Reservoir description breathes new life into an old fireflood
The MOCO T reservoir is a Miocene-age (''Stevens equivalent,'' Monterey Formation) unconsolidated sand reservoir in the Midway-Sunset field, Kern County, California. This reservoir was discovered in 1957 as a deeper pay beneath the Monarch and Webster reservoirs. Due to low prices for heavy oil (14/sup 0/ API), the MOCO T was only partially developed and remained essentially shut-in until initiation of in-situ combustion in 1960. Exploitation of the MOCO T by the combustion process continues today, with cumulative production to date of approximately 14 million bbl of oil. The MOCO T reservoir is approximately 500 ft thick and lies at an average drill depth of 2,100-2,700 ft. Based on modern core data and sand distribution maps, these sands were probably deposited by channelized turbidity currents that flowed southwest to northwest in this area. Detailed recorrelation of wireline logs, stratigraphic zonation, and description of individual zones of the MOCO T reservoir in the context of a channelized turbidite system have led to: (1) determination of probable flow paths, vertically and laterally, between injectors and producers by zone, (2) control for workovers to optimize conformance between injection and production intervals, and (3) identification of previously unrecognized and undeveloped reserves. Integration of this geologic model with an understanding of how the combustion front has advanced through the MOCO T reservoir has led to successful placement of infill wells to produce the reservoir more efficiently and completely.
- OSTI ID:
- 6502370
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-880301-
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Architecture and sedimentology of turbidite reservoirs from Miocene Moco T and Webster zones, Midway-Sunset field, California
Success leads to fireflood expansion
Related Subjects
020200 -- Petroleum-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
CALIFORNIA
CENOZOIC ERA
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
DATA ANALYSIS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENGINEERING
ENHANCED RECOVERY
EXPLORATION
FEDERAL REGION IX
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC MODELS
GEOLOGY
GEOPHYSICS
IN-SITU COMBUSTION
IN-SITU PROCESSING
MINERAL RESOURCES
MIOCENE EPOCH
NORTH AMERICA
OIL SATURATION
OIL WELLS
OXIDATION
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
PLANNING
PROCESSING
RECOVERY
RESERVOIR ENGINEERING
RESERVOIR ROCK
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SANDSTONES
SATURATION
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
STIMULATION
STRATIGRAPHY
TERTIARY PERIOD
THERMAL RECOVERY
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
USA
WELL LOGGING
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS