.. . —..—. -. .
—
*.
PETROLEUM
+wv*
l%!!
~t/~
Waterflood Pressure Pulsing for Fractured Reservoirs
W, W, OWENS
D. 1, ARCHER
MEMBERS AIME
ABSTRACT
Conventional tvaterfiooding often is uneconomic in
highly fractured reservoirs because of the gross bypassing
of the reservoir oil by injected water. imbibition and pres-
sure imlse flooding have been used in at [east one fractured
reservoir in an attempt to achieve better oil recovery per.
formtnce. This paper presents the results of laboratory
fiOW tests conducted On large cores t? evaluate ~!,e possib~e
applicability of zhese methods (parncuiarly pressure pulse
fioo(iing) to different types of reservoir system:r, Test data
were obtained on both water-wet and oii-wet systems, and
OILsystems having two widely riifferen t Ievels of cotn pt
h x~
sibiiity and ffow capacity. Resuits indicate that pressure
pul.re recoveries. from fractured reservoirs will likely not
excee(i 5 to 10 per cent pore space with maxim u})1 response
achieved during titc first pulse cycle. !mproved recovery -
i~y this tnetkod is possfble from both oil-wet and water-
wet reservoirs, Comparable saturation distributions durittg
imbibition and pressure pulse production suggest that an
initial pressure pulse cyc[e to speed production iesponse
would not interfere with subsequent imbibition fiooding
in waler-wet reservoirs.
. bubble point, It nppeared that cessation of water in-
INTRODUCTION
There is a steady increase in the number of fluid in-
jection proj&ts being initiated each year to improve oil
and gas recovery over that obtained by primary production
mechanisms. Experience gained in different geographical
areas and with different recovery methods is teaching that
reservoir anatomy is ors~ of the more important factors
controlling the success or failure of such projects. Frac-
tured formations appear to be the rule rather than the
exception, especially in carbonate reservoirs, Gmventional
methods of fluid injection, whether it is waterflooding, gas
injeetion or miscible flooding, have limited applicability
to highly fractured reservoirs because of the severe by-
passing of reservoir fluids. The result is early break-
through of the injected fluid and rapidly increasing ratios
of injected to in-place fluid with an undesirable effect on
returrr on investment. Thus, innovations to conventional
methods must be developed if recovery’ from fractured
‘reservoirs is to ‘be optimized.-
One ‘new method proposed for application to highly
fractured reservoirs is pressure pulse waterfloodhtg, Al-
though pressure pulsing with gas has been suggested’ and
OrtsdnrJnumuscri~t received in Society of Petroleum En hseers otllce
June M, 1965: Revised-srttmrtscrtptre@v@d”A rtt‘5;’1966-“%ipsr-(SPE”
112S) wss smes.ented at SPE AnntmS Fsl[ k sstk bsfd in Denver,
00!0,, Oct. 3-6, 1966.
Tteferences given at end of muwr.
Discussion d’ this uml nll follmvlw Sxchnicat papers is Invited. MI.
mwslon irI w-WIW Ithr,.c L! OPIWI)may he sent to th(. offico of th,.
Jo?trsd of Pet roltwlt ‘1’eclLwkwj. Any dkcuseion offered nt%a Dec. 81,
1966, phfns!dhe In the form M a new tvmer, No discussion, should ox-
IWXI 10 per mnl of I he mnnwq.int, helng d&ussKIl,
TRANSACTIONS
1’
,
PAN AMERICAN PE7ROLEUM CORP.
TULSA, OKLA.
tested in at least one reservoir: the Sohio Oil Co, is
generally credited with the development and testing of
pressure pulsing in conjunction with waterflooding. Pub-
lications”” of Sohio’s waterflood operations in the Spra-
berry Trend indicrdc that the idea for pressure pulse
flooding evolved from a critical tsmdysis of the diwppoint-
ing early performance of their flood initiated in a portion
of the trend in April, 1961. This flood was planned to
take advantage of irnbibit ion and high pressure gradients
itcross the reservoir matrix blocks (unfractured blocks
of the reservoir rock which we visualized to be, generally
surrounded by the fracture system) eva]wdted in pilot tests
by the Atlantic Richfield Co.’ and Hurnblc “Oil & Re-
fining Co.”
However, the earl y recovery and pressure perfornwncc
of this tlood indica[ed that high pressure gradien(s in- ,
duced between the fracture system and the centers of
the matrix blocks were forcing water into the periphery
of the blocks and ternporartt y interfering with the counter-
current flow of oil due to imbibition. Fill-up in the
blocks was occurring with’ re-solut ion of the free gas
phase as pressures climbed above the original reservoir”
jection to permit the capillary forces to become dominant
and that expansion of the rock and its contained fluids
during pressure reduction might aid in expulsion of oil
from the rock matrix into the fractures. Subsequent
production performance. after cwrsation of injection,
proved this hypothesis correvt,” - Thus, pressure pulse
waterflooding was born, -,
Pressure pulse flooding appears to have several a&
vantages over imbibition type flooding in highly fracttrred
reservoirs. First, all wells may be used for water in- -
jection which should hasten fill-up and achieve a more
rapid increase in reserv6ir pressure. Second, because’ of
incredsed injection pressures-and rates, tlooding gradients .
will force water into the reservoir matrix more rapidly
thrtn would be achieved by imbibition alone. Third, during -
the pressure depletion cycle of the flood, the compressi-
bility of the system, which has been increased by re-
solution of the free gas phase, provides energy %r the
displacement -of oil at a rate greater than would eor-
respond to countercurrent flow during imbibition, Fourth, .
during depIetion all wells may be put on production,
thus contributing to higher oil withdrawal rates on a
reservoir-wide basis. . .
One-possible--disadvantage of ‘~ressure ‘puke ‘flooding --- ‘-
as compared to im~ibition flooding, however, is that
the outer periphery of each mwtrix Meek is flooded to
a residual or near rmidual oil saturation during the
water injection stqge, This zone of reduced permeability
to oil my offer @eater restrigtiop to the “production of
—. .- .

oil into the fracture system than occurs during counter- simulated oii). Dead oil was then replaced with a gas-
current imbibition. saturated oil having a known volume of gas in solution, The
This paper presents results of several laboratory tests pertinent properties of theoiis used inthesetesfs are sum-
of both irniibition and pressure pulse flooding. The marized in Table 1. In the fests on the Torpedo and An-
pnrpose was not to critically evahwte the various factors nona Chalk cores, the pressure on the core (which was orig-
influencing these recovery methods. Instead, the prime inality above the bubblepoint of the oil) was redtsced to
purpose was to obttain information that would provide simulate a pressure depletion solution gas drive and to
some insight as to the applicalilit y of these methods, establish a partial gas saturation in each core. These
particularly pressure pulse flooding, tQ ditTerent “types of cores were then repressured with water to a pressure about
reservoir systems. Spesitlcally, data ‘were obtained on equal to the bubblepoint pressure of the originai oil. The
both water-wet and oil-wet systems, and on syshans Torpedo core was ‘reprez%ured, then produced through
having two widely different levels of compressibility and both core ends to m“odel the performance of a two-
‘flow capacity. Also, data were obtained to demonstrate faced reservoir matrix bimk of the same length (19 in.)
the level of recovery attendant to repeat cycles of in- as the core. The Annona Chalk core was repressured
jection and production. Measurements of fluid saturation and produced through only one end so that the core
gradients were obtained during both imbibition and modeled the periphery of a large reservoir matrix system.
pressure pulse flooding. These data are useful in com- When oil production had essentially ceased following”
paring the displacement behavior during these two types pressure reduction, the cores were again repressured with
of recovery, and also assist in extrapolating the results water, fhen again depressured and the produced oil
of the laboratory flood tests to field behavior. volumes during each pressure reduction cycle determined.
The simulated reservoir oii used to saturate the Ten-
EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES sleep core had a viscosity at the experimental test condi-
ditions of 360 cp. This oii contained no gas in solution.
Pressure pulse floods were conducted on cores from The core was first gas driven at a high mean pressure
three different formations: Torpedo outcrop sandstone, to establish a gas saturation within the core pore space
Annona Chalk and Tensleep sandstone (Table 1), The that would simulate reservoir conditions following solu-
outcrop core was tested under both water-wet and simu- tion gas displacement. This step was also considered
iated oil-wet conditions, The Annona Chalk core was necessary to provide for increased system compressibilityy
tested only under water.wet conditions, while the Ten- in later phases of the test, IAfter depressuring this system
sleep sandstone core was tested only under oil-wet from about 1,000 to 560 psi, the core was subjected to
conditions. three pressure pulse cycles with water, An overiiow
chamber was connected to the upstream end of the
FLOODTEST PROCEDURES
core in these tests to add compressibilityy to the system,
The clean and dry water-wet cores were saturated thus permitting modeling of a sysfem several-fold longer
with a synthet~c formatioi. water, then flooded with a
than the fest core.
dead oil (gas-free) to csfablish asimuiated connate water
saturation (fbk was not done for the oil-wet test condi- SATURATIONPROFILE STUDIES
tiorw the cores were originally, saturated with oii or a To provide additional data on distribution of the oil
and water phases within the porous system during pres-
sure pulse floodhg and imbMtion flooding, saturation
TABLE 1-3UMMARY OF CORE AND lEST FUIIDPROPERNES
profiles were obtained in a second Torpedo sandstone
hpedo Sandsfwm 7esls core durini various stages of the tests. Electrical con- ‘
Core Properties ductivity rings were spaced at l-in. intervals along the
Alr Permeabl[lty, md = 42S
Poros[w, per cent = 25.7 length of a 16-in, long by 2-in. diameter core and an
Lensth, 10. == 19 electrical conductivity-saturation calibration curve estab-
Diameter, In. 1,88
POrOvelumO, cc ~ 240 lished by steady-state flow tests, Details of the tesfs con-
101!101Wa:r Sgrotlon,
= 25.0
ducted on this core are as follows.
Fluid Properties
To obtain data on a water-wet system, the core was
OrIsInnl salutlen OCR, scf/bbl = 8S saturated with a simttlafed connate water saturation, as
Subble.point praswm, Pslg = 350 described earlier, then four different imbibition tests were
ViScoSltycI?
bubble+ oififpres$ure, CP = 1.25
conduoted. In the first two tests, imbibition occurred at
Annana Chalk Tests
one end of the core while oil was displaced from the
CQm PrOpertles
opposite end; an initial gas saturation was present ;n one
Alrpwmmbllity, md = 0.02
Pwoslty, per cent =
..
22 of these tests. In the second series of tests, imbibition
length, In. 7.?5 and flow both occurred through the same core face,
Diamder, In. = 2.3a
Pore volume, ee = 123, simulating the countercurrent flow that occurs in a res-
Inltlal w;tfi :yrenr
. 48 ervoir matrix block that is surrounded by water-filled
Fluld Prwmrtirn
fractures, Again, tests were conducted both with and
0rIs4nal solution
WR, scf/bbl = 33s without an initial gas saturation present.. Helium was -
Subble.pdnt pm$tum, plte = 56S
Vlscosltyat bubbla.pelnt pressure, cp = 1.4 used as the gas phase during these imbkdfion studies to
rell$hp Smd$tooe Tq$fs
mini~e solution of the gas in the liquids within the
Core Pmiawtles
core pore space,
AIriwrm6abillty, md ‘= In the pressure pulse tests on the Torpedo core, water
.. ”.;.. . . .. . Poreslty,.par.cent =
Lonsth, In, . was- injected into one. end of the= core--while allowing J-
.
Diameter, In.
POm volume, CC =
some oil to be displaced from the other end. TM was
lnlthl water satumtlon, done to simulate system compressibility since no gas Was
per C*O? = o present initially during these tests, and also fo permit
Fluld Prepertles
.
simulation of a longer system. After injected. water had
Orlglnaimlutien 00R, mf/bbl 0
011Viwslty. Cp = 3do moved about- halfway down the core,. water injection

