Aramco waterfloods 2,000,000 bpd by gravity injection. [Saudi Arabia]
As a means of maintaining reservoir pressures, water injection operations were first started by Arabian American Oil Co. in 1955 in the northern, or B area, of the Abqaiq field. Nine peripheral injection wells were supplied by 5 water wells, and surface pumps were used. No additional pumped injection wells have been completed since 1961. In 1960, a pressure observation well on the edge of the Ain Dar area of the Ghawar field was converted to a pilot gravity injection well by perforating the 5-in. casing at the Sulaiy Limestone. Water from the aquifer at 6,100 ft subsea flowed down the well and was injected into the Arab D producing member at 7,679 ft subsea, under gravity force. Flow rate was 11,000 bwpd and flowing pressures at the aquifer and Arab D were 2,150 and 2,870, psi, respectively. At the year end of 1968, Aramco had 80 water injection wells of which 73 were gravity injection and 7 were pumping. The total water injection was 2,460,000 bpd and the total gravity injection rate was 2,209,000 bpd, which averaged 30,260 bpd well. A drawing shows a typical gravity injection well. It is common to perforate about 100 ft of aquifer and 100 to 150 ft of the productive reservoir. After perforating the productive reservoir, it is acidized heavily.
- OSTI ID:
- 5432924
- Journal Information:
- Pet. Eng.; (United States), Journal Name: Pet. Eng.; (United States) Vol. 41:6; ISSN PENGA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
ACIDIZATION
AQUIFERS
ASIA
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLOW RATE
FLUID INJECTION
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GRAVITATION
INJECTION WELLS
MINERAL RESOURCES
OIL FIELDS
OIL WELLS
PERFORATION
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
RECOVERY
RESERVOIR ROCK
RESOURCES
SAUDI ARABIA
STIMULATION
WATERFLOODING
WELL CASINGS
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS