A New Method for Acid Stimulation without Increasing Water Production: Case Studies from Offshore Mexico

Abstract

Abstract Successful acid stimulation requires a method to distribute the acid between multiple hydrocarbon zones. Since almost all producing wells are inhomogeneous, containing sections of varying permeability, this can be a huge problem. In addition, the water saturation of the various zones plays an important role. Since acid is an aqueous fluid, it will tend to predominantly enter the zones with the highest water saturation. These water zones are also often the highest permeability zones, so acid stimulation will often result in large increases in water production. There are many negative aspects to increased water production, such as increased lifting and disposal costs, increased corrosion, etc. This paper describes the use of a new low viscosity system that inherently reduces formation permeability to water with little effect on hydrocarbon permeability, and also diverts acid from high permeability zones to lower permeability zones. This new system has been used in offshore Mexico in the Chuc, Caan, and Pol fields among others over the past year. During this time, over 30 wells have been treated with the new system. Most standard acid treatments in this field result in increased hydrocarbon and water production. The new system has resulted in increased hydrocarbon production with no increase in water production, and in some cases a decrease in water production. Details from several of these jobs will be presented showing the diversion and production results.