SPE

Society of Petroleum Engineers

SPE 14113

An Overview and Evaluation of the North Burbank Unit Block A

Polymer Flood Project, Osage County, Oklahoma
by D.R. Zornes,* A.J. Cornelius,* and H.Q. Long, Phillips Petroleum Co.
*SPE Members

Copyright 1986, Society of Petroleum Engineers

This paper was presented at the SPE 1986 International Meeting on Petroleum Engineering held in Beijing, China March 17-20, 1986. The material is
subject to correction by the author. Permission to copy is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words. Write SPE, P.O. Box 833836, Richardson,
Texas 75083-3836. Telex: 730989 SPE DAL.

INTRODUCTION
ABSTRACT History and Location

The North Burbank Unit Block A polymerflood project The North Burbank Unit (NBU), located near Shidler
was initiated in September 1980, with the injection of in Osage County, Oklahoma has produced over lSOMM
a fresh water preflush into 36 wells within the stock tank barrels (STB) [23MM m3] of oil during
1,440-acre [582.7 ha] project area. An economic nearly 3S years of waterflooding (Figure 1). The
production response has occurred from the use of the field, first discovered in May, 1920, originally
Phillips in-depth polymer-aluminum citrate-polymer contained nearly 671MM STB [106.6MM m3] of oil. The
process in this naturally fractured sandstone North Burbank Unit has received extensive laboratory
reservoir. The oil Qroduction rate now averages over study as a tertiary oil recover~ target since
30,000 BOPM [4,769 m3/M] (mid-198S) from a pre-project approximately 3SOMM STB [SS.6MM m ] of oil will
rate of less than lS, 000 BOPM [ 2, 385 m3 /M] and the remain after primary and secondary recovery. A
producing water-oil-ratio (WOR) has been reduced from small steam drive pilot was conducted in 196S with
over 100 to less than SO. Total cumulative oil disappointing results. An NBU pilot polymerflood,
recovery is projected at over 4.4MM STB [0.67MM m3], initiated in 1970 in Tracts 40 and 49, produced
near 8S% of the pre-project projection, assuming an incremental oil for over 12 years (1). The NBU
economic limit of 2 BOPD [0.31 m3/D] per well. Tract 97 Surfactant/Polymer Pilot, started in 197S,
is also still producing incremental oil (2-S).
The chemical injection sequence has included SOO ppm However, the economics of commercializing
active polymer augmented by SOO ppm aluminum citrate surfactantflooding in NBU are unfavorable
crosslinking agent, 2SO ppm polymer, SO ppm polymer, a particularly in areas of the field where
fresh water postflush, and finally produced brine heterogeneity is extreme (6). Therefore,
injection. A total of 4.17 MM pounds [1.89MM kg] of polymerflooding was selected for a commercial size
polyacrylamide was injected into 36 wells. Fresh expansion (7) since it is less costly to implement
water and polymer production were monitored at 84 and can improve oil recovery in highly heterogeneous
producing wells in an attempt to correlate with oil areas by improving sweep efficiency. This paper is
production response. an overview and summary of the North Burbank Unit
1,440-acre [S82. 7 ha] Block A Polymerflood Project
This paper summarizes the design, operation, initiated in September, 1980.
monitoring, response, and cost of the polymerflood
project. Economical and technical factors to be Reservoir Description
considered in an expansion project in the North
Burbank Unit or in application of the Phillips polymer The NBU field trends generally northwest and is 12
process in other reservoirs are addressed. miles [19.3 km] long, 4 [6.4 km] to S miles [8.0 km]
wide, and includes some 24,000-acres [9,712.4 ha]
( 2). The 3, 000 foot [ 914. 4 m] deep producing zone
is the Pennsylvanian Burbank Sandstone member of the
Cherokee shale. A geological study by J. C.
Trantham, et.al. (8) described the Burbank sand
reservoir to be of fluvial origin, with individual
river channels superimposed on and cut laterally
into each other creating a massive sand with few
internal discontinuities. The strongly oil-wet sand
(9) contains a northwest trending system of joints
and/or fractures that can be readily opened and
References and illustrations at end of paper. extended with injection pressures of near O.S psi/ft
[11.3 kPa/ml (7). ·

311
 AN OVERVIEW AND EVALUATION OF THE NORTH BURBANK UNIT BLOCK A
2 POLYMERFLOOD PROJECT--OSAGE COUNTY, OKLAHOMA SPE14113
North Burbank Unit core data show the high into the deeper Arbuckle Limestone to dispose of the
permeability areas of the reservoir to have the high salinity (near 90,000 ppm TDS) produced water
greatest distribution of vertical permeabili ties. The that would be displaced by low salinity Ark-Burbank
northern half of the reservoir is generally higher in water (700 ppm TDS) during the majority of the
permeability and more heterogeneous than the southern project.
half. A core profile (Figure 2) from the project area
shows the heterogeneity is primarily due to a few feet Project Design
of upper zone having permeabilities of over a darcy
with less than a 100 md average in the lower portion Reservoir modeling studies were conducted on each
of the core. Polymerflooding is expected to perform tract in the polymerflood area utilizing a
best where it can improve both vertical and horizontal two-dimensional linear model that allowed vertical
conformance. cross flow. Core analyses data were used to obtain
preliminary model layers then modified as necessary
An isopach map (Figure 3) of the tracts surrounding in history matching the waterflood oil production
Webb City (located on Tract 42) shows the Burbank Sand history. Numerous preflush (10), crosslinker, and
to reach 63 net feet [ 19.2 m] at Well 42-W21 and to polymer sequences were then investigated in the
average greater than 40 feet [12.1 m] in the nine model utilizing the best waterflood history match
tract project area (7). Porosity is maximum in Tract parameters and laboratory data as appropriate.
41 and exceeds 18 percent in most of the project area Simulation results and preliminary economics
with the exception of Tracts 51 and 52. established that a forty percent pore volume slug of
Permeabilities (Figure 4) and the flow capacity follow polymer logarithmically declined from 500 ppm would
the same general trend as the porosities, highest in result in an economically viable project. The final
Tract 41 and trending lower toward the east (7). oil production forecast as derived from a composite
Typical core data from the project area are shown in of the simulation results after some scaling called
Table I. for a total· project production of 4.992 MM BO [0.794
MM m3] over an eleven year project life. This
BACKGROUND INFORMATION production forecast included 2.292 MM BO [0.364 MM
m3] due to continued waterflooding and the remaining
Pilot Project 2. 70 MM BO [ 0. 43 MM m3] (54 percent of the total)
due to implementation of a tertiary project. This
A polymerflood pilot test (4 injectors and 12 production forecast assumed an essentially constant
producers) was initiated in 1970 and 1971 on 160 acres injection rate of near 63,000 BPD [10,016 m3/D] for
[64.7 ha] in Tracts 40 and 49 to evaluate the the expected eleven year life.
effectiveness of improving both horizontal and
vertical sweep efficiency in the highly heterogeneous Laboratory Process Design
area surrounding Webb City. Details of the pilot test
have been reported (1,7). The oil production response Phillips Research personnel conducted laboratory
of the four confined producing wells (Figure 5) tests in NBU core plugs obtained from wells 33-W29
clearly shows that significant incremental oil was and 41-W28 to help select the specific polymer for
produced and the producing WOR was stabilized for the flood and to optimize the cross-linking agent
several years by the polymerflooding process (7). (aluminum citrate) concentration and sequencing
( 11). The Phillips polymer-aluminum citrate-polymer
Site Selection process consists of the sequential injection of
solutions of polymer, aluminum citrate, and polymer.
Due to the success of the polymerflood pilot in the The process is described (12-14) as a sequential
highly heterogeneous Tract 40-49 area, the northern layering of polymer, aluminum, and polymer that
portion of the North Burbank Unit was examined in creates a crosslinked polymer network or gel
selecting the 9 tract 1440-acre [582. 7 ha] commercial structure that increases the resistance to the flow
scale expansion area. Each northern tract was of water.
screened on the basis of:
The core plugs were cut parallel to the bedding
1) total initial potential, planes, extracted, encased in epoxy, and routinely
2) ratio of primary to secondary oil recovered, flooded to an irreducible oil saturation with
3) total flow capacity of wells in the tract, and synthetic field brine (near 90M ppm TDS).
4) the cumulative producing WOR ratio during Subsequently, the cores were injected with fresh
waterflooding. water preflush, polymer, water spacer, aluminum
citrate, water spacer, additional polymer and
These criteria lead to the selection of nine tracts extensive postflush with first fresh water and then
(Figure 1) that were in the proximity of the initial synthetic field brine. The resistance factor (RF)
polymer pilot test and were believed to contain high is defined as the ratio of the initial water
permeability zones that would respond favorably to mobility to the mobility with polymer solution while
polymerflooding. the residual resistance factor (RRF) is the ratio of
initial water mobility to the water mobility after
Due to abandonment of several wells in the selected completion of the polymer and/or aluminum citrate
area, it was necessary to drill 20 new production and injection sequence. Typically, the average RRF to
injection wells. A total of twenty-three workovers fresh water after polymer was near 8 while after the
and six conversions were required to reestablish the aluminum citrate process it was about 44 in these
20-acre [8.1 ha] staggered line drive used for the tests. Polymer adsorption averaged about 100
original waterflood. The resulting well pattern is lb/acre-ft [0.037 kg/m3]. Retention of aluminum was
shown in Figure 6. Five wells were cored and all ne~ about 175 lb/acre-ft [0.064 kg/m3]. Polymer
wells logged. Also, six disposal wells were drilled retention from the second polymer slug was typically

312
SPE14113 D. R. ZORNES, H. Q. LONG & A. J. CORNELIUS 3

an additional 250 lb/acre-ft [0.092 kg/m3]. This The truckloads of aluminum citrate were each
retention should occur only in those portions of the examined for particulate contamination and a sample
reservoir first contacted by aluminum citrate taken for a "quick gel" ( 11) test that verified the
solution. cross linking agent was within specification.
Research personnel further analyzed the aluminum
Based upon laboratory testing, reservoir simulation citrate for aluminum (atomic absorption) and citrate
comparisons, and pricing considerations, a liquid (infrared spectroscopy) to ensure the concentration
emulsion polymer product, Dow J-357 (Dowell lOOOE), and molar ratios (1.8 to 1.0) remained within
and aluminum citrate in the form of a 2. 9'7.. aluminum specifications.
concentrate (Magna blend Inc.) were purchased for the
project. Acrolein, a biocide supplied by Baker Chemical
Company, was added to the fresh water at the pump
PROJECT OPERATION station (six miles [9.6 km] away) to minimize
sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) formation. An
Field Operation oxygen scavenger, ammonium bisulfite, was also added
to the Ark-Burbank water about one mile upstream of
A total of 36 injection wells and 84 production wells the polyacrylamide mixing stations to prevent oxygen
are included in the 9 tract 1440-acre [582.7 ha] degradation of the polymer.
project area (14). Two separate polymer mixing
stations were utilized, station 41 serving the western Fluid Injection Sequence
six tracts and station 43 the eastern three tracts.
The liquid emulsion polymer (30'7.. active The fluid injection sequence and quantities injected
polyacrylamide)-was shipped from the manufacturer to a for the Tract 41 and Tract 43 mixing and injection
nearby rail site and delivered via dedicated tank stations are detailed in Tables II and III,
trucks to the heated and insulated 545 barrel [ 86.6 respectively. Freshwater preflush was initiated in
m3] storage tanks at each of the mix stations. The the western two-thirds (Tract 41 injection station)
polymer storage tanks were designed to maintain the of the project area on September 29, 1980 and about
emulsion polymer between 50 and 140 degrees F [283 and two months later in the eastern third of the project
335 degrees K] to minimize handling problems during from the Tract 43 injection station (15). The fresh
cold weather. The tanks were blanketed with nitrogen water preflush was designed to condition the
to minimize any degradation by oxygen. The polymer reservoir to minimize produced brine contamination
was continuously circulated to prevent any separation of the salt sensitive polymer slugs. The
due to gravity settling. Details of the polymer effectiveness of the polymer-aluminum
mixing and dilution process were reported by Moffitt, citrate-polymer system is reduced in the presence of
et. al. (15). Fresh Ark-Burbank water (700 ppm TDS) high salinity brines, particularly those containing
was obtained from several supply wells originally divalent cations. Reservoir simulation ( 10) showed
drilled near the Arkansas River but now located under that polymer contamination by crossflow and mixing
Kaw Reservoir. The only significant field operational of high salinity brine would not be significantly
problem associated with polymer injectiori occurred improved unless an extremely long (3 years or more)
early in the project when it was necessary to change a preflush was conducted. Thus, the 13.46 and 8. 63
portion of the piping layout to minimize mechanical percent pore volume preflushes resulted from
shearing of the polymer solution (15). operational convenience and economical
considerations. Injection of the primary polymer
The aluminum citrate slug was injected over a 17 day (500 ppm active) was initiated on April 28, 1981
period. Thus, concentrate was stored on-site in 500 from both the Tract 41 and 43 mixing stations. The
bbl [79.5 m3] frac tanks after being trucked to the primary polymer slug was designed to adsorb to the
field. The aluminum citrate was diluted to 500 ppm reservoir rock to provide anionic bonding and/or
active aluminum with the fresh Ark-Burbank water. cross-linking sites for the aluminium. Primary
polymer injection was terminated July 6, 1981 after
Some reduced salt water disposal capacity (initially over 4 percent of a pore volume ( 18 percent of the
operated at 60,000 BWPD [9539 m3/D] total) occurred at total polymer) of 500 ppm active solution was
the six open hole Arbuckle Limestone wells due to oil injected (15). A short fresh water spacer was next
carryover in the produced water, polymer carryover in injected to remove polymer solution from the
fluid from the project producers, and reduced immediate wellbore area. A total of 4.02 MM pounds
hydrostatic head of the brine as greater percentages [1.823 MM kg] of aluminum citrate solution was then
of fresh water were produced (15). Numerous injected at an aluminum concentration of 500 ppm in
stimulation techniques were employed to increase fresh Ark-Burbank water ( 15). The purpose of the
capacity with limited success. Eventually, produced polymer-aluminum citrate-polymer injection sequence
water from the project area was reinjected into nearby was to cross-link the polymer molecules into a
non-polymerflood tracts and non-polymer containing 100 layered gel network that would result in
percent brine was routed to the disposal wells to significantly higher RRF values. The process
ensure that injection into the project area was not preferentially works in the fractures and high
limited by disposal well capacity. permeability zones of the reservoir, thereby,
reducing direct channeling of injection fluids. to
Quality Control the producing wells, increasing sweep efficiency of
the following fluids and allowing the producing
Samples of the liquid emulsion polymer were taken from wells to be pumped off to lower fluid levels. The
each rail car load and from each truck load for eleven injection wells indicated in Figure 7 were
analyses. Bulk product viscosity, diluted excluded from aluminum injection due to their
concentration viscosity, screen factor and percent already low injection rates and relatively high
solids were determined by Research personnel to ensure wellhead pressures. A second fresh water spacer
the quality of the injected polymer (15). followed the aluminum citrate injection to prevent

313
 AN OVERVIEW AND EVALUATION OF THE NORTH BURBANK UNIT BLOCK A
4 POLYMERFLOOD PROJECT--OSAGE COUNTY, OKLAHOMA
gelling and crosslinking of .polymer in the iuunediate
wellbore area. Polymer injection was resumed on
August 27, 1981 at a 500 ppm active concentration
following the aluminum citrate and fresh water spacer
slugs. The 500 ppm polymer injection was. interrupted
for a few days to make piping changes that allowed
introduction of the polymer concentrate downstream of
the triplex injection pumps instead of upstream as
initially designed. Minimizing shearing of the
following polymer slugs was more important than for
the initial polymer slug which was adsorbed to form
the first layer of the RRF building process. The
polymer concentration was reduced to 250 ppm then to
50 ppm active in fresh water (Tables II and III) per
the original design as established by reservoir
simulation. A total of 4.17 MM active pounds [1.89 MM
kg] of Dow J357 polymer was injected into the 36
project injection wells. A fresh Ark-Burbank water
postflush was initiated in late 1983 (Tables II and
III) following the 50 ppm polymer slug. Laboratory
studies indicated the RRF of the gelled polymer
remained higher under fresh water injection than under
high salinity produced brine injection. Thus, fresh
water injection was continued until January 8, and
June 7, 1985 at which time produced reservoir brine
injection was resumed from the Tract 43 and Tract 41
mixing stations, respectively. The original project
was designed utilizing an injection rate of near
63,000 BPD [10,016 m3/D]. However, during the polymer
injection phase total injection averaged only in the
45,000 BPD [6559 m3/D] range due to the polymer
viscosity increase and resistance effects. This
reduced injection rate was allowed to keep the
injection pressures below the natural fracture
gradient pressures of the reservoir.
Special Treat.ents and Injections
The concentration of polymer injected into Tract 52
was increased from 250 to 750 ppm for 57 days starting
August 25, 1982 until about 100,000 active pounds
[45,359 kg] of additional polymer were injected (15).
This special injection was required due to excessive
well downtime in Tract 52 that resulted in the tract
falling considerably behind in cumulative polymer
injection. Several small scale aluminum citrate
treatments were also successfully utilized in 1982 for
the purpose of reducing rates into high volume
injection wells. Previous field studies showed that
all mechanical throttling valves significantly shear
degraded the polymer ( 15). Thus, their use was not
desirable. In these small special treatments, one to
ten drums of concentrated aluminum citrate was diluted
in fresh water, polymer injection interrupted, and the
aluminum citrate pumped into the selected injection
well from a truck. Typically, polymer injection was
resumed for a few hours and the well shut-in for about
24 hours. This process was successful at reducing
injectivity in several wells to help balance the
injection patterns (11,15). This technique was
essentially the only attempt made at diverting the
injection fluid from where it was naturally accepted
by the reservoir.
PROJECT MORITORIHG AND RESPONSE
Produced water samples were collected from each of the
project wells on a periodic schedule and analyzed b-y
Research personnel for salinity and produced polymer
concentration as detailed by Bruning et. al. (11).
Unfortunately, due to the number of wells involved ill
the project, it was not possible to sample them as
314
SPE14113
often as desired. Thus, there is some uncertainty in
the breakthrough times and quantities of fresh water
and polymer actually produced from each well. Oil
production rates from the project wells are
determined by allocating actual oil sold from each
tank battery to the wells based on their individual
production tests (usually conducted twice monthly)
and total well operating time. Injected fluids are
also allocated based upon well tests and total fresh
Ark-Burbank water utilized at the polymer mixing
stations.
Freshwater Production
The fresh Ark-Burbank water injected as a preflush
and as the solvent for the aluminum citrate and
numerous polymer slugs has also served as an
inexpensive tracer. Produced water samples were
routinely collected and analyzed for the
concentration of several cations (Na+, ca+2, Mg+2,
Ba+2, and Fe+3), percent chlorides, pH and specific
gravity (15). The percent fresh water from each
producing well was calculated from this data as a
function of sampling frequency. The cumulative
fresh wate~ produced from each well was also
calculated from the salinity data and the well's
brine production rate. Fresh water breakthrough
occurred rapidly upon the injection of the fresh
water preflush from the Tract 41 mixing station.
Three producing wells from Tract 41 showed decreased
salinities .within seven days of fresh water
injection and within one month ten producing wells
were showing measurable salinity decreases, as
expected from this naturally fractured reservoir
(15). The earliest freshwater breakthrough occurred
in Tracts 33, 34 and 50. The wells experiencing
late fresh water breakthrough were in Tracts 25,26,
27 and 41, and wells in the eastern tracts where
fresh water was started two months later. However,
by February 1985 Tracts 33, 41 and 42 (Table IV) had
produced nearly half of the total fresh water
produced. The largest fresh water production (17 .6
percent) has occurred, as expected, at Tract 42, the
only completely confined tract. Produced and
injected fresh water by tract reasonably correlate
(Figure 8) with a few exceptions. Tracts 25, 26,
and 27 had no fresh water injection and were
primarily only affected by the northern most row of
injectors in Tracts 33, 34 and 35. Tracts 33 and 42
produced significantly greater percentages of fresh
water than expected based on relative injection.
While Tract 52, a low flow capacity tract, produced
less fresh water than expected.
The ten wells producing the greatest cumulative
volumes of fresh water are listed in Table V. Seven
of the ten wells are located in Tracts 42 and 33.
The maximum concentration of fresh water production
(95 percent fresh water) occurred at Well 51-1
approximately 2 years after initial injection at
offset wells. Fresh water has been detected in
significant concentrations at all of the 84 project
producing wells.
Poly.er Production
Polymer injection was initiated from both the Tract
41 and Tract 43 injection systems on April 28, 1981
at a concentration of 500 ppm active (15). Well
34-11 experienced the first polymer breakthrough
just 24 days later, again indicative of a fractured
reservoir. In general, those wells experiencing
SPE14113 D. R. ZORNES, H. Q. LONG & A. J, CORNELIUS
early fresh water breakthrough also experienced early
polymer breakthrough and high polymer production as
indicated in Figure 9. It is interesting that six of
the ten earliest polymer breakthrough wells (Wells
34-12, 34-11, 35-06, 50-04, 50-05 and 50-15) are
directly offset from injection wells that did not
receive aluminum citrate. Polymer had been detected
in 44 of the 84 producing wells as of February 1985.
Polymer injection was discontinued in late 1983.
Essentially no polymer was detected in the complete
set of produced water samples collected in May 1984.
The ten wells producing the largest quantities of
polymer are listed in Table VI. Three of these wells
(Wells 51-12, 50-15, and 50-05) are directly offset
from injection wells that were excluded from aluminum
citrate injection. These ten wells also lie in the
same two rows of production wells, the second and
third from the south project edge. The maximum polymer
concentration ( 112 ppm) detected at a producing well
ocurred at Well 34-29 in November 1981 about seven
months after the initiation of polymer injection.
The cumulative polymer injected and produced by tract
is listed in Table VII. The total polymer produced as
of February 1985 represented approximately 3.8 percent
of that injected. Tract 42, the only totally confined
tract, accounts for nearly one-fourth of the produced
polymer. Four tracts, Tracts 42, 43, 50 and 51 are
responsible for nearly 75 percent of the produced
polymer yet received only 46 percent of the total
injected polymer. No polymer was ever detected in
production fluids from Tracts 25 and 26.
Interestingly, Tracts 41 and 52 had polymer production
only from one well each, 41-1 and 52-28.
Oil Production Response
The average oil production rate in the project area
has responded favorably to the Phillips (12)
polymer-aluminum citrate-polymer process (Figure 10).
The oil production r~te has more than doubled from the
preproject rate of less than 15,000 BOPM r2,384 m3/M]
to a maximum of near 36,000 BOPM [5,723 mj/M] in late
1982. The oil production rate still averaged near
32,000 BOPM [5,087 m3/M] in May 1985. The return to
high salinity brine occurred in January and June 1985
at the Tract 43 and 41 injection stations,
respectively. This switch is not expected to result
in an increased decline rate based upon experience
