Rule-Based Systematic EOR Screening Methodology for ADNOC Oil Reservoirs

Abstract

AbstractMany of the oil reservoirs in ADNOC’s portfolio have been producing for decades and continue to deliver their target rates, thanks to development schemes centred on pressure support from peripheral water injection and/or crestal gas injection, where applicable, or from line-drive patterns.As these reservoirs mature, a number of enhanced oil recovery (EOR) techniques are being evaluated to increase the ultimate recovery factor. Choosing one or several appropriate EOR methods starts with a robust screening methodology, which in this case has to apply across an entire reservoir portfolio, rather than just to a single asset.The key objective of the screening efforts presented in this paper is to estimate the EOR potential from each reservoir in a systematic manner to allocate the right resources, to the right fields, at the right time, with the right technology. Therefore, the screening methodology must take into consideration the following aspects: The focus of the screening is on identifying opportunities, which are or will become technically feasible by the time deployment is requiredThe screening procedure must remain sufficiently high-level to be able to deliver an outcome within a short time-frameA single EOR method is not necessarily applicable across an entire reservoir; hence several EOR methods can potentially be implemented in the same reservoir but in different areasThe thought process (workflow) has to be properly documented so that the screening exercise can be updated whenever new technologies or new relevant field data become availableThe new EOR screening tool considers more EOR methods compared to previous screening efforts: It takes a much broader view on potential source gas options for miscible gas injection, namely enrichment of sweet hydrocarbon gas, sour gas streams, CO2 with or without impurities, as well as nitrogen for some high-temperature reservoirs containing volatile oil. This step involved estimating miscibility conditions for hundreds of combinations of injection gas compositions and reservoir fluids using equation-of-state based MMP calculations in addition to common MMP correlations.The reservoirs are all carbonate formations and are characterized by high temperature and high salinity. These conditions have traditionally been a challenge for chemical EOR methods involving polymers and surfactants. However, recent R&D progress has opened up for opportunities not previously considered. Both polymer and foam agents are currently being piloted, which have the potential to change the EOR landscape in Abu Dhabi and perhaps elsewhere as well.As reservoirs mature and breakthrough of injection fluids begin to occur, the need for improved reservoir conformance becomes evident. The success of any EOR technique relies on the right well placement with the right monitoring in place and the right level of injection profile control.