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SPE 26990
Tht# papw WM prwared for pmsmlalm a the 111larin Ammcmvtxr!obmr Petrtieum Englnmxmg Conference held In BUWY38AI.66, Argentina, 27-29 April 1994
.
This paper WIM 8elecl@dfor pfesenla!lon by an SPE Pr~ram Conmmaa foiiawmg review of Intcfmat(ofl conl~rmd In an absl.net $ubm,lted by tM rzulhorts) Can!enm 01 Ihs paper,
u Prewmlnd, hwa not bmm fevmwmj by the SoCIaly al PoIrG4em Engicecas ad ars w$yecl m ctw.clbn by the author(s) The matwal. as prnsemgd, dorn not necessamlyreflacf
@?yPOS(!,O.31the SOC,BIyof Pef,okum Eng,neer, ,1, ,yIf,ce,s, w membe,, PBpWSp,mnnlM al SPE meet,ngs n,e subject to pub,lcal,on ,avlew o Ed,loml Comn,!tems of the SomXy
of Petroleum Engmeer$ L%rms$m !0 rnpf osros!rkted m en abstrecl o! WI mwe than X)0 wcfds tlluwamm mey .of be copced.The abstract shwkI co-mm COC.9PICUW8 ackfmwiedgmenf
01 whe,e and by wh(yn lb p~r ,S prasaled Wrwo L,b,a,,.o. SPE, P 0 BOX!333S36, Fi,ehwdson, TX 7S0S3.383$. U S A Tab. 163245 SPEUT
ABSTRACT
[n terms of improving oil remvery in Catriel Oeste Field, a Catriel Oeste Field is located in the northwest area of IUo
project was undertaken to determine the feasibility of applying Negro province at 150 km from Neuqu&n city (Figure 1). The
an Enhanced OiI Reeovery process by Polymertlood. A pilot area of the field is 4500 ha. Productive unit is Quintuco Fm.
was selected in two productive resemoirs projecting to statl (Lower Cretaceous), reservoirs are at a depth of 350 mbsl. The
with polymer injection on August 1993. field was discovered in 1959, beginning its commercird
exploitation in 1965. In 1974, a waterflood was implemented
This paper describes the studies made for the pilot design and with 47 wells in injection today. Total of drilled wells is 217
the conditions in which it will set, taking into account aspects as from which 187 are ac[ive.
reservoir characteristics, present conditions, laboratory testings
and a brief description of the facilities, Polymerflood was chosen among olher EOR schemes due to the
stratification of the reservoir, high water-oil mobility ratio
(MR), important mobile oil saturation and thickness of the
layers below to 10 m not allowing thermal process. Production
water (PW) will be used for the polymer slug due to the need to
reinjeet the PW, environmental considerations and in order to
avoid possible incompatibility with the formation brine.
FfELD DESCFUPTTON the other hand layers 4 & 5) produced an overinjection in the
former ones and deficient displacement m the latter ones
II is located in the eastern margin of Neuquen Basin. IIS suggest ing a lower recovery. This is the reason why they were
structure is a long and slightly asymrrwtrtc, WNW-ESE oriented chosen to [mplement the pilot proJect, being its main objective
anticline (Figure 2). Layer 5 as it has associated [he major OOIP of both of them.
The Quinmco formation M subdivided in three members: Cumulative production is 6. I x 106 m3 or 21 ,4% of 00IP,
Lower, M}ddle and Upper. The Ianer is the main productive expecting in present conditions to reach 27.4% of OOIP. Total
objective, it concemrates 89% of OOIP, The most important liquid rate is 5100 m3/day with 92 ?4 water cut (415 m3/day of
reservoirs (layers i, 3, 4 aod 5) are located within this member, oli). The 23 API oii was saturated at a pressure of 7061 kPa
corresponding afl of them to a Iittoraf-marine environment 1. (reference level 390 mbsl) at initiaf conditions. Viscosity was
24 cp, Boi 1.07 m3/m3 and Rsi 23 m3/m3. Salinity of
Three of the above mernioned reservoirs form sandy lobe bodies formation water was 66 gr/lt of CINa with a vmcoslty of 0.65
deposiied over a platform with low dip angle Ialerafly cp in reservoir conditions meanwhile relative density of gas was
arnafgarnated (layers 1, 3 and 5); its dimensions are 6 km 0.654.
length, 4 km wide. Facies with reservoir propefites offer
cotuinuity through a length of 2 km, with an average thickness LABORATORY TEST~G
of 5 m, These bodies are imerbeded with lightly sandy carbonic
levels from which Layer 4 is the only with reservoir properties. In order to choose the most suitable polymer for the reservoir
This al:cmate is considered to be due to relat!ve changes in sea conditions and its flutds, a screening was made. For this
level 2J3, A log type section N shown in F]gisre 3. purpose severaJ polyacrilarrudes (PAM) and three biopolymer
(BIO) were studied The solutions at different concentrations
The oil field development is on 9 ha wells spacing, with them were tested in friued glass filters, Berea plugs and core plugs.
completed in severaf reservoirs. At initiaJ conditions, it had gas
cup in i[s two superior reservoirs (layer 1 & 3). Thus, POLYMER SCREE!WNG
production mechanism was expansion of gas cup, gas drive and
a slight aqu]fer activi~y in soulhetn and eastern sides, mainly In Tests were run :0 evaluale different polymers, rheologicaf
layers 1 and 3. Nevertheless, during this stage, pressure fell properties and plugging tendencies were deterrntned. In
suddenly cfue to oi[ properties (low f301, low Rsi and high addition, influence of parameters like sal:niry and bacteriaf
viscosity), contest! of PW was analyzed, Table I shows cherrticaJ and
bacteriological analysis of PW.
Catriel Oeste Oil field was operated from the beginning bv state
company YPF. Since 1972 on, i! is being managed by a group Strong vlscos]ty decrease was obserwd in PAM due to
of companies leaded by Cia, Naviera Perez Companc, In 1974 a production water saliniry, even though reached values
waterflood was implememed with fresh water. The initial maintained stable in time. EtIO showed no important viscosity
arrangement was a inverted seven spot and some peripheral decrease by sa!imty but bacterial gradation was complete in a
wells. Afterwards, latter ones were abandoned being the project short time.
intensified in the inside area through conversion of producing
wells (o injec~ors using the same arrangement. In 1989 an area Resistance factor (RF) vafues, defined as the ratio off polymer
located in the northeas{ part of the field was discovered and and water mobility, and residual resistance factor (RRF) ratio of
developed. waler mobility before and after polymer injection, obmined
from testings on Berea cores were the same as those obtained
The waterflood experienced an early water break~hrough ( 1 from fritted glass
year) due to the high MR. Field production and injeaion
history is shown in Figure 4, FLOW TESTING ON CORE PLUGS
As a consequence of the increment of water production rate, the Testing purpose was to get an optimal polymer concentration
same began to be reinfected replacing the fresh water. Tlis and to determine parameters like polymer adsorption and shear
originated more incrustatioct and corrosion problems compelling effect. For each tes[ were plotted the values of RF and RRF
the replacement of selective injection installations for globaf agamsl polymer and water pore volumes injected (VPI).
ones. The change of [be injection system added to the different
quality of the reservoirs (on the one hand layers 1 & 3 and on
STUDIES FOR THE PILOT SELECTION At the same time a numerical simulation was made to determine
in which conditions the pilot project would be placed. And with
Layers 4 and 5 were studied in an area affecting 50% of driI1ed a speciaf module which allows polymerflood, scale the
wells and almost the total area of waterflood. Llthological laboratory test to the field in order to obtain a forecast of the
characteristics and reservoirs properties were evafuated from polymerflood and to have a tool to anafyze the expansion of the
Key Wells which have core (RCO-257, RCO-258 and RCO- pilot.
