Korolev Waterflood Pilot Completion Design for Water Supply and Injection Wells

Abstract

Abstract The Korolev Field is located in western Kazakhstan where a waterflood pilot is planned in a sour naturally fractured carbonate reservoir. The completion design of the water supply and injection wells plays a key role in the economic oil recovery in a waterflood. An improper design can result in high cost, poor sweep efficiency, and low injectivity. This paper provides guidelines and technical studies on the completion designs for the Korolev Waterflood Pilot. The process for selecting the completion design consists of field data acquisition, analysis, and a completion alternatives assessment. Injection data are acquired from a short-term injection test in the targeted reservoir. Core and fluid samples are acquired from the water source aquifer. The data are analyzed to determine the completion design parameters and objectives for the wells. Finally, the completion alternatives are assessed by a cross functional team through a method which determines an optimum design based on the completion objectives. A summary of the key conclusions for the Korolev Waterflood Pilot completion designs are:Short-term injection test confirmed viable injection rates, operating pressures and the need for conformance control liner to improve the injection profile.Sand control is required in the lower completion of water supply wells to control solids production. The fines migration study provided key design information which allowed optimization of the water treatment facility design.The water supply wells preferred completion design is an open hole gravel pack with wire wrap screen.The water injection wells preferred completion design is a conformance control liner with swell packers and sliding sleeves. This assessment is an effective approach for unlocking the hydrocarbon potential in harsh wellbore conditions for a waterflood project. Cost discipline, simplification and cross-functional team work are the key elements which resulted project cost savings and partner alignment on the design and execution plan.