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ABSTRACT: Tracer technology can provide valuable information on reservoir and fluid flow performance. Acquiring reliable information requires good planning, designing and implementation. In earlier papers Cubillos, H. et al 1,2,3 have presented a field case study and best practices of utilisation of gas tracer technology to improve reservoir description. In the present paper this work is extended to include the importance of an integrated approach to perform successful gas and water tracer programs. This includes a clear definition of objectives and qualified evaluation of key parameters which are crucial for a successful operation such as selection of tracer types, calculation of tracer amounts, sampling program and sampling method, detection techniques, risk evaluation and environmental consideration, and data integration into reservoir management. It has been demonstrated that reliable tracer data can be obtained through careful planning, design, implementation, and monitoring. A key element of success is integration of the project team to include the disciplines of reservoir engineering, geosciences, field operations, and tracer specialists. The best practices that we employed are documented here. In the lessons learned we also review the common mistakes and bad experiences that could occur in the absence of a robust tracer design program. The importance of analytical calculations, simulation, sampling frequency, temperature stability and the recycling of tracers are also among the topics which are addressed. Application of properly designed tracer campaigns is of great importance for all operators that manage secondary recovery programs where gas or water injection is performed. The present method review will be of help to those managing or planning gas and water tracer application projects
- Europe (0.94)
- North America > United States (0.28)
- Africa > Middle East > Algeria (0.28)
- South America > Brazil > Sergipe > Sergipe-Alagoas Basin > Carmopolis Field (0.99)
- Europe > Norway > North Sea > Northern North Sea > East Shetland Basin > PL 375 > Block 34/7 > Snorre Field > Statfjord Group (0.99)
- Europe > Norway > North Sea > Northern North Sea > East Shetland Basin > PL 375 > Block 34/7 > Snorre Field > Lunde Formation (0.99)
- (39 more...)
A Step Change for Single-Well Chemical-Tracer Tests: Field Pilot Testing of New Sets of Novel Tracers
AlAbbad, Mohammed A. (Saudi Aramco) | Sanni, Modiu L. (Saudi Aramco) | Kokal, Sunil (Saudi Aramco) | Krivokapic, Alexander (Institutt for Energiteknikk) | Dye, Christian (Institutt for Energiteknikk) | Dugstad, Øyvind (Restrack) | Hartvig, Sven K. (Restrack) | Huseby, Olaf K. (Restrack)
Summary The single-well chemical-tracer test (SWCTT) is an in-situ test to measure oil saturation, and has been used extensively to assess the potential for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) or to qualify particular EOR chemicals and methods. An SWCTT requires that a primary tracer be injected and that a secondary tracer be generated from the primary tracer in situ. Typically, a few hundred liters of ester is injected as primary tracer, and the secondary tracer is formed through hydrolysis in the formations. The ester is an oil/water-partitioning tracer, whereas the in-situ-generated alcohol is a water tracer. During production, these tracers separate and the time lag of the ester vs. the alcohol is used to estimate oil saturation in the near-well region. In this paper, we report a field test of a class of new reacting tracers for SWCTTs. In the test, approximately 100 cm of each of the new tracers was injected and used to assess oil saturation. In the test, ethyl acetate (EtAc) was used as a benchmark to verify the new tracers. This paper reviews the design and implementation of the test, highlights operational issues, provides a summary of the analyzed tracer curves, and gives a summary of the interpretation methodology used to find oil saturations from the tracer curves. Briefly summarized, we find the Sor measured by each of the novel tracers to compare with that from a conventional SWCTT. To validate stability and detectability of the tracers, a mass-balance assessment for the new tracers is compared with that of the conventional tracers. A benefit of the new tracers is the small amount needed. Methodological advantages resulting from using small amounts include the possibility to inject a mix of several tracers. Using several tracers with different partitioning coefficients enables probing of different depths of the reservoir. In addition, the robustness of SWCTTs can be increased by using several tracers, with different reaction rates and temperature sensitivity. The field trial also demonstrated that the new tracers have operational advantages. One benefit is the possibility to inject the new tracers as a short pulse of 10 minutes. Other benefits are that the small amounts needed reduce operational hazards and ease logistical handling.
- Africa (0.93)
- Europe > Norway (0.68)
- Europe > United Kingdom > North Sea > Central North Sea (0.50)
- (2 more...)
- North America > United States > Texas > Fort Worth Basin > Ranger Field (0.99)
- Europe > United Kingdom > North Sea > Central North Sea > Central Graben > West Central Graben > PL2244 > Block 21/27a > Pilot Field (0.99)
- Europe > United Kingdom > North Sea > Central North Sea > Central Graben > West Central Graben > P2244 > Block 21/27a > Pilot Field (0.99)
- (12 more...)
Abstract Inter-well tracer test (IWTT) is a method used to track the movement of injection fluid and identify the field connectivity. The mechanism of IWTTs consists of injecting slugs of tracer in the water injector and observing the tracer at the producers from water samples. One of the advantageous of the IWTT is the uniqueness of tracers which indicates to a specific tracer origin. However in fields which apply produced water reinjection, the original location of the tracer might not be determined. This is caused by the reinjection of produced tracer in other injectors. The tracer reinjection could add noises to the tracer data which might lead to misinterpretations. The basic idea to overcome this problem is to minimize the noises so that it cannot be detected. It could be achieved by maintaining the noise level under the detection limit of the analytical tool (gas chromatography/mass spectrometry). The noise created from the tracer reinjection is directly proportional to the amount of tracer being re-injected and the amount of tracer being re-injected is directly proportional to the initial amount of tracer being injected in the first injector. Therefore in order to minimize the noises, the initial tracer amount should also be minimized. However, too little amount of tracer might prevent the tracer from being observed in the target producers. This paper discusses the methodology in optimizing the tracer amount. There are basically 4 criteria that need to be considered in optimizing the tracer amount. First, the tracer amount should be sufficient for the tracer to be detected in the target producers. Second, the tracer amount should be minimal to keep the noises below the detection limit. Third, the tracer amount should also results in minimum delay of tracer reading in the producers. The last criterion is to keep a minimum cost for the IWTT project. This methodology has high potentials to serve as a guideline for reservoir engineers when designing an IWTT in PWRI fields. In conclusion, by having a proper design, the IWTT in PWRI fields can give the same benefits as in the non-PWRI fields.
Abstract Over the last few decades, tracers have provided crucial insights on fluid flow behavior assessing reservoir connectivity. For years, they had been viewed as mostly passive molecules that go with the flow of the injected fluid and uncover pathways between injectors and producers. The proposed paper sheds light on some interesting newer frontiers of tracer applications with unconventional uses to gain further flow insight from an oil and gas reservoir. Although primarily developed for interwell applications, newer and more sophisticated genres of tracers have found their way to assist with well fluid flow behavior. Inflow tracer applications, used for phase flow diagnostics, have been around for a few decades now. However, with several parameters like physical space restrictions, temperature, solid support selection, multi-phase flow, initial surge and target concentrations at play, it was soon realised that an extended lifetime was needed to provide techno-economic benefits during reservoir monitoring. Microencapsulation of tracer molecules is one of the newer developed techniques that has shown significant extension to tracer life in controlled release tracer applications as well as improved dispersibility within fracking fluid. Newer synthesis mechanisms like microencapsulation have been developed to linearize inflow tracer release profiles that has led to a substantial increase in tracer lifetime. As the research and development progressed, newer tracers such as frac bead tracers were developed allowing long term fluid flowback monitoring in fracture stimulated wells. In parallel, it is still an active field of investigation as to how tracers can be integrated with common downhole completion and topside equipment of a well to accurately detect early water breakthrough. The paper discusses the advances in these target areas where chemistry is constantly being upgraded to suit end user needs. Novel applications and ‘out-of-the-box’ uses have been developed in the last couple of years where inflow tracers have found a modified use within the gas lift system in a well and integrated with the top-side flow arm of the well, eradicating the need for individual sampling of wells and detection of water breakthrough at an early onset, thus aiding timely decision making and improved recovery from the well. Real time analysis of tracers have attracted attention for quite some time now. The paper also discusses the latest development in this area and the challenges associated with real field applications. While advancements in versatility of the tracer molecules have been published prior in literature, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, no work has been published to date that discusses the latest advances in unconventional uses of the tracer molecules aiding EOR and IOR processes.
Abstract Over the last few decades, tracers have provided crucial insights on fluid flow behavior assessing reservoir connectivity. For years, they had been viewed as mostly passive molecules that go with the flow of the injected fluid and uncover pathways between injectors and producers. The proposed paper sheds light on some interesting newer frontiers of tracer applications with unconventional uses to gain further flow insight from an oil and gas reservoir. Although primarily developed for interwell applications, newer and more sophisticated genres of tracers have found their way to assist with well fluid flow behavior. Inflow tracer applications, used for phase flow diagnostics, have been around for a few decades now. However, with several parameters like physical space restrictions, temperature, solid support selection, multi-phase flow, initial surge and target concentrations at play, it was soon realised that an extended lifetime was needed to provide techno-economic benefits during reservoir monitoring. Microencapsulation of tracer molecules is one of the newer developed techniques that has shown significant extension to tracer life in controlled release tracer applications as well as improved dispersibility within fracking fluid. Newer synthesis mechanisms like microencapsulation have been developed to linearize inflow tracer release profiles that has led to a substantial increase in tracer lifetime. As the research and development progressed, newer tracers such as frac bead tracers were developed allowing long term fluid flowback monitoring in fracture stimulated wells. In parallel, it is still an active field of investigation as to how tracers can be integrated with common downhole completion and topside equipment of a well to accurately detect early water breakthrough. The paper discusses the advances in these target areas where chemistry is constantly being upgraded to suit end user needs. Novel applications and ‘out-of-the-box’ uses have been developed in the last couple of years where inflow tracers have found a modified use within the gas lift system in a well and integrated with the top-side flow arm of the well, eradicating the need for individual sampling of wells and detection of water breakthrough at an early onset, thus aiding timely decision making and improved recovery from the well. Real time analysis of tracers have attracted attention for quite some time now. The paper also discusses the latest development in this area and the challenges associated with real field applications. While advancements in versatility of the tracer molecules have been published prior in literature, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, no work has been published to date that discusses the latest advances in unconventional uses of the tracer molecules aiding EOR and IOR processes.