746 JOUESNAL OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY

 -,-
-.

was stopped and gas was injected into the opposite
end to simulate the pressure dedine stage of a pressure
pulse flood. After both oil and gas breakthrough had
occurred at the previous wqter inj@ion face, gas in-
jection was stopped and water was again injected as
before, The water bank created by this second stage of
water injection was allowed to proceed about two-thirds
down the length of the core at which time water in-
jection was stopped and gas injection from the opposite
end re-initiated. At gas breakthrough, this test was stopped.
To obtain data applicable to an oil-wet syste~ this
same core was used and identity of the phases was
reversed; water was assumed to be oil and oi{ assumed
to be water. Thus, for these tests, the wre was saturated
with water. and ‘pulsed with oil and gas in the same”
manner as in the previous test, To simplify later reference
and discussion of this test, the core will be considered as
being oil-wet, and oil the initial saturating phase,
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The oil recovery performance and pressure history
obtained during the pressure pulse tests are presented
in Figs. 1 through 3. No accurate record was kept of
the time involved in each injection or production cycle
of the Torpedo core tests, Care was taken, however,
to insure equilibrium attainment in each step of the
tests on both the oil-wet and water-wet systems. Equi-
w cent (or 4.5 :per @tit pore space) was realized during
u
0 . the first pressure pulse production cycle. In the Anpona
a
50
t !
TIME, ARBITRARY
Fm, l—SATURATION CHANGES DURING WATERFLOOD
AND paEs$uRE
PRESSUREPULSE TESTS (TORPEDO SANDSTONE).
} Becatse of the low volume of additional oil recovery
70 I I [ I
Iibrhrn saturations and pressures are therefore plotted
on an arbitrary time scale. In the tests on the Annona
Chalk and Tensleep cores, the production and pressure
history as a function of time were recorded” and are
so plotted, Saturation profiles obtained on the second
Torpedo core durhg the four imbibition tests are pre-
sented in Figs. 4 through 7. Saturation profiles obtained
during the pressure pulse tests on. this same core are
provided in Figs. 8 through 15,
OIL RECOVERYPERFORMANCE
FOR WATER-WETSYSTEMS
Figs, 1 and 2 show oil recoveries obtained from the
water-wet Torpedo and Armorm Chalk cores during the
solution gas drive simulating prhnary depletion and two
pressure puke cycles, The pressure pulse recoveries at-
tained from these two cores are simikm 6.5 per cent
(pore space) from the Torpedo and 4.2 per cent from
the Annona Chalk, This similarity in recoveries is con-
sidered fortuitous, however, since the compressibility of
the two systems was different and the reservoir model
simulated by the two cores was different. As pointed
out esmller, the Torpedo core was pulsed from both
ends, thus modeling a reservoir prototype of the same
dimensions. Recoveries attained in this test are thus
indicative of recoveries from a reservoir system having
properties ilentical to those of the test system. The
Annona Chalk core, however, was pressure pulsed from
only one en~ thus, the recovery performance obtained
on this core simulates only that attainable from the
periphery of Q larger reservoir matrix block,
Of the 6,5 per cent pore space recovery achieved in
two prwsure pulse cycles on the Torpedo core, 69 per
Chalk tests, of the total oil recovery of 4.2 per cent pore
space, 85 per cent was realized during the first pulse
cycle, This ;higher recovery during the first cycle from
the Annona Chalk core may be a result of the higher
solution GOR of the oil in the core which provides
for a greater gas-drive effect during pressure reduction.
The Annona Chalk is rather unusual in that the efficiency
of oil displacement by gas in this reek is greater than
that experienced in most consolidated sandstones, in-
cluding the Torpedo, Thus, the higher percentage re-
UNITS covery attained in the fkst pressure reduction cycle
may sirnpIy be a. result of the more efllcient gas-oil
flow characteristics of the reck.
1 I obtained during the second pulse cycle on the Annona
1: Chalk core, additional pulsing on the opposite end of
th~ core was attempted. No additional oil recovery was