with the NBU Tract 97 Surfactant/Polymer pilot test
(5). Obviously, a significant portion of the oil
production increase resulted from new wells,
re-activating others and re-establishing the complete
waterflooding pat tern (15). The oil production rate
increased from near 15,000 BOPM [ 2, 384m3 /M] to over
21,000 BOPM [3,338 m3/M] in early 1981 due to these
effects. The oil production decline that occurred
from March to August 1981 was primarily due to the
establishment of lower target injection rates and a
reduced salt water disposal capacity. The first
detectable response to polymerflooding occurred during
the last quarter of 1981 when the oil production
increased from less than 15,000 [ 2, 384 m3 /M] to near
22,000 BOPM [3,497 m3/M] and the producing WOR
correspondingly fell to less than 80.
Total cumulative project oil produced from January 1,
1980 through November 1984 was 1.537 MM STB [0.24 MJol
m3] with total project reserves of 2.870 MM STB [0.45
MM m3] remaining assuming an economic limit of 2 BOPD
[0.31 m3/D] per well. This would result in an ultimate
315
5
total project oil recovery of 4.407 MM STB [0. 70 MM
m3] by February 2003. About 56 percent of the oil
production (854 M BBL [135,7 M m3]) through November
1984 is classified as incremental project oil. An
ultimate project recovery of 3.505 MM STB [0.557 MM
m3] is projected by July 1994 if the less optimistic
5 BOPD [0.79 m3/D] per well economic limit is
assumed. In actuality, the decision to shut-in
producing wells will be made on a case-by-case basis
that considers ·specific operating costs resulting in
an effective economic limit likely to be between 2
and 5 BOPD [0.31 and 0.79 m3/n].
For comparison and evaluation purposes incremental
oil was calculated for each project producing well
utilizing a best-fit decline curve analysis
technique. The ten wells producing the greatest
quantities of incremental oil (listed in Table
VIII), account for nearly 54 percent of the
incremental project oil produced from January 1980
through February 1985. Only two of these wells,
Wells 33-16 and 35-04, are not located in the three
central tracts (Tracts 41, 42, and.43). Perhaps not
unexpectedly, four of these ten wells are located in
the only completely confined tract, Tract 42. The
minimum WOR of less than 20 occurred from mid 1982
to mid 1983 for most of the 10 wells with the
greatest incremental oil production. The production
response for a new well (Well 43-03) and an existing
well (Well 42-01) are shown in Figures ll and 12,
respectively.
These individual well incremental oil productions
were summed to obtain the results for each tract as
contained in Table IX. The importance of confined
Tract 42 is again obvious, with 27.9 percent of the
total incremental oil produced from its eight
production wells. The excellent production response
for Tract 42 is shown in Figure 13. The three
central tracts (Tracts 41, 42 and 43) account for
62.5 percent of the incremental project oil with the
remainder split equally (19.3 vs. 18.8 percent)
between the three northern tracts (Tracts 33, 34,
and 35) and the three southern tracts (Tracts SO, 51
and 52). No significant incremental oil production
was contributed by wells in Tracts 25, 26 and 27.
The locations of the top ten polymer, fresh water,
and incremental oil producing wells are shown in
Figure 14. The significance of the center tract
(Tract 42) and of the three central tracts (Tracts
41, 42, and 43) is apparent. Four wells (Wells
41-01, 42-01, 42-03 and 43-03) from the central
tracts are among the top ten wells in all three
categories. Five of the top ten polymer producing
wells were not among the top ten wells in the other
two categories. Numerous reservoir parameters,
polymer, and fresh water injection and production
quantities were statistically analyzed. No
significant correlations existed for the data as
analyzed with the exception of a correlation between
incremental oil production, the Lorenz coefficient,
and the degree of confinement. Tracts with greater
heterogeneity and confinement can be expected to
produce greater incremental oil from the
polymerflooding process.
Injection Well Response
The injection of the Phillips polymer-aluminum
citrate-polymer system did result in a significant
decrease in injection rates and substantial
 AN OVERVIEW AND EVALUATION OF THE NORTH BURBANK UNIT BLOCK A
6 POLYMERFLOOD PROJECT--OSAGE COUNTY, OKLAHOMA SPE14113
increases in wellhead pre.ssures in the project Lifting Costs
injection wells. This was positive evidence that the
polymerflood system was increasing resistance to flow The lifting costs shown in Table XI are those
in the higher permeability channels and zones, thus, incremental to the continuance of a. waterflood in
resulting in the increased horizontal and vertical the project area. Two factors: 1) length of the
sweep that is responsible for the incremental oil project, and 2) increased costs are the primary
production. Typical injection rates and wellhead reasons for the actual costs to exceed the original
pressures are shown in Table X for the four centrally projected costs. The 51 producing well waterflood
located Tract 42 injection wells. Wellhead pressures required a total of 84 producers to complete the
generally increased with the injection of polymer and 20-acre [8 ha] spacing, thus, requiring an
overall total injection dropped to as low as 45,200 additional 33 producers to be operated initially.
BWPD [7,186 m3/D] in July 1983 as compared to the However with an assumed economic limit of 2 BOPD
project design target rate of 63,000 BWPD [10,016 [0.31 m~/D] per well the original waterflood becomes
m3/D]. Wellhead pressures have remained relatively uneconomic in mid-1993. The lifting costs for all
high during the two-year freshwater postflush, 84 wells after 1993 are then included in the
however, total fluid injection has significantly incremental project cost. The original project had
increased during that period, reaching 52,000 BWPD an expected life of about eleven years as compared
[8,267 m3/D] in May 1985. Injectivity is expected to to 23 years for the actual project, again assuming
continue to increase upon the return to brine an economic limit of 2 BOPD [0.31 m3/D] per well.
injection as the RRF of the gelled polymer layers is This is due to the lower than expected injection
partially degraded by the high salinity brine. rates and to less sharp production increases and
declines than originally projected. This partially
Pressure falloff tests were conducted periodically at resulted from the use of a two dimensional simulator
several project injection wells to monitor the insitu in the design of the project. Secondly, lifting
fluid mobility, average reservoir pressure, and costs in gerteral increased significantly during the
wellbore skin. Based upon analyses (15) the mobility 1980 to 1983 time period as shown in Table XII due
typically decreased 25 to 50 percent of that measured to increases in such costs as labor, electricity,
during freshwater preflush during the 250 ppm fuel, well maintenance, chemical treating, etc.
injection phase. The average reservoir pressure Some of these increases are associated with an
increased during the 500 ppm polymer injection and apparent increase in corrosion related problems in
stabilized during the 250 ppm injection. The skin the polymerflood area.
factors remained relatively constant at -5.5 for all
pressure falloff tests indicating no significant Cost SUIIIIIUlry
near-well plugging had ocurred during injection of
polymer and aluminum citrate. The approximate chemical and total costs per barrel
of incremental oil are shown in Table XI as compared
PROJECT COSTS to the original projections. These costs are
significantly less than the average oil sales price
This section contains a comparison of the projected (Table XIII). Standard discounted cash flow analysis
costs as previously published (15) with the actual of this project also showed it to be economical with
project expenditures. The actual expenditures are a favorable rate of return on the investment.
expressed in 1979 dollars using appropriate historical
inflation factors such that they can be directly Expansion
compared to the original estimates.
Expansion of this polymerflooding process in the
Well and Surface Equipment Costs North Burbank Unit is presently under consideration.
Unfortunately, the current lower oil price
The well and surface equipment costs (Table XI) forecasts, the front-end investments, and the longer
include costs for . Jl~W wells, workovers, conversions, project response time combines to make the economics
1 ines, pumps, mixing equipment, tanks, and the of an expansion marginal under present corporate
buildings for polymer mixing. The actual costs economic guidelines. Improved processes or designs
determined from expenditure records expressed in 1979 and/or increased oil price forecasts should
dollars are approximately 25 percent less than the eventually lead to an expansion project.
original projection. Only expenditures specifically
charged to the project are contained in these numbers. COBCLUSIOBS

Cbe~~ical Costs The following conclusions are based upon our

experience with the North Burbank Unit Block A
Total chemical costs (Table XI) primarily include the polymerflood project:
polyacrylamide and aluminum citrate costs.
Polyacrylamide price was in the range of $1. 60 per 1) It was economically and technically attractive to
active pound [$3.55 per active kilogram] while the polymerflood this very heterogeneous area of the
aluminum citrate was about $0.23 per solution pound North Burbank Unit with the Phillips
[$0'.51 per solution kilogram]. The polymer purchase polymer-aluminum citrate-polymer process.
price was adjusted periodically, per a sales contract
with Dow, to reflect changes in raw material costs and 2) Total cumulative pToject oil produced from
energy costs. The actual chemical costs were January 1, 1980 through November 1984 was 1. 537
approximately 20 percent less than initially MM STB [0. 24 m3] with total project reserves of
projected. 2.87 MM STB [0.45 m3] remaining assuming an
economic limit of 2 BOPD [0.31 m3/D] per well.

316
SPE14113 D. R. ZORNES, H. Q. LONG & A. J. CORNELIUS 7

3) The totally confined Tract 42 is solely responsible Department of Energy, Tulsa, Oklahoma, (April
for over 25 percent of· the incremental oil to-date. 1981).
Any new or expansion project should be designed to
maximize the number of totally confined wells 7. Trantham, J. C. and Moffitt, ~. D.: "North
and/or tracts. Burbank Unit 1,440-Acre Polymer Flood Project
Design", SPE/DOE 10717, presented at the Third
4) An increase in wellhead pressure and an injectivity Joint Symposium on Enhanced Oil Recovery,
reduction indicates the polymerflooding process is Society of Petroleum Engineers/Department of
building resistance to flow in higher permeability Energy, Tulsa, Oklahoma, (April 1982).
zones, thus, resulting in increased reservoir sweep
efficiency. Reduced reservoir injectivity should be 8. Trantham, J. C., Threlkeld, C. B., Patterson, H.
expected in an expansion project. L., Jr.: "Reservoir Description for a
Surfactant/Polymer Pilot in a Fractured, Oil-Wet
5) Pressure falloff tests indicate the Reservoir - North Burbank Unit Tract 97", J.
polymer-aluminum citrate-polymer process can be Pet. Tech. (September 1980), 1647-1656.
successfully utilized in field applications with no
significant near-well plugging problems. 9. Trantham, J. c. and Clampitt, R. L.:
"Determination of Oil Saturation After
6) Based upon polymer breakthrough times it appears Waterflooding in an Oil-Wet Reservoir The North
the aluminum citrate crosslinker helps to minimize Burbank Unit Tract 97 Project", SPE 5802,
direct flow of polymer to the producing wells. presented at the Improved Oil Recovery
Symposium, Tulsa, Oklahoma (March 1976).
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
10. Pang, H. W., Fleming, P. D., and Boneau, D. F.:
Thanks is expressed to Phillips Petroleum for "Des:lgn of Preflush for Commercial Scale
permission to present this paper. We wish to Polymerflood in the North Burbank Unit", SPE
acknowledge the significant contributions made by 9779, presented at the Second Joint Symposium on
numerous Phillips employees to the content of this Enhanced Oil Recovery, Society of Petroleum
paper and for t~e contributions they have made to this Engineers/Department of Energy, Tulsa, Oklahoma
project. Special acknowledgement is given to the late (April 1981).
J. C. Trantham--one of the original designers of the
project. Thanks is also extended to P. D. Moffitt, J. 11. Bruning, D. D., Hedges, J. H. and Zornes, D. R.:
F. Mitchell, D. D. Bruning, J. H. Hedges, P. D. "Use of the Aluminum Citrate Process in the
Fleming, H. W. Pang, T. B. Reid, P. H. Doe, S. E. Commercial North Burbank Unit Polymerflood",
Backry, S. F. Beasley, P. R. Hollis, R. B. Needham, presented at the Fifth Tertiary Oil Recovery
D. A. Thompson, P. L. Woods, M. W. Tompkins, J. M. Conference, University of Kansas TORP, Wichita,
McGovern , G. A. Linehan, and T. A. Gray. Kansas (March 1983).

REFERENCES 12. Gall, J. W.: "Subterranean Formation

Permeability Correction," U. S. Paten·t
1. Clampitt, R. L., and Reid, T. B.: "An Economic 3,762,476 (October 2, 1973)
Polymerflood in the North Burbank Unit, Osage
County, Oklahoma", SPE No. 5552, presented at the 13. Needham, R. B., Threlkeld, C. B., and Gall, J.
Fall Meeting, Society of Petroleum Engineers, W.: "Control of Water Mobility Using Polymers
Dallas Texas, 1975. and Multivalent Cations", SPE 4747, presented at
the SPE Improved Oil Recovery Symposium, Tulsa,
2. Phillips Petroleum Company: North Burbank Unit Okiahoma, (April 1974).
Tertiary Recovery Pilot Test, BERC/TPR76-2 (July
1976). 14. Thomas, C. P.: "The Mechanism of Reduction of
Water Mobility by Polymers in Glass Capillary
3. Phillips Petroleum Company: North Burbank Unit Arrays", SPE Journal (June 1976) 130-6.
Tertiary Recovery Pilot Test Second Annual Report,
May 1976 -May 1977, BERC/TPR-77/5, (August 1977). 15. Moffitt, P. D. and Mitchell, J. F.: "North
Burbank Unit Commercial Scale Polymerflood
4. Phillips Petroleum Company: North Burbank Unit Project-Osage County, Oklahoma", SPE 11560,
Tertiary Recovery Pilot Test Third Annual Report, presented at the 1983 Production Operations
May 1977 - May 1978, BETC/TPR-78/8, (August 1978). Symposium, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (February
1983).
5. Lorenz, P. B., Trantham, J. C., Zornes, D. R. and
Dodd, C. G.: "A Postflood Evaluation of the SI METRIC CONVERSION FACTORS
North Burbank Surfactant/Polymer Pilot", SPE/DOE
12695, presented at the Fourth Symposium on acres x 0.4046873 = ha
Enhanced Oil Recovery, Society of Petroleum barrels x 0.1589873 = m3
Engineers/Department of Energy, Tulsa, Oklahoma, lbs/acre-ft x 0.0003677 kg/m3
(April 1984). ft x 0.30480 = m
lbs x 0.4535924 = kg
6. Trantham, J. C.: "Prospects of Commercialization mile x 1.609 = km
Surfactant/ Polymerflooding, North Burbank Unit, psi/ft x 22.62 = kPa/m
Osage County, Oklahoma", SPE 9816, presented at (degrees F + 459.67)/1.8 degrees K
The Second Joint Symposium on Enhanced Oil dollars per pound I 0.45 dollars per kilogram
Recovery, Society of Petroleum Engineers/

317
 TABLE
TABLE II

CORE DATA FOR WELLS IN POLYHERFLOOD AREA SEQUENCE OF FLUID INJECTION - TRACT 41 INJECTION SYSTllol

Total Flow Average Average

Thickness, Capacity, Permeability Permeability Porosity
Well (Ft.) (HD-Ft) Variatio'n • (HD) ( s) STARTING DURATION VOLUME NET ACTIVE PERCENT OF
INJECTION FLUID DATE (DAYS) (BBLS.) CHEMICAL(LBS.) PORE VOLUME"
33W21 31.0 25,1106 0. 9 820 211.7 (%)

3q-qA 51.0 16. qo3 0. 8 322 21.3

3qW23 28.8 807 0. 6 28 18.2 Fresh water preflush 09-29-80 211 9,127,000 13.46

35W21 50.0 II. 71 II 0. 6 9q 19. q lni tial polymer, 500 ppm 04-26-81 69 2,984,800 480,000 4.40
35W23 110.6 1. 0511 0. 6 26 16.5
Fresh water spacer 07-06-61 17 717,400 1.06
q 1-17 50.0 20.1112 0. 9 qo8 21.1
q 1W21 36.0 36. 3117 0. 9 1,010 25.2 Aluminum citrate 07-23-81 16 544,900 92,810 0.80
q 1W25 113.6 20. 2q 1 0. 9 q611 21.3
q 1W31S 116.7 5. 383 0. 5 115 18.2 Fresh water spacer 08-08-81 19 537,600 o. 79
q2w21 63.0 11, 1011 0. 8 176 19.7 Primary polymer, 500 ppm 08-27-81 12 522,200 90,350 0.77
qzwzs 51.0 211. 1115 0. 7 1173 25.2
Fresh water (re-piping) 09-06-61 22 329,800 0.49
113-lH q 1. 5 12.058 0. 8 291 19.6
116.7 9,073 0. 8 19q 20.3 Primary polymer, 500 ppm 09-3D-81 236 7,990,000 1, 382,405 11.78
113W25

8. 12q 0. 8 188 17.2 Primary polymer, 250 ppm 05-25-82 215 6,939,500 623,570 10.24
50W27 113.3

51W23 112. II 1. 183 0. 5 28 1 II. 7 Primary polymer, 50 ppm 12-27-82 338 10,171,500 172,674 15.00
51W27 59.0 7. 588 0. 9 129 18.3
Fresh water postflush ll-3D-83 555 17,134,367 25.27
52W27 118.0 3. 050 0. 7 6q 1 q. 6
Returned to produced brine 06-07-85 In progress as of August 1985.

