Case History Evaluation of RPMs on Conform Fracturing Applications

Abstract

Abstract Actual worldwide oil production averages some 75 million barrels per day and, while estimates vary, this is associated with the production of 300 - 400 million barrels of water per day. These values of approximately 5 - 6 barrels of water for every barrel of oil are quite conservative. In some areas around the world, fields remain on production when the ratio is as high as 50 to 1. Water production causes several problems to oil wells such as scaling, fines migration or sandface failure, corrosion of tubular, and kills wells by hydrostatic loading, amongst other things. Thus, while water production is an inevitable consequence of oil production, it is usually desirable to defer its onset, or its rise, for as long as possible. Numerous strategies, both mechanical and chemical, have been employed over the years in attempts to achieve this. Simple shut-off techniques using cement, mechanical plugs and cross-linked gels have been widely used. Exotic materials such as DPR (disproportionate permeability reducers) and the new generation of relative permeability modifiers (RPM) have been applied in matrix treatments with varying degrees of success. Most recently, Conformance Fracturing operations have increased substantially in mature fields as the synergistic effect obtained by adding a RPM to a fracturing fluid have produced increased oil production with reduced water cut in one step, consequently eliminating the cost of additional water shut off treatment later on. This paper is an evaluation of various RPM materials commonly used on Conformance Fracturing treatments performed in the northeast of Brazil and other South American countries, rather than the usual laboratory testing methods and theoretical estimations. The paper also describes the technical design and operational methodology to treat single zone to laminated reservoirs with different mobility ratios. We believe conformance fracture techniques could significantly impact the development strategies of many fields worldwide.