Abstract
Abstract It is a very challenging task to produce highly viscous and extra heavy crude oil from the Jodhpur Sandstone reservoir of Baghewala field of Western Rajasthan in India by any conventional methods. The crude obtained are having API in the range of 14 – 17 and viscosity ranging from 8000 to 15000 cP @ 50 deg C. Considering above, it was planned to extract the oil from around 1100 m by using various thermal and non-thermal techniques. After a thorough study, it was found out that thermal methods performed better than the later in these kinds of fluid. Accordingly, it was proposed to carry out the trial test with the Electrical Downhole Heater (EDH) in one of the horizontal wells and check the performance in the production rates in comparison with other wells without EDH. Since the maximum pressure loss observed in any heavy oil well is near the perforation, accordingly it was planned to carry out the test by placing the heater in a horizontal section with a drain hole and a slotted casing liner of 7 inch. The methodology behind using the Electrical Downhole Heater was to increase the temperature in and around the wellbore, which will not only reduce the viscosity of the crude but will also help in increasing the production rate of crude. These kinds of techniques also help in increasing the efficiency of the downhole pumps and help in reducing the drag forces experienced on crude movement due to the presence of various downhole completion equipment. The installation of EDH in any well does not depend much on well integrity issues unlike other thermal EOR methods. After applying the process, production initially increased from less than 20 bbl/ day to more than 80 bbl/day and stabilised at around 40-50 bbls /day. This paper intends to present the design, placement, installation and performance of downhole heater in a horizontal well in comparison with a similar horizontal well in the same formation without any heater.
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