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Petroleum Engineering Commons™

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2002

Articles 1 - 18 of 18

Full-Text Articles in Petroleum Engineering

Low Salinity Flooding In A Selected Carbonate Reservoir: Experimental Approach, Mohamed Yehia Mohamed Mahmoud Jun 2002

Low Salinity Flooding In A Selected Carbonate Reservoir: Experimental Approach, Mohamed Yehia Mohamed Mahmoud

Theses

Low-salinity water flooding LoSalTM has been used to improve oil recovery for many decades. Historically, the mechanisms behind this improvement in oil recovery were attributed to the pressure maintenance and displacement of oil by injected water, i.e. physical mechanism. Recently, evidence from laboratory and field tests indicated that water flooding also involves chemical processes and that modifying of the injection brine salinity and its ionic composition can significantly impact the oil recovery. Several theories regarding the mechanism of LoSalTM flooding have been discussed in the literature. These include interfacial tension reduction, wettability alteration (cation exchange), change in pH …

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Remediation Of Trapped Free-Phase Lnapl, T. M. Whitworth, Andrew Curtis Elmore Jan 2002

Remediation Of Trapped Free-Phase Lnapl, T. M. Whitworth, Andrew Curtis Elmore

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Free-phase light nonaqueous phase liquids (LNAPLs) may be trapped in certain stratigraphic and structural features near or at contaminated sites due to seasonal or other variations in the water table elevation. The purpose of this article is to point out particular subsurface conditions that are conducive to trapping of free-phase LNAPLs and to suggest approaches to remediating LNAPL-contaminated sites exhibiting similar subsurface geometry and stratigraphy. To trap free-phase LNAPL, a structure must have, in addition to closed contours, an upper boundary with pores small enough so that the LNAPL will not enter them. This boundary usually consists of clay-rich sediments. …

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Field Analyses Of Rdx And Tce In Groundwater During A Gcw Pilot Study, Andrew Curtis Elmore, Lisa A. Travaglin, Jennifer L. Triplett Jan 2002

Field Analyses Of Rdx And Tce In Groundwater During A Gcw Pilot Study, Andrew Curtis Elmore, Lisa A. Travaglin, Jennifer L. Triplett

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Contaminant concentrations in groundwater are typically analyzed using traditional laboratory analytical procedures approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or state regulatory agencies. The use of off-site laboratories provides very high-quality water quality data at a relatively high cost in terms of time and money. Yet there are many instances when it is desirable to have water quality data measured in the field. The field methods for measuring water quality typically cost much less than the corresponding laboratory methods. However, the usability of the field data may be uncertain when the results are qualitatively compared to duplicate laboratory results. Groundwater …

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Best Available Treatment Technologies Applied To Groundwater Circulation Wells, Andrew Curtis Elmore, Thomas Graff Jan 2002

Best Available Treatment Technologies Applied To Groundwater Circulation Wells, Andrew Curtis Elmore, Thomas Graff

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Groundwater circulation wells (GCWs) are a quasi-in-situ method for remediating groundwater in areas where remediation techniques that limit the water available for municipal, domestic, industrial, or agricultural purposes are inappropriate. The inherently resource-conservative nature of groundwater circulation wells is also philosophically appealing in today's culture, which is supportive of green technologies. Groundwater circulation wells involve the circulation of groundwater through a dual screen well, with treatment occurring between the screens. The wells are specifically designed so that one well screen draws in groundwater and the second returns the groundwater after it has been treated within the well. Historically, the treatment …

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A Unified Theory On Residual Oil Saturation And Irreducible Water Saturation, Nick P. Valenti, R. M. Valenti, Leonard Koederitz Jan 2002

A Unified Theory On Residual Oil Saturation And Irreducible Water Saturation, Nick P. Valenti, R. M. Valenti, Leonard Koederitz

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In many mature fields, there is a growing debate as to how much of the remaining oil is mobile in the unswept regions versus immobile in the swept regions. Log measured oil saturations behind the flood front are substantially lower than the residual oil saturations measured from special core analysis. In order to explain this contradiction, data from several fields is analyzed with special emphasis on capillary pressure. The concept of irreducible water saturation, connate water saturation, residual oil saturation and "critical water saturation" are discussed. The conclusions which are supported by experiment and theory, have substantial commercial implications concerning …

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Analytical Model To Control Off - Bottom Blowouts Utilizing The Concept Of Simultaneous Dynamic Seal And Bullheading, Victor Gerardo Vallejo-Arrieta Jan 2002

Analytical Model To Control Off - Bottom Blowouts Utilizing The Concept Of Simultaneous Dynamic Seal And Bullheading, Victor Gerardo Vallejo-Arrieta

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The current methods for off - bottom control of blowouts involve pumping kill fluid into the well through an injection string. These are the dynamic kill and the momentum kill. The dynamic kill, which is based on the steady state system analysis approach, and the momentum kill, that is loosely based on the Newton's Second Law of Motion, have been used extensively in off-bottom control of actual blowouts. A comprehensive study of these two concepts was performed. The review included an analytical analysis of the published design techniques for both of these methods. The application of these techniques to several …

