Shell boosts recovery at Kernridge
Since acquiring the Kernridge property in December 1979, Shell Oil Co. has drilled more than 1,800 wells and steadily increased production from 42,000 to 89,000 b/d of oil. Currently, the Kernridge Production Division of Shell California Production Inc. (SCPI), a newly formed subsidiary of Shell Oil Co., is operator for the property. The property covers approximately 35,000 mostly contiguous net acres, with production concentrated mainly on about 5,500 net acres. SCPI's four major fields in the area are the North and South Belridge, Lost Hills, and Antelope Hills. Most of the production comes from the North and South Belridge fields, which were previously held by the Belridge Oil Co. Productive horizons in the fields are the Tulare, Diatomite, Brown Shale, Antelope Shale, 64 Zone, and Agua sand. The Tulare and Diatomite are the two major reservoirs SCPI is developing. The Tulare, encountered between 400 and 1,300 ft, is made up of fine- to coarse-grained, unconsolidated sands with interbedded shales and silt stones and contains 13 /sup 0/ API oil. Using steam drive as the main recovery method, SCPI estimates an ultimate recovery from the Tulare formation of about 60% of the original 1 billion barrels in place. The Diatomite horizon, found between 800 and 3,500 ft and containing light, 28 /sup 0/ API oil, has high porosity (more than 60%), low permeability (less than 1 md), and natural fractures. Because of the Diatomite's low permeability, fracture stimulation is being used to increase well productivity. SCPI anticipates that approximately 5% of the almost 2 billion barrels of oil originally in place will be recovered by primary production.
- OSTI ID:
- 7080442
- Journal Information:
- Pet. Eng. Int.; (United States), Journal Name: Pet. Eng. Int.; (United States) Vol. 56:1; ISSN PEEID
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
CALIFORNIA
COMMINUTION
DRILLING
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FEDERAL REGION IX
FLUID INJECTION
FRACTURING
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
MINERAL RESOURCES
NORTH AMERICA
OIL FIELDS
OIL WELLS
OIL YIELDS
OPTIMIZATION
PERMEABILITY
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
POROSITY
PRODUCTION
RECOVERY
RESERVOIR ROCK
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SAND
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SHALES
SILT
STEAM INJECTION
STIMULATION
THERMAL RECOVERY
USA
WELL DRILLING
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS
YIELDS