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s6CIE2YOF PEI?ROIEUM
ENGINEERSOF AIME
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SP E-235

THIS IS A PREPRINT--- SUBJECTTO CORKdCTION

WATER
SHALLOW

INJECTION

PROGRAM,

OIL ZONE, ELK HILLS

FIELD,

CALIFORNIA

By
W. A. Walker,Member AIME,
Dept. of the Navy, Bakersfield,Calif.
,
PublicationRights Reserved
This paper is to be presentedat the 32nd AnnualCaliforniaRegionalMeetingof the Society
of PetroleumEngineersof AIME In Bakersfield,Calif.,November2-3, 1961, and is consideredthe
propertyof the Societyof PetroleumEngineers. Permissionto publish is hereby restrictedto en
abetractof not more than 300 words,with no illustrations,
unless the paper is specificallyregy or the ExecutiveSecreleasedto the press by the Editor of the Journal of Petroleum~echnolo
tary. Such abstractshould containconspicuousacknowledgmentor where an+by whom the paper is
gy or Society
presented..Publicationelsewhereafter publicationin Journalof PetroleumTechnolo
of PetroleumEngineersJournalis grmted on reguest,providinggroper credit is given that publicationand the originalpresentationof the paper.
Discussionof this paper is %nvitecl.Three copiesof any discussionshouldbe sent to the
Societyof PetroleumEngineersoffice. Such discussionmay be presentedat the above meetingand
consideredfor publicationIn one of the two SPE magazineswith the paper.
AESTRACT
The programjofwater injectzonat Elk
Hille into the main ShallowOilZoneSand,
the SS-1, has been takingplace sinceFebruary195g. Injectionwells are locatedto
the south and dcwndip of the oil band to
halt the oil movementaway ~om the developed
area. The purposeof the programwas primarily to reduce or preventloss of oil resuitingfrom oil saturatingssndwhich formerly
had been grey. The paper coversthe planning
phase of the water injectionprogram,the
developmentphase and the injectionphase.
The planningphase consistedof a 1) geol@c
study to determinethe magnitudeof the aquifef,
2) a regionalpotenticpetric
model to define
aquifer-boundary
conditions,flow patternsand
pressuredistribution,3) a de~ilsd Potent~ometric model to determineaquifergeometry,
to evaluatethe initialproductionprogramfor
slowingmigrationand to guide in deterndming
inject$onpointsand 4) aresist=ce-caPacitancemcdel studyto define the pressureeffectE
of varloue injectionpatternsand rates. The
developmentphase consistedofkhe installation
Referencesand illustrationsat end of paper.
The opioriions
expressedhere~ are those of the
writer and ade not to be construedas official
or necess=ily those of the Dept. of the Navy
nor of the Standmi Oil.Co. of (%3.ifornia. .

of a water collectionsystem,treatingand
shippingfacilities,the drillingof two wells
and the installationof a centrifugalwater
injectionpump. The injectionphase consists
of three and one-halfyears of aquiferinjection
qnd the successfulpressurebuild-upin the oil
band.
INTRODUCTION
The problemsofmaintaining reservesof
oil in the undergroundreservoirsat Elk Hills
for an emergencysupply-offuelhave been discussedin previouspapersin the form of progress
reports to the industryin 1947 and 1954, references1 and 2. One of these problemsis discussedin this paper. The projectis.calledthe
SS-1 South Flank MigrationProjectof the
ShallowOil Zone. In this area a recedingedgewater in the SS-1 Sand has been causingundergroundloss of oil due to the oil moving.into
grey sand. The developmentof methodsto combat
this loss are traced throughthese planningand
applicationphases.
HISTORY

A brief statementof the historyof the

area will help in understandingtheprobh%
The.development
in the easternpart of Elk
Hills began in.1920* In thie weaStandard Oil

w+ :-,
Companytslands and offsettingd. S. Navyts
lands were operatedin competitionuntil 1942.
This area is known as the Old Area. Development and productionof most of the remainderof
Naval PetroleumReserveNo. 1 was held in abeysnce in order to maintainan emergencysupply
of crude. Aftelthe Unit AgreementIn 1942,
betweenStandard,andNavy, the southeastern
pcrtionof the reservewas e?@ored for productton in the SS-1 Sand. This area is shown
on Figure 1. Since it was first thoughtto be
a poor producingarea, developmentwas not
pushed. It did take place in1951 and 1952
sincethe poor producingcharacteristics
were
due to a low reservoirpressure. Using appropriatewell completiontechniques,very satisfactorycommercialproducerswere obtained.
These wells were then placed on a stand-bystatus
Fartherto the south in the Buena Vieta
Hills,discoveryof the Buena Vista Front Area
had occurredin 1912. A second stageof develov
ment took place in 1922. This production,in
part, aleo came from the SS-1 Sand. Here productionwae continuousand competitive. This
productivearea and the Elk Hills productive
area is separatedby a syncline,dippingto the
southeast. The Buena Vista Area is produc5ng
to-date.

its physicalnharactekistics.Attem&s were

made to calculatethe locationof the presstie
sink neceeearyto cause fluidmigration. However, the complicatedgeometryof the aquifer
preventd this from being accomplished. The
calculationsdid provideprdbableboundarycondftionswhich were used in the next part of the
studywhich was the small scaleregionalpotentfometricmodel. The reeultsof thisehdy are
presentedin referenc$3 ani will be sumarized
below.
In the potentiometric
model, a basin for
an electrolyte~s built to scale. The depth of
ths electrolyteis proport~onslto the capacity
or darcy feet of sand and electricalvoltages
are made to be proportionalto fluid preesures.
Faultsor pressurebarriersare representedby
plasticfences. The heightof the plaeticwas
in proportionto fault competency. Pressure
highs and pressuresinks were copper electrodes.
Theoryof potehtiometric
models %s containedin
references4 and 5. A Positionplotterfor
transferringdata to a scalemap,electrical
potentialsourcesfor the electrodesin model
basin, a potentialdetectorand null amplifier
comprisedthe rest of the equipment.
Data requiredwsre a darcy-footmap,
(
rese~oir pressuredistributionmap, regional.
pressuresouxcesand pressuresinksand the
locationof faultsand permeabilitybarriers
and their degree ofrestrictionor competency.

The Elk Hillsdevelopmentprogramut5lized swell spacingof twentyacres and consistedof 79 wells in the projectarea. The
developmentrevealedthe presenceof a sand
The best duplicationof the JulY 1953
pinchoutto the west, severalfaulteand three
pressuredistributionwhich was obtainedfrom
areas of low pressuregas producklon. These
are shown on Figure 2. It also gave the first
~the model is shownon Figure3e TO do this,
comprehensivereservoirpressurepicture. he
two changeswere made tnthe model, Thesewere$
trend of theee reservoirdatum pressureswas
< (1) extendinga fault &o theaqulfer to
interpretedto mean fluidmovementto the
:
the northeastand,
edgewaterarea. Calculationsof oil 10ss from
the movementof reservoirfluidsinto the
aquiferwere acceptedas justificationto start
(2) adding an electrodein the southwest
part of the oil reservoirto representa
a programof producingthe wells in order to
presstrehigh.
reduceor preventloss of oil from this area.
It is an area of 3,500 acreswhich has been esi~t~
to containoil reservesof approximately
Other adjustmentswere made during approximately twentypressuieplots. These adjustments
70 millionbarrelsof oil. This production
ficludethe shape,positionand strengthof
programbegan in ?tay1953. Productionrates
were abut 4,900 B/b oil, 450 B/b water ahd
electrodes,choice of differentpressurecalibrationpoints,the positionand competencyof
330MOF/D gas from 38welIs. Four months later
varioue faults.
water injectionpossibilities
were being ~onsidered. The initialstep in this projectwas
The major conclusionsfrom the study rea model stud~.
.gardingthe generalfluid flow patternaround
M@EL STUDYDEVELOPMiNT
Elk !%lJlswere,
The servicesof the CaliforniaResearch
Corporationwere requisitionedto carryouk
te construction,operationand model etudy.
The ti~st phase of the studywas to attempt
to determinethe reason for the recedingedqewater. Regionalgeologicinformationwas
assembledto show the extentof -4
the sand ami
,.

,.,

(1) The high pressuresourcetithin the

oil reservoiz
in the southwestis a contributing cause of migrationout of the south flank,
(2) all fluidmigratingfrom the south
$lank is going tows?d the Buena Vieta Front
,1
area,
,.
7

PE-2!15

(3)Pressure
sourcesand pressuresinks
were combinedto satisfactorily
match the
pressuredistributionon Ju3-Y 1, 1953 in the
Elk Wills Field. The pressuredistributionin
the aquiferunder this set of conditions
appearedreasonable. It is probablynot the
only pressuredistributionpicturethat would
have met the known factors.

