Conversion of steam injection to waterflood East Coalinga field. [California]

Conference · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1973 · Soc. Pet. Eng. AIME, Pap.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6985614

Afoeju, B I

Shell Oil Co. started the Section 27 Zone I steam drive project in E. Coalinga, Fresno County, California, in Jan. 1963. Originally designed and operated as a 5-spot steam drive, the project has now been fully converted to a 5-spot waterflood operation. Early in the life of the project, the oil production was less than predicted as a result of profile irregularities caused by the existence of high permeability channel sands at the top of the open interval in many injectors. These alluvial channels acted as thief zones and accepted the majority of steam in injectors where they were present. Attempts to plug off the channel sands in steam injectors were unsuccessful. Following encouraging performance of cold-water scavenging as a follow-up mechanism to steam injection in 8 test injectors, the rest of the project has been gradually converted to a waterflood operation. Injected water has been able to displace significant quantities of oil aided by the improved oil mobility as a result of heat retained in the reservoir.

• Research Organization: Shell Oil Co.
• OSTI ID: 6985614
• Report Number(s): CONF-7309153-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Soc. Pet. Eng. AIME, Pap.; (United States) Journal Volume: SPE-4502
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
CALIFORNIA
COLD-WATER PROCESSES
ENERGY TRANSFER
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FEDERAL REGION IX
FLUID FLOW
FLUID INJECTION
FLUID INJECTION PROCESSES
FLUIDS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
HEAT TRANSFER
LEAKS
MINERAL RESOURCES
NORTH AMERICA
OIL FIELDS
OIL WELLS
PERMEABILITY
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
PLUGGING
PRODUCTION
RECOVERY
RESERVOIR FLUIDS
RESOURCES
SAND
STEAM INJECTION
THERMAL RECOVERY
USA
WATERFLOODING
WELLS