I
i

1=-1:
I ~kso- .- . me
~l!l
a
{

1
.-. -.
10 I 1
o“ 50
, t
loo
,
150
TIME, HOURS
,
Eoo
t
250 ’80;
I
:70
~i,;n<(l!” ;L
‘ .:4’ o 20 40
x
60
TIME$NJSS
100 1s0 140 1s0

FIG.2—SATURATION AND PRESSURECHANCES DORING WATERFLOOD FIG. 3-SATURATION AND PRESSURECHANGES DURING‘WATERFLOOD
. PRESSUREPULSE TESTS (ANNONA CRALK). PRESSURE-PULSE T.MTS(TENSLEEP SANDSTONE).
“, -

JUNE, 1966 ‘. 747

_-.:--- ---- —-. .—-. ..> . - ....-...? -.-=-.—” :---- ;:----- .---- —-.=.- -...—---- —-- ..- ..=.-.>—- =.... --A.%”-... .-=. -—+--..-.-..= . .e.= .— _—
. . ..=.-.- ...._ ,. u......- —.. ..— .. . . . . .. .. . . . . . . ... . ...+ .,. . . .. ... . .. ..*
. . . .- ..-~ ..<.
...
“, ;“_ -:: -:...”,
...-. . . . . .. .“ ... ..”. .. . ,“--:-: -...:..,.
.__-::+..
,-, :.’--- .: —
..’-.-. -. :--- .-—.-. .,.... ... .-.””-..
. . . ......... .-.-,..-. ..,.7. .,.:.
. ..: —-.. .-.“.
...,-----., :::- --. . .. , ..:=.-2 ._.-,----
----“... ;
--------
. .:>-..,””..-+ .,:,”. , . .... , ..-.-....
..

. . .. . . .. -. .
obtained. At this time, if was considered likely that the
comtwessibilitv of the system might be insufficient to
rn-oiuce any- oil during- Pressure- depletion; therefore,
~he core w~s gas driven- t,o_an twerage_ gas saturation of
22 per cent pore space, ”then pressure pulsed with water
again. Still no additional oil recovery occurred. It was
of interest, however, .to note that 4 per cent pore space
oil was produced during the gas drive, indicating that
tlooding gradients developed during the production cycle
of pressure pulsing were not sutiicient to overcome the
capillary retention of” the oil (end effect) in the system.
This same behavior would be expected in a reservoir
system; i.e., “end effect” in each block would tend to
restrict the flow of both oil and water as the etiective
flooding gradients became smaller.
011. ~;COVERY PI?RFORMANCE
FOR OIL.IVET SYSTEMS
The oil recoveries and pressure histories for the tests
on the oil-wet Torpedo and Tensleep cores are pre-
sented in Figs. 1 rmd 3, respectively. Perhaps the most
significant feat ure of the Torpedo core results is the
close similarity of’ the additional oil recovery attained
in this test (5 per cent pore space) as compared to that
obtained in the water-wet test on the same core; i.e.,
6.5 per cent recovery. This similarity in recovery in-
dicates that imbibition did not contribute to displacement
in the water-wet tests, and can be interpreted as evidence
that pressure pulse flooding is applicable to systems of
all wetting preference.
One major difference between these two tests on the
Torpedo core, however, is that in the oil-wet test,
greater recovery was obtained during the second pulse
thim during the first. Also,’ it will be noted that only
about half as much water and oil were produced during
the first pulse as was obtained in the water-wet tests
(Fig. 1). The computed solution GOR for both tests
(just prior to the first pulse production period) was
nearly identical at about 8S scf/bbl, Thus, the com-
pressibilities and solution gas volumes available to pro-
vide energy for liquid production during the two tests
were equal. This suggests that the difference in relative
permeability characteristics of the two systems may be
responsible for the difference in produced oil and water
volumes during the first pressure pulse.
Data obtained during the pressure pulsing of the oil-wet
Tensleep core showed the greatest recovery during the
first cycle, as did the ,tests on the two water-wet systems.
Oil recovery performance obtained in the tests on the
Tensleep core is generally more optimistic than obtained
in the previous te@s. This, however, is attributed to the
fact that the test system was designed to modeI a larger
reservoir prototype. A viscous 360-ep dead oil was used
in these tests to simulate the heavy oil found in some
low permeability Rocky Mountain reservoirs, These oils
characteristic’ir.lly have low solution GORS and thus
Iirnitexl compressibility., The gas’ saturation established
in this core by gas drive prior to pressure pulsing
averaged 3.5 pi?r cixit pore space at a static core pressure-‘
of 1,000 psi. After allowing the core to “soak” for
118 hours, wre pressure was reduced to 550 @
with the restd nt production of oil equivalent to 18
per cent PV.3 ater injection over a 20-hour period ‘in-
-creased the ‘mean-core-- pressure to 930psi with-a--huge -
majority of the free gas in the core being redissolved in
I
the oil. Subsequent pressure reduction (tirst cycle] pro-
duced 6.5 per cent PV oil. The second prmsure pulse
produced an additional 2.2 per cent oil; the third pro-
duced only 0.43 per cent oil. ?’bus, this reccwery per-
7An
.
formance more closely simulated the performance of the
watw-wet systems than did that of the tests on the oil-wet
Torpedo core. No explanation is evident at this time for
the difference in performance of the two oil-wet cores.
As noted in the Experimental Procedure section, an
overflow or purge chamber was used to” provide in-
creased system compressibility in the tests on the Ten-
sleep core to permit the 61/2-irr. long core to model
the periphery of a reservoir ‘matrix cube about 17 ft on
a side. When recoveries attained in this tests me scaled
to the production from the reservoir system, the addi-
tional oil obtained during the water pressure pulsing
is equivalent to 1.73 per cent of PV of the matrix
block, This low magnitude of recovery is at least partially
attributed to the high viscosity of the oil; however, the
low compressibility of the over-all reservoir prototype
is the major. cause of the IOW recovery. The fact that
some recovery was obtained from this oil-wet system
is further evidence that imbibition is not a prerequisite
to oil recovery by the water pressure pulse technique.
S,\TURATIO~ p~oFII.ES DURING INHIBITION
One purpose for conducting these experiementd studies
was to determine the distribution of injected water during
the pressure reduction cycle. It seemed a paradox that
a relatively large volume of water could be injected into
either oil-wet or water-wet porous media, yet only a
relatively small volume of water would be produced
during subsequent pressure reduction and production
from the injection face. The saturation profiles in Figs.
4 through 15 help to explain this phenomenon. In Figs.
4 through 11, the initial distribution of the simulated
connate water saturation is plotted as a dashed line.
Water imbibition profiles shown in Figs, 4 through 7
were obtained primarily to demonstrate the distribution
of water for four possible imbibition displacement con-
ditions that might exist in a reservoir. Fig. 4 shows the
classical near-stable water imbibition flood front as it
moves through a matrix. block pwting oil ahead of
it, These profiles define the condition of unidirectional
flow in a system above its bubble poin~ it applies
perhaps equally well to a unidirectional flow system in
which there is sutllcient pressure increase at the front of
the oil bank to redissolve all free gas in the system.
It might also apply to imbibition into one face of a
matrix block in which there is sufficient compressibility
tcr permit, temporarily, oil flOW toward the center of
the block. Imbibition in this test Stabilized tit a rate
inversely proportional to the square of the distance
traveled by the imbibition front. It is of interest to note
OIRECTION OF FLOW
g70, , I 1 1 1 I ! I
I I
‘TIME IN HOiJR3 > ‘
r 1 1 1 I I 1 I w I
I 1 1 I 1 1
a20L’ I
123456789.101112 1314191s
CORE SECTICN I
I%. 4--SATURATION PROFN.iTS DUR~NG BRINEIMBUUTION,
,.
.. UNRNRECTIOF+AL Ilowt -
J@tlRNAL OF PETBOLEtJMTECHNOLOGY
 .
—

