1

P27 PECULIARITY OF RESERVES PRODUCTION

AND OIL RECOVERY OF OIL AND GAS FIELDS
N.A.CHEREMISIN, P.A.EFIMOV, A.A.KLIMOV, R.A. BULATOV
Surgut Scientific & Research Institute SurgutNIPIneft, Tyumen Branch, Rose Luxemburg St., 12, Tyumen, Russia,
625003

Abstract
This article considers some questions concerned with oil production efficiency (by the example one of the West
Siberia oil and gas field) and demonstrated waterflooding optimization in combination with forced production
at saving of structure and increasing of bed stimulation (including side-tracking) is an effective tool of
IOR of tangled-build fields and promotes to rise oil recovery factor 6-10 abs. % higher.

Introduction
High linear dimensions and tangled geological structure characterized most oil and gas fields of
OJSC Surgutneftegas. For example, linear dimensions of Lyantorskoye field are 2772 km. Its
oil deposits are belonging to alluvial sediments AS9-11 gotheriv-barems age of West Siberian oil
and gas province. That has contact with bottom water for all fields area and about 80% of fields
area are under gas cap. Its reservoir thickness is near 100 m, thickness of effective oil-bearing
formation does not exceed 10 m.
It is obvious gas and water breakthrough, behind-the-casing flow and others difficulties make the
field use too complicate. Therefore, the relatively low oil displacement efficiency (from 0.22 to
0.24) is planed for these fields. However, the experience of these fields use shows their potential
is greatly higher in spite of the complicative factors.
Experimental, theoretical and field investigations demonstrate necessity with achievement
maximal oil displacing velocity from oil-bearing part of reservoir to reach highest possible oil
displacement efficiency. All variety of the factors determining the oil recovery efficiency can be
combined into two types: reserves depletion rate and an elongation of terms without break-
through of injected water, formation water and gas. The importance of every factor influence on
the oil recovery efficiency is determining by the structure of the oil pools, the state of their de-
velopment, the oil and reservoir properties. Such conclusion is based on detailed research of wa-
ter-oil displacement and nature of most factors influencing on the process.

The pressure gradient influence.

Theoretical and experimental investigations ascertained conformance factor, residual oil satura-
tion and reservoir's permeability to phase for oil, waters and gas are determined not only petro-
leum and reservoir properties, but also pressure gradient. The existence of connection with main
parameters determining on oil recovery efficiency and pressure gradient unambiguously explains
dependence of displacement efficiency on the density of the well grid and well specific yield. In
addition, it explains the fact of oil content in well production may be remaining for the long time
or rose a little by liquid withdrawal increase.
As an example, let us consider the influence of average pressure gradient to conformance factor
under water-oil displacement. The paper [2], using dynamic properties of reservoir's permeability

13th European Symposium on Improved Oil Recovery Budapest, Hungary, 25 - 27 April 2005
 2

to phase for oil, shows the oil displacement is possible under rising of average pressure gradient
over certain value.
p 2 d
> (1)
x 0 1 2 k
[S
]
where: 1 = 0.81 ln (1 S oi ) k ; 2 = oi ; 0 = 8.64 10 10 ;
4

m
2
k absolute permeability, m ;
Soi, m initial oil saturation and porosity correspondingly;
, coefficients depending from reservoir peculiarities;
d displacing agent viscosity, Pa*s;
p pressure differential, MPa, x - typical size, m.

1.0
For example, for reservoir has following
properties: permeability is 5 mD, initial oil
Relative permeability to phase for oil

0.8 saturation is 0.5, porosity is 0.18, this gradi-

4 mD
ent value is 0.05 MPa/m. Consequently, the
problem is what permeability ratio is neces-
0.6
18 mD
sary to make the low-permeable layer for
layered heterogeneous reservoirs productive
0.4 in the classic definition is incorrect, as pri-
marily this ratio is determined by pressure
42 mD
difference between production and injection
0.2
or in other words by reservoir engineering.
The nature of this dependence concerned with
0.0 existence of limit displacement gradient for
0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10 oil-water-porous media system, independ-
Pressure gradient, MPa/m
Fig. 1. Relative permeability to phase for oil at re- ently of non-Newtonian properties of some
sidual water in dependence of absolute permeabil- oil types. For example, Fig. 1 shows depend-
ity. ences of relative permeability to phase for oil
at residual water. These dependences were
calculated by using conceptions describing in [1, 2], and well conformed to experimental data.
Thus, in West Siberia, practically all hydrocarbon-bearing deposits have to develop by water-
flooding under highest possible pressure drawdown and injected water regulation, as only this
way is able to secure necessary displacing rate and energy balance in the whole of reservoir vol-
ume. At the same time to prevent irreversible oil loss, it is important to secure the reservoir en-
ergy balance not only as whole but also single parts. Therefore, it is necessary not only regulat-
ing of displacement front but also leveling of pressure in well influence zones of gas, oil and
water saturated reservoir parts.
At present, the solution of this problem and monitoring of oil production process (continuous
analysis of production for the purpose of its optimization) needs application of physically- pur-
poseful geologic-technological models of producing objects. For these models construction, it is
necessary to investigate not only the reservoir characteristics and spatial connection but also fil-
tration and spatial characteristics of clay bodies. At that, the sharp prediction of geological con-
ditions into crosswell space needs somewhat different approaches then traditional detailed cross-
section correlation especially for alluvial origin sediments. Besides, it is important to know filtra-
tion properties of non-collectors and clays.
 3

