Gravel pack and formation sandstone dissolution during steam injection

Conference · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1979 · Soc. Pet. Eng. AIME, Pap.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5879427

Reed, M G

Large volumes of very hot water are injected into oil wells during cyclic steam stimulation and steam flood operations. During laboratory flow studies show gravel pack sands and formation sandstones are rapidly dissolved in simulated steam generator effluents at 260 C (500 F) and with pH of about 11. Up to 3.6 kg of quartz sand was dissolved per cubic meter of injected liquid (1.3 lb/bbl) when water at pH 11.3 and 260 C (500 F) was passed through a 7.6-cm (3.0-in.) pack at nominal field flow rates. Berea and Boise sandstone cores also showed rapid dissolution rates suggesting that in a steam flood project, a large amount of rock may be dissolved in the region very near the injection well. Downstream reprecipitation or reaction products damaged sandstone permeability in some cases. Dissolution rates are affected markedly by solution pH and temperature. Photographs and scanning electron micrographs show changes in rock morphology caused by silica dissolution.

• OSTI ID: 5879427
• Report Number(s): CONF-790913-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Soc. Pet. Eng. AIME, Pap.; (United States) Journal Volume: SPE-8424
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
CHALCOGENIDES
DISSOLUTION
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLOW RATE
FLUID INJECTION
FLUID INJECTION PROCESSES
FLUIDS
FORMATION DAMAGE
GASES
HOT WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INJECTION WELLS
MINERALS
OIL WELLS
OXIDE MINERALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERMEABILITY
PH VALUE
PRECIPITATION
RECOVERY
RESERVOIR ROCK
ROCKS
SANDSTONES
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SILICA
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON OXIDES
STEAM INJECTION
STEAM SOAK PROCESSES
VAPORS
WATER
WATER VAPOR
WATERFLOODING
WELLS