• Figures are rough approximations. In many cases data did not fit
log normal distribution.
TOTAL POLYMER INJECTED @ TRACT 41 2, 748,999 LBS.

e BASED ON PORE VOLUME OF 67.8 MM BBL.

UJ
.......
co TABLE III TABLE IV

SEQUENCE OF FLUID INJECTION - TRACT 43 INJECTION SYSTllol FRESH WATER INJECTION AND PRODUCTION BY TRACT

AND PERCENT OF TOTALS AS OF FEBRUARY 1985

-----------------------------------------
STARTING DURATION VOLUME NET ACTIVE PERCENT OF
INJECTION FLUID DATE (DAYS) (BBLS.) CHEMICAL (LBS.) PORE VOLUME"
(%) Injected Produced

Tract (HHBBLS) ( s) (HHBBLS) ( s)

Fresh water preflush 12-05-60 144 2,570,800 8.63

lni tial polymer, 500 ppm 04-26-81 69 1,231,800 240,000 4.13 25 0. 611 2. 3

Fresh water spacer 07-06-81 17 292,100 0.98 26 0.116 1. 6

Aluminum citrate 07-23-81 17 133,700 22,773 0.45 27 0. 17 0. 6

Fresh water spacer 08-09-81 18 275,000 0.92 33 9. 07 11.1 II. 68 16.6

Primary polymer, 500 ppm 08-27-81 35 579,500 99,976 1.94 3q 7. 68 9. q 2. 21 1. 8

Fresh water (re-piping) lD-01-81 130,200 0.44 35 6. Oil 7. II 1.116 5. 3

~
Primary polymer, 500 ppm lD-08-81 194 3,417,800 589,642 11.47 q1 11.60 1 q. 2 3. 80 13 .II

Primary polymer, 250 ppm 04-2D-82 202 3,470,500 400,199 11.65 qz 10.29 12.6 q. 97 17.6

Primary polymer, 50 ppm 11-08-82 310 5,255,000 95,407 17.63 II 3 10.21 12.5 2. 77 9. 9

Fresh water postflush 09-14-63 482 7,345,277 24.65 50 8. 25 10. 1 2. 79 9. 9 ·--a

Returned to produced brine 01-06-85 In progress as of August 1985. 51 8. 58 10.5 2. 78 9. 9 ~

52 9. 97 12.2 1. 1111 J--l

Totals 81.69 100.0 28. 17

5. 1

100.0
._.
TCTAL POLYMER INJECTED @ TRACT 43 1,425,224 LBS.
\..N
• BASED ON PORE VOLUME OF 29.8 MM BBL.
 SP£ 14113
TABLE
TABLE VI

GREATEST POLYMER PRODUCING liELI.S

TOP 10 FRESH WATER PRODUCING WELLS

Max Freshwater Portion of Date of First Maximum Percent of

Rank Well Quantity Produced In Produced Brine Total Produced Rank Well Polymer Production Quantity(lb) Conc.(ppm) Total Produced
(HBBL) ( s) ( s) m
q 1-1 88 3. 7 90. 3. 14 42-3 4/06/82 10,704 57 6. 7
U2-03 867.7 85. 3. 08 51-12 9/22/81 9,542 81 6.0

33-03 807.8 76. 2. 87 43-3 4/06/82 8,379 48 5.3

33-01 708.9 80. 2. 52 51-11 4/06/82 7,494 51 4. 7

U2-1 705.7 87. 2. 51 42-04 7/19/82 6,567 62 4.1

U2-2 650.2 91. 2. 31 42-1 7/19/82 6,047 51 3.8

U2-10 6 q 3. 6 80. 2. 29 5Q-15 6/05/81 5,990 69 3.8

50-5 638.5 82. 2. 27 41-1 12/02/82 5,850 63 3. 7

33-11 619.7 83. 2. 20 43-4 7/19/82 5,825 48 3. 7

10 612.6 78. 2. 18 10 50-05 8/25/81 5,671 75 3.6

TABLE VII
TABLE VIII

POLYMER INJECTION AND PRODUCTION BY TRACT GREATEST INCREMENTAL OIL PRODUCING WELLS

AND PERCENT OF TOTALS AS OF FEBRUARY 1985 Quantity Percent of Minimum Date of

Rank \/ell (BBL) Total(J) \lOR Minumum \lOR

Injected Produced
43-03 96. 056 10.7 8. 7 6/82
Tract (M LBS) ( s) (M LBS)
42-03 76,712 8. 5 11.6 9/82
25 _o 41-01 67. 307 7.5 13.0 3/8 3
26 4 9. 365 5. 5 9. 6 2/84
27 2. 8 1. 7 42-10 36.272 4. 0 19.6 9/83
33 UU6. 6 10.7 10.3 6. 5 41-01 35. 417 3. 9 16. 1 1/82
3U 350.6 8. 4 16.9 10.7 42-11 32,834 3. 7 12. 1 7/82
35 338. 1 8. 1 5. 3 3. 4 42-02 32.671 3. 6 14.3 4/85
q1 567.7 13.6 5. 9 3. 7 33-16 29,568 3. 3 20. 3 6/83
U2 5U2. 6 13.0 37.2 23.5 10 35-04 28.760 3. 2 11.0 5/63
521.8 12.5 25. q 16.0

