eor: application to egyptian oil fields with some...

EOR: application to Egyptian oil fields with some environmental

aspects

14/12/2017

Dr.Helmy SayyouhCairo University

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جامعة القاهرة

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Global oil demand and supply

Source: bp Statistical Review of World Energy –June 2015

Current Status

Production Rate: 89 MM b/d

Consumption Rate: 92 MM b/d

Proved reserves: 1700 MMM bbl

R/P: 52 Years جامعة القاهرة

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Egyptian oil demand and supply

Current Status

Production Rate: 717,000 b/d

Consumption Rate: 813,000 b/d

Proved reserves: 3.6 MMM bbl

R/P: 13 Years

Source: bp Statistical Review of World Energy –June 2015


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• Oil consumption is continuously increasing which motivated oil producing countries to optimize their production.

• Most of easy oil has been already extracted, leaving a non-negligible quantity of highly viscous trapped oil in the reservoirs.

• This requires the usage of what is commonly known by conventional and non-conventional enhanced oil recovery techniques.

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The important question is:

how much of oil is recoverable and what techniques could be applied?

Oil Recovery Enhancement Techniques جامعة القاهرة

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Development of a Recovery Method

. Laboratory research and Field screening (1-2 years)

. Field pilot and Field results analysis (2-3 years)

. Semi-commercial project and Commercial development (3-5 years)

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Status of the EOR projects in 2014World Status of the EOR projects during 2004 – 2014

Source: 2004, 2010, 2012 and 2014 Worldwide EOR Survey – Oil and Gas Journal


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Status of the EOR Projects in the World

143, 41.2%

174, 50.1%

22, 6.3%

7, 2.0%1, 0.3%

Thermal EOR Methods

Miscible EOR Methods

Immiscible EOR Methods

Chemical EOR Methods

MEOR

128, 36.9%

2, 0.6%

13, 3.7%16, 4.6%

38, 11.0%

1, 0.3%

135, 38.9%

2, 0.6%

4, 1.2%7, 2.0%

1, 0.3%

Steam

Hot water

Combustion

CO2 Immiscible

Hydrocarbon Miscible

Acid Gas Miscible

CO2 Miscible

Hydrocarbon Immiscible

Nitrogen Immiscible

Chemical (Polymer,Surfactant)

MEOR

Source: 2004, 2010, 2012 and 2014 Worldwide EOR Survey – Oil and Gas Journal


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• A number of oil fields in Egypt are expected to undergo one or more of the EOR methods in the near future.

• However, the implementation of any of the EOR methods involves high capital expenditure. These processes are a rather difficult and high risk operation.

• Proper selection of the EOR method for any particular reservoir is necessary to achieve a successful and profitable project.

• This needs research!!

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EOR Research Projects (M.Sc. and PhD Theses ) at Cairo University – Egypt

EOR Team:

Dr. Helmy Sayyouh Dr.Sayed El-Tayeb

Dr. Ahmed El Banby Dr. M. abu EL Ela

Dr. Sahar El Marsafy Dr. Sherif Akl

Eng. Sherif Hadara Dr.M.Samir


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• In spite of the active research work in Egypt during the past decade, the petroleum industry has limited experience in actual field applications of EOR.

• Scarcity of previous field experience, coupled with the fact that only few experts know about all available EOR processes have prompted the current development, of a knowledge-based expert system that can facilitate the reservoir engineers task of selecting the most appropriate EOR method.

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API gravity: 16 - 22 Degree Oil viscosity: 13 – 30 cp

Reservoir depth: 2100-11250 ft Rock permeability: 27 – 5000 mD

Oil saturation: 61 – 69 % Reservoir temperature: 124- 164°F

Water salinity: 100 – 220 MPPM Net pay thickness: 46-151 ft

Permeability variation coefficient: 0.5 – 0.85 Formation type: SS - LS

M. miscibility pressure: 1548-2053 psi

Initial pressure: 1220-1849 psi

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Available Data Ranges for Egyptian Reservoirs in Western Desert

API gravity: 36 - 43 Degree Oil viscosity: 0.43 – 3.7 Cp

Reservoir depth:1200- 4220 m Rock permeability: 5 – 307 mD

Oil saturation: 48 – 74 % Reservoir temperature: 163- 223°F

Formation water salinity: 80 – 98 MPPM Net pay thickness: 11-26 ft

Permeability variation coefficient: 0.5 – 0.8 Formation type: SS - LS

M. miscibility pressure: 2042-3770 psi

Initial pressure: 2325-2800 psi

Available Data Ranges for Egyptian Reservoirs in Gulf of Suez

EOR method is specific for a specific reservoir !!

