Surfactant flooding carbonate reservoirs

Journal Article · Sun Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1987 · SPE (Society of Petroleum Engineers) Reserv. Eng.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2118/12686-PA· OSTI ID:5634950

Adams, W T; Schievelbein, V H

Some of the most difficult yet most attractive EOR targets are found in the west Texas carbonate reservoirs, where tertiary recovery is complicated by characteristically very low permeability coupled with high hardness and salinity of the reservoir brine. This paper presents data obtained in two well-pair surfactant floods undertaken in the San Andres formation, Bob Slaughter Block, Hockley County, Texas. To provide the most data in the least time, a close well spacing and relatively large production/injection ratios were used. For each well pair, a different surfactant system was developed, tailored to resist the local aquifer brine salinity and hardness. Consequently, neither system required a preflush. Each test consisted of a large slug of surfactant, followed by biopolymer, fresh water, and formation brine, together with appropriate nonadsorbent tracers. The large slug sizes were intended to allow subsequent designs to be made by interpolation rather than extrapolation. The data provided by these tests demonstrate that (1) low-permeability carbonate reservoirs can be chemically flooded, (2) polymer can be injected and propagated in these reservoirs without any biodegradation, (3) these systems can mobilize tertiary oil effectively at a chemical consumption near that observed in the laboratory, and (4) two-well tests can provide a quick field evaluation of surfactant systems proposed for large-scale use.

• Research Organization: Thermal Recovery Research Group, Texaco Houston Research Center
• OSTI ID: 5634950
• Journal Information: SPE (Society of Petroleum Engineers) Reserv. Eng.; (United States), Journal Name: SPE (Society of Petroleum Engineers) Reserv. Eng.; (United States) Vol. 2:4; ISSN SREEE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
BRINES
CARBONATE ROCKS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
DATA ANALYSIS
DISPLACEMENT FLUIDS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
EVALUATION
FEDERAL REGION VI
FLUID INJECTION
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
MINERAL RESOURCES
NORTH AMERICA
OIL FIELDS
OIL WELLS
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
RECOVERY
RESERVOIR FLUIDS
RESERVOIR ROCK
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
STIMULATION
SURFACTANTS
TEXAS
USA
WATERFLOODING
WELL SPACING
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS