Effect of Well Abandonments on EOR Potential Jerry P. Brashear, SPE, Khosrow Biglarblgl, SPE, and Allan B, Becker, SPE, |CF Resources Inc., and R. Michi Ray, SPE, U.S. DOE ‘Summary. EOR holds significant potential for producing additonal i from known reservoirs in the U.S. However, the economical application of the tertiary processes required to produce this ol relies on the use of existing well as points of reservoir acoess. Abandonment ofthese wells could substantially reduce the future recovery potential of the huge known remaining ol resource. This paper summarizes the effect of well aban ddonments on recovery potential by various EOR methods for more than 1400 major fields that account for 67% of total known original of in place (OOIP) in the U.S, The study concludes that replacing existing wells (after their abandonment) would signcantly increase costs and reduce U.S, EOR reserves 1496 Introduction Atthe end of 1987, known U.S. reservoirs ‘were estimated to contain $13 billion bbl of OOIP. Of tis resource, 145 billion bbl has already been produced. Another 27 billion bbl remains as proved reserves, ol that can be economically recovered at current oil prices with current technology (Fig. 1). The ‘emaining two-thirds of the known resource, ‘more than 340 billion bbl, cannot be eco rnomically produced with currently available technology. This oli trapped or bypassed by conventional recovery techniques owing to reservoir heterogeneities and unfavorable rock and fuid properties within the reser- voir. The remaining resource falls into wo categories: (1) unrecovered mobile oll that could, if contacted, be recovered through natural reservoir forces or displaced by ‘water and recovered through the use of im- proved primary and secondary recovery techniques, such as advanced waterflooding and infill drilling, and (2) immobile oil that is residual to secondary recovery processes and ean be recovered only by use of tertiary BOR processes, such as thermal recovery, amiscible gas injection, or chemical flood ing. Even with the technological and eco- ‘nomic limitations of current advanced secondary and tertiary methods, their wide- scale implementation could significantly in- crease U.S. proved oil reserves. A 1984 [Natl Petroleum Council (NPC) study esti- ‘mated that up to 14.5 billion bb of oil could be produced through tertiary recovery proc: cesses at a $30/bb1 oil price. This estimate includes nearly 4.0 billion bl of incremental reserves from ongoing thermal flooding 2c- tivikis in California ‘Future EOR projects clearly could boost U.S. production, oF slow its rate of decline, for decades. The viability of these projects, ‘however, is threatened by recent trends in well abandonments. Low oil prices have 2c- ‘celerated the abandonment of stripper wells, and increasingly stringent environmental regulations have increased the costs of reg- ‘latory compliance while imposing poten- ‘ial future Libis. "The NPC estimates of incremental FOR reserves were based on the assumption that all existing wells penetrating candidate reservoirs could be fully utilized in future projects; ony a small number of new wells ‘would be required to adjust the injection- pattern geometry ia EOR floods. On the basis of hese assumptions, most ofthe EOR project investment costs modeled by the [NPC were for the purchase and installation fof required injection/processing facilities and the upgrading and conversion of exist- ing injection and production wels, "This study asesses the effet of wel aban - Provenance ay nga SPE manor, Impact of We aaetanents on Fear Bekened References Recovery Potential, received for review SSSPT" ona Paper ss pce reg eae 2: Revie mmweeptee 2 sta Ra fae Domed A 29 Dae PE SS) oar, US DOE, Sarina FOS Feed atthe 1990 SPE Ama 1. Enhanced Oi Recovery, Natl. Pet, Council, ‘Washington, DC June 1984) 3. "Tertay OF Recrnery Information System,” Technical Conference and Exhibition held US. DOE, Bariesvle, OK (198) in New Orleans, Sept. 23-26, 4, Basi Pevolean Data Book, API, Dali (May 1950) 1042, wr