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Numerical Study Of Water Coning Control With Downhole Water Sink (Dws) Completions In Vertical And Horizontal Wells, Solomon Ovueferaye Inikori Jan 2002

Numerical Study Of Water Coning Control With Downhole Water Sink (Dws) Completions In Vertical And Horizontal Wells, Solomon Ovueferaye Inikori

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Approximately 2.5 billion dollars is spent annually to solve the problem of produced water in oil and gas wells. Downhole Water Sink (DWS) technology is one industry solution to control water coning in oil wells. DWS technology involves the segregated production of oil and water through separate completions with zonal isolation packer. However, several problems have been experienced in the application of the technology in watered-out oil wells. This study identified two factors that could aid in a better modeling of the technology in old vertical wells – inclusion of capillary transition pressures and relative permeability hysteresis. It also identified …

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Analysis Of Diagnostic Testing Of Sustained Casing Pressure In Wells, Rong Xu Jan 2002

Analysis Of Diagnostic Testing Of Sustained Casing Pressure In Wells, Rong Xu

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Over 8,000 wells in the Gulf of Mexico exhibit sustained casing pressure (SCP). SCP is defined as “any measurable casing pressure that rebuilds after being bled down, attributable to cause(s) other than artificially applied pressures or temperature fluctuations in the well”. The Minerals Management Service (MMS) regulations consider SCP hazardous and, in principle, require its elimination. In some cases the agency may allow continuing production at a well with SCP by granting a temporary “departure” permit. The departure permits are based on diagnostic tests involving pressure bleed-down through a 0.5-inch needle valve followed by closing the valve and recording pressure …

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Numerical Reservoir Characterization Using Dimensionless Scale Numbers With Application In Upscaling, Djuro Novakovic Jan 2002

Numerical Reservoir Characterization Using Dimensionless Scale Numbers With Application In Upscaling, Djuro Novakovic

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Dimensionless space provides a tool for analyzing the behavior of complex systems described by mathematical relationships. The limited application of dimensionless variables in numerical reservoir simulation and experimental design motivated the development of a complete set of dimensionless scaling groups. Inspectional analysis yielded 8 dimensionless groups completely describing the flow system. Further analysis of fluid interaction reduced the number of dimensionless groups to 7. The newly developed dimensionless equations and groups were used for analytical and numerical reservoir characterization, quantifying the behavior of differential and difference equations employed in fluid flow in three-dimensional porous media. The behavior of the dimensionless …

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Incorporation Of Cerium And Neodymium In A Uranyl Hydroxide Solid, Chang-Soo Kim, David J. Wronkiewicz, R. J. Finch, E. C. Buck Jan 2002

Incorporation Of Cerium And Neodymium In A Uranyl Hydroxide Solid, Chang-Soo Kim, David J. Wronkiewicz, R. J. Finch, E. C. Buck

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The migration behavior of radionuclides in a nuclear-waste repository will be influenced, in part, by their equilibrium solubilities in the presence of radionuclide-bearing solids and/or adsorption affinities as trace components onto the surfaces of solid host phases. Uranium phases that precipitate on the surface of altered spent nuclear fuel may thus influence the mobility of radionuclides released in the near-field environment, since by proximity, these will be the first phases that the radionuclides encounter following their release from the spent fuel matrix. We have evaluated the potential for incorporating radionuclides into crystalline compounds by precipitating uranyl phases from aqueous solutions …

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Geostatistical Shale Models For A Deltaic Reservoir Analog: From 3d Gpr Data To 3d Flow Modeling, Hongmei Li Jan 2002

Geostatistical Shale Models For A Deltaic Reservoir Analog: From 3d Gpr Data To 3d Flow Modeling, Hongmei Li

LSU Master's Theses

The effects of shales on fluid flow in marine-influenced lower delta-plain distributary channel deposits are investigated using a three-dimensional ground-penetrating radar (GPR) data volume from the Cretaceous-age Ferron sandstone at Corbula Gulch in central Utah, USA. Using interpreted GPR data, we formulate a geostatistical model of the dimensions, orientations, and geometries of the internal structure from the subaerial exposure surface down to about 12 m depth. The correlation function between GPR instantaneous amplitude and shale index is built after statistical calibration of the GPR attributes (amplitude) with well data (gamma ray logs). Shale statistics are computed from this correlation function. …

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Kekf R1 Reservoir - West Delta Block 84, Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana - An Analysis And Confirmation Of Bypassed Primary And Secondary Reserves, William Clay Kimbrell Jan 2002

Kekf R1 Reservoir - West Delta Block 84, Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana - An Analysis And Confirmation Of Bypassed Primary And Secondary Reserves, William Clay Kimbrell

LSU Master's Theses

West Delta Block 84 Field is located off the coast of Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana. The intent of this endeavor is to prove that the two of the reservoirs, the KE-1 and KF-1, form a single communicating reservoir, the KEKF-R1; that a waterflood into the KF-1 reservoir was ineffective; that oil reserves were bypassed; and that a portion of these bypassed oil reserves can be recovered without drilling new wells. Comparisons between pre-seismic and post-seismic geological interpretations were studied, a thorough volumetric analysis was performed with a subsequent material balance calculations and a reservoir computer simulation was performed. Once a history …

