Injection schedules and production strategies for optimizing steamflood performance

Journal Article · Sat May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1993 · SPE Reservoir Engineering (Society of Petroleum Engineers); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2118/20763-PA· OSTI ID:6231478

Kumar, M ^[1]; Ziegler, V M

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1. Chevron Production Technology Co., La Habra, CA (United States)

Methods to optimize steamflood performance of a California heavy-oil reservoir were evaluated numerically. Simulation and field results show that a reduction in steam (heat) injection rate after steam breakthrough is beneficial. A linear heat-reduction schedule resulted in the highest discounted net or salable oil production with less steam injection compared with the constant injection schedule. For unconfined patterns, steam migrates and drains oil from outside the pattern boundaries; therefore, rate reduction may not be beneficial in such cases. For mature steamfloods, conversion to hot waterflood or injector shut-in results in somewhat higher net oil production than for continued steam injection. Recompleting the producer after steam breakthrough resulted in increased recovery.

• OSTI ID: 6231478
• Journal Information: SPE Reservoir Engineering (Society of Petroleum Engineers); (United States), Journal Name: SPE Reservoir Engineering (Society of Petroleum Engineers); (United States) Vol. 8:2; ISSN 0885-9248; ISSN SREEEF
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
CALIFORNIA
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ENGINEERING
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUID INJECTION
NORTH AMERICA
OIL WELLS
OPTIMIZATION
PRODUCTION
RESERVOIR ENGINEERING
STEAM INJECTION
STIMULATION
SWEEP EFFICIENCY
THERMAL RECOVERY
USA
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS