"ASSESSING, AND COMPENSATING FOR, THE IMPACT OF

THE LEDUC D-3A GAS CAP BLOWDOWN ON THE OTHER

GOLDEN TREND POOLS"

G.L. BARFOOT S.C.M. KO

this article begins on the next page F

JCPT87-04-01 RESERVOIR ENGINEERING Assessing, and compensating for, the impact of the Leduc D-3A gas cap blowdown on the other Golden Trend pools G.L. BARFOOT Esso Resources Canada Limited and S.C.M. KO Ultramar Oil and Gas Canada Limited ABSTRACT An aquifer model study investigated the effect of the Leduc- Woodbend D-3A Pool gas cap blowdown on nine other com- municating pools situated on the common Cooking Lake Aquifer. A three-dimensional three-phase black oil model was constructed to represent the ten pools along the trend and the Cooking Lake carbonate platform on which they rest. An
ex- cellent history match of the pools performance substantiated the investigation of several production alternatives to optimize gas cap blowdown recovery, as well as study the impact of the blowdown on the other communicating pools on the Cooking Lake chain. Several production cases investigated the effect of voidage replacement, water injection site selection and gas cap blow- down rate. The aquifer model also provided the necessary boundary conditions, such as pressure and water influx/efflux histories, for other Leduc simulation models. The primary focus of the paper, then, is on
the operational impact of the blowdown, not on the mechanics of the simulator, or the simulation process. Introduction The ten, prolific Leduc-aged Pools that stretch for 145 km from St. Albert to Homeglen-Rimbey have come to be known as the "Golden Trend" (Fig. 1). Known too, is that these ten pools, as well as other distant D-3 reefs, receive pressure sup- port from the vast Cooking Lake Aquifer. Being concerned about the impact the proposed Leduc-Woodbend D-3A Pool gas cap blowdown could have on the nine neighbouring Pools, Esso Resources Canada Limited retained INTERCOMP to conduct an
aquifer model study of the local system. The objectives of the study were to: develop a reliable, predictive tool for the Golden Trend by obtaining a pressure match for the period 1947 to 1981 for the Keywords: Golden Trend, Leduc D-3A blowdown, Rimbey- Meadowbrook trend, Cooking Lake aquifer, Mathematical aquifers. Leduc-age bioherms, Simulation. ten major pools (St. Albert D-3B, Big Lake D-3A, Acheson D-3A, Leduc D-3A, Glen Park D-3A, Wizard Lake D-3A, Bonnie Glen D-3A, Westerose D-3, Westerose South D-3A and Homeglen-Rimbey D-3. See Fig. 2); and , predict the pressures of these
ten pools to the end of their forecasted productive lives during: - a gas cap blowdown at Leduc; and - selective water injection, designed to isolate pressure in- fluences in other major pools along the aquifer during a Leduc blowdown. in recognizing: , the great quantity of remaining reserves in the ten pools; and o the potential to increase the reserves in some of these pools by miscible flooding; the authors wish to make their efforts known to the industry. The approach of the writers is to summarize the work with the expectation that, if needed, the reader will reference Applica- tion
830340(i) to obtain the details desired. Setting up the Simulator The model used in this study was Intercomp's Beta 11(2) black oil reservoir simulator. Consistent with a three-phase, three- dimensional, cartesian application of the simulator, the following data were prepared. Aquifer Description Area The area of the Cooking Lake Aquifer included in this study extends southwesterly from Edmonton for a distance of over 136 km (Fig. 1). The width of the study area varies from 7.9 to 13.1 kin, following the lateral extent of the Cooking Lake platform. Grid System Four layers represent the
bioherms and the Cooking Lake plat- form. The bottom, or fourth layer, represents the underlying aquifer. The other three layers represent the reef structures. The physical separations between the pools are modelled by void blocks in the top three layers. Paper reviewed and accepted for publication by the Editorial Board of the Journal of Canadian Petroleum Technology. 28 The Journal of Canadian Petroleum Technology

