Review of steam soak operations in California

Conference · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1967

OSTI ID:6411464

Burns, J

The thermal stimulation of oil producing wells by cyclic steam injection accounts for over 11% of the current oil producing rate in California. This paper outlines some of the more important steam soak operations being conducted in 37 California oil fields up to June, 1966. Theoretical predictions of initial oil rates after steaming, which have been previously presented in the literature, are discussed and compared with actual case histories. Factors which may influence the amount of oil recovered per cycle are also summarized. The costs of steam soak operations are discussed with emphasis on the determination of economically successful operations. A total of 37 fields in the San Joaquin Valley, Coastal and Los Angeles basin areas are reviewed. In June 1966, steam soak operations on a fieldwide basis appear to be economically successful in only 10 fields. The performance of 5 successful and 5 unsuccessful operations are presented for comparison purposes, and some of the reasons for the successes and failures are discussed.

• OSTI ID: 6411464
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
CALIFORNIA
COST
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUID INJECTION
FLUID INJECTION PROCESSES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
NORTH AMERICA
OIL WELLS
PETROLEUM
RECOVERY
STEAM INJECTION
STEAM SOAK PROCESSES
STIMULATION
THERMAL RECOVERY
USA
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS
WESTERN REGION