Water coning reversal using downhole water sink - theory and experimental study

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-1997

Abstract

Presented in this paper are recent experimental and theoretical advancements in the coning reversal technique using an innovative completion method with downhole water sink (DWS). In this technique, a well is dual-completed in oil and water columns with a packer separating the two completions. Then, an inverse oil cone is created by draining the water from the water sink completion below oil water contact (OWC) while producing a water-free oil from the oil completion. The experiments were performed with a transparent Hele-Shaw physical analog that visualized all stages of water cone development, reversal, and creation of the inverse oil cone. Results presented in this paper show the effects of DWS design parameters on the reverse coning performance. The theoretical part of this study employed mathematical modeling of pressure distribution in Hele-Shaw analog. A combination of this mathematical model with the recently-published Moving Spherical Sink Method (MSSM) allows conversion of the results from the Hele-Shaw analog to the real reservoir conditions. The study shows how productivity of a `watered out' well can be recovered to give significant production of oil. Also, the oil produced from the oil completion was water-free. The results indicate that oil production from wells with DWS completions under condition of coning reversal may have high economic merit and is technically feasible.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

Proceedings - SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition

First Page

425

Last Page

432

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