An innovative secondary recovery approach for a marginal reservoir

摘要

The Younis Lower Rudeis reservoir is operated by the Gulf of Suez Petroleum Company (GUPCO) in a remote area of the Gulf of Suez, Egypt. Younis has repeatedly been considered a waterflood candidate due to a decrease in reservoir pressure from the initial 1932 psi to the current estimate of 492 psi in 1993. But based on decline curve analysis and structural mapping, primary recovery was expected to reach nearly 50 percent of the 44.6 MMBO original oil-in-place (OOIP). Under the assumption that Younis produces with an efficient gravity drainage depletion mechanism, waterflooding potential was considered low. Furthermore, Younis is nearly 16 Km from the nearest waterflood facility, and pipeline costs were consdered prohibitive based on both low incremental reserve potential and depressed oil prices.