This paper describes a straightforward strategy for diagnosing and solving excess-water-production problems. The strategy advocates that the easiest problems should be attacked first and that diagnosis of water production problems should begin with the information already at hand. A listing of water-production problems is provided, along with a ranking of their relative ease of solution. Although a broad range of water-shutoff technologies is considered, the major focus of the paper is when and where gels can be effectively applied for water shutoff. Proposed StrategyOur proposed strategy for attacking excess-water-production problems advocates that the easiest problems should be attacked first and that diagnosis of water production problems should begin with information already at hand. To implement this strategy, a prioritization of water production problems is needed. Based on extensive reservoir and completion engineering studies and analyses of many field applications, the various types of water problems were prioritized and categorized from least to most difficult, as shown in Table 1. The first three listings are the easiest problems (Category
TX 75083-3836, U.S.A., fax 01-972-952-9435. AbstractThis paper describes a straightforward strategy for diagnosing and solving excess water production problems. The strategy advocates that the easiest problems should be attacked first and diagnosis of water production problems should begin with information already at hand. A listing of water production problems is provided, along with a ranking of their relative ease of solution.Conventional methods (e.g., cement, mechanical devices) normally should be applied first to treat the easiest problemsi.e., casing leaks and flow behind pipe where cement can be placed effectively and for unfractured wells where impermeable barriers separate water and hydrocarbon zones. Gelant treatments normally are the best option for casing leaks and flow behind pipe with flow restrictions that prevent effective cement placement. Both gelants and preformed gels have been successfully applied to treat hydraulic or natural fractures that connect to an aquifer. Treatments with preformed gels normally are the best option for faults or fractures crossing a deviated or horizontal well, for a single fracture causing channeling between wells, or for a natural fracture system that allows channeling between wells. Gel treatments should not be used to treat the most difficult problems-i.e., three-dimensional coning, cusping, or channeling through strata with crossflow.
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TX 75083-3836, U.S.A., fax 01-972-952-9435. AbstractAdvancement in design and implementation of polymer gel water shutoff treatments in horizontal wells that penetrate fractures or faults have come from empirical improvements in the field and synergism between monitored field treatments and independent laboratory research. One case history will be detailed, followed by a summary of several other treatments.Simple calculations can give at least a rudimentary indication of the width of the fracture or fault that causes excess water production. Using laboratory data coupled with field data collected before, during, and after gel injection, the calculations can also give an indication of how far the gel has actually penetrated into the fracture. Our analyses reveal critical measurements that should be made during field applications and where additional laboratory work is needed to aid in the design of field applications.
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