Electrodsewer6located at preseurehighs
or pressuresinks.Producingoil and water wells
were ens-eighthinch diameterrnonalrods,
Where differentmobilitywas desireda plastic
fence separatedtwo electrolytesof different
conductanceand preventedmixing. Copper hairpin shapedwires providedelectricalcontaot
acrossthe fence.

Further,it was noticedthat the north

flank and the south flank are effectively
shAeldedso that changesin one area do not
affectthe othsr area.

TM3 RC (RESISTANCE-CAPACITANCE)
MODEL
Using electricalcurrentsand a networkof
resistoreand capacitorsto representfluid flow
througha permeablesand, an RC Model was constructedto answer two questions. These were,

DETAILEDPOTENTIOMETRIC
MODEL

(1) evaluatethe rates of oil migration

from the SS-1 oil sand along the South Flank
under differentprogramsof productionand
water ~njection.

Usfnga secondplasticbasin,a seriesof

runs were made to dete.rmtne
conditionscausing
loss of oil throughmigrationand to determine
Vne effectivenessof productionin prevent~ng
this 10SS..

(2) Determinethe number and approximate

locationof water injectionwells and the requiredvolumesof Tnjectionwater to prevent
fluidmigrationwhen no wells are producing.

This secondbasincoveredan area about

one-fourththat of the first ba$im. Greater
rletailed
treatmentof wells was possible. The
resultsof this work was presentedin reference
6 and is stmunarizsd here. Again by ,ju,ggling
some of the logicalWsstbilities of the starting data a model voltagedistributionwas
achievedwhich would best match the field pressure distribution. !fhienecessitatedimpeding
flow from the Elk Hills South Flank to Buena
Vista Area with a sand pinchoutas shown in
Figure4 and extendinga faultnearly across
the easternhalf d the eand in this same avea.
A water-oilmobilityratio of 35 was ue.edin
the best rub, Further,itwae determinedthat
producingwells to preventmigrationhas reduced the calculatedrate of lose to 3,400
barrelsper day as compawxlto 5,600barrels
per.daybefore startingproduction,
,

Ihefirstmodelrun was made to determinerates

of migrationcausingloss with productionrates
the same as the actual productionprogram.
This was determinedfor three differenttimes,
AS of July, 1953, migrationwas calculatedto
be 5,800 I@. Five years later this had dropped
to 2,800 B/b and in twenty years the migration
had dropped to 1,800 B/b.
With aprogramofbothproductionand
injectionusing one well, migrationwas stopped
in one year. The water injectionrates were
7,2m ~.at the start but were droppedto
2,000 BPD in ten years.
,
Severalruns were made for determining
the conditionswhich would stop migrationby
usingwater injectionwhen the protetit~ve
productionwells were shut in. TheRC Model
showedthat,

Data used as a startingpoint were

(1) an area darcy-footmap,
(2) oil and water productionrates by
wells as of July 1953 in terms of reservoir
withdrawalrates,

(1) M.@ation
one yeare

could be stoppedin akout

(3) presswe map of theoil wea,

(4) the mobilityratio of the water in
thewat.qrarea%o the oil in the oil area,
(5) ,boundary
conditionsof pressure,
fault localxione
and competency,o$l-watier
interfacelocations,stream-linelocations
and,
(.6)a calculatedflow rate acrossthe
350psia datum. pressurecontourin the oil
band. free gas productionwas ignored since
oil flow in the oil-areawas ctmaideredto be
controlledby.theresistanceof the oil flow.

(2) Initialrates shouldbe13,90C B/b

and increasein 12 years to 15,700 B/b.
(3) At least two injectionwells were
needed but no more than four.
(4) Injectionwells shouldbe along the
western half of the south flank.
A run was made to comparemodel pressure
behaviorwith a short period of field pressure
behaviorwhile the productionprogramwas in
operation. A fasterresp~nsewas obtainedfrom ~
the pressurebehaviorof the model in the west
portionofthe test area ae comparedto the

SPE-23>
pres~ureresponsein the field. Eleewhere,
model preseureresponsewasveryclose to field
pr.esswe responee. This pz!eseure
behavior
differencewas believedto be too small to alter
any conclusionsfrom the model work.
The theoryof RC Model work is explained
5n references7, 8 and 9. Some of the assumption made in order to apply the RC modeling
theoryto the SS-1 Sand are as follows:

surfaceinjectionpressures.
Reservoirpreseureresponeehas been rapid
and wide spread. Refer to Figure 5. Preseuxe
increasesoccurredfirst in the wells immediately upstructureof the injectionarea. The
ffrst cut increaseoccurredafter fourteen
months of injection Decreaeee%n the gas-otl
ratio of wells in the second~ gas cap have
occurredafter two years.

