Steam-zone electrical characteristics for geodiagnostic evaluation of steamflood performance

Journal Article · Sat Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990 · SPE Formation Evaluation (Society of Petroleum Engineers); (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2118/18797-PA· OSTI ID:6352739

Mansure, A J ^[1]; Meldau, R F ^[2]

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1. Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
2. Dolphin Petroleum Consultants (US)

An essential part of the development of electrical geodiagnostic techniques for mapping thermal recovery processes is understanding the relationship of formation resistivity to the thermal recovery process. As a result of laboratory measurements of a ID steamflood, a preliminary understanding of some of the mechanisms of the electrical resistivity change has been gained. The theory of electrical resistivity of a steamflood is reviewed and used to evaluate the resistivity changes expected. A conceptual electrical model of a steamflood porous reservoir, based on a qualitative description of the fluid zones of an ideal heavy-oil steamflood, is presented. The model assumes that salinity, temperature, and saturation are the important factors controlling resistivity changes and that Archie's law applies. The authors found that the characteristics of each individual reservoir must be considered before the in-situ resistivity changes are predicted and that in-situ resistivity can either increase as a result of steamflooding.

• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 6352739
• Journal Information: SPE Formation Evaluation (Society of Petroleum Engineers); (USA), Vol. 5:3; ISSN 0885-923X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
42 ENGINEERING
OIL WELLS
STEAM INJECTION
ELECTRICAL SURVEYS
ONE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PETROLEUM
RESERVOIR ROCK
SALINITY
TEMPERATURE GRADIENTS
THERMAL RECOVERY
VISCOSITY
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUID INJECTION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS
RECOVERY
SURVEYS
TESTING
WELLS
020300* - Petroleum- Drilling & Production
020200 - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
420400 - Engineering- Heat Transfer & Fluid Flow