that the front configurations during the later stages of Torpedo sandstone, it appears that the oil and water
imbibition (Fig, 4) are in good agreement with those saturations maintained at the countercurrent flow boundary
predicted by the Buckley-Leverett frontal advance cal- (core face) are such as to provide for equal mobility of
culation procedure, the oil and water phases. As imbibition “proceeds in a
Fig. 5 shows the same unidirectional tlow ~or a countercurrent flow system, u saturation ~rudient &-

system in which a free gas phase is trapped as the oil
phase is moved through the core by the imbibition front,
The shapes of the imbibition fronts for these two cases
ti’re essentially the same. However, for the case shown
in Fig. 5, both gas imd oil are trapped behind the ad-
vancing water front, thus accounting for the lower water
saturation in the invaded portion of the core as com-
pared to the results shown in Fig. 4. The gradually in-
creasing water saturations after passage of the flood front
is attributed to partial solution of the trapped gas (Fig.
5). The somewhat more rapid rate of imbibition in this
test is a result of the slightly higher mobility of the
gas and oil being displaced as compared to the oil
mobility in the previous tests,
Saturation profiles presented in Figs, 6 and 7 are
for the situation in which the oil produced by water
imbibition is flowing countercurrent to the water, Pro-
files obtained both with and without gas present show a
significant difference from those shown for the unidirec-
tional flow case. In the case of countercurrent flow, a
sufficient permeability to oil must be maintained at the
outflow face and behind the flood front to permit dis-
placed oil to return to” the production core face. Based
on available oil-water relative permeability data for the
DIRECTION OF ~OW
I I I I I 1 , I
, ,
I 1
velops from the inlet core Pace to the very front of
the imbibed water hank, It is these profiles that appear
to more closely simulate the distribution of tlukis during
pressure pulse flooding, ,
SATURATIONPROFILES I)IJRING
PRESSURE PULSE FLOODING
Saturation profiles obtained during., two simulated pres-
sure puke sequences on the water-wet Torpedo core
are shown in Figs, 8 through 12. As noted in the ~x-
perimental Procedure section, gas injection from the up-
stream end of the core was used to provide the driving
force simulating a sohrtio,n gas drive (and liquid ex-
pansion) during the pressure reduction phase of a pres-
sure puke cycle,, Actual pressure pulse tests on this
particular Torpedo core were prevented, by the lack of
strength of the plastic core jacket. Nonetheless, the sat-
uration profiles obtained provide inforrnat ion useful in
interpreting the displircement mechanisms occurring during
pressure pulsing.
Saturation profiles obtained during the first water in-
jection (Fig. 8) are noted to be simikw to the imbibition
profiles for unidirectional flow shown in Fig. 4. The
flood front is perhaps, slightly steeper (shorter tra~sition
BRINE ~ OIL AND GAS
IMBIBITION -mm%iim
,
I I
I

---------0. .