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Evaluation Of The Hydrocarbon Potential In Low-Salinity Shaly Sand, Fnu Kurniawan Jan 2002

Evaluation Of The Hydrocarbon Potential In Low-Salinity Shaly Sand, Fnu Kurniawan

LSU Master's Theses

This research utilizes reservoir data from an oilfield in Indonesia, which is characterized by shaly sand and low salinity formation water. Both low salinity and shaliness reduce the resistivity contrast between oil and water. The aim of this research was to build a comprehensive interpretation algorithm to evaluate the shaly-sand reservoir in a low salinity formation water using limited well log data. Shaly-sand interpretation is still evolving with numerous researchers conducting investigations of the clay minerals effect on rock conductivity through theoretical and experimental approach. These investigations can be loosely divided into either Fractional Shale Volume models or the Cation …

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Water-Drive Gas Reservoir: Sensitivity Analysis And Simplified Prediction, Junpeng Yue Jan 2002

Water-Drive Gas Reservoir: Sensitivity Analysis And Simplified Prediction, Junpeng Yue

LSU Master's Theses

Water influx and well completions affect recovery from water-drive gas reservoir. Material balance, aquifer models and well inflow equations are used to examine and predict the pressure depletion, water influx, and production rates of water-drive gas reservoirs. The parameters of these simple, lumped models are estimated from simulation results using response surfaces and experimental designs for eight varying geologic and engineering factors. Eleven simulated responses (including maximum gas rate, aquifer and well constants, and water breakthrough) are analyzed using ANOVA and response models. A sensitivity analysis of aquifer productivity index, gas production factor, and sweep efficiency reveals that permeability is …

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The Effects Of Rock And Fluids Characteristics On Reservoir Wettability, Chandra S. Vijapurapu Jan 2002

The Effects Of Rock And Fluids Characteristics On Reservoir Wettability, Chandra S. Vijapurapu

LSU Master's Theses

Wettability is the ability of a fluid to spread or adhere on a rock surface in the presence of other immiscible fluids. Knowledge of wettability is important to decide what production strategy needs to be employed for optimum oil recovery. Wettability is affected by rock mineralogy, rock surface roughness, and brine compositions. Previous studies have dealt with solid-liquid-vapor systems and those involving wettability characterization in solid-liquid-liquid systems have used contact angle techniques known to have reproducibility problems. In this study, a new technique called the Dual-Drop-Dual-Crystal (DDDC) Technique has been used to characterize wettability in terms of dynamic contact angles. …

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Surfactant-Induced Relative Permeability Modifications For Oil Recovery Enhancement, Subhash C. Ayirala Jan 2002

Surfactant-Induced Relative Permeability Modifications For Oil Recovery Enhancement, Subhash C. Ayirala

LSU Master's Theses

Surfactants have been considered for enhanced oil recovery by reduced oil-water interfacial tension. However, these surfactants may enhance oil recovery via wettability alteration as well. This study experimentally determines the influence of surfactant type and concentration on oil recovery, oil-water relative permeabilities and wettability in reservoir rocks. Several coreflood experiments were conducted using Yates reservoir fluids in Berea rocks and two types of surfactants (nonionic and anionic) in varying concentrations. A coreflood simulator was used to calculate oil-water relative permeabilities by history matching recovery and pressure drop measured during the corefloods. These relative permeability variations were interpreted using Craig's rules-of-thumb …

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Experimental Evaluation Of Control Fluid Fallback During Off-Bottom Well Control In Vertical And Deviated Wells, Fernando Sebastian Flores-Avila Jan 2002

Experimental Evaluation Of Control Fluid Fallback During Off-Bottom Well Control In Vertical And Deviated Wells, Fernando Sebastian Flores-Avila

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study measured the liquid fallback during simulated blowout conditions. The purpose of the study was to establish a basis for developing a procedure for controlling blowouts that relies on the accumulation of liquid kill fluid injected while the well continues to flow. The results from experiments performed with air, water, 10.5 ppg and 12.0 ppg mud in an experimental 48 ft flow loop at 0°, 20°, 40°, 60° and 75° deviation angles from the vertical, as well as results from full-scale experiments performed with natural gas and water based drilling fluid in a vertical 2787-foot deep research well, are …

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Log-Derived Cation Exchange Capacity Of Shaly Sands : Application To Hydrocarbon Detection And Drilling Optimization, Gamze Ipek Jan 2002

Log-Derived Cation Exchange Capacity Of Shaly Sands : Application To Hydrocarbon Detection And Drilling Optimization, Gamze Ipek

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Researchers at Louisiana State University, LSU, have introduced several petrophysical models expressing the electric properties of shaly sands. These models, to be used for hydrocarbon detection, are based on the Waxman and Smits concept of supplementing the water conductivity with a clay counterions conductivity. The LSU models also utilize the Dual Water theory, which relates each conductivity term to a particular type of water, free and bound, each occupying a specific volume of the total pore space. The main difference between these models and the other shaly sand models is that the counterion conductivity is represented by a hypothetical sodium …

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