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Title: Secondary oil recovery from selected Carter sandstone oilfields--Black Warrior Basin, Alabama. Final report

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10111176· OSTI ID:10111176

Producibility problems, such as low reservoir pressure and reservoir heterogeneity, have severely limited oil production from the Central Bluff and North Fairview fields. Specific objectives for this project were: To successfully apply detailed geologic and engineering studies with conventional waterflood technologies to these fields in an effort to increase the ultimate economic recovery of oil from Carter sandstone fields; To extensively model, test and evaluate these technologies; thereby, developing a sound methodology for their use and optimization; and To team with Advanced Resources International and the US DOE to assimilate and transfer the information and results gathered from this study to other oil companies to encourage the widespread use of these technologies. At Central Bluff, water injection facilities were constructed and water injection into one well began in January 1993. Oil response from the waterflood has been observed at both producing wells. One of the producing wells has experienced early water breakthrough and a concomitant drop in secondary oil rate. A reservoir modeling study was initiated to help develop an appropriate operating strategy for Central Bluff. For the North Fairview unit waterflood, a previously abandoned well was converted for water injection which began in late June 1993. The reservoir is being re-pressurized, and unit water production has remained nil since flood start indicating the possible formation of an oil bank. A reservoir simulation to characterize the Carter sand at North Fairview was undertaken and the modeling results were used to forecast field performance. The project was terminated due to unfavorable economics. The factors contributing to this decision were premature water breakthrough at Central Bluff, delayed flood response at North Fairview and stalled negotiations at the South Bluff site.

Research Organization:
Anderman/Smith Operating Co., Denver, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
FC22-93BC14952
OSTI ID:
10111176
Report Number(s):
DOE/BC/14952-10; ON: DE95000125; BR: AC1510100; TRN: AHC29507%%53
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: Feb 1995
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English