Miscible HC-WAG injection is a globally implemented EOR method and seems robust in so many cases. Some of the largest HC-WAG projects are found in major carbonate oil reservoirs in the Middle-East, with miscibility being the first measure to expect the success of a HC-WAG injection. Yet, several miscible injection projects reported disappointing outcomes and challenging implementation that reduces the economic attractiveness of the miscible processes. To date, there are still some arguments on the interpretation of laboratory and field data and predictive modeling. For a miscible flood, to be an efficient process for a given reservoir, several conditions must be satisfied; given that the incremental oil recovery is largely dependent on reservoir properties and fluid characteristic. Experiences gained from a miscible rich HC-WAG project in Abu Dhabi, implemented since 2006, indicate that an incremental recovery of 10% of the original oil in place can be achieved, compared to water flooding. However, experiences also show that several complexities are being faced, including but not limited to, issues of water injectivity in the mixed wettability nature of the reservoir, achieving miscibility conditions full field, maintaining VRR and corresponding flow behavior, suitability of monitoring strategy, UTC optimization efforts by gas curtailment and most importantly challenges of modeling the miscibility behavior across the reservoir. A number of mitigation plans and actions are put in place to chase the positive impacts of enhanced oil recovery by HC-WAG injection. If gas injection is controlled for gravity and dissolution along with proper understanding on the limitations of WAG, then miscible flood will lead to excellent results in the field. The low frequency of certain reservoir monitoring activities, hence less available data for assessment and modeling, can severely bound the benefits of HC-WAG and make it more difficult to justify the injection of gas, particularly in those days when domestic gas market arises. This work aims to discuss the lessons learned from the ongoing development of HC-WAG and attempts to comprehend miscible flood assessment methods.
Finding an environmentally innovative yet a commercially viable solution to meet the growing energy demands is becoming more challenging with time. CO2-EOR forms an integral part of ADNOC's de-carbonization strategy and in view of its reported advantages, a series of CO2 pilot and projects were implemented. Based on the gained experiences, a business case was generated to convert a field from HC-WAG to CO2-WAG; looking for win-win situation for the environment and HC extraction. The currently implemented development plan relies heavily on HC-WAG injection and has been facing several challenges including, maintaining miscibility conditions and UTC optimization efforts by gas curtailment. In this study, subsurface and surface assessment of alternative field development scenarios was conducted; aiming to convert the field to CO2-WAG. The study was initiated by evaluation of reservoir performance to identify areas for improvement and accelerate the decision making process. This was later incorporated into a dynamic model via diverse set of field management logics to screen wide range of scenarios. The simulation results were analyzed using standardized approaches where a number of key indicators was cross-referenced to produce optimal field development scenarios with regards to CO2-EOR effect on the reservoir, understanding CO2 efficiency post HC flooding, miscibility conditions, balanced pressure depletion, harmonized sweep as well as robust reservoir engineering ground. The optimal scenarios were assessed with in-house engineering, in line of having strong economic indicators, honoring operational constraints, corporate business plan and strategic objectives. The study is unique and one of very few cases available in literature to highlight shifting field development with an established history of HC-WAG injection to CO2-WAG. The methodology applied in this study uses an integrated subsurface-surface structured approach to tackle reservoirs challenges related to CO2 Conversion, generate alternative option to showcase the benefits of CO2-EOR as an environmentally friendly solution.
This paper presents an integrated subsurface study that focuses on delivering field development planning of two reservoirs via comprehensive reservoir characterization workflows. The upper gas reservoir and lower oil reservoir are in communication across a major fault in the crest area of the structure. Gas from the upper reservoir, which is not under development, is being produced along with some oil producers from the oil reservoir as per acquired surveillance data. Pressure depletion is observed in observer wells of the upper reservoir, which substantiate both reservoirs communication. The oil reservoir is on production since 1994, under miscible hydrocarbon water alternating gas injection (HCWAG) and carbon dioxide (CO2) injection. The currently implemented development plan has been facing several complexities and challenges including, but not limited to, maintaining miscibility conditions, sustainability of production and injection in view of reservoirs communication, reservoir modeling challenges, suitability of monitoring strategy, associated operating costs and expansion of field development in newly appraised areas. In this study, an assessment of multiple alternative field development scenarios was conducted; with an aim to tackle field management and reservoir challenges. It commenced by a comprehensive synthesis of seismic, petrophysical (including extensive core characterizations), geological, production and reservoir engineering data to ensure data adequacy and effectiveness for development planning. The process was followed by evaluation of the historical reservoir management, HCWAG and CO2 injection practices using advanced analytics to identify areas for improvement and accelerate decision making process. The identified areas of improvement were incorporated into a dynamic model via diverse set of field management logics to screen wide range of scenarios. In the final step, the optimal scenarios were selected, in line of having strong economic indicators, honoring operational constraints, corporate business plan and strategic objectives. The comprehensive and flexible field management logic was set up to target different challenges and was used to extensively screen hundreds of different field development scenarios varying several parameters. Examples of such parameters are WAG ratio, injection pressures for both water/gas and CO2, cycle duration, well placement, reservoir production and injection guidelines, different co-development production schemes coupled with static and dynamic uncertainty properties against incremental oil production and discounted cash flow. The simulation results were analyzed using standardized approach where a number of key indicators was cross-referenced to produce optimal field development scenarios with regards to co-development effect of both reservoirs, miscibility conditions, balanced pressure depletion, harmonized sweep as well as robust discounted cash flow. Strong management support, multi-disciplinary data integration, agility of decision making and revisions in a controlled timeframe are considered as the key pillars for success of this study. The adopted workflow covers subsurface modeling aspects from A-Z and following reservoir characterization and modeling best practices. The methodology applied in this study uses an integrated subsurface structured approach to tackle reservoirs challenges and co-development, generate alternative development options leveraging on data analytics techniques and advanced field management strategies.
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