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Title: Assist in the recovery of bypassed oil from reservoirs in the Gulf of Mexico. Quarterly status report, April 1, 1993--June 30, 1993

Abstract

Much of the remaining oil offshore is trapped in formations that are extremely complex due to intrusions of salt domes. Conventional seismic processing techniques cannot clearly image either these traps or the full extent of oil-bearing segments near the salt domes; therefore, substantial volumes of oil may have remained uncontacted by previous drilling. Recently, however, significant innovations have been made in seismic processing and mathematical migration of seismic signal. In addition, significant advances have been made in deviated and horizontal drilling technologies and applications. These technology advances make it possible to reprocess existing seismic data to identify non-contacted portions of the reservoirs, which can then be contacted using advanced drilling technologies to kick out new wells from existing wells. Effective application of these technologies, along with improved recovery methods, offers opportunities to significantly increase Gulf of Mexico production, delay platform abandonments, and preserve access to a substantial remaining oil target for enhanced recovery and other advanced recovery processes. During this reporting period, data collection continued from the Minerals Management Service (MMS) and several operators. Modifications to BOAST II and MASTER reservoir simulators for the integration of radial grid systems and for use in simulating miscible gas injection processes in steeplymore » dipping reservoirs continued. The testing of the experimental apparatus designed for studying the recovery of attic oil began. Analysis of data obtained from Taylor Energy in South Marsh 73 field continued.« less

Authors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Louisiana State Univ., Baton Rouge, LA (United States). Dept. of Petroleum Engineering
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
10190615
Report Number(s):
DOE/BC/14831-4
ON: DE94001748; BR: AC1510100
DOE Contract Number:
AC22-92BC14831
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: 30 Jul 1993
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
02 PETROLEUM; GULF OF MEXICO; CONTINENTAL SHELF; OIL WELLS; PETROLEUM DEPOSITS; RESOURCE ASSESSMENT; MISCIBLE-PHASE DISPLACEMENT; PETROLEUM; ENHANCED RECOVERY; SALT DEPOSITS; SEISMIC SURVEYS; DATA ANALYSIS; SIMULATION; EXPERIMENTAL DATA; PROGRESS REPORT; 020300; 020200; DRILLING AND PRODUCTION; RESERVES, GEOLOGY, AND EXPLORATION

Citation Formats

Schenewerk, P.A.. Assist in the recovery of bypassed oil from reservoirs in the Gulf of Mexico. Quarterly status report, April 1, 1993--June 30, 1993. United States: N. p., 1993. Web. doi:10.2172/10190615.
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Schenewerk, P.A.. Assist in the recovery of bypassed oil from reservoirs in the Gulf of Mexico. Quarterly status report, April 1, 1993--June 30, 1993. United States. doi:10.2172/10190615.
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Schenewerk, P.A.. Fri . "Assist in the recovery of bypassed oil from reservoirs in the Gulf of Mexico. Quarterly status report, April 1, 1993--June 30, 1993". United States. doi:10.2172/10190615. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/10190615.
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@article{osti_10190615,
title = {Assist in the recovery of bypassed oil from reservoirs in the Gulf of Mexico. Quarterly status report, April 1, 1993--June 30, 1993},
author = {Schenewerk, P.A.},
abstractNote = {Much of the remaining oil offshore is trapped in formations that are extremely complex due to intrusions of salt domes. Conventional seismic processing techniques cannot clearly image either these traps or the full extent of oil-bearing segments near the salt domes; therefore, substantial volumes of oil may have remained uncontacted by previous drilling. Recently, however, significant innovations have been made in seismic processing and mathematical migration of seismic signal. In addition, significant advances have been made in deviated and horizontal drilling technologies and applications. These technology advances make it possible to reprocess existing seismic data to identify non-contacted portions of the reservoirs, which can then be contacted using advanced drilling technologies to kick out new wells from existing wells. Effective application of these technologies, along with improved recovery methods, offers opportunities to significantly increase Gulf of Mexico production, delay platform abandonments, and preserve access to a substantial remaining oil target for enhanced recovery and other advanced recovery processes. During this reporting period, data collection continued from the Minerals Management Service (MMS) and several operators. Modifications to BOAST II and MASTER reservoir simulators for the integration of radial grid systems and for use in simulating miscible gas injection processes in steeply dipping reservoirs continued. The testing of the experimental apparatus designed for studying the recovery of attic oil began. Analysis of data obtained from Taylor Energy in South Marsh 73 field continued.},
doi = {10.2172/10190615},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jul 30 00:00:00 EDT 1993},
month = {Fri Jul 30 00:00:00 EDT 1993}
}
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Technical Report:
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DOI:  10.2172/10190615
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  • During this reporting period, data collection from the Minerals Management Service (MMS) was completed and continued from several operators. Data analysis continued on Reservoir 3 in Field 2. Evaluation included well log analysis, pressure and production data analysis, evaluation of PVT data and development of preliminary model grid schemes. Material balance and computer simulations studies of the B-65-G Sand reservoir, in South Marsh 73 Field, also continued. Work continues on refining the match for use in predictive runs. Four wells produced from the reservoir; three injected some quantity of gas and one well injected no gas. A fifth downdip well,more » served as a primary gas injector. The reservoir model was developed by integrating geologic and engineering data. The reservoir is a long, north-south trending, steeply dipping sandstone, which pinches out just before encountering a piercement salt dome. The reservoir produced 3,909.8 MSTB of oil, 3,760.2 MMCF (2,745 MMCF was re-injected) of gas and 545 MBbls of water over a period of 27 years. Originally, it was believed that the reservoir was subject to a fairly strong water drive. However, upon performing material balance studies it was found to have a very weak and limited water drive. This was later confirmed by the simulation work. A 2D adaptive finite element model capable of simulating oil/water flow in a porous media was constructed. These results have been submitted for publication and accepted for presentation in March, 1994. In addition, a manuscript describing the construction of a new finite element for use in 3D adaptive methods has been submitted for review.« less