I 1 r 1 1 I 1 1 ! r t I 1 1
I ~~
1234 S6789!011 12131415[6
! , 1
I
I
1234567891011 1213141516
CORE SECTION CORE SECTION

FIC. 5—%VS’URAHON PROFILES DURIXG BRINH IJMNIMIWJY ~[c, 7—!3AlWLkTI05! PiIOFiLF:S fkJRIXG BDINE hOlllil”lWk’,
COUNtERWRBENT FLOW ~ITH A FREE GAS SAT1JRATIOS.
UNIDJISSCTIONAL
FLOTVWITH A FREE GA* SATURATtOY.

BRINE - * .OIL WATER INJECTION, CYCLE %

IMBIBITION DISPLACEMENT FLOW —
1- , , I , ! 1 1 I , i , , 1 ! g 70
TIME IN HOURS > w
, v
a
i !+!60 -
,- #so
:-
$
a
1 ~ 40

, --7--“ y 30
$ 1 1 1 I 1 I ! 1 1 , , , I ! I r 1
w
u 20 % 20
1.2-3456789-1011 1213141516 234”5678901112 1314-15
CORE SECTION CORE SECTION

.- l%. ,6—SATURATION PROFILES th.nu~c BRINE IMINBiTION, Fm 8—SATURATION PROFILES DURINGWATERFLUO~PRESSURE

COUNTEaGLliSREN$
~Lo\Y, PULSETESTS (’WATIX-WIW TOHPEUOSANDSTONE),,

74$
—---. .—. .-. JUNE, 1966
.=. ---. -=-------- ~. -.---: -_-_;. . . . . .: ..- . — .....-. -..--4-. w ----------- ,..:_.=. ..- . ..---:— _ . ._. ------ . .. . ..—_ ..&.. . . ..._&.. _-u. = ==.=...-_
.. . . . . . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . . . . . . 4 ..- ---- . .. . —. ‘.. . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . .
-. ------- -- .,,
. . .. . . ...” . . . . . . . . . ..
.=:-=” .:_: : .,_,- -. . .’. .“.’,: -- . .. . :4 : --z._”---- .:,.; ...-.... .. .... , ---------,“’;:.. :. : --- .... . .. . ... . .>. -., . . . . -. ”.. .. : ..-’.7:..
-. L- .:.- - ..- .-—
. .... -..::
. .... .-.-._:----:-.-:~.
 —. -. . . ..— —. . . .. ”_.. . . .. — .

zone) for injection as would be anticipated. Water sat- profiles shown in Fig. 11. Oil breakthrough occurred
uration profiles obtained during subequent pressure de after about 50 per cent of the water injected during this
cline are presented in Fig. 9. Although 34 ec of water pulse was produced, Higher gas injection pressures during
(I7 per cent pore space) were injected into this core the simulated pressure reduction phase of the test are
during the first pressure pulse, on!y 14 cc (7 per cent considered to account for the lower water saturations
pore space) of water were produced (Profile 7) before attained near the water. injection core face as compared
oil production started. Continued sirrmluated pressure to the first simulated pressure reduction cycle. It is ttp-
reduction resulted in the water saturation behg gradually par,ent from these lower water saturation profiles that
reduced towafis the inlet cote face, with a resultant the volume of water displaced during pressure reduction
saturation gmdient extending from ‘the very front of the is dependent upon the driving pressure gradients estab-
water bank to the producing core face. These profiles lished during the pressure reduction cycle.
appear markedly similar to those established during im- Oil saturation profiles ,obtained during the tests on
bibition with countercurrent flow (Figs. 6 and 7), Lower the oil-wet Torpedo core are presented in Figs, 12 through
water saturations than those prevailing during imbibition 15. Fig. 12 shows the advance of water into the core
are ultimately attained near the inlet core face as a during the first cycle of water injection, A water volume
result of the production of both oil and gas during equivalent to 40 per cent PV was injected during this
pressure reduction and the high flowing pressure gradients injeotion cyole, The abruptness of the waterflood front
developed. Gas breakthrough occurred shortly after oil in this “test appears very similar to that obtained in the
production started. A total of 13 ce (6.5 per cent pore test on the water-wet core (Fig. S), However, one obvious
space) of oil and 18 cc (9 per cent pore space) water difference in the profiles in the two tests is that behind
was produced before the second pulse with water was the flood front in the water-wet core, no further changes
initiated. in saturation occur as the flood front advances further
During the second water injection period, a total of into the system, whereas in the oil-wet core, because oil
40 cc of water was injected end several of the saturation permeability does exist behind the front, further re-
protlles obtained during this injection period are shown duction in oil saturation occurs as the flood front advances.
in Fig. 10. These profiles show that the flood front
again assumes a near vertical position (very short tran- PRODUCTION, CYCLE *2
sition zone), Subsequent pressure reduction provided the FLOW —
~ 70 1 I I 1 I 1 , I I I 1 a I r
PRODUCTION, CYCLE *1 SEQUENCE OF PROFILE
FLOW — g Go / MEASUREMENT
gm ! , I , e.
4’ SEQUENCE OF PROFILE -11
H“
.3 4- MEASUREMENT
Q. 60
. {50 - ?++,2
a
.8 <
940 14 “
g 50 - _7
Is ‘
g
~ ~. s ~Aw- .*-6.+
g 30 .*-4’
a :~~ ;0
a ,+. Y , ,P
‘ “v
~ 30 +\.
, **-d -.0--0.
“*.*
, ‘#
q l?o
.m 234567 &910 H1213 1415
‘v
CORE SECTION
g ~o /:
2345676910111213 1415 l%, 11—SA’ruRArloN PROIWM DURING WAWSWLOOU
PKKSSUIW
CORE SECTION PULSETwrs ( fVA~BR-\VET TORPEDO SANIJSTONE],

li’IG. 9—SATIJRATION
PROFILES DURING WATSRFLOOIIPRESSURE WATER INJECTION, CYCLE *1
PULSETESTS (\VATER.WJtTTORPEDO SANtISTONE).
FLOW -
100 1 I 1 I 1
WATER INJECTION, CYCLE %
FLOW — s
~ 70 I 1 I I 1 I 1 I 1 1 1 1 I 1
g u. ‘a -
If
-60 -
E SEQUENCE OF
t—— pRcf(LE >2
3“70 - j ~’”vMEASUREMENT /
$+. , ,. . . .. .
“1 ‘“
 .
. ,m
. -. .— .- -. ..- — -.
.’

Fig, 13 shows the satura~ion proilles obtained as oil, abruptness of the oil saturation changs as oil is pushed
followed by gas, was injected into the upstream core towards the producing core face. Profiles 8 and 9 show
face to simulate the pressure reduction phase of the first oil saturation again decreasing as gas was injected to”’
pulse cycle. Unfortunately, only one profile (No. 3) was simulate the solution gas drive that would occur in the
obtained during the period in which the oil saturation reservoir as the pressure falls beiow the oil bubble
was incrt%sing in the previously flooded portion of the point, It was again noted that no water was produced
core. This profile was obtained just prior to a noticeable after oil production increased. This is consistent with
increase in oil production rate, Water production equivalent the behavior during the first production cycle and is
to 17 per cent PV was produced up to this point, The further evidence that the water phase is Iikeiy t,rapped
remaining’ profiles (No.’s 4 and 5). show that ‘the oil as a discontinuous phase as oil and gas flow is estab-
saturation, after increasing to an average value of about lished,
69 per cent pore space (Sections 2 through 10), is
graduaily reduced as gas’ and oil move towards the INTERPRETATION OF TEST RESULTS
IN TERMS OF RESERVOIR BEHAVIOR
producing core face. Theso proflies differ markedly from
From the foregoing test resuits, it is possible to draw
the water saturation profiles obtained during the pro-
several inferences concerning the applicability of pressure
duction cycle on the water-wet core (Fig, 9).
pulse waterflooding to fractured reservoirs. Since oil
It is believed that the reason for the difference in production was obtained by pressure pulsing both oil-wet
saturation profiles is that during the production phase of and water-wet ‘core systems, reservoir wetting preference
the test on the oii-wet core, water is trapped at a rather should have little influence on the applicability of this
uniform saturation along afmost the entire length of core recovery method to a particular fractured reservoir.
initially invaded by water. Thus, during the gas and oil Factors that appear intuitively to be of more practical
flow period, a uniform reduction in oii saturation occurs importance are permeability of the rock matrix, size of
over a reasonably long portion of the core, In the water- ‘,
wet tests, however, oiI was trapped (Fig. 8) at a rather
uniform saturation behind the waterflood front and this WATER INJEC7K)N, CYCLE %
FLOW -
saturation graduaily increased (trapped phase eliminated)
as oil flow was established during the simulated. pro- ,/
‘eor----’’’”” t
duction stage of the cycle. Thus, in the water-wet test,
the trapped phase is being eliminated behind the flood 90 - /’
front as production mamrs, whereas in the oil-wet case, /’ .f
a trapped saturation (water) is created as production SEOUENCE OF PROFILE /
occurs. It was of interest to note in the oil-wet tests that 80 - MEASUREMENT —2
I
once oil production,’had increased; no further water was
produced. This differs from the production performance 1’ /:
70 - 6
of the water-wet core. i’
Saturation profiles obtained during the second pulse /
so -
of water injection and simulated production in the oil-wet ;
core are presented in Figs. 14 and 15, The one new
profile shown in Fig, 14 demonstrates that the flood so -’. /1
front is again reestablished during the second injection /
cycle as was observed in the tests on the water-wet 1
core, During the subsequent production cycie, the same 40-
234567890”1:1213’1415
behavior was noted as that which occurred during the CORE SECTION
first cycie production period. A portion of the Profile 7 FIG. 14—SATURATIONPROFtLES IhJRING ‘WATERFLOOD PNW9URK
(core sections 2 through 4) gives an indication of the PULSE TWTS ( OIL.\VET TORPEDOSANDSTONE).

