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Enhanced Hydrocarbon Recovery
Enhanced Hydrocarbon Recovery
Enhanced Hydrocarbon Recovery
Influx of aquifer water
Expansion of reservoir rock
Expansion of original reservoir fluids
Free gas
Interstitial water
Oil, if present
Gravitational forces
Solution-Gas Drive in Oil Reservoirs
Oil
A. Original Conditions
B. 50% Depleted
Cross Section
Solution-Gas Drive in Oil Reservoirs
Wellbore
Secondary
gas cap
Solution-Gas Drive in Oil Reservoirs
Typical Production Characteristics
800 400
Oil production rate, STB/D
400
Gas/oil
ratio 300
400 200
Reservoir 200
pressure
200 100 Oil production rate
100
0 0
0
Time, years
Initial reservoir
pressure
Bubblepoint
pressure
0 5 10 15
Oil recovery, % of OOIP
Gas-Cap Drive in Oil Reservoirs
Oil Oil
zone Gas cap zone
Cross Section
Gas-Cap Drive in Oil Reservoirs
• Free gas phase exists as an original gas cap above oil
Reservoir Type
400
2 200
MSTB/D
0
Oil
1
Time, years
• Edge-water drive
Types of aquifer
• Bottom-water drive
Water Drive in Oil Reservoirs
Reservoir behavior characteristics
• As reservoir pressure declines, aquifer water moves
into pore space vacated by oil.
• Pressure decline is relatively slow (stronger water
drive results in more significant pressure
maintenance).
• Gas/oil ratio is relatively low and stable.
• Majority of producing wells eventually experience
water breakthrough; water production increases.
• As wells produce water, oil production rate declines.
Many production wells eventually load up with
water and cannot be produced further.
Water Drive in Oil Reservoirs
Edgewater Drive
Oil Zone
Water Water
Cross Section
Water Drive in Oil Reservoirs
Bottomwater Drive
Oil Zone
Water
Cross Section
Water Drive in Oil Reservoirs
Typical Production Characteristics
Pressure, psia
Water cut, %
0 30
Oil production rate,
100 Water
20
80 10
MSTB/D
60 0
Oil
40
20
0
Time, years
Gas cap
Oil zone
Water
Cross Section
A large aquifer and a large gas cap can occur in a
Basic drive mechanisms usually occur in combination.
Water drive
80
Reservoir pressure,
Percent of original
60
Gas-cap drive
40
20
Solution
-gas drive
0 0 20 40 60 80 100
Cumulative oil produced, percent of original oil in place
Reservoir pressure trends
Pressure and Gas/Oil Ratio Trends
5
Solution-
gas drive
4
Gas-cap drive
3
1
Water drive
0
0 20 40 60 80 100
Water drive
Volumetric Gas Reservoirs
Reservoir type
Gas reservoir with no aquifer
φ (1 − S ) 0.1611 k 0.0979
ER = 41.8
B ob µ ob
wi
0.1741
pb
(S wi )
pa
0.3722
Estimating Oil Recovery Factors
φ (1 − S ) 0.0422 kµ 0.0770
ER = 54.9 w
µ oi
wi
B oi
− 0.2159
pi
(S wi )
− 0.1903
pa
Estimating Oil Recovery Factors