Horizontal wells improve recovery at the Elk Hills Petroleum Reserve

Journal Article · Wed Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1995 · Petroleum Engineer International

OSTI ID:131796

Rintoul, B

In 1988 the US Department of Energy and Bechtel implemented a program to slow production declines in the Elk Hills 26R pool sand of the Naval Petroleum Reserve No. 1. It was also hoped horizontal wells would increase the production rate, decrease gas production and extend economic life of the reservoir. The Stevens sand pool targeted for the project is a high-quality, sand-rich turbidite channel system encapsulated within Miocene Monterey siliceous shales, mudstones and associated sediments. The pool is about 3-miles long by 3/4-mile wide. The paper describes the specifications and drilling of the first four out of the 14 horizontal wells drilled at this facility. Horizontal drilling technology has completely altered the future of the 26R pool. In 1980 estimated ultimate recovery (EUR) from the sand was 211 million bbl. With the latest horizontal well drilling campaign, the pool is expected to pass that estimate in 1997 when oil production is forecasted to be at least 13,000 b/d. EUR form the 26R sand now is more than 250 million bbl, and even that estimate is being revised upward.

• OSTI ID: 131796
• Journal Information: Petroleum Engineer International, Journal Name: Petroleum Engineer International Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 68; ISSN 0164-8322; ISSN PEEID4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
ASSOCIATED GAS
CALIFORNIA
DIRECTIONAL DRILLING
ENHANCED RECOVERY
OIL FIELDS
OIL WELLS
PETROLEUM
PRODUCTIVITY
RESERVOIR ENGINEERING
US NAVAL PETROLEUM RESERVES
WELL COMPLETION