100 Traditionally they mean that clay layer

10 mkm
-5 thickness of 4 m secures well enough
2

80 shielding of oil reservoirs from water-

saturated layers. However, in many cases
Watering, %

as rule it does not taking into account that

60
this bound is determining by not only clay
thickness but also their permeability. The
40 -6 2 permeability of marine origin clays is
10 mkm
10-8-10-6 mkm2 and the permeability of
20 alluvial is 10-6-10-5 mkm2. Even so small
-7 2 permeability is nevertheless not granting
10 mkm
0
the shielding of oil reservoirs. For exam-
ple, fig. 2 shows the character of well
0 40 80 120
production watering depending on inter-
Time of production, month
Fig. 2. The character of well production watering de-
layer permeability between oil and water
pending on interlayer permeability between oil and saturated layers. The well is located in the
water saturated layers. middle of the deposit of 1500x1500x20 m
linear dimensions. The deposit consists of
two layers (The bottom layer is water saturated). The top layer is oil-saturated and oil saturation
is 0.7. The both layers have permeability of 0.1 mkm2 and porosity 0.25) isolated from each
other by clay interlayer of 4 m thickness.
Based on foregoing conceptions this article considers problems concerned with oil production
efficiency by the example of Lyantorskoe field.

Peculiarity of digital model of AS9-11 layers.

The model is based on detailed investigations of basic physics of improved development effi-
ciency of granulated collectors and marine and alluvial measures of AS9-11 layers. Authors of the
digital model did these investigations in 1997 2001 [2, 3, 4]. The program system Project of
field development design (certificate 2002610812 of Rospatent, 27 may 2002) is realizing
such approach.
One of main peculiarities of the developed approach is the geological structure to be the basis of
the model, and hydrodynamic characteristics are the functions of geological structure. Therefore,
the changes of geological characteristics change automatically the hydrodynamic characteristics
of the model during the model adjustment. Independent changes of the hydrodynamic character-
istics are possible within the limits of inaccuracy of measurements only. The application of stan-
dard model adaptation methods (history matching and so on) is impossible under this approach.
The stages of model construction are corresponding to generally accepted order.
The present version of the digital model contains 56.9 millions cells inside one cube. The model
dimensions are 350x650x250 cells equals 3600072000100 m. The digital model is based on
3D adsorption-diffusion potential data arrays, vertical and horizontal permeability (including
non-collectors and clays permeability), oil and gas saturations, porosity and permeability disper-
sion (that is considerable difference from generally accepted way). It means even 0.4 m layer
minimal size has own dispersion. That allows taking into account double porosity, micro cracks
and so on. For example, fig. 3 shows geological cross-section build by the digital model.

13th European Symposium on Improved Oil Recovery Budapest, Hungary, 25 - 27 April 2005
 4

- gas >60%
- gas from 30% to 60%
- water saturated collector
Legend: - non collector
4207 well numbers - oil from 30% to 60%
- oil >60%
perforation intervals

Fig. 3. Geological cross-section (oil and gas saturation distribution) of 4419-1128 wells.

The hydrodynamic model is based on generally accepted heat-mass exchange equations in com-
bination with Darcys low, equations of phase state, phase equilibrium equation, boundary condi-
tions and so on. Main distinction is capillary forces are conservative (resistance forces) and not
motive force of phase redistribution. The hydrodynamic model uses layers microstructure (that is
permeability dispersion even 0.4 m layer). The reservoir permeability to phase is function of
filtration reservoir properties, physicochemical reservoir properties, saturated liquids properties
and pressure gradient. The reservoir permeability is a tensor value. It allows taking into account
the existence of clay micro-layers on micro and macro level. Those micro-layers let leak hydro-
carbon fluids in one direction and do not in another. The residual oil saturation is function of
filtration reservoir properties, physicochemical reservoir properties and pressure gradient also.
The model can take into account irreversible collectors deformation, filtering of water in non-
reservoirs and clays, physical-chemical phase transformation, their components and mass ex-
change of chemical components between phases including porous media surface [3].
All parameters using for calculating of residual oil and gas saturations, phase permeability and
reservoir compressibility are finding by core analysis. These parameters do not need any adjust-
ment during the model adaptation. Using most detailed physics of oil displacement and non tra-
ditional history matching methods allows to change count rate, calculated and field data match-
ing and prediction precision for long-time. Fig. 4 shows comparison of the real year production
with the calculated production at current adaptation stage.

Model adaptation quality.

Because of all hydrodynamic parameters are hardly concerned each other, the process of model
adaptation consist in following. The perforation intervals (hard mistakes) of 80 wells was cor-
rected and 945 behind-the-casing flow wells were found for all history period (1978-2001 adap-
tation interval). Now the adaptation process continues within the framework of more precise
definitions and detailed elaboration of the geological model. The model adaptation quality was
 5

controlled by results of
2.0 reproduction of sidetrack
1.8 wells production history.
1.6 For calculation, we used
% of total reserves

1.4 149 wells drilled in 2000-

1.2 2003. Inasmuch as the da-
1.0 tabase has not reliable bot-
0.8 tom-hole pressure data, we
0.6 used some parameters:
0.4 fluid well production, pro-
0.2 duction time and well de-
0.0 sign (perforation intervals,
1980 1985 1975 1990 1995 2000 2005 well geometry and so on).
Year
Analysis of calculation
results of 149 sidetrack
Current oil production (real)
wells and comparison it
Oil production (calculation by "Project" program sy stem) including IOR
methods inf luence
with field data has shown
well co-ordination between
Fig. 4. Comparison of the real year production with the calculated pro- calculated and field data.
duction at current adaptation stage. Figures 5-6 shows com-
parison between calculated
and real production watering of sidetrack wells, confrontation between calculated and factual
cumulative oil to be produced by sidetracking. It follows from presented data that 70% of well
have good correlation between real and calculated data. The decrease of correlation coefficient
for cumulative oil production concerned with discrepancy of real well production time and its
value from field database.
Fa ctua l oil produc tion, th. tonnes

100
linear regression is 0.98 20

Correlation coefficient is 0.87

Calculated production watering, %

Line a r reg ressio n is 0.98

80 Correla tion co efficient is 0.63
16

60 12

40 8

20 4

0 0
0 4 8 12 16 20
0 20 40 60 80 100
Fa ctua l oil produc tion, th. tonnes
Faclual production watering, %
Fig. 5. Comparison of factual and calculated pro- Fig. 6. Comparison of factual and calculated cumulative
duction watering of sidetracking wells at 1 Oct. oil production of sidetracking wells at 1 Oct. 2003.
2003.

Reserve depletion analysis.

The modeling of possible development variants has shown that the important thing is not only
recovery rate but also reserves pushing out from originally oil-saturated volume cannot be al-
lowed. In spite of the fact of the reserves will come back in future, their and total recovery factor
decrease.
13th European Symposium on Improved Oil Recovery Budapest, Hungary, 25 - 27 April 2005
 6

Therefore, the first of

4.0
all the variants science
1994-2001 (the time
3.0 when IOR methods
used very often) were
2.0 calculated. This was
made to evaluate some
Milllions tonne

1.0
development variant or
0.0 another against
strongly influence of
-1.0 IOR methods. The
goal of these investiga-
-2.0
97% 98% 99% 97% 98% 99% 97% 98% 99% 97% 98% 99% tions is search of opti-
-3.0 Variant 1 Variant 2 Variant 3 Variant 4
mum variant to reduce
production fluid vol-
-4.0 Decrease of oil losses ume with saving of
Increase of oil production annual oil production
volume. The four de-
Fig. 7. Variants comparison of cumulative oil production and their possible velopment variants
loss. were calculated alto-
gether. Every variant
has three sub-variants and was compared with originally development variant. The sub-variants
differ in following: the wells having watering above 97%, 98% and 99% - three variants corre-
spondingly were putted in operation and shut down periodically.
At the first variant the wells were shut down with reach certain watering limit but the injection
was invariable. At the second variant, following the shutting down the injection was decreased
proportionally, but all of injection wells were in operation. Afterwards it turned out to be the
very important as acting injected wells going on to sweep oil to the rest of production wells, and
steady parity of production and injection secured decrease of oil pushing out to water and gas-
saturated reservoir parts. At the third variant the wells was shutting down periodically, but injec-
tion was invariable. At the fourth variant besides the periodically wells were shutting down the
injection was decreased or increased periodically. Fig. 7 shows variants comparison of cumula-
tive oil production and their possible loss. The presented data shows that injection increase lead
to rise of oil production but at the same time to increase of oil loss. At the variants, which the
wells was shut down on the all following development period, naturally the oil production rise is
observed together limit watering increase. The limit watering is the watering at the achievement
of this the production wells shut down. The periodically wells shutting down is not sensitive to
this limit and errors of watering measurement that always are inescapable.
The results analysis has shown the second variant is the best of all effects (oil production secure,
decrease water production and increase of leakages) with shut down level of 99% as early shut-
ting down lead to oil losses.
Later we calculated the tree variants of development until 2035 at the secure of the structure and
rising of bed stimulation amount (including side-tracking). The variants differ in increment rate of
average well output and its level which will be achieved in 2035. At all of the variants the produc-
tion wells shutting down at 99% watering. The injection decreased in proportion to liquid output
changes, but all of injected wells was in operation. In 2035, at the first variant the average liquid
output of operating wells will be 124 ton/day, at the second - 149 ton/day, the third 164 ton/day.
Figure 8 shows the dynamic of oil production for development variants.
The reserve depletion analysis on geological-technical model allowed finding the most important
and general for hole of the reservoir following regularities:
 7

