Horizontal wells improve recovery at the Elk Hills Petroleum Reserve
In 1988 the US Department of Energy and Bechtel implemented a program to slow production declines in the Elk Hills 26R pool sand of the Naval Petroleum Reserve No. 1. It was also hoped horizontal wells would increase the production rate, decrease gas production and extend economic life of the reservoir. The Stevens sand pool targeted for the project is a high-quality, sand-rich turbidite channel system encapsulated within Miocene Monterey siliceous shales, mudstones and associated sediments. The pool is about 3-miles long by 3/4-mile wide. The paper describes the specifications and drilling of the first four out of the 14 horizontal wells drilled at this facility. Horizontal drilling technology has completely altered the future of the 26R pool. In 1980 estimated ultimate recovery (EUR) from the sand was 211 million bbl. With the latest horizontal well drilling campaign, the pool is expected to pass that estimate in 1997 when oil production is forecasted to be at least 13,000 b/d. EUR form the 26R sand now is more than 250 million bbl, and even that estimate is being revised upward.
- OSTI ID:
- 131796
- Journal Information:
- Petroleum Engineer International, Vol. 68, Issue 11; Other Information: PBD: Nov 1995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Application of turbidite facies of the Stevens Oil Zone for reservoir management, Elk Hills Field, California
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