Heavy oil: aggressive program revives field
It has been hardly more than 10 years ago that Shell Oil Co.'s production in the Mount Poso Field 14 miles north of Bakersfield, California, had declined to the point where the company, short of coming up with a new production approach, faced the necessity of abandoning a major share of the field before the end of the 1970's. Today Shell is producing approximately 24,000 BPD at Mount Poso, up from 1560 BPD in 1969. The strong performance is enough to put Mount Poso among the top 10 producing fields in California, qualifying the field for the number 8 position. Shell is the field's major producer. Other operators produce approximately 1500 BPD of the field's total current ouput of approximately 25,500 BPD. Cumulative production from the field stands at 203.3 million bbl, according to division of oil and gas figures. Shell engineered the difference between abandonment and soaring production by pioneering a steam drive process that bracketed Mount Poso's major reservoir betwen updip and downdip injectors, heating the heavy crude and pushing it toward producing wells through which it might be recovered.
- OSTI ID:
- 6324280
- Journal Information:
- Drilling Contract.; (United States), Vol. 37:4
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
OIL WELLS
PRODUCTION
STEAM SOAK PROCESSES
CALIFORNIA
ENHANCED RECOVERY
INJECTION WELLS
OIL FIELDS
PETROLEUM
VISCOSITY
WATER VAPOR
WATERFLOODING
ENERGY SOURCES
FEDERAL REGION IX
FLUID INJECTION
FLUID INJECTION PROCESSES
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GASES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
MINERAL RESOURCES
NORTH AMERICA
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
RECOVERY
RESOURCES
USA
VAPORS
WELLS
020300* - Petroleum- Drilling & Production