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Results
Abstract Pilot tests of surfactant additives in completion fluid and gas huff n' puff in depleted wells have proven the possibility of production enhancement in unconventional liquid reservoirs (ULR). However, numerical simulation studies regarding EOR techniques neglect two important features of the ULR: extensive fracture discontinuity and high fracture density. This work explores how these two features effect depletion forecasts and EOR evaluation in ULR by applying discrete fracture network (DFN) modeling and optimized unstructured gridding. In this study, grid generation algorithms for Perpendicular Bisection (PEBI) gridding are improved to handle reservoirs with complex fracture geometry and high fracture intensity. The depletion behavior of the dual-porosity methods and the DFN method are compared based on the "sugar-cube" conceptual model. Data including outcrop maps and FMI log are used to characterize fracture network geometry and build DFN models to represent realistic stimulated tight reservoirs. Dynamic fluid flow models are calibrated through history matching of depletion. To properly model EOR processes at the field scale, results from publications of lab experiments regarding surfactant imbibition and CO2 huff n' puff are used to generate simulation parameters. A series of surfactant spontaneous imbibition and gas huff n' puff simulations are performed on those calibrated DFN models to study the impact of fracture geometry on EOR performance. Simulation results indicate that dual-porosity methods are not correct if the transient period of fracture-matrix flow lasts for extaned periods or the continuity of fractures is poor, both of which are very common in ULR. By tuning parameters within a reasonable range, DFN dynamic fluid flow models match the production data and can represent the realistic stimulated ULR. Surfactant assisted spontaneous imbibition (SASI) in the matrix domain results in a marginal production increase compared to water imbibition. It is found that wettability alteration incurred in the fracture system may play a more important role in production enhancement. Simulation results of gas huff n' puff indicate the main recovery mechanisms are re-pressurization and viscosity reduction characteristic of multicontact miscibility. And for reservoirs below the bubble-point, another recovery mechanism is the increase of heavy components' flux. However, either increasing the soak period or increasing the portion of the production period in each cycle has a minor effect on recovery enhancement. This study reveals the significance of using DFN with the unstructured grid to study the EOR processes in ULR. This approach can capture the rapid and extreme change in phase saturation and component fraction within the stimulated reservoir volume (SRV). Our results demonstrate the important factors that affect the field-scale EOR performance in ULR.
- North America > United States > Texas (1.00)
- North America > Canada (0.68)
- Geology > Geological Subdiscipline > Geomechanics (0.48)
- Geology > Petroleum Play Type > Unconventional Play (0.46)
Abstract Laboratory studies of unconventional reservoirs are faced with considerably more challenges than those of conventional reservoirs. The assessment of Enhanced Oil Recovery potential in unconventional reservoirs (UCR EOR) in particular needs to address the characterization of static and dynamic properties given the tightness of the rocks, available sample size and simulation of EOR under elevated pressure and temperature conditions. This paper summarizes a laboratory study designed and performed for a potential EOR pilot utilizing cyclic gas injection (Huff-n-Puff) in the Sooner Trend Anadarko Canadian Kingfisher (STACK) shale play in Oklahoma. The lab study focuses on characterizing the rock-fluid interactions as well as upscaling key parameters for the field-scale modeling and simulation. A systematic approach was followed in the design of a laboratory program specific to the characteristics of rock/fluid interaction and the proposed injection scheme of a cyclic gas injection pilot. Digital Core Analysis (DCA) incorporating micro CT, SEM and FIB-SEM analyses were performed in order to determine basic petrophysical properties at micro scale, with capillary pressure and relative permeability curves simulated digitally. Porosity and relative permeability end points were also measured on preserved STACK core plugs. Minimum miscibility pressure (MMP) measurements of field separator gas and STACK crude oil was performed with a rising bubble apparatus (RBA). Finally, a huff-n-puff experiment was designed and performed within a custom pressure cell to study the recovery efficiency at the existing core sample scale. Digital Core Analysis (DCA) has been shown to reliably produce petrophysical properties for tight STACK cores. Laboratory miscibility pressure measurements were conducted at reservoir conditions (4,500 psi and 183 ยฐF) using field crude samples and the associated gas composition. Seven injection/production cycles were applied to a re-saturated standard core plug with oil production observed and measured in the effluent. Cyclic injection continued until no further oil could be visually observed in the effluent. A customized 2-stage drawdown was incorporated to provide input for the recovery process. The total recovery after seven cycles reached 82 %OOIP. This work provides the first rock and fluid analysis integrating digital and traditional approaches for assessment of EOR potential in unconventional reservoirs such as those found in the STACK. This systematic approach presents properly designed and executed laboratory experiments without leaving out key formation and fluid variables. This workflow can be applied in similar UCR EOR studies to lay a solid foundation for appraising UCR EOR potential and providing reliable inputs for upscaling to the field level studies.
- Geology > Mineral (0.69)
- Geology > Petroleum Play Type > Unconventional Play (0.34)
- Reservoir Description and Dynamics > Reservoir Fluid Dynamics > Flow in porous media (1.00)
- Reservoir Description and Dynamics > Improved and Enhanced Recovery > Thermal methods (1.00)
- Reservoir Description and Dynamics > Improved and Enhanced Recovery > Gas-injection methods (1.00)
- Reservoir Description and Dynamics > Formation Evaluation & Management > Core analysis (1.00)
Feasibility Study of Gas Injection in Low Permeability Reservoirs of Changqing Oilfield
Tian, Ye (Colorado School of Mines) | Uzun, Ozan (Colorado School of Mines) | Shen, Yizi (Colorado School of Mines) | Lei, Zhengdong (Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, PetroChina) | Yuan, Jiangru (Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, PetroChina) | Chen, Jiaheng (Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, PetroChina) | Kazemi, Hossein (Colorado School of Mines) | Wu, Yu-Shu (Colorado School of Mines)
Abstract Changqing Oilfield is the largest petroleum-producing field in China and one-third of its oil production is attributed to the formations with permeability lower than 1 mD. The rapid oil rate decline and low recovery factor (RF) associated with those formations require additional IOR/EOR measures besides waterflood. Based on the promising results from recent gas injection pilots in North America, we investigated the feasibility of gas injection in the low permeability formation (Chang 63) of Changqing Oilfield. An eight-component fluid characterization, which fits both the constant composition expansion (CCE) test and separator test, was used in a numerical dual-porosity compositional model. A typical well pattern, composed of six vertical injectors and one horizontal producer, is selected for the modeling study. The input parameters, including relative permeability, fracture permeability, etc., were adjusted to achieve an acceptable history match of the production data. Huff-n-Puff using several gasesโlean gas (CH4), produced gas, rich gas (C2H6), and solvent (C3H8)โ were investigated and the results were compared with the current waterflood. The simulation results show that the richer the injected gas, the higher the oil production. C3H8 huff-n-puff achieved the best performance, increasing the cumulative oil production by a factor of 2.28 after 5 cycles, then followed by C2H6 as 1.34, produced gas as 1.08. CH4 alone demonstrated a lower recovery factor than waterflood, because its minimum miscibility pressure (MMP) is close to the maximum allowable injection pressure, i.e., the minimum horizontal stress. In addition, the horizontal producer was completed at the reservoir top and water injectors were placed at the bottom, which was originally designed to improve the waterflood by gravity segregation. Under such well placement design, the miscible oil bank, which forms at the injection front during vaporizing drive, will be displaced towards the reservoir bottom even out of the SRV, undermining the huff-n-puff performance. Injection with rich gas will be more compatible, as the miscible bank forms at the injection tail. Injecting produced gas enriched with C3H8 will hence achieve promising EOR performance. The simulation also shows that increasing injection pressure increases the recovery factor. The leaner composition of produced gas could be compensated by a higher injection pressure. The optimal injection duration and soaking time could also be obtained after sensitivity analysis. Another critical factor is the fracture network characterized by the dual-porosity model, as simulation with the single porosity model only shows minor improvement in RF even with C3H8. Our work confirmed the technical feasibility of injecting rich gas in the low permeability Chang 63 by compositional simulation. We also determined the key parameters for the operator to consider in the next phase of the project.
- Asia > China > Shaanxi Province (1.00)
- Asia > China > Gansu Province (1.00)
- Asia > China > Shanxi Province (0.92)
- (2 more...)
- Geology > Geological Subdiscipline > Geomechanics (1.00)
- Geology > Rock Type > Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Rock (0.68)
- Energy > Oil & Gas > Upstream (1.00)
- Materials > Chemicals > Commodity Chemicals > Petrochemicals (0.48)
- North America > United States > Texas > West Gulf Coast Tertiary Basin > Eagle Ford Shale Formation (0.99)
- North America > United States > Texas > Sabinas - Rio Grande Basin > Eagle Ford Shale Formation (0.99)
- North America > United States > Texas > Maverick Basin > Eagle Ford Shale Formation (0.99)
- (11 more...)
Abstract This paper presents the basic reservoir characteristics and the key improved oil recovery/enhanced oil recovery (IOR/EOR) methods for sandstone reservoir fields that have achieved recovery factors toward 70%. The study is based on a global analog knowledge base and associated analytical tools. The knowledge base contains both static (STOIIP, primary and ultimate recovery factors, reservoir/fluid properties, well spacing, drive mechanism, and IOR/EOR methods etc.) and dynamic data (oil rate, water-cut, and GOR, etc.) for more than 730 sandstone oil reservoirs. These reservoirs were subdivided into two groups: heavy and conventional oil reservoirs. This study focuses on the reservoirs with recovery factors great than 50% for heavy oil, and recovery factors from 60% to 79% for conventional oil with a view to understand the key factors for such a high recovery efficiency. These key factors include reservoir and fluid properties, wettability, development strategies and the IOR/EOR methods. The high ultimate recovery factors for heavy oil reservoirs are attributed to excellent reservoir properties, horizontal well application, high efficiency of cyclic steam stimulating (CSS) and steam flood, and very tight well spacing (P50 value of 4 acres, as close as 0.25 acres) development strategy. The 51 high recovery conventional clastic reservoirs are characterized by favorable reservoir and fluid properties, water-wet or mixed-wet wettability, high net to gross ratio, and strong natural aquifer drive mechanism. Infill drilling and water flood led to an incremental recovery of 20% to 50%. EOR technologies, such as CO2 miscible and polymer flood, led to an incremental recovery of 8% to 15%. Homogeneous sandstone reservoirs with a good lateral correlation can reach 79% final recovery through water flood and adoption of close well spacing. The lessons learned and best practices from the global analog reservoir knowledge base can be used to identify opportunities for reserve growth of mature fields. With favorable reservoir conditions, it is feasible to move final recovery factor toward 70% through integrating good reservoir management practices with the appropriate IOR/EOR technology.
- Asia > Middle East (1.00)
- Europe (0.93)
- North America > United States > Texas (0.50)
- North America > United States > Texas > East Texas Salt Basin > East Texas Field > Woodbine Formation (0.99)
- North America > United States > California > San Joaquin Basin > Kern River Field (0.99)
- Asia > Middle East > Oman > Al Wusta Governorate > South Oman Salt Basin > Mukhaizna Field (0.99)
- (3 more...)