Steam bath may be answer at Slocum field

Journal Article · Wed Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1970 · Pet. Eng.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5369939

Ives, G

After more than 3 yr of engineering, research, and experimentation, Shell Oil Co. believes it has solved the riddle of economically producing the prolific but tricky Carrizo Sand in the Multipay Slocum field of Anderson County, E. Texas. Shell is well into its fourth year of production with a unique steamflood considered one of Texas' largest thermal recovery projects. Slocum's Carrizo Sand is well-known as a textbook-producing problem. It lies only 500 to 600 ft below the surface and its reserves have been described by engineers as ''a bunch'' in the absence of official estimates. The production problem centers around the unconsolidated, fine-grained, and clean sand which has 38% porosity and 3,500 to 4,000 md permeability. Viscosity is such that with 65% saturation and 75$F reservoir temperature, primary production rate per well averaged little more than 2 bpd. Prior to intiation of Shell's steam operation, the entire field produced only about 300,000 bbl from the time of its discovery in 1955. Shell now has 151 wells on production, compared with 108 at the start of its project. The key which is unlocking the considerable reserve of this sand section is utilization for steam injection of an existing water lying above a shale section, and underlying and in contact with the Carrizo Sand.

• OSTI ID: 5369939
• Journal Information: Pet. Eng.; (United States), Journal Name: Pet. Eng.; (United States) Vol. 42:7; ISSN PENGA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040401* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- In Situ Methods
True & Modified
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CARRIZO MOUNTAINS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUID INJECTION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HEATING
MATERIALS
MOUNTAINS
OIL SANDS
OIL WELLS
PETROLEUM
RECOVERY
STEAM INJECTION
THERMAL RECOVERY
WELLS