Current Status of the Commercial In Situ Combustion (ISC) Projects and New

Approaches to Apply ISC

Current Status of the Commercial In Situ Combustion (ISC) Projects and New

Approaches to Apply ISC

Alex T. Turta, ARC Calgary

Salil K. Chattopadhyay, ONGC, India

Robin N. Bhattacharya , ONGC, India

Alexandru Condrachi, Petrom, Romania

Wayne Hanson, BSOC, Louisiana, USA

Canadian International Petroleum Conference, Calgary, June 2005

Journal of Canadian Petroleum Technology (JCPT) November 2007

Alex T. Turta, ARC Calgary

Salil K. Chattopadhyay, ONGC, India

Robin N. Bhattacharya , ONGC, India

Alexandru Condrachi, Petrom, Romania

Wayne Hanson, BSOC, Louisiana, USA

Canadian International Petroleum Conference, Calgary, June 2005

Journal of Canadian Petroleum Technology (JCPT) November 2007

Note: With 2 slides from Sammi Salam, 2012 presentation

Philosophy of Commercial ISC Operation

Philosophy of Commercial ISC Operation

Two ways to apply ISC: Patterns system and peripheral line drive starting from the uppermost point of the reservoir

The line drive system has more advantages in most cases. Most important advantages: easier to operate and to evaluate, while at the pilot and semi-commercial stage

At Suplacul de Barcau, the line drive was applied for commercial exploitation. The “pattern” system was applied just for the ISC piloting phase.

Two ways to apply ISC: Patterns system and peripheral line drive starting from the uppermost point of the reservoir

The line drive system has more advantages in most cases. Most important advantages: easier to operate and to evaluate, while at the pilot and semi-commercial stage

At Suplacul de Barcau, the line drive was applied for commercial exploitation. The “pattern” system was applied just for the ISC piloting phase.

Commercial ISC Processes: Main

Reservoir Properties

Commercial ISC Processes: Main

Reservoir Properties

Field, Company, Country

Formation Oil viscosity

mPa.s

Permeability

mD

Res. Pressure

Initial / @ start of ISC

(psi)

OOIP

MMbbl

Suplacu de Barcau (SB), Petrom, Romania

Sand 2,000 5,000-7,000 140/80 310

Field Depth

ft

Gross pay

ft

Oil viscosity

mPa.s

Permeability

mD

Res.

Pressure

Initial / @

start of ISC

(psi)

Observations

Suplacude Barcau

115-720

27-290 2,000 5,000-7,000*

140/80 Depth & thickness

increase East to

West & North to

South

Suplacu de Barcau: Reservoir PropertiesSuplacu de Barcau: Reservoir Properties

Suplacu de Barcau FieldSuplacu de Barcau Field

Panonian - Cross section

W

O

i’

i

396 376

154397

I2

I2

482 472

473122

479 481480

475 476

478477

474

I1

I1

Suplacu de Barcau - Experimental Stage

(1964-1971)

I1 - ISC patterns

I2 – Steam

drive pattern

Water - Oil contact

Fault

Production Well

Combustion /steam injection

well

UP

DownI1

I1

Suplacu de Barcau - Thermal Methods: Semi-Commercial Stage

Suplacu de Barcau - Thermal Methods: Semi-Commercial Stage

Steam Drive

(4ha/pattern)

Initial ISC pattern

Suplacu de Barcau. Position of the in-situ combustion front as of July 1st, 2004

Suplacu de Barcau. Position of the in-situ combustion front as of July 1st, 2004

Burnt out area

Injection wells (111)Major Fault

Current Status of Suplacul De Barcau exploitation by ISC and CSS as of 2012Current Status of Suplacul De Barcau

exploitation by ISC and CSS as of 2012

..

Sammi Salam, 2012

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

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/04

Time, Years

Oil

P

rod

. , to

ne/

mo

nth

0

20000

40000

60000

80000

100000

120000

140000

01

/61

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Time, Years

Air

in

ject

ed

M S

m3/m

on

th

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

Air

-Oil

Rati

o ,

Sm

3/m

3

Performance of the Suplacu de Barcau ISC Project(as of 2004)

Injected Air Air-Oil Ratio

Sammi Salam, 2012

as of 2012

Legend:

Burned out

Coke

Suplacu de Barcau ISC Project (as of 2004): Results.Dry combustion in a line drive, for a very shallow reservoir

Field Start

of commerc.

operation

Inj.

press.

psi

No. of inj.

wells

No. of prod.

wells

Daily

oil

prod.

by ISC

Bbl/day

Suplacu

de Barcau

1971 150-200 111+ 736+ 9,000++

NOTES

+ At any time, there are, also, 24 production wells under cyclic steam stimulation (CSS)

++ It includes the contribution of CSS, estimated at 18% to 25% of the daily oil production

Suplacu: Essential Results/ProblemsSuplacu: Essential Results/Problems

Results Ultimate oil recovery:

>50%

Air-oil ratio (AOR) in the range of 6,000 to 18,000 scf/bbl (1,100-3,300 sm3/m3), increasing in time

At the low inj. presure., even the AOR of 18,000 scf/bbl is economical

Water cut increased slowly, up to 82%

Results Ultimate oil recovery:

>50%

Air-oil ratio (AOR) in the range of 6,000 to 18,000 scf/bbl (1,100-3,300 sm3/m3), increasing in time

At the low inj. presure., even the AOR of 18,000 scf/bbl is economical

Water cut increased slowly, up to 82%

Operational Aspects Burning out of some

producers

Hot well workover challenges; special killing drilling mud needed

Dehydration/desalting coupled with a stripping unit for processing of crude oil

Leakage to the surface of some combustion gases/air

Operational Aspects Burning out of some

producers

Hot well workover challenges; special killing drilling mud needed

Dehydration/desalting coupled with a stripping unit for processing of crude oil

Leakage to the surface of some combustion gases/air