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Successful in-situ combustion pilot in the Midway-Sunset field, California

Conference · · Soc. Pet. Eng. AIME, Pap.; (United States)
OSTI ID:6557749
This study presents a case history of a technically and economically successful dry in situ combustion pilot conducted in a thick, moderately dipping, heavy oil reservoir located in the Midway-Sunset field in W. Kern County, California. The pilot was situated near the oil-water contact with a heterogeneously depleted area updip in the regionally extensive, homoclinal Potter Sand of upper Miocene Age. With less than 15% of the original oil-in-place produced, reservoir and production analyses indicated the impending demise of economic cyclic steaming. This trend, coupled with poor results from laboratory steam-drive tests and minor water encroachment problems in the field, led to the consideration of in situ combustion as the most reasonable mechanism for recovery of the remaining oil reserves. Air injection into the arbitrarily delineated central Potter Zone began in Jan. 1972. Production analysis and an extensive coring program following 3-1/2 yr of operation indicated nearly 80% of the original oil-in-place had been recovered from the initial pilot pattern. Two additional patterns were fired, one of which was a former steam-drive pilot which gives a basis for comparison of the 2 enhanced recovery methods in this reservoir.
Research Organization:
Chanslor Western Oil and Develop Co
OSTI ID:
6557749
Report Number(s):
CONF-7704118-
Conference Information:
Journal Name: Soc. Pet. Eng. AIME, Pap.; (United States) Journal Volume: SPE-6525
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English