259). This evaluation required petrographic analysis from thin
sections, capillary pressure curves interpretation and A threedimensiortal black oil simulator was used for the history
pafeoenvironmental analysis. matching. An area able to contain the pilot was selected to
simulate, based on available reservoir studies and geological
Correlation with other wells was stated by means of cutting and description. In figure 7 is shown she area selected to simulate.
logs in order to map Iithofaciaf variations and totaf thickness A grid system of 32 x 18 x 6 cells was built with a total of 66
(Figure 5 & 6). The net pay and tie petrophysics were mapped production and injection wells (Figure 8). The grid comprises
according to facial variations, the four reservoirs of Upper Quintuco and also the two upper
ones of Middle Quintuco because some wells in the latter one
All this information and the behavior in prirmwy and secondary are completed there,
production aflowed deduce a lateral continuity scheme and a
connection model between wells for each reservoir, The results of the history matching are shown in Table 4. The
rnairt aspect is that there are areas in Layers 4 & 5 with a high
The generaf characteristics of each reservoir are as follows: present oil saturation, Average values calculated by simulator
are 20% for reservoir Layer 5 and 10% for reservoir Layer 4,
M!Gi: It is form~ W a fine to ~ium w~z-feldespatic Figure 9 and 10 show mobile oil saturation for both reservoirs.
sand with cafcareous cement and excellent sorting. Porosity is
interparticular and average values are 27%; permeability is History matching of the linear coreflood and the oil recovery
around 700 mD, it has good pore throats sorting (25% > 16 p, performance with polymer and water were made using the
50% > 4.5 p and 75% > 0.3 p). It has porosity and speciaf module of the simulator. This module takes into
permeability vertical variations associated to an increase of account aspects Iikc polymer adsorption, water relative
carbonate cement and amounts of clay. The net pay varies permeability decrease, portion of the pore volume inaccessible
between 1,20 and 2,30 m. Based on relative quality variations to the flow of polymer, viscosity reduction due to shear effect
three facies were mapped called M (marginal) S (intermediate) and salinity degradation over rheologicaf properties.
and MB (central) (Table 2).
History match of the linear flow test was intended to match
The reservoir appears to be of intermediate water nettability values obtained in laboratory for effective viscosity within a
with a connate water saturation of 30% and a residual oil pore media, the decrease of viscosity by shear effect, polymer
saturation of 32%. adsorption and RRF value. Figure 11 shows differential
pressure vafues measured in laboratory and those calculated by
the simulator for one of the tests.
1. Demonstrate in which amount improving the displacement Regarding producing wells. all those belonging 10 the pilot were
with polymer will increase the final oil recovery and reduce the repaired leaving the to[af of them able to produce.
producing water cut.
The pilot wIII start with waterflood during 1 month in order to
2. Ensure sufficiently high polymer injections ra!e can be make pressure testing aflowing to determine basic conditions to
mamtamed without plugging [he formation. be compared afterwards w]th polymer injection. The other stage
is the polymer injection at a concentration of 250 ppm during
3. Determine polymer degradation and adsorptions at reservoir 15 days, watching panicularly whether reservoirs plugging
conditions. occurs or not. Finafly, polymer concentration will be increased
to 500 ppm mjeeting maximum allowed rate without inducing
4. Determine operating procedures reservoir fractures. Preliminary estimation of the total injection
rate was of 250 m3/day
The most probabIe 00IP calculated for pilot area is 280000 m3
from which 215000 rril belongs to Layer 5 and 65000 m3 to PROJECT MONITORING
Layer 4, The pilot itself consists of 4 injecting wells and 4
producing ones which form two arrangements, one duect five For monitoring this project a prelirrunary programme was
spot and other inverted one. Also, injection could affect 8 designed. A radioactive tracer of 4m Curie of [rited water will
producing wells which circumscribe the pilot (Figure 5), be injected in the front part of the polymer slug in each one of
[he four injector wells. It is meant to determine the amival of
Even though direct arrangement aflows [o expect a quick the front of the slug even though polymer does not arrive. In
response, an invert one was also implemented to gather the addition, surface samples from the injector wells will be taken
elements to decide, after a technical economic anafysis, which to determine polymer concentration by means of screen-factor,
one is the pilot project most suitable expansion. bacteriological level, iron and oxygen contents will be
monitored, elements all of them which originate pdyrner
Once the pilot was selected, a simulation was made in order to degradation.
obtain the forecast of the polymerflood and the incremental oil
recovery over the waterflood, To make the waterflood forecas[ In producing wells, a detwled study of the extraction conditions
it was taken into account the drilling of the new injector well (ilquid rate, dynamic levels, water percentage and safinity) will
RCO-408, the conversion of well RCO-230 from productive to be carried on. Samples will be taken to measure water
injector and the rejection in the four wells of the project in radioactivity in order to detect tracer arrival. Polymer
Layers 4 & 5 only closing the other reservoirs. Tbe incremental concentration control will also be made in the production fluid.