1. The positionof the oil-watercontact

Currentlythe pressurebuild-upin the
aquiferis one that is caueingan upstructure.
in the SS-1 Sand would remain conetantat its
poeitionas of July 1953. This permittedthe
movementofwatsr in the area of injedtion.
verticalvariationin permeabilityto be ignored. Refer to Figures6 and 7. This build-upof
pressurewas permittedbecauseof the slower
2. The water area of the SS-1 Sand in
pressureresponsein the oil band wells to the
July 1953 was under a steady state of pressure
west and becauseof measureddifferencesin
distribution.
preseurein the upper sand member to the east.
The easterlyarea etill continuesto show pressure differences. An additionalwater injection
3. Boundaryconditionsremain conetant
after July 1, 1953.
well is to be drilledto take care of this local
condition. Consequently,a step-wisereduction
4. Boundaryconditionson Julyl, 1953
in water injectionrates is being made. Th$s
were adequatelydetermined.
shouldpermitan approachto the final desired
conditionof no flow across the oil-waterconTheequipmentessentiallyconsistedof
tact.
four parts:
When water in;ectionbegan thirty-nineoil
1. A model board upon which ie mounted
and gas wells were on continuousproduction
the RC networkof reslstoreand condensers
This number has been reducedto eighteen.
simulatingthe SS-1 Sand.
Furtherreductionwill probablybe made soon.
Where wells are not being producedcontinuously,
2. A potentialfixingdevice to charge
part time productionprovidesreservoirinformthe condensersin the networkto the preecrfbed
ationon fluidmovement.
voltages. Thisprovides a voltagedistribution
in the network.whichcorrespondsto the preesure DliSCRIPTION
OF INJECTIONEWIPMENT AND WELLS
distributionin the .W-l Sand on July 1, 1953.
?taterfor injectionis suppliedby the
3. A recordingsystanto measure cqrrents productionprogramon the North FhnkofElk
and voltagesat prescribed.points
in the network
Hillswhere all wells producingwater in any
as functionsof time,
sizeableamunt are on continuousproduction
Since edgewaterinflux in this area is steady,
The area to be studiedwas dividedinto
a continuingsupplyeeems aesured. The current
blocksby grid lines. Those grid lines were
rate of productionis approximately23~000 ~.
the basis for calculatingthe stzes of the
Oil and free water productionfrom this area
electricalcomponent. Each grid block repreis separatedat strategicallylocatedtanks
sentedeeveralwells. Size limitation preby means of a waterleg.lt This water then
vented doing the area in more detail.
goes to a 10,002 barrelwaeh tank for further
removalof oil and silt. From here it is piped
V~A~ ~J~TION FRO~
to a 5,000 barrel surge tank and to three
centrifugalpwnps for traneferover the hill
Two injectionwelle were~mpleted and
to the water injectionwells. The level in
water injectionbegan in January1958. The
the eurgetank controlsthe speedof the centritotal.rate of injectionwas planned tQ be
fugal pumpe..The centrifugalpumps each have
13,900 BPD. The actual total rate was less
a maximumcapacityof 30,CKXlBPD at 225 psi.
than this plannedrate until March 1959. Durtig pressureand any two in serieswill handle the
September,Octoberend November of 1960, inload. ,Theyare directlydriven by high speed
jecttonwas increasedto 15,900 BPD. Itwae
gasenginee. All transfer lines are bare
returnedto the originslrate until April 1961
steel sincecorrosiontests showedno corrosion
when it was droppedto 8;000 EPD, and again
activity. Any water in excessof the injeotion
dropped@ August1961.to 4,0Q0 BPD.: The
requirementsis automaticallydischargedto
problemof attainingthe plinnedrate atithe
diepoealbasfnsin thegeneralarea of injectioib
inception,
of the injectionprogrsmwas overThese basinsare in approvedlocatlonsfor salt
come by instal.l,3ng
a surfacepump to increase
water disposal. The water disposalsystemia

3PJF-?R5..
m.
At those pointswhere oil does
a
n(.
- the water, natural.
gas is used for
sealingpurposes. This .was.
found to be necessary
for a brawn slime.offerrousbr ferrichydroxide
formedin the water upon contactingair. No.
filteringor chemicaltreatmenthas been found
to be necessaryyet. Sulphatereductngbatteria are nresentin small quantities. Aerobic
bacter%aare presentin considerablequantities,
but have not been a ser$ousproblem.

