Development and Application of Water and Polymer Injection Control Valves Including Memory Recording of Flow and Pressure to Improve Secondary Recovery Surface and Downhole for Completion Using Side Pocket Mandrels: Case Histories

Abstract

Abstract The control of water and polymer injection in secondary recovery processes in multilayer reservoirs is important to optimize and control the process to maintain reservoir pressure, displacement of residual oil and sustaining production from oil fields. Injection control and monitoring technology for surface and downhole has been developed focused on procedures to maintain efficiency and cost control which is critical for mature fields. Water and polymer Injection control special valves and different control modules including multiple stages of reducers and expansion chambers and barriers or panels to reduce flow speed have been designed, model, manufactured and used after being patented together with Ecopetrol. They also include flow and pressure parameters recording for better control of the process. The use of polymers for injection processes has proven to be effective in improving recovery, however, it is necessary to guarantee the integrity of the polymer reducing viscosity degradation by controlling the mechanical design to reduce friction and control pressure drop and injection flow. In general, the system has proven to be highly reliable, nearly 1,000 water modules have been installed, they operate within the requirements and flow design required according to reservoir conditions and known differential pressures optimizing cost and sweep efficiency. The extension of polymer injection project also include the use of these valves predicting damage for better design and optimization. On average, the regulators have a duration of 1-4 years, which is very positive for additional installation and removal services and spare parts cost optimization. In general, the system has fulfilled the objective of improving the injection of water and polymer efficiency at a lower price of the equipment without counting the extension of the life time of each national manufacturing module, this fact combined with improvements in the efficiency of the entire process is reflected in greater profitability. The addition of a memory recording module for pressure and injection rate is important for surveillance and follow up maintaining and optimizing injection and production. This paper shows the added value of using water or polymer injection selective valves for multilayer and heavy oil reservoirs to improve and stabilize production and injection rates, having also the option to monitor and record the dynamic/static pressure and injection rate. This is novel a tool for reservoir and production/injection engineers to optimize enhanced oil recovery in heavy oil and mature fields.