PRODUCTION, CYCLE % PRODUCTION, CYCLE *2

FLOW - FLOW -
100 , , I I 1 1 I # 100 i 1 I I I I 1 t 1 1 1 1 I I 1
I
SEQUENCE OF PROFILE‘r-
t-
2 MEASUREMENT+ 3
~ 90 -
&

2“ 80 -
g SEWENCE
OF’PROFILE
t- MEASUREMENT

! \g
$:
g 60 -

~ 50 - /’ ~~:J
-. ...+-... . .... .-—., .. . . . .?. -- ... . .—-.-.==
...-. -, .,.= .=
1 I I , 1 t # 1 1 1 ! 1 1 1 1 1 t 1 1 I 1 I ! 1 1 1 I
401 ‘ ‘ 40
2345 ”678S0111213W 15” 2_3456.7B 9tOll 12131415
CORE SECTION CORE SECTION p
FIG, 13-SATURATIONPROFILESDuaiic WATERFLOOD PRMSIJRE Fm. 15-SATURATION Paomsa DURINGWATERFLOODPassSURE
.. . . PULSE TFSTS (OILJJJJ+T
ToaPER@SANDSTONE). PULSE TESTS (OIL-WET TORPEDOSANDSTONE) --- - - --
the reservoir matrix blocks (or fracture frequency) and tained, regardless of the mode of ONexpulsion, Thus, two
properties of the reservoir oil, or three cycles of pressure pulsing do not deter subsequent
Permeability of the mscrvoir nmtrix is an jmportunt oil production by imbibition alone. Imbibition twttx, how-
factor in pressure pulse flooding since it will control ever, will be proportionately lower because of the greater
the rates of pressure build-up and subsequent production. ! distance of countercurrent flow required. The same would,
Data obtained in these somewhat Iimited tests indicate of course, apply to the straight imbibition dkplacemcnt
that not only are the rates of production slower in the process,
lower permeabili~y rocks, but also the ,magnitude of On the basis of the test results obtained, maximum
recovery is lower. One possible explanation ,t’or the Iowcr recovery of oil by pressure pulsing occurs during the
recoveries in low permeability rocks is that “end effect” first pressure redtiction cycle. Recoveries during sub-
becomes a controlling factor as the flowing pressure sequent cycles are reduced because of (1) the lower
gradients become small. Since low permeability rocks system compressibility, and thus lower driving force;
will inherently have great~; capillary retention forces than ‘ and (2) steadily increasing length of matrix through
high permeability rocks, recoveries would be lower from which oil “must flow at steadily decreasing oil nobilities.
lower permeability rocks. The phenomenon of “end effect”
was recognized to be a controlling factor in the poor CONCLUSIONS
primary depletion performance of the Spraberry forma-
tion. 1. Pressure pulse watertlooding is applicable to both
Maximum recoveries by pressure pulsing appear to be water-wet and oil-wet porous systems.
in the range of 5 to 10 per cent pore space for con- 2. Maximum recoveries by pressure pulse flooding can
ventional oils, with lower recoveries being expected from be expected to be in the range of 5 to 10 per cent pore
the more viscous oil reservoirs. Thus, imbibition tlood- space for conventional oils. The magnitude of recovery
ing poterrtiaily provides a greater source of recovery than obtainable from a particular reservoir will be related to
pressure pulsing. One advantage of pressure pulse flood- reservoir matrix permeability, fracture frequency, rock-
ing, however, is the relatively rapid initial production fluid system compressibility and oil viscosity,
response at rates which may exceed those’ attainable by 3. “End effect” is a factor controlling recovery by
imbibition floodhtg alone. This could be an economic waterflood pressure pulsing if pressures are reduced
incentive to pressure pulse a reservoir, before initiation below the system bubble point so that a free gm phase
of imbibition flooding. Maximum theoretical recoveries develops in the system.
by imbibition in strongly water-wet systems, like Spra- 4. In a multiple-cycle pressure pulse waterflood, the
berry, are nearly equal to the recovery attainable by maximum recoveries wotdd be anticipated during the
conventional flooding in a uniform, unfractured system. first cycle.
Economic’ considerations, however, would be expected ,.
to terminate an imbibition flood before this goa[ is REIJERKNCKS
achieved.
1. Caok, A. B.: “A1termlte Producing nad Gus Rc wes..urlng for
From the profiles obtained during imbibition
saturation Greatrw Oil Recovery”, Trans., AIME (1957) 21A, 15.
and simulated pressure pulse flooding, it is apparent that Z. Crosb G. E. and Cocfmws, R. J.: “Performmce of an Aker.
oil producing rates during both these processes are limited nate 8 e ressnring and Prortucing Project”, Trans., AIME
by the saturation gradients existing in the flow system (1960) .~19, 39.
and the low mobility of the oil in the water-invaded 3, “Solsio Proposes ~uge Sptrlmrry Flood”, Oil & Cm Jour.
( 1957) 55, 99.
portion of the system. A concern was ex~mssed earlier 4. Elldns, L. F. and Skov, A. M.: ‘SC clic ‘WnteMoodhlg, dtc
that the injection of water into the matri?[ blocks, and Spraberry tftilims ‘End Eflccts’ to {ncreasc Oil Production
the’ resultant zone OF zero permeability to oil in this Rate”, Jour. Pet. Tech., (Aug,, 1963) 877.
flooding zone, would interfere with the later expulsion 5. Brownscombe, E, R, and Dyes, A. B.: “\Vuter-Itllbibitlo)l Dis.
of oil by either pressure reduction or imbibition. Data lscement: A Possibility for the Spraberry”, DrW. & Prod.
obtained in this study indicate that oil permeability is !&w., API (1952) 383,
6. Grah;m, J: W, and Richardson, J. G.: “T1mory and Appli~/&;
readily reestablished in the tlooding zone and that essenti- of Imbibhm Phenomena in Rmnmry of Oi 1“, h/L%,
ally the same saturation distribution is ultimately at- ( 1959) 216, 377. &

‘/
——-...,.. —4 . ..-

.’

. .