Shell to turn heat on thin Texas pay

Journal Article · Mon Jun 06 04:00:00 EDT 1966 · Oil Gas J.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6583345

Shell Oil Co. is getting ready to launch a highly significant steamflood in E. Texas' Slocum Field--a big heavy-oil reserve that has long given trouble to experimenting operators. The unusual 42-acre project, which has been under a tight security wrap for 2 yr, will be the biggest steamflood in the state. The Slocum Field's thin pay--44 ft in the project area--has been the primary deterrent to profitable thermal operations because of rapid heat loss. Shell hopes to overcome this by rapidly flooding the pay through closely spaced wells, coupled with capacity output by the producing wells. The reservoir will be preheated with large quantities of steam. After it reaches a sufficiently high temperature, most of the wells will be put on production. It is hoped that the heat loss will be offset by continued steam injection by central wells. The project calls for 7 injection wells and 54 producers. At the beginning, Shell will inject steam in all the wells simulataneously. While in its early stages, some of the wells may be cycled as on a huff-and-puff schedule. But after the test is fully underway, it will a steam-drive fluid.

• OSTI ID: 6583345
• Journal Information: Oil Gas J.; (United States), Journal Name: Oil Gas J.; (United States) Vol. 64:23; ISSN OIGJA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
ENERGY LOSSES
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUID INJECTION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HEAT LOSSES
INJECTION WELLS
LOSSES
NORTH AMERICA
OIL WELLS
PETROLEUM
RECOVERY
SOUTHWEST REGION
STEAM INJECTION
STIMULATION
TEXAS
THERMAL RECOVERY
USA
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS