The Role of Reservoir Management in Carbonate Waterfloods

Thakur, Ganesh

doi:10.2523/39519-ms

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 8 publications

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“…This program includes recording of open and cased hole logs, core analysis, pressure build-up and pressure fall off tests, injectivity tests, production and injection logs, RFT in new infill and sidetrack wells, tracer programs and regular production testing data 5,6,7 . These data are analyzed for understanding the reservoir performance and selecting the mid-course corrections for optimum development of the field.…”

Section: Sectorial Approach For Analysis and Reservoir Surveillancementioning

confidence: 99%

Development Strategy and Reservoir Management of a Multilayered Giant Offshore Carbonate Field

Tewari

Rao

Raju

2000

Proceedings of SPE Asia Pacific Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition

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TX 75083-3836, U.S.A., fax 01-972-952-9435. AbstractThe reservoir performance and management of the Bombay High field with 25 years of production history has been reviewed. Bombay High is one of the most complex fields in terms of reservoir heterogeneity. The major reservoir (L-III) is multilayered with 10 limestone layers of 5-10m thick which are separated by 2 to 5m shale. More than 600 development wells, both producers and injectors have been drilled. The very nature of this giant field and large and aging facilities have necessitated frequent reviews and changes in the development strategy of the field. The field is in the decline phase and has associated problems like increase in water cut and high GOR, which in-turn is effecting the oil production. Pressure maintenance by water injection is uneven in the reservoir due to heterogeneity. Problems being faced are differential depletion of sub-layers and associated poor primary cementation and mud losses during drilling of infill wells.Infill drilling through available spare slots and side-tracking/redrilling of the existing wells, drilling of horizontal wells, drainholes and ERD have been taken up to increase the production and also to augment the water injection. Massive well intervention programs like water shut off and gas shut off are being taken up to reduce the excess water and gas production. The paper also discusses, the utilization of tools like Downhole video and PLT for problem identification, Ball sealer for selective stimulation and Gel treatment for controlling excessive water and gas production, water flood surveillance programs and facilities optimization.Sectorial approach, adopted for reservoir management has helped, in better well level monitoring, which becomes very essential in mature fields like Bombay High, in the identification of pressure sinks and better voidage compensation, fluid movements and design of well intervention programs and facilities optimization.A multi-disciplinary team concept has been embraced for better reservoir management. The advantages of multidisciplinary teams, which are working for the re-development plan, with detailed/improved reservoir characterization, incorporating the 3D seismic data and reservoir simulation model, is highlighted.

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Section: Sectorial Approach For Analysis and Reservoir Surveillancementioning

confidence: 99%

Development Strategy and Reservoir Management of a Multilayered Giant Offshore Carbonate Field

Tewari

Rao

Raju

2000

Proceedings of SPE Asia Pacific Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition

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Field Applications of Capacitance-Resistive Models in Waterfloods