50 9. 2 26.2 16.5

51 U80. 0 11.5 27.7 17.5

52 5U2. 6 13.0 0. 9 0.5
Tot a 1 s U174. 0 100.0 159.0 100.0

TABLE IX TABLE X

NORTH BURBANK UNIT pQlY,NERflQOQ p!OJECJ

INCREMENTAL OIL PRODUCTION BY TRACT

(Percent of Total as of February 1985)

~~~~
DAlE 1WP.1L.....PSJ
llnll._..!Sl llW.PiL....l!SJ llW.PiL....l!SJ lnltptloa pbplf
QUANTITY PERCENT
TRACT (H BBL) OF TOTAL 01-11-111 11105 VAC 18115 II 1121 VAC 2005 VAC rr. .h water p,..fiLIIn
01-15-111 11170 110 J.4AO 10 2531 110 2110 170 Initial polymer, 500 ppm
25 1. 2 0. 1 011-05-111 Alumln11m cllrate
26 2124 200 1115 125 21AO 205 23111 1110
3. 7 0. 4
27 -10.6 -1.2 10-07-111 2713 350 111<41 2110 2717 2110 240A 2110 Primary polymer, 500 ppm

12-02-11 1-411 310 1173 325 111<4 215 171-4 215 Prlmcry polymtr, 500 ppm
33 54. 1 6. 0
3U 65.7 7.3 11-02-12 710 AIO 1-470 A30 2150 380 2350 A30 Primary polymer, 250 ppm
35 53.5 6. 0
07-02-113 310 510 150 500 2220 500 11110 <4110 Primary polymer, 50 ppm
41 110.0 12.3 rr..h water po•tflyeh
42 250.4 lf-23-113 110 AIO 10<40 AID 2.450 310 11170 <400
27.9
43 200 7 22.3 07-15-IU 115 503 lilt 500 2355 501 1107 AID rr..h wattr poetflueh

50 82.7 9. 2 11-02-IIA 1111 <4<40 1132 AIS 11117 <405 11143 A-45 f"re•h water po•tflueh
51 67.8 7. 5 Prod11ced brine recycl•
52 18.7 2. 1
05-22-115 1151 Al5 5110 AilS IIIII A75 1125 AIO

319
 14113

TABLE XI
TABLE XII

INCREMENTAL COST SUMMARY

( 1979 Dollars) ALLOCATED LIFTING COSTS

FOR NBU POLYMERFLOOD PROJECT

Original Act u a 1 Costs
Projections Throug.h 198q
----------- ------------ 1980 1981 1982 198 3
Well Costs and
Sur face Equipment 5o735o300 q o388o719
Labor $ 32 0827 75 o q95 $ 90 08q7 $ 96,58q
Chemicals 1o911o000 6o321o9q5
Materials and Supplies 20 0 28 2 68 0 118 16 061 q q2 0 95 1
Lifting Costs 5o757o500 22o636o201 (1)
----------- ----------- Chemical Treating 59o000 81 0 179 11 3 0000 183o000
Tot a 1 s S19oq69o800 $33 0 3q6 0 865
Electricity 28 0 25 2 69 0 q91 76.622 80 005 3

Fuel and Water 297.538 781 0 815 822oqq9 7 11 0 99 1

Chemical Cost per $2.95 (2) $1.98 ( 3)
Bbl 011 Brine Disposal 27 0667 13 0802 q 50 5q o 11 0021

Total Cost per $7.21 (2) s 10. q6 ( 3) Surface Maintenance qooo212 27qo378 299 0729 367o736
Bbl Oi 1
Rod o Tubing and Pump Jobs 15qo853 510 0 130 1o201,299 921 0 q 15

Well Wor kov er s 29 0 818 78o358 60 0 21 q 61. 321

( 1) Includes incremental lifting costs as projected to the year 2003. Transportation q2 0 599 90 0 673 137o325 135. 3q2

( 2) For 2 0700.000 Bbl Incremental Project Oil 11 years. Miscellaneous 50 181 6 0 772 12 0 q73 ( q91)

(3) for 3,186,879 Bbl Incremental Project Oil over 23 years. Total $1o098o229 $2,050,211 $2,876o112 $2,611oq23

TABLE XIII

AVERAGE NBU OIL SELLING PRICE

Price
Year ($/BBL)

1980 38.20

1981 36. 15

1982 32.95

1983 30.20

198q 30.00

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Fig. 1-North Burbank Unit chemical flooding activities. Fig. 2-Typical North Burbank Unit core profile, Webb City area.

320
 SP£ l 4113

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Fig. 3-lsopach map of project area. Fig. 4-lsopermeability map of project area.

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321
 1 4113

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Fig. 7-Wells not receiving aluminum citrate.

322
 SPE 14113
FRESH WATER PRODUCTION AND INJECTION BY TRACT

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2000
. l£tJ .

nn .--,

25 26 27 33 34 35
I 41 42 43 50 51
r
52
D FIRST TEN POLYMER BREAKTHROUGHS

Tract Number l:::, FIRST TEN FRESH WATER BREAKTHROUGHS

Fig. &-Comparison of freshwater production and Injection. Fig. 9-Comparlson of breakthrough times.

PROJECT PRODUCTION AND INJECTION RESPONSE

•oooo
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z
0
::::r $0000
a:
lol
G. 21000
~

0
~
20000 WELL 43-03
Ill 15000
Ill

10000
10000
70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 ~3 84 85

120
/A,\-N\
100
1000
ci
ci
~
80

60
rrw
.-o
20
70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85
100

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: +
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POLYWER n.DOD
~ATIR.INJE~O~
:
• [ •• • ·r• ··· T.• ··T• ···r, ·· ·:•····[•····r·. ··T. ···T• ··· Legend ;
.. : e : .,_ A.J.
10 ":-

• OIL RATE. BOPM i:O

:2
..;
:!
e:i
1750

1500

1250
: : ·::E:ETJ-::r-E:FIT:·
. .
!· ··! ::-c·;· . • WATERLOIL RATIO
31::a..
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~ 1000
. .. 't:t:
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3: : VI: VI
I I I I I I I I I

70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85
YEARS Years
Fig. 10-North Burbank Unit Block A project performance. Fig. 11-Reaponae of a new project well.

323
 SPE 14113

WELL 42-01

10
OIL RATE, BOPM
WATER/OIL RATIO

70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85
Years
Fig. 12-Reaponae of an exlatlng well.

nv:u JJVZ1 J•WJS JiiV11 JIV21 1JV11

J40JCI

NBU TRACT 42 n~a• JJ~IS

rJ 1~1 :u~'' )4~ I I 14·10 14-01 U·ot JS•tt 'U~IS :IS• II

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'&'· J4•Gl 14-:U

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tt•D4 41•01 111•02 41·02 41•01

1000 SllflJ JJIIU

UDlt
JDVZI
''!" JJVJ2

Legend 100]1
,, .. ,.
• Oil Rate, BOPM
····'l 10•01

L:J
SI•IS

D
U·OI U·J'I 12•\1 Jl•I'Z

100

0 ONE OF THE TOP TEN INCREMENTAL OIL PRODUCERS

104--r-T-,--r-.-~~~--~T-,-~~~--~+-.--r~~
70 72 74 76 78 80 82 84 86 88 90
D ONE OF THE TOP TEN POLYMER PRODUCERS

Years 6,_ ONE OF THE TOP TEN FRESH WATER PRODUCERS

Fig. 13-Production response of the totally confined Tract 42. Fig. 14-Locatlon of greatest freshwater, polymer, and incremental oil producers.

324