Bodcau in-situ combustion project produced fluids analyses

Technical Report · Wed Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1981

OSTI ID:6161050

Fulford, R S

Produced oil, gas and water were analyzed seven times from 1976 to 1979 to evaluate the Bodcau Fireflood Project in the Bellevue Field in Louisiana. The oil produced during the fireflood was lighter compared to native oil. The viscosity decreased from native oil viscosity and the API gravity increased slightly. The percent low temperature boiling components increased in 1978 to 1979. In 1980 the boiling point curves became slightly heavier and were similar to 1978 oils. The sulfur content of the crude oil decreased during the early part of the fireflood and then increased. The increase in the hydrogen sulfide in the produced gas shows that crude oil sulfur is being converted to hydrogen sulfide by the fireflood. No SO/sub 2/ or COS was found in produced gas. The crude oil acid number decreased from 5.1 in native oil to 2.9 in May 1979. The lowering of the acid number is due to removal of sulfur and other components from the crude oil. The acid number in March 1980 oils increased to 4.3 indicating that native oils that are relatively unchanged by the fireflood are produced late in the project. This acid number increase made the water in oil emulsion more difficlut to break. The emulsions have higher viscosities. The emulsions also have viscosity variations with shear rate (non-Newtonian behavior) compared to Newtonian viscosities of the oil without emulsified water. The produced combustion gas was a mixture of N/sub 2/, CO/sub 2/, CO, O/sub 2/, H/sub 2/O and hydrocarbons. No NH/sub 3/ or nitrogen oxides were found. The average CO concentration varied from 0.34 to 0.61%. The low CO concentration indicates that any excess CO initially formed further reacts to form CO/sub 2/ or CH/sub 4/. The CH/sub 4/ concentration increased during the wet combustion phase of the fireflood, probably by reduction of CO. The water salinity decreased throughout the project. 10 figures, 35 tables. (DLC)

• Research Organization: Cities Service Co., Tulsa, OK (USA). Energy Resources Group
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76ET12057
• OSTI ID: 6161050
• Report Number(s): DOE/ET/12057-7; ON: DE81025168
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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