Model calibration and optimization of a post-combustion CO₂ WAG pilot in a mature oil field

Journal Article · 01 November 2019 · Fuel

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2019.115810 · OSTI ID:1570691

Olalotiti-Lawal, Feyi ^[1]; Onishi, Tsubasa ^[2]; Datta-Gupta, Akhil ^[2]; Fujita, Yusuke ^[3]; Watanabe, Daiki ^[3]; Hagiwara, Kenji ^[3]

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1. Texas A&M Univ., College Station, TX (United States). Dept. of Petroleum Engineering; Quantum Reservoir Impact, Houston, TX (United States); Texas A&M University
2. Texas A&M Univ., College Station, TX (United States). Dept. of Petroleum Engineering
3. JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration Corporation, Houston, TX (United States)

A carbon dioxide (CO₂) water-alternating-gas (WAG) pilot was conducted to gain insights into tertiary oil recovery potential via CO₂ flood in the West Ranch Field as part of the Petra Nova project, the world's largest postcombustion CO₂ capture and utilization initiative. With a fluvial formation geology, this is a challenging and novel application of CO₂ enhanced oil recovery. The aim of this study is two-fold. First, to build a predictive dynamic model that incorporates the data acquired during the pilot operation. Second, to utilize this model to provide guidance for optimal design for a field-wide CO₂ EOR operation. Our study began with an initialization of the pilot sector model extracted from a calibrated full-field model. The pilot model calibration follows a two-step hierarchical workflow. First, we performed a large-scale update of the permeability distribution by integrating available bottomhole pressure and multiphase production data. Next, local permeability field is fine-tuned using a streamline-based method to match CO₂ breakthrough times at the producers. The predictive capability of the calibrated model was verified through two blind validation tests: (1) the model showed good agreement with saturation logs acquired at two observation wells; and (2) the model reproduced the CO₂ recovery as a fraction of the injected CO₂. Sensitivity studies were conducted using the calibrated pilot model to evaluate the effects of various operational parameters. Finally, we performed a Design of Experiment based multi-objective optimization of the CO₂ WAG processes using the influential operational parameters identified from the sensitivity analysis.

• Research Organization: Texas A&M Experiment Station, College Station, TX (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Fossil Energy (FE)
• Grant/Contract Number: FE0031625
• OSTI ID: 1570691
• Journal Information: Fuel, Journal Name: Fuel Journal Issue: C Vol. 255; ISSN 0016-2361
• Publisher: ElsevierCopyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English