Applying Improved Recovery Processes and Effective Reservoir Management to Maximize Oil Recovery at Salt Creek

摘要

The Salt Creek Field, located approximately 110 milesnortheast of Midland, TX, is a heterogeneous, Pennsylvanianagedcarbonate build-up in the Permian Basin. Successiveimplementation of infill drilling and improved recoveryprocesses, coupled with effective reservoir management, haveled to oil recovery of over 50 percent and expected ultimaterecovery as high as 60 percent.Salt Creek field was discovered in 1950 and a centerlinewater injection program began in 1953. A 40-acredevelopment program was initiated in 1970 and wascompleted in 1984. The waterflood pattern was also changedfrom a centerline drive to a field wide inverted nine-spot. In1985, a reservoir continuity study led to a 20-acre infilldrilling program that added over 150 wells, changing thepattern to a five-spot. A miscible carbon dioxide (CO_2) floodwas initiated in 1993, and then expanded to the underlyingresidual oil zone.Reservoir management has been a key element inmaximizing recovery at Salt Creek. Consistent acquisitionand maintenance of appropriate well and reservoir data hasallowed detailed zonal tracking of production and injectionvolumes (CO_2 and water). Geologic models, in combinationwith production logs and production data, have been used tomanage and optimize CO_2 and water injection at the flow unitlevel. Effective communication processes have beenestablished between the field operators and the technical staffto calibrate engineering and geologic data with fieldexperience and to enhance real-time decision making. A 3Dseismic survey covering the entire field was acquired in 2000to better define productive field limits and reservoir geometry.Currently, a study integrating engineering and geoscience datais underway to further improve reservoir characterization. Thestudy is expected to result in improved sweep efficiency through better conformance control and additional drillwells tocapture unswept reserves.