TY - GEN
T1 - Multi-Lateral wells with downhole water control and disposal in heavy oil reservoirs with bottom water - A case study
AU - Alblooshi, Younes A.
AU - Wojtanowicz, Andrew K.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright 2014, Society of Petroleum Engineers.
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - In heavy oil reservoirs with bottom water drive, water coning severely hampers well productivity and oil recovery, due to excessive water production. Moreover, conventional enhancement techniques such as thermal and/or gravity-assisted production methods do not solve the problem of handling and processing large volumes of produced water. In this paper, we study feasibility of a new well completion and production technique using Multi-Lateral Water Loop (MLWL). MLWL wells are multi-functional installations that feature three horizontal legs on the same vertical plane and at different depths. The top leg drains the oil payzone, the middle one controls water cresting by draining the aquifer beneath the oil-water contact (OWC), and the bottom leg injects the drained water deeper into the same aquifer. The top horizontal lateral provides maximum reservoir contact (MRC), low pressure drawdown and high production rate thus enhancing recovery. The middle lateral makes the oil production water-free, while the bottom lateral keeps the water underground without lifting it to the surface. Using a reservoir simulation model of MLWL and a conventional horizontal well in a West African heavy oilfield, we study MLWL well design and operation that would make the technique superior to conventional horizontal well production in this oilfield. The results demonstrate the MLWL potential for increased production rate and ultimate oil recovery and the economic advantage of handling formation water in-situ. The study also explains how the MLWL system improves the recovery mechanism by mobilizing oil throughout the whole drainage area rather than in the well's vicinity. Furthermore, optimum operation conditions for water looping system are identified where economic limit is met and inverse coning avoided. The results show superiority of wells with downhole water drainage over conventional wells. Morover, the MLWL wells have additional advantage of prolonged economic life and, therefore, high profitability.
AB - In heavy oil reservoirs with bottom water drive, water coning severely hampers well productivity and oil recovery, due to excessive water production. Moreover, conventional enhancement techniques such as thermal and/or gravity-assisted production methods do not solve the problem of handling and processing large volumes of produced water. In this paper, we study feasibility of a new well completion and production technique using Multi-Lateral Water Loop (MLWL). MLWL wells are multi-functional installations that feature three horizontal legs on the same vertical plane and at different depths. The top leg drains the oil payzone, the middle one controls water cresting by draining the aquifer beneath the oil-water contact (OWC), and the bottom leg injects the drained water deeper into the same aquifer. The top horizontal lateral provides maximum reservoir contact (MRC), low pressure drawdown and high production rate thus enhancing recovery. The middle lateral makes the oil production water-free, while the bottom lateral keeps the water underground without lifting it to the surface. Using a reservoir simulation model of MLWL and a conventional horizontal well in a West African heavy oilfield, we study MLWL well design and operation that would make the technique superior to conventional horizontal well production in this oilfield. The results demonstrate the MLWL potential for increased production rate and ultimate oil recovery and the economic advantage of handling formation water in-situ. The study also explains how the MLWL system improves the recovery mechanism by mobilizing oil throughout the whole drainage area rather than in the well's vicinity. Furthermore, optimum operation conditions for water looping system are identified where economic limit is met and inverse coning avoided. The results show superiority of wells with downhole water drainage over conventional wells. Morover, the MLWL wells have additional advantage of prolonged economic life and, therefore, high profitability.
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U2 - 10.2118/171868-ms
DO - 10.2118/171868-ms
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84994065788
T3 - Society of Petroleum Engineers - 30th Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference, ADIPEC 2014: Challenges and Opportunities for the Next 30 Years
SP - 2041
EP - 2052
BT - Society of Petroleum Engineers - 30th Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference, ADIPEC 2014
PB - Society of Petroleum Engineers
T2 - 30th Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference: Challenges and Opportunities for the Next 30 Years, ADIPEC 2014
Y2 - 10 November 2014 through 13 November 2014
ER -