Numerical simulation of a gravity stable, miscible CO/sub 2/ injection project in a West Texas carbonate reef
Performance predictions of a proposed miscible CO/sub 2/ injection project for the Wellman Field, Terry County, Texas were made using an enhanced oil recovery process numerical simulator. The study investigated the potential of injecting a relatively small, gravity stable CO/sub 2/ slug with nitrogen as the drive gas into the crest of the cone-shaped reservoir. The effects of slug size, injection rate and reservoir pressure were evaluated for an optimum future operating plan. The differences in fluid densities at reservoir conditions were conductive to gravity segregation of the nitrogen, CO/sub 2/ and miscible oil bank. Assuming that most of the produced CO/sub 2/ would be reinjected, a CO/sub 2/ slug as small as 15% of the initial hydrocarbon pore volume appeared to be sufficient to mobilize the remaining recoverable oil in-place. Oil production performance during the early years of the project was similar for CO/sub 2/ injection rates of 10 MMSCF/D and 20 MMSCF/D so the lower rate case appeared economically more attractive. Since the massive carbonate reef, having a vertical oil column of over 800 feet, exhibited no major barriers to impede horizontal or vertical fluid flow, an excellent sweep of the reservoir was predicted in all cases. Though most Middle East oil reservoirs have remaining many years of primary and secondary recovery life, the potential benefits of tertiary recovery methods should be investigated thoroughly before future action is necessary. A miscible CO/sub 2/ injection scheme similar to the one studied for the Wellman Field may be applicable to some of the reservoirs in that area if the proper conditions exist.
- Research Organization:
- Scientific Software Corp.
- OSTI ID:
- 5418473
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-830397-
- Journal Information:
- Soc. Pet. Eng. AIME, Pap.; (United States), Vol. SPE 11129; Conference: 3. Middle East oil exibition, Manama, Bahrain, 14 Mar 1983
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
CARBON DIOXIDE INJECTION
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
OIL WELLS
TEXAS
CONSUMPTION RATES
COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS
DENSITY
ENHANCED RECOVERY
GRAVITY WAVES
MIDDLE EAST
NITROGEN
OIL FIELDS
RESERVOIR FLUIDS
RESERVOIR PRESSURE
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
WORKING FLUIDS
ELEMENTS
FEDERAL REGION VI
FLUID INJECTION
FLUIDS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
MINERAL RESOURCES
MISCIBLE-PHASE DISPLACEMENT
NONMETALS
NORTH AMERICA
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RECOVERY
RESOURCES
SIMULATION
USA
WELLS
020300* - Petroleum- Drilling & Production