fluid withdrawal intensification increases oil recovery;

the shutting down of
1.80 production wells having
1.60 Fact watering more then
Variant 1
1.40 Variant 2 98% do not leads to oil
Variant 3 loss, at the same time
% of total reserves

1.20 the total fluid produc-

1.00 tion decreases;
the shutting down of
0.80
production wells under
0.60 staying all the injection
0.40 wells in operation pro-
motes oil banks initia-
0.20 Years tion and production sta-
0.00 bilization for the certain
1965 1985 2005 2025 2045 period, at that the exist-
Fig. 8. The dynamic of oil production for development variants. ing balance between
production and injection
must be secure within the limits of 120-130%;
the leaks of oil into gas cap stabilized, now the balance between outflow and inflow is
reached, fig. 9;
the oil sweep out into water-saturated part of the reservoir are continuing with the same rate,
fig. 9;
the production forecast up to 2035 have shown at the secure of the structure and rising of bed
stimulation amount, the current oil sweep efficiency from originally oil saturated volume for
no-sidetrack drilling de-
18.0
velopment variants will be
16.0
about 0.42, with sidetrack
% of total reserves

14.0 drilling will be 0.456, at

12.0 that the sizeable part of oil
10.0 will be swept out of this
8.0 volume. The final oil re-
6.0
covery efficiency will be
0.315 and 0.35 corre-
4.0
spondingly;
2.0
now average watering of
0.0 well output even onto
1970 1990 2010 2030 weakly depleted reservoir
To water (calculated by history ) To gas (calculated by history )
Total (calculated by history ) To water (f orecast) Years zones is 82% (fig. 10), av-
To gas (f orecast) Total (f orecast) erage depletion of origi-
Fig. 9. The oil swept out into water and gas-saturated part of the nally oil saturated reser-
reservoir. voir volume is 29.3%,
fig. 11.

Conclusions.
Thus, the development experience, theoretical and experimental researches show the West Sibe-
ria fields (including tangled-build fields) must be developing under highest possible pressure
drawdown and injected water regulation. At that for tangled-build fields the waterflooding opti-
mization with forced production at the secure of the structure and rising of bed stimulation amount
13th European Symposium on Improved Oil Recovery Budapest, Hungary, 25 - 27 April 2005
 8

(including sidetracking, injection of regulating of displacement front compositions) to be an ef-

fective tool of improved oil recovery and promotes to rise oil recovery factor 6-10 abs. % higher.

96 40
Average watering (well data), %

Occurrence probability, %
92 30

88 20

84 10

80 0
0 20 40 60 80 0 20 40 60
Reserve depletion, % Reserve depletion, %
Fig. 10. Average watering of wells production de- Fig. 11. Distribution of current reserve depletion
pending on reserve depletion. from originally oil saturated reserves.

References.
[1]. N.A. Cheremisin, V.P. Sonich, Yu.E. Baturin, N.Ya. Medvedev. Optimization of
waterflood oil pools development by the methods of improved oil recovery. 12th European
Symposium on Improved Oil Recovery Kazan, Russia, 8 - 10 September 2003
[2]. N.A. Cheremisin, V.P. Sonich, Yu.E. Baturin, N.Ya. Medvedev: Basic physics of
increasing the efficiency of developing granulated reservoirs, Oil Industry, (aug. 2002), p. 38-
42.
[3]. N.A. Cheremisin, P.A. Efimov, A.A. Klimov. Prediction of polymer flooding opti-
mal parameters. 12th European Symposium on Improved Oil Recovery Kazan, Russia, 8 - 10
September 2003
[4]. S.V. Arkhipov, N.A. Cheremisin, A.A. Klimov. Influence of the nature of sangopai
suite clays distribution on field development. Oil Industry, (jun. 2003), p. 56-60.