  • A report on the simulation work performed on Reservoir 3 of Field 2 (hereinafter referred to as the U-8 reservoir) was completed in the form of a Master`s Thesis by Mr. George J. Koperna, Jr for the Department of Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering, College of Mineral and Energy Resources, West Virginia University. Upon completing the history match of the reservoir and the running of several predictive runs, evidence indicates the following: layers {open_quotes}A{close_quotes} and {open_quotes}B{close_quotes} of the U-8 sand are in communication; the given reservoir relative permeability data was not appropriate for the U-8 sand reservoir and the relativemore » permeabilities were modified to enable a history match to be obtained; the vertical permeability values were found to be within the accepted range for the Gulf of Mexico (O.1Kx < Kz < 0.5Kx, with Kx = Ky) at 0.4 Kx; based on industry`s desired design (water injection of 5100 BBL/D), the best possible production scenario is in the northeastern portion of the reservoir; if the water injection rate is doubled 10,200 STB/D, the additional oil recovery may be increased by 33% (1,214 MSTB) in the vertical well scenario and by 37% (1,320 MSTB) in the horizontal well scenario; by converting the production wells to water injection wells and drilling a horizontal production well in the north-central portion of the reservoir, the production obtained is approximately 90% of the production obtained from the northeastern portion of the reservoir at the same field injection rate. Predictive models for undeveloped oil and immiscible/miscible processes continued. The design of the miscible and updip displacement models as well as the design of the economic and timing models also continued. Data validation, map measurements, model development and supporting cost data collection continued. Critical Process Parameter Laboratory Experiments have been completed. Computer simulations of the experimental work has also been completed.« less

  • Maps collected at the MMS office in New Orleans were planimetered and measured. Measurements of estimated salt diameter and updip areas are also being derived. Production data was read from the tapes obtained in New Orleans and reformatted for use in TORIS. Conceptual work began on the development of the models required to assess unrecovered oil, continued primary recovery of existing mapped oil, updip attic oil recovery, and miscible and immiscible CO{sub 2} injection recovery. Efforts began to supplement existing TORIS data with drilling, workover and facility costs related to past enhanced oil recovery, efforts in the offshore Gulf ofmore » Mexico area. Data on CO{sub 2} sources was collected and byproduct CO{sub 2} costs were estimated for use in the economic model. LSU continued the analysis of data obtained from Taylor Energy on the South Marsh Island (SMI) Block 73 Field and the blindcoded Field 2, both in the Gulf of Mexico. The apparatus for experiments for the study of attic oil recovery techniques is being tested. Tests of the 2D adaptive finite element model continue, simulating oil/water flow through porous media. Although coning traces are being produced similar to those in the Lance Hebert thesis, oscillations are still a problem. The Master modification has been completed and currently undergoing testing.« less

  • The objective of this research is to assist the recovery of non contacted oil from known reservoirs on the Outer Continental Shelf in the Gulf of,Mexico. Mature off shore reservoirs, declining oil reserves, declining production, and other natural forces are accelerating the abandonment of offshore oil resources and production platforms. As these offshore wells are plugged and the platforms are abandoned, an enormous volume of remaining oil will be permanently abandoned. Significant quantities of this oil could be recovered using advanced technologies now available if the resource can be identified. During this reporting period, ICF Resources Incorporated (ICF), a subcontractormore » for the project, continued to collect data from Minerals Management Service (MMS) and LSU continued to collect data from several operators. LSU also continued to modify BOAST II for the integration of radial grid systems and the building of the experimental apparatus for studying the recovery of attic oil. BDM Federal, Inc. (name changed from BDM International, Inc.) (BDM), a subcontractor for the project, began modifying the MASTER reservoir simulation model for use in simulating miscible gas injection processes in steeply dipping reservoirs. LSU and BDM Federal. Inc. began analyzing data obtained from Taylor Energy in South Marsh 73 field.« less

  • The objective of this research is to assist the recovery of non contacted oil from known reservoirs on the Outer Continental Shelf in the Gulf of Mexico. Mature offshore reservoirs, declining oil reserves, declining production, and other natural forces are accelerating the abandonment of offshore oil resources and production platforms. As these offshore wells are plugged and the platforms are abandoned, an enormous volume of remaining oil will be permanently abandoned. Significant quantities of this oil could be recovered using advanced technologies now available if the resource can be identified. This project will proceed under three broad phases: (1) Analysismore » -- TORIS level data will be collected on the major fields located in the piercement salt dome province of the Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf. Representative reservoirs will be studied in detail in order to evaluate undeveloped and attic oil reserve potential. These detailed investigations will be used to calibrate the TORIS level predictive models. The recovery potential of advanced secondary and enhanced oil recovery processes and the exploitation of undeveloped and attic oil zones for salt dome reservoirs in the Gulf of Mexico will be assessed. (2) Supporting Research -- Supporting research will focus on the modification of public domain reservoir simulation models to accurately simulate the conditions encountered in the piercement salt dome province of the Gulf of Mexico. Laboratory research will focus on the development of fluid relationships that will be used in the simulation of miscible and immiscible processes in the project area. (3) Technology Transfer -- A significant effort is planned to transfer the results of this project to potential users of the technology. Technology transfer activities will also provide feedback channels that will help keep the analysis and supporting research focused on the most important problems associated with this project.« less