Unlock Your Oil Potential: A Practical Guide to Steam Stimulation Success
"Demystifying Steam Stimulation: Expert Insights and Strategies for Maximizing Heavy Oil Production in North Kuwait's Thermal Pilots"
Kuwait is strategically focused on developing its viscous oil resources, with the Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) leading the charge. This initiative is currently underway, incorporating insights from ongoing pilot tests and broader development activities. The primary goal is to significantly boost heavy oil production, initially targeting 60,000 barrels per day, and sustain it at that level. Subsequent phases will explore avenues to further increase oil output.
The reservoir consists of two primary oil-bearing zones, known as ZONE-1 and ZONE-2, separated by shale layers ranging from 10 to 20 feet in thickness. These zones are further divided by baffles, adding complexity to the reservoir's architecture. Two new pilot tests are underway in the northern reaches of the viscous oil field, adjacent to the Heavy Oil Phase I commercial project. These tests involve different well spacings: one at 10-acre intervals and another at 5-acre intervals. The objective is to refine our understanding of reservoir behavior under cyclic steam stimulation and steam flood operations at varying well densities.
The 10-acre pilot comprises 13 active wells and 9 observation wells, while the 5-acre pilot includes 13 active wells and 5 observation wells. In addition to these active and observation wells, each pilot area features 4 additional observation wells to monitor enhanced oil recovery methods. The initial cyclic steam stimulation began in August 2015 on both the 5-acre and 10-acre pilots, with the second cycle commencing in September 2016. This study aims to explain the operational challenges and the performance differences observed after the first cycle of steam injection, using different well completion strategies, reservoir properties, and field surveillance data.
Optimizing Steam Stimulation for Heavy Oil Recovery
The first cyclic steam stimulation cycle showed that the 10-acre spacing wells, using a completion strategy of steaming one zone at a time, performed better than the 5-acre pilot wells, which used simultaneous steaming. The 10-acre pilot wells were perforated in the lower zone (ZONE_1B), while the 5-acre pilot wells were perforated in both Zones (ZONE_1A & ZONE_1B). Insights from the first cyclic steam stimulation cycle will help prevent future complications and improve the second cycle and the steam flood.
- Optimize Perforation Strategies: Tailor perforation strategies to reservoir characteristics to enhance steam distribution and oil recovery.
- Monitor Reservoir Response: Implement comprehensive surveillance programs to gather data for understanding reservoir and well performance.
- Adjust Steam Injection: Use insights from PLT and DTS surveys to optimize steam injection volume and pressure for maximum efficiency.
Future Directions and Continuous Improvement
The recommendations and conclusions are based on actual field data in a multi-layered heavy oil reservoir after the first CSS cycle. Future papers will present the results after further CSS cycles and steam flooding. By continuously monitoring and adapting strategies, the path to maximizing heavy oil production becomes clearer, ensuring a brighter future for Kuwait's oil sector and setting new benchmarks for the industry.