  
Water Cut ◽  
Technical Basis ◽  
Oilfield Development

With the deepening of the oilfield development, oil field has entered the high water cut period. The rate of water cut increasing and production decline are accelerate. It is needed to adjust the way of exploitation in order to improve oilfield exploitation effect. Cyclic water flooding is one of effective means to improve oilfield development effect with the advantages of small investment, quick effect, reduce inefficient output and improve oilfield overall development benefit. In this paper, we use the means of numerical simulation to study the injection timing and reasonable working systems of different types of Wells. Technical basis is provided for further study and field test.

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