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Title: Reactivation of an idle lease to increase heavy oil recovery through application of conventional steam drive technology in a low dip slope and basin reservoir in the Midway-Sunset Field, San Jaoquin Basin, California

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/464486· OSTI ID:464486

This project reactivates ARCO`s idle Pru Fee lease in the Midway- Sunset field, California and conducts a continuous steamflood enhanced oil recovery demonstration aided by an integration of modern reservoir characterization and simulation methods. Cyclic steaming is being used to reestablish baseline production within the reservoir characterization phase of the project. During the demonstration phase scheduled to begin in January 1997, a continuous steamflood enhanced oil recovery will be initiated to test the incremental value of this method as an alternative to cyclic steaming. Other economically marginal Class III reservoirs having similar producibility problems will benefit from insight gained in this project. The objectives of the project are: (1) to return the shut-in portion of the reservoir to optimal commercial production; (2) to accurately describe the reservoir and recovery process; and (3) to convey the details of this activity to the domestic petroleum industry, especially to other producers in California, through an aggressive technology transfer program. One of the main objectives of Budget Period I was to return the Pru Fee property to economic production and establish a baseline productivity with cyclic steaming. By the end of the second quarter 1996, all Pru producers except well 101 had been cyclic steamed two times. Each steam cycle was around 10,000 barrels of steam (BS) per well. No mechanical problems were found in the existing old wellbores. Conclusion is after several years of being shut-in, the existing producers on the Pru lease are in reasonable mechanical condition, and can therefore be utilized as viable producers in whatever development plan we determine is optimum. Production response to cyclic steam is very encouraging in the new producer, however productivity in the old producers appears to be limited in comparison.

Research Organization:
Utah Univ., Salt Lake City, UT (United States). Energy and Geoscience Inst.
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
FC22-95BC14937
OSTI ID:
464486
Report Number(s):
DOE/BC/14937-5; ON: DE97004493
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: Nov 1996
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English