RESERVOIR ENGINEERING
Assessing, and compensating for ~ the impact of
the Leduc D-3A gas cap blowdown
on tine other Golden Trend pools
G.L. BARFOOT
Esso Resources Canada Limited
and
S.C.M. KO
Ultramar Oil and Gas Canada Limited
ABSTRACT
An aquifer model study investigated the effect oj the Leduc-
Woodbend D-3A Pool gas cap blowdown on nine other com-
municating pools situated on the common Cooking Lake
Aquifer. A three-dimensional, three-phase black oil model was
constructed to represent the ten pools along the trend and the
Cooking Lake carbonate platform on which they rest. An ex-
cellent history match of the pools' performance substantiated
the investigation oj several production alternatives /0 optimize
gas cap blowdown recovery, as welt as study the impact oj the
blowdown on the other communicating pools on the Cooking
Lake chain.
Several production cases investigated the effect of voidage
replacement, water injection site selection and gas cap blou.'-
down rate. The aquifer model also prOVided the necessary
boundary conditions, such as pressure and water influx/efflux
histories, for other Leduc simulation models. The primary
focus of the paper, then, is on the operational impact of the
blowdown, not on the mechanics 0/ the simulator, or the
simulation process.
Introduction
The ten, prolific Leduc-aged Pools that stretch for 145 km
from St. Alben to Homeglen-Rimbey have come to be known
as the "Golden Trend" (Fig. I). Known too. is that these ten
pools, as weU as other distant 0-3 reefs, receive pressure sup-
port from the vast Cooking Lake Aquifer. Being concerned
about the impac[ the proposed Leduc-Woodbend D-3A Pool
gas cap blowdown could have on the nine neighbouring pools.
Esso Resources Canada Limited retained INTERCOMP to
conduct an aquifer model study of the local system.
The objectives of the study were to:
• develop a reliable, predictive tool for the Golden Trend by
obtaining a pressure match for the period 1947 to 1981 for the
Keywords; Golden Trend. Leduc O-JA blowdown, Rimbey-
Meadowbrook trend, Cooking Lake aquifer. Mathematical aquifers.
Leduc-age bioherms, Simulation.
Paper reviewed and accepted for publication by the Editorial Board of the Journal of Canadian Petroleum
28
..J c P II? 7- 0 tf - 0 /
ten major pools (St. Alben D-3B, Big Lake D-3A. Acheson
D-3A. Leduc D·3A. Glen Park D-3A, Wizard Lake D-3A,
Bonnie Glen D-3A, \Vesterose D-3, Westerose South D-3A
and Homeglen-Rimbey D-3_ See Fig. 2); and
• predict the pressures of [hese ten pools to the end of their
forecasted productive lives during:
- a gas cap blowdown at Leduc; and
- selective water injection, designed to isolate pressure in-
fluences in other major pools along the aquifer during a Leduc
bIowdown.
In recognizing:
• the great quantity of remaining reserves in the Len pools; and
• the po[ential to increase the reserves in some 0 r these pools
by miscible flooding;
the authors wish to make their eFfons known [0 the industry.
The approach of the writers is to summarize the work with the
expectation that, if needed, the reader will reference Applica-
tion 830340(1) to obtain the de[ails desired.
Setting up the Simulator
The model used in this study was Imercomp' s Bela W 2) black
oil reservoir simulator. Consistent with a three-phase, Lhree-
dimensional, cartesian application of the simulator, the
following data were prepared.
Aquifer Description
Area
The area of the Cooking Lake Aquifer included in this study
extends southwesterly from Edmonton for a distance of over 136
Ian (Fig. I). The width of the study area varies from 7.9 [a 13.1
lan, foUowing the lateral extent of the Cooking Lake plalfonn.
Grid System
Four layers represent the bioherms and the Cooking Lake plal-
form. The bottom, or fourth layer, represents the underlying
aquifer. The other three layers represent the reef struclures.
The physical separations between the pools are modelled by
void blocks in the [Op three layers.
Tcchnolo~}'.
The Journal of Canadian Petroleum Technology
 The grid system consists of 33 grid blocks in the x-direction,
B blocks in the y-direction, and 4 blocks in the z-direction.
Figure 3 shows the areal grid network superimposed on the
Leduc or Cooking Lake Formation structure map. For each
pool, the top two layers represent the hydrocarbon accumula-
tion. If a gas ~p existed at the time of discovery, the top layer
represents the gas cap. The second layer represents the oil col- r
i
umn_ For pools undersaturated at the time of the discovery,
ii
the top two layers represent the oil leg. The only exception was
the Westerose South Pool which initially had no oil leg. ,.
Therefore, the top two layers were used to represent the gas i
reserves in that pool. For all the pools, the bottom two layers I
beneath the hydrocarbon accumulation represent the water-
bearing portion of the reef, and the Cooking Lake Aquifer
system, respectively_An isometric view of the model is given in
k,·; ."
Figure 4. I. "
Water Properties
The properties of the water in the Aquifer are the average of
thirteen water analyses taken in the study area_ The average FIGURE 1. Location map.
specific gravity of the aquifer water is L 133_ The compres-
sibility of water estimated by the Dodson and Standing cor-
relation is 4-4 x 10-7 kPa- I , for an average aquifer temperature
restricted platform or lagoonal facies to the east- This facies,
consisting of impermeable lime mudstone, established the
~" .
, .
of77'C, and ao average aquifer pressure of 20.7 x 10' kPa. Based ,
on average salt concentration of 158 000 mg/I, the viscosity of
eastern limits of the Cooking Lake Aquifer south of Wizard r'- ~ '.'
the aquifer water was estimated to be about 0-5 pa.s.
Lake. From Wizard Lake north, lime grains tones are prevalent ~:.
to the east of the dolomitized Cooking Lake platform. Here,
Geological Data permeability, not porosity, distinguishes the two areas and
About 1725 wells completely or partially penetrate the Leduc
establishes the eastern Cooking Lake reservoir boundary. For ! ."

or Cooking Lake Formation_ From this well data, structure
maps were prepared using the top of the Leduc or Cooking
Lake and Beaverhill Lake Markers. From these two surfaces, a
total Leduc to Beaverhill Lake carbonate isopach was
prepared (Fig. 5). The data suggest that dolomitization occurs
along the western margin 0 f the Cooking Lake platform in a
10 kID to 13 kID wide belt between Homeglen-Rimbey and
Bonnie Glen. It is also observed in a 15 kID to 25 kID wide belt
between Wizard Lake and SI. Albert.
The Cooking Lake reefal margin between Homegien-Rimbey
and Bonnie Glen is interpreted to have created an area of
example, within the dolomite province, permeabilities of hun-
dreds of millidarcies are common. In contrast, the eastern I
I·
limestone region has only erratic developments of permeability, I
I
usally measuring less than ten miIIidarcies. i.-
I.,
The dolomitized Cooking Lake platform margin is in
moderate to good commun.ication with each of the overlying ,~/.,
Leduc-age bioherm" eKcopt for Golden Spike, and provides
varying degrees of cOIIUnunication between them_ These dif-
ferences in the Cooking Lake segments which separate the
bioherms are supported by variation in carbonate thickness,
permeability and core-and log-derived porosity.

BIG lAKE ST. ALBERT

914.4 LEDUC WOODBEND

GLEN PARK

1219.2

r::;;:] GAS

W',!:{j OIL
1524.0
8 WATER ,"

"
FIGURE 2. CooklDg Lake Aquifer cross sectiOD_

July-August 1987, Montreal 29