Applying the hydrodynamic model to optimize the production for crystalline basement reservoir, X field, Cuu Long Basin, Vietnam

Abstract

Weathered and fractured crystalline basement is known as the important unconventional reservoir in the Cuu Long Basin. Naturally fractured reservoir plays a crucial role in oil exploration to contribute for hydrocarbon production in Vietnam. However, the complexity and heterogeneity of the fractures system in the basement reservoir are challenges for oil and gas production. They require the realistic simulation scenarios to estimate the hydrocarbon potential as well as field development plan of these reservoirs. Thus, this paper aims to propose the feasibility development scenarios to improve oil recovery factor for crystalline basement reservoir, X field, Cuu Long Basin, Vietnam. First, history matching process is validated for the model to fit the actual production data (reservoir pressure, pressure, water cut in each well) in order to approach closer the fluid flow behavior through the reservoir. The manual matching was selected to adjust the actual aquifer size and permeability distribution with limit simulation runs. Next, the highest reliability matching model which approximately reflects the actual fluid flow behavior can be used as the base case to forecast the future reservoir performance through the field development plan. The most potential scenario is to add six new infill production wells, two side track wells and two water injection wells. The forecasted results indicate that this scenario yields 8% more oil recovery factor compared to the natural drive with thirteen producers. This result suggests that the precise field development plan is to increase the efficiency of the production process by increasing the displacement parameters of residual oil and reservoir sweep efficiency by stimulation. The major contribution of this paper demonstrates the merits of the field development plan in fractured basement reservoir. The findings of this study can help better understand the fluid flow behavior using the production history profiles and field development scenarios of crystalline basement reservoir of Cuu Long Basin.