2008

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Application of fast, simple and yet powerful analytic tools, capacitance-resistive models (CRMs), are demonstrated with four field examples. Most waterfloods lend themselves to this treatment. This spreadsheet-based tool is ideally suited for engineers who manage daily flood performance. We envision CRM's application to precede any detailed full-field numerical modeling. We have selected field case studies in a way to demonstrate CRMs capabilities in different settings: a tank representation of a field, its ability to determine connectivity between the producers and injectors, and understanding flood efficiencies for the entire or a portion of a field. Significant insights about the flood performance over a short period can be gained by estimating fractions of injected fluid being directed from an injector to various producers and the time taken for an injection signal to reach a producer. Injector-to-producer connectivity may be inferred directly during the course of error minimization. Because the method circumvents geologic modeling and saturation matching, it lends itself to frequent usage without intervention of expert modelers. Introduction History matching reservoir performance is a difficult inverse problem. Ordinarily, history matching entails minimizing the difference between the observed and computed response in terms of gas/oil ratio, water/oil ratio, and reservoir drainage-area pressures. Systematic approaches have emerged to simplify history matching because manual matching by adjusting global and/or local geological and flow properties is tedious and time-consuming. Two classes of matching algorithms have emerged; one dealing with an automated approach involving error minimization, and the other dealing with 3D streamline assisted property adjustments in a systematic way. Some of the automated methods used for history matching include a gradient-based approach (Thomas et al. 1972, Chen et al. 1974, Bissell et al. 1997, Yang and Watson 1998, Zhang et al. 2000, and Gomez et al. 2001), sensitivity-analysis technique (Hirasaki 1973, Dogru and Seinfeld 1981, and Watson 1989), stochastic modeling technique (Tyler et al. 1993 and Calatayud et al. 1994), and optimal-control theory (Chavent et al. 1975 and Wasserman et al. 1975). In addition, history matching with streamlines (Milliken et al. 2001, Cheng et al. 2007) has gained popularity for its computational speed. Because history matching with a single geologic model does not assure attaining the 'correct' model, uncertainty in forecasting remains. Tavassoli et al. (2004) made this point very eloquently. The lack of forecasting certainty has prompted some to pursue history matching and forecasting with ensemble of models carrying geologic uncertainty. For instance, Landa et al. (2005) by using clustered computing showed how uncertainty in static modeling can be handled in both history matching and forecasting phases. Similarly, Liu and Oliver (2005) explored applications of ensemble Kalman filter in history matching where continuous model updating with time is sought for an ensemble of initial reservoir models. In yet another approach, Sahni and Horne (2006) have used wavelets for generating multiple history-matched models using both geologic and production data uncertainty. In spite of the advances made in automated-history matching with grid-based simulations, manual history matching is the norm in most business settings. The purpose of this study is two-fold; first, to alleviate the tedious task of history matching, manual or automated, by providing clues about producer/injector connectivity, and second, to provide a day-to-day waterflood management tool without the intervention of specialists requiring high-end computing.

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Lessons Learned from the Process of Water Injection Management in Impactful Onshore and Offshore Carbonate Reservoirs

Du,

Thakur

2024

Energies

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This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of water injection management practices for complex and impactful onshore and offshore carbonate reservoirs. It delves into the fundamental aspects of waterflooding design, surveillance techniques, and monitoring methods tailored for the unique challenges posed by carbonate formations. Two case studies from the Permian Basin in Texas and two from Lula Field offshore Brazil and Agbami Field offshore Nigeria are examined considering scientific principles into practice to provide insights into best practices, lessons learned, and strategies to maximize the benefits derived from real noteworthy waterflood operations. The paper underscores the significance of rigorous reservoir characterization, including understanding reservoir architecture, heterogeneities, fracture networks, fluid communication pathways, and rock–fluid interactions. It emphasizes the crucial role of integrated multidisciplinary teams involving geologists, reservoir engineers, production engineers, and field operators in ensuring successful waterflood design, implementation, and optimization. Through the case studies, the paper highlights the importance of designing pattern configurations, well placements, and injection/production strategies to the specific reservoir characteristics, continually optimizing these elements based on surveillance data. It also stresses the necessity of comprehensive data acquisition, advanced analytics, numerical simulations, and frequent model updates for effective reservoir management and decision-making. The paper is impactful in terms of the lessons learned from the actual case studies, and how can these be implemented in actual field projects. Different case studies documented in the paper provide the challenges facing them and how different authors have addressed their problems in unique ways. The paper distills the information and important findings from a variety of case studies and provides succinct information that is of immense value as a reference. Important findings of these case studies are connected using creativity and are innovative as they introduce unique techniques and establish successful ideas to create new value in terms of maximizing oil recovery. Most importantly, this paper explores the application of innovative technologies, such as intelligent completions, 4D seismic monitoring, and water–alternating gas (WAG) injection, which can significantly improve waterflood performance in complex carbonate reservoirs. In summary, the paper provides a thorough understanding of the factors contributing to the success and failure of waterfloods in carbonate reservoirs through case studies based on factually and technically sound operations. It documents guidelines for optimizing waterflood performance and reducing or eliminating the potential for failures, reinforcing positive results in these challenging yet invaluable hydrocarbon resources.

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The Role of Reservoir Management in Carbonate Waterfloods

Cited by 3 publications

References 8 publications

Development Strategy and Reservoir Management of a Multilayered Giant Offshore Carbonate Field

Development Strategy and Reservoir Management of a Multilayered Giant Offshore Carbonate Field

Field Applications of Capacitance-Resistive Models in Waterfloods

Lessons Learned from the Process of Water Injection Management in Impactful Onshore and Offshore Carbonate Reservoirs

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