oil recovery obtained by the simulation was 20000 m3 (7% of
OOIP), This increment was obtained injecting a slug of 30% of
the pilot pore volume with a polymer concentration of 500 ppm,
2, Reservoir Layer 5 is the main objective of the pilot. km x 6,21371 E-01 = mile
ha x 2.47104 E+OO = acre
3. Reducing the mobility ratio due to polymer injection will m X 3.28084 E+OO = fr
produce an increased recovery of 7 % of OOIP. m3 X 6.28981 E+OO = bbl
kPa x 1.45038 E 41 = psi
4. This increased recovery is obtained injecting a polymer plug kg X 2.20462 E+OO = lb
of 30% pore volume at a concentration of 500 ppm. gr/lt x 1.00000 E+03 = ppm
NOMENCLATURE
OBSERVAJTO.NS OTHER_P~OPERtUIES
. . ..-.
1
.- .- - .. . . .A . mll D&NSllT i
[-- ,
I
1 r NE TC WRY FlkE ~LL SOR7CD
FEU2SPATHIC SAhOSTCN:, GROSS PAY ..
< I
1 CALCITIC CEh4Ehr M Om, 2 GG I
~257 SILTY 10 SHALY MAmlX 5m 2131 265
AMA. GAMA7EC BOOES (MARGINAL) 632 2 ES
0ECJ3EA5hG UPW?JID POR05 W ?+<: PAY 00997 ) 2E?
I 015! 265
1,20 m fKXln 70 NON
ncwwom
~ . . ,.... -..,. - ., . .- .
13co:zh I
1 1 ncswvom
i
Table 2- FACIES lAYEil 5
[ % mO
... DENSl~ I
I RCO-257
GRoSS PAY
i
M 5,? 00313 267
4rn 74 0704 266
?57 OOLITIC TO SKELETAL (3? AINSTONE 154 064 262
I SUBSPARITX2 LOW POROSITY Em OUAUTY 14 00318 267
NET PAY OF 186 231 268
RESERVOIR 65 D (X357 262
0,50 m I
)
_- ._
R:o-258
GROSS PAY
I
...
GROSS PAY \
I I
i ~m B,,, D 02CE3 269
59 VERY FINE, WELL SOR7E0 !68 54 (3 ? 78
rTEGuLAn 115 267
SANDSTONE, CA.CITTCCEA4CNT I 058
QUALJTY Of , 187 ?06 262
n~wwoin t4 104 264
I .. I
.L. _ --- .
88
SPE Advanced Technology Swits, Vb]. 4, No 1
P
L
Ftguro 2. STRUCTURE MAP
Flguro 1- CATRIEL OESIE FIELD LOCATION
TYPE LOG
,~ m3/d8y
ml-/, \ r 1 1.1, 1 r , , -1 1 1 , , , I 1. 1 1+
65 67 EJ Jf75fi TJN81 65t58J @ 9f 93
(:, <
al 7
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!]
Figure 5- LAYER 5 FACIES MAP
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on , // -> ,! ,
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90
SPE Advanced Technology Seriw Vol. 4, No. I
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F~gure 9. PRESENT MOBILE OIL SATURATION, LAYER 4 Figure 10- PRESENT MOEILE OIL SATURATION, LAYER 5
25 - 1
I
I
40 -
20 - I
m -
15 -
La2 Resdfs
\ 1
\
20 -
lo-
5- 10, ~
1
/
I
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I I I L 1 I I , I 1 [ ,
0 o-
0 40 80 120 160 200 240 280 320 360 01234567 89 10
Pore Volume Injected Pore Volume Injected
Figure 11- SINGLE PHASE CORE FLOOO MATCH Flgurs 12- COMPARISON OF SIMULATED
POLYMER FLOOD AND WATERFLOOD
Qo m3/d
80, 1
20
t
t
II I
10
01
t
1 , I 1
I1, , I 1 , 1 I , 1 n I
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1985 1990 1995 2000 2005
1
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FRESH <
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