However, Egyptian oil reservoirs, technically, are good candidate for

immiscible gas injection. Steam injection is feasible in some of the Gulf of

Suez reservoirs. The chemical methods are feasible in most of the Western

Desert reservoirs.

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The possibility of applying one of the EOR methods usually faced with two basic problems:

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• The first problem faced by the reservoir engineer in our area is to identify all the EOR methods applicable to the candidate oil field and select the most appropriate method based on technical and economic criteria!!.

• This problem of selecting the most suitable EOR process created a crucial need for experts to help, sort, process, analyze and cross-refer the acquired reservoir data coupled with other sources of information to achieve the most feasible selection of EOR technique to be applied to the candidate fields in an efficient and profitable way.

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The second problem faced by the petroleum engineer in the area of oil industry is to identify the environmental aspects of the EOR methods applicable to the candidate oil field and select the most appropriate method of Produced Water (PW) treatment and economic criteria!!.

Most of PW in EOR processes will lead to many environmental problems. This needs quantify and qualify the treated PW for reinjection purposes.

PW problem (quantities and qualities) is important and we have to find the best available technology of treatment and reinjection to increase EOR safely.

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In order to obtain the required analytical results of final treated water, the proved successful selection of the PW treatment must be considered.

To increase the efficiency of PW treatment, a joint research team to get engineering solutions must be established.

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• On the positive side, in addition to benefit resulting from water flooding, there are the benefits from additional reclaimed oil.

• Consider a major producer disposing 10,000 barrels per day of PW containing 200 ppm oil-in-water. Reduction of oil-in-water content to less than 10 ppm for reinjection purposes would result in additional potential recovery of oil worth in excess $100,000 US per annum (based on oil price $15 US per Barrel).

• When considering cost implications there are obvious benefits in reinjecting PW for secondary oil recovery.



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Management of produced water in EOR processes

• Oil field water management encompasses the entire water cycle associated with field development.

• The top priorities for water management are diagnosing, reduce, re-use, and treatment and disposal.



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• Diagnose means find the production zone or identify the WP problem (the most difficult part of the process).

• Reduce means minimizing PW to surface.

• Re-use means turning water into a value proposition utilizing technologies such as reinject it for pressure maintenance and/or improve sweep efficiency.

• Treatment and disposal is handling the water to meet the environmental requirements.



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• Advances in water management technologies are allowing engineers to better analyze, optimize and manage water in the reservoir and the surface.

• Water affects all the stages of any oil field production cycle. We have to find alternative uses for excess PW and transform it from waste into resources.



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• The first requirement for water management is the identification of the nature of water produced and its possible cause's.

• The success of the remedial action will depend upon its correct identification and the choice of the right corrective procedure.



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Relative Permeability Modifier (RPM) Polymer Treatment for Controlling Water Production

RPM are high-molecular weight, water-soluble, hydrophilic PAM polymers that are formulated to display the following properties:

Better affinity for sandstone/carbonates surfaces and water than oil or gas.

Higher tolerance for waters containing divalent cations such as calcium and magnesium.



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They can be injected into a producer without the requirement that water zones are identified and isolated from the oil producing zones. This is a big plus!

Under favourable reservoir conditions and with suitable RPM polymer, the process has been found effective in laboratory tests and successful in some field trials.

RPM application (Trade Name: Aqua Con) in a high water-cut well in the Chevron Texaco project in the Bekasap field, Indonesia illustrates its success

Environmental Effects of MEOR

• The environmental control of MEOR is of great importance.

• It is necessary to prevent any adverse effects on the environment when applying this recovery method.

• Great effort is being expanded by investigators to understand the complex subsurface environment of a petroleum reservoir in relation to bacterial metabolism.

• One of the possible effects is the stimulation of indigenous sulfate-reducing bacteria which causes bio-corrosion in oil fields.



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• It is recommended to use certain types of bacteria for MEOR process that their bio product maximize oil recovery and minimize bio-corrosion.

• The possible contaminations of surface, ground water and agriculture land during bacterial transport are of major environmental concern associated with MEOR field application.



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BEST PRACTICE

• For a water shut-off treatment, initially select wells with higher chance of success. Then, select successively more difficult ones as experience grows.

• Collect good/detailed diagnostic data to identify the type of water entry.

• Use smart well technology for temperature-profiling utilizing distributed temperature sensors.

• Use biological filters for cleaning produced water.



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• Artificial lift should be considered early in water-flood planning.

• On-site water shut-off treatment supervision is critical for success.

• Water quality can have a drastic impact on project economics.

• Since it is difficult to understand and model fracture initiation, growth, and containment, it is crucial to have a sound management program.



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eor: application to egyptian oil fields with some...

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