SPE

SPE6880 WEBSTER FIELB UNITWATERFLOOD FACILITIES

by B.L. Moore,

Jr., M@m~@r SPE-AIMES Exxonco S*AC

@ Copyright 1977, American Institute ot Mining, Metsllurg@,

and Petroleum Engineers. Inc.

This psper wss presentti, al the 52nd Annual Fzll Technical Conference and Exhibition of the Society of Petroleum Engineers of AIME, held In Denver, Colorado, Ott 9.12,1977. The malerial Is subjactto correchon by the autho! Permission to copy Is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words. Writ% 62KI N. Central Expy, Dallss, Texas 752(W

ABSTRACT The WebsterField in HarrisCounty,Texas is one of the largerreservesoperatedby Ewcon Company, beingwaterflooded at rates U.S.A.,and is currently in excessof 50,000barrelsof water per day. PreMminary reservoir studiesindicated a need for water injection to controlthe movementof the oil columnin this Frio sand reservoir and thereby increaeeultimaterecovery. Basedon resultsof more detailedstudies,including reservoir simulation, the fieldwas unitizedand a waterflood system was designedand built duringthe threeyear period 1972-75. The system,which providedfor use of both sourceand produced waters,includedsourcewater wells and relatedfacilities, water clarification facilities, injection pumps,an injection water distribution system,and injection wells. The facilities were automatedthroughutilization of an existingfield-wide ComputerProduction Control Systma. This paper describesthe planningeffortassociatedwith the designof the project,design considerations, operational results,and currentsurveLllanceactivities.This surveillance programincludas water qualityanalysis, corroeioncontrol,and computerized preventive maintenance scheduling for the plant facilities. INTRODUCTION The WebsterField is locatedapproximately 20 miles southeast of downtownHouston,Texas,as indiin 1937 catedin Figure1. The fieldwas discovered by Humble011 & RefiningCompany(nowExxon Company, U.S.A.),and containsa major oil ras :Je, overlain by a large gas cap and underlain by water. Since discovery. development has progressed such that the fieldnow contains144 wells,producingapproximately 60,000barrelsof oil par day. Prior to unitization in 1973, the productive limitsof the fieldencompassed52 individual leases.representing more than 660 mineralroyaltyinterests.The major producing horizonis the Frio send occurring at approximately 6,000 feet. Major faultingin the area reeultein variedproduction driv?mechanisms in variousparte Illustrations at end of paper.

of the field. It was from a requirement to control the movementof the gas-oiland oil-watercontacte in the largestfaultsegmentthat the WebsterWaterfloodProjectwas conceived. This paper describes the basic designof the waterflood system,and a revi- of the first three years of operations,A schematicof the waterflood stationis ehown in Figure2. The systmuconsiste of the following majar piecesof equipment: (1) Four 10,000barrelinletwater sertling tankswith accompanying transferpumps. (2) Seven up-flowrapidsand filters. (3) Four 2,800barrelclean water surge tanks. (4) Three seven stagehorizontal split-case centrifugal pumpseach drivenby a 1,400HP naturalgas fueledinternalcombustion engine. (5) A distribution systemconsisting of more thsn 11 miles of internally and externally coatedinjection lateralsvaryingin size from 2 7/8 OD to 8 5/8 OD connecting about 20 injection welle with the waterfloodplant. Mexiunsmw orking pressureon this systemiS 2160 PSi~. completesystemis closedto excludeoxygen and the entireplantpipingsystemis designedto allow use of both producedsaltwater and water from sourcewellswithout mixing the waters. Peripheral equipmentincludesa completesupplygas system,skim oil recovery, storageand disposalsystems,filter backwashpumps and controlsystem,and a backwash water recoveryand storagesystemconsisting of storagetanksand a naturalgas de-aeration COIUZZI. There were threesignificant features of the WebsterWaterflood Station: (1) The designof the inletwater settlingtanks. (2)Ahigh levelof automation incorporat~into system. the waterflood
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(3) The relatively ehort time period from the completion of the unitization to the initiationof water injection. Theee features will be discussedin detaillat-er in the paper. DESIGNAND CONSTRUCTION Beforediscussing the more uniqueaspectsof this ~aterflood, this paparwill addressseveralcritical designconsiderations thatwere evaluated prior to construction.Severalstudieswere completedin order to acquirenecessary designinformation.Thesa studiec included: 1. Alternatesourcesof injection water. Saltwater bearingsandswithin the surfaceboundariesof the WebsterField.producedwater from the WebsterField,and producedwaters from two fieldsin the generalvicinity wera evaluuted. Capacities and computabilities of thesesourceswere deteznrined, as well as the economics of delivering thesewaters to an injection site at the desiredrates. 2. Sourcewater well productivity testing. Thie study involvedthe recompletion of an abandoned oil well into the prospective water bearingsand and the testingof the well to determine productive characteristics. The well was equipped with gas lift equipment and producedfor an adequatetime to achieve stabilized flow. Shut-inand flowingbottomhole pressuredata were obtainedfor the calculation of a productivity iz.dex.These datawere essentialin the evaluation of the reservoir and ultimatedesignof sourcewater well completions and gathering systems. 3. &oloRic eval=_t~on of the Prospective source water sand. The productive horizonwas geologically mappad co establishareal extent and reservoir volumedata and to verifythat the reservoir couldsustainanticipated withdrawalrates and volumes. 4. Corrosivity testingof potentialsourceand prod;lced waters. The waterswere tested under fialdconditions to evaluatecorrosion tendencies.Oxygancontentsurveyswere taken at varicvspointsin the field to establish base data points. These tests indicated only n.sgligible amountsofoxygen in the fieldproduction facilities and in the sourcewater production stream. 5. Oil-waterseparation tes~. Settlingtime testswere conducted to determinethe required ratentiontime for adequateoil-waterseparationof fieldproducadsaltwater. 6. Injectivity testina. Existingwells completedin the Frio sand were utilizadfor injection teeting. rhese tests involved the injection of producadsaltwaterinto -isting completion intervals. Fressurerate data from thesetestswere used to determineInjection characteristicfor the respective sand stringerefrom which required surfaceinjection pressuree were determined.

From the data obtainedin the above studiesand based on reviewof other Exxonwaterflood plants performance, the basic design for this projectwas developed. Bastedesign featuresincluded: 1. Both producedwater from the WebsterField and sourcewaterwould be used for injection. Economice indicatedthat the sourcewells shouldbe producedby submergible pump. 2. Due to potentialcomparability problems, the entirewaterfloodsystemwould ba resignedto proces~sourcewater and produced water separately. Each tank,vessel,and pumpwould be piped so that they could processeithertype water. This design providedcompleteflexibility in case of changeain water supplies. 3. The entiresystem,from water supplyto injection well, would be closedso that oxygenintrusioncouldbe held to a minimum. 4. Primaryremovalof entrained oil and heavier suspended eolidswould be accomplished by designing the inlet settlingtanks for a 12 hour retentiontime. 5. Remaining euspendedsolidswould be removed to acceptable limitsby filtration.The size and amountof euspendedsolidsto be removed indicated that up-flowtype filterswith throughput rates of approximately 4 gallons per minuteper square foot of cross-sectional area would operatesatisfactorily. 6. Centrifugal units would be used. A compariso of primemoversindicatedthat naturalgas fueledinternalcombustion engineswcdd be more economicthan using electric power. 7. Pipingin the waterflood plantwould be sized to limit fluidvelocities to less than 6 feet per secondsince velocities in excessof 10 feet per secondhad been found to accelerate internal corrosionin bare steelpiping. Aa additional safeguard, all tanksand filter vesselswould be internally coatedto prevent corrosion. 8. In order to take advantageof the talents and sktllsof existingoperating personnel the facility would use oilfield-type instrumentation and procedures insteadof planttype instrumentation. Some unusualfeatures were incorporated into the stationdesign. Figure3 shows a schematic of the inletwater settlingtanke. As discussed earlier, thesetankswere designedfor 12 hours retention time In additionto normalinlet,outletand drain connections,each tank is internally equipped with a conica bottomsand trap, 8 feet in diameterand 19 feet high These eand trapeare piped so thatheaviersuspended solidswill fell out of the water streamwithin theee devices and can be periodically dumpedto the plant emergency pit. A unique featurewas incorporated in each of these tanksto insureuniformmovementof water throughthe tanks. Aa shownon the left side of Figure3, each tank containsa discharge piping eystemdesignedto eliminatethe channeling of proces

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PE 688U

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water from the tank inlet to the point of dlecharge. The discharge systemis simplistic in nature,ccnsistingof 12 inch pipe tied to the tank outletand laid on the bottomof the tank. This pipe then takee a suctionfrom 16 different points. This diecharge systemenablesa reasonably uniformverticalmovement of the procesewater througheach tank,therabyeliminatingthe possibility of channeling reducing retention time in the tank.

dureswere used for controland progressevaluation procedures. OPERATIONS Duringthe firet threeyears of operations, severalunexpected probleane have been encountered. Duringthe early stagesof operation while injecting water etraightfrom the sourcewells,some corrosion problemsbecameevidentin the plant area. h inteneecorrosion monitoring programwae initiated consisting of water eamples,corrosion couponsin strategic locations and calipersurveysin both sourceand injection wells. The presenceof oxygen was diagnosed as the main culprit. However,the water analyeesindicatedthat oxygenwas not introduced in the surfaceequipment. Nativeoxygenin the sourcewaterwas discounted as a potentialeource since calipersurveysof the sourcewater well tubing indicated no significant corrosion. It became apparentthat the corrosion was caueedby oxygen introduced duringhydrostatic testingof the diseyetim. A significant periodof time tribution was requiredto removethesecontaminenes from the system;however,therewere no apparenteconomic alternative to avoid this problem.

A eecondunusualfeatureof thiswaterflood stationis ite high degreeof automation.The design incorporated the uae of etandardoil fieldautomation hardwaretied to the existingproduction automation syetemto providecontinuous monitoring of critical alarm opera?ione parameters.More then 50 individual pointewere includedin the waterflood plant area. Theee alarmsincludehigh and low levelstatueof the settlingand eurge