Increased Production Results From Pilot Horizontal Waterflood in Osage County, Oklahoma

Abstract

TX 75083-3836, U.S.A., fax 01-972-952-9435. AbstractThis paper details the results of a three-year project to test horizontal waterflooding as a means of improving oil recovery from the Bartlesville sandstone in an abandoned 100-year-old oil field in Osage County, Oklahoma. Supported by a grant from the Department of Energy (DOE), this work was conducted by Grand Resources, Inc., an independent operator in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The project was initiated based on the concept of using three parallel horizontal wells (an injector straddled by two producers) in a heel-to-toe configuration. The pilot test evolved into an oil rim recovery project with pressure support coming from a vertical injection well, due to reservoir heterogeneities and lower-than-expected oil saturations.The short radius drilling system is explained, in addition to the drilling of the lateral wellbores.Oil recovery from the originally designed pilot was disappointing due to the unexpectedly high water saturations that were encountered. However, results from the modified pilot are much more encouraging, with 15 to 20 BOPD being produced from a thin oil column overlaying water.