I$?ater
~jec$.~onrates at firstwere much
less than the plannedrates. In the planning
of the project,gravityhead in the lines from
the crest of the hillwae consideredae probably sufficientto attain satisfactoryrates
of injection. Althoughwater treatmentto
improvewell injectivitywas considered,a test
with surfacenwnpingequipment
showedthat by
increasingthe well head pressues from100
psig to &20 psig, the rate of injectionin one
caee, went from 1,100 BP to 7,900 B/b. A
permanentinstallationwas made in February1959
us~~g a lo-stagecentrifugalDump with a capacity
of 19,700 B/b at 2,CO0 psig. This is powered
by a V-12 gas enginerated at 633 maximumJLH.P.
at 1.,200rpm and is equippedwith a three to one
speed increaser.
The injectionwells are 4,3651deep for
21-15Gand 4,502!deep for 42-16G. E?othhave
a 711water stringcementedat the top of the
sand and 5 l/2w blank pipe cem@ted throughthe
sand. The blank linerwas then gun perforated
with six one-halfholes per foot exceptfor
shortblank sectionsoppositethe shale stringers.
Porosityfor both wells is from31% to ~
32%anda representative
range of permeability
is 500tc l,200md. Sand thicknessis 65 feet
for 21-15Gsnd 60 feet for 42-16G.
Attemptswere made to identifythe injected
water as to possiblesourceupon breakthroughto
upstructureproducingwells. Ten tons ofl!hlN03
were added to the water injectedin 21-15G
dmingl%rch 1959. One thousandpoundsof
uraninedye were injedtedinto well 42-16G during
AprYL 1951. No tracerhas been detectedat the
upstructurewell Iocattonse
Injectivitysurveyshave been made using
spinnersand radioactivecompounds. Thsse have
shown~afairlyeven distributionof the water
enteringthe sand in both welle.

5
oessfulin reducinglcissof oil. It has reduced productionso that greaterreservesof
oil are maintainedfor a reserveproducingcapacity. It has not inoreased pressureeevenlyin
the sand to the eaet.
The model studiesprovidedvery useful
design information. To a degree they fulfilled
the role of a pilot test. They furtherassisted
by reveal%ngthe existenceof subsurfacebarriers
in the aqufferwh%ch had not been euepected.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The CaliforniaResearchCorporationand
particularly. D. Warren and HermanD@cstra
are to be complimentedfor their fine work in
pertlxmingthe Model Study describedabove. The
engineeringstaff of the StandardOil Co. !Jestern Operations,Inc., the Unit Operatorat Elk
Hille,is to be campltientedfor its excellent
work regardingthe constructionof facilities
and operationof the water injectionproject.
Ref. 1. Max C. Eastmanand F. L. RuhhpanExperimentalProductionprdjectsand
ExploratoryDr$lllngat Elk Hills,
AIME T.P. ~~.
Presentedat the 1947
fall meeting of the AIME (At Los
Angeles)
Ref. 2. F. H. Cboch and R. HAdams - Report of
Operations,Naval.PetroleumReserveNo.
Hilk,
1945 -1954 AXME Tp.
1, ~
4%;Gpresented at the 1954 fall meetRef. 3. lJnpublished
reportby J. E. Warren and
H. Dyicstra,
CaliforniaResearchProject
No. 2159 concerningElk Hills Field,
RegionalPotentiometric
Model Study,
Report No. 2.
Ref. 4. Huret and McCartyAPI Drillingand Prod.
Pratt. 22S (1941)
Ref. 5. Muskat, M,

Trans

AIME 179, 126 (1949)

Ref. 6. CaliforniaResearchProjectNo. 2159,

Report No. 4
Ref. 7. W. A. Bruce; Trans AIME 151, 112 (1943)
Ref. 8. Rumble,Spain and Stamn;Trans AIME
192, 331 (1951)

CONCLUSIONS
Perpherialwater injectionhas caused a
widespreadpressureresponse. It has been suo-

,,;

Ref. 9. Moore and !Eruby;

Trans AIME 195, 297
(1952)

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CONTINUOUS
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PRODUCERS
PRODUCERS

south
well

flank
map.

migration

.- . . ..-.

Fig.

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of

SS-1
study
preeeure

4--

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ehowin
distribution
from
detai
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model
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sand
potentiometric
regional
showin
con f ours,.

preaaure
ed poten-

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Fig.

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