EOR in North Kuwait-From Concept to Field Test

Abstract

Ambitious leadership, integrated planning and availability of resources have seen unprecedented growth in development activities of North Kuwait reservoirs over the last 4-5 years. As a result of this production has significantly grown but so have production challenges. New ideas and ways to enhance production and reserve growths are being discussed and tested. In this context role of Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) has been critically examined and steps are being taken to have a pragmatic action plan in place to achieve strategic objectives.North Kuwait has been endowed with a mix of clastic and carbonate reservoirs of that are highly productive. These reservoirs are at different stages of depletion and their development plans are constantly tuned to enhance oil production and reduce water cut. KOC's approach to EOR plans is inclusive. It is looking at not only mature clastic reservoirs like Lower Burgan but also at Mauddud, Upper Burgan and Zubair reservoirs that are in middle stage of their development bypassing the conventional route post-secondary recovery.Considering previous work and recent developments in the field of EOR, chemical methods and miscible Carbon-Di-Oxide (CO2) processes were shortlisted for more in-depth investigations. Subsequent extensive simulation studies place incremental oil recovery estimates using the results of specifically customized Surfactant Polymer (SP) formulation for Sabiriyah Mauddud in excess of 25% over the CO2 WAG (Water Alternating Gas) process. SPE 167281In view of the significance of these results to North Kuwait's production plan EOR program is being fast-tracked. It is now at a point where a pilot is being planned in Sabiriyah Mauddud to field-test KOC's first SP flood in the next 1-2 years. Action plan is being finalized with all activities, milestones and deliverables. The project activities are being closely monitored to ensure timely completion of key tasks by different groups. For other reservoirs risk-opportunity matrix is being developed to understand the pitfalls and potential of shortlisted methods. It is expected that this work plan will enable KOC to realize its vision of getting first EOR oil from North Kuwait by the turn of 2016.

Review on Polymer Flooding: Rheology, Adsorption, Stability, and Field Applications of Various Polymer Systems

“…18 In the Middle East, only Oman has applied for PF in the Marmul field 19 and cEOR implementation is in progress in the Sabiriyah Maudded oil field in North Kuwait. 20 It is expected that the first EOR from this carbonate reservoir will be obtained in 2016. 20 A large number of polymers are available commercially for cEOR applications.…”

“…20 It is expected that the first EOR from this carbonate reservoir will be obtained in 2016. 20 A large number of polymers are available commercially for cEOR applications. Partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) is one of the most widely used polymers in polymer flooding.…”

Upscaling Polymer Flooding to Model Sub-gridblock Geological Heterogeneity and Compensate for Numerical Dispersion

“…Additional laboratory work has been performed and single well pilot trials have been implemented with great success (Al-Saad, 2013;Abdullah, 2015). Simulation models have been generated for pilot area performance forecasts (Veedu, 2015) and to see the long-term effect of full field implementation and its impact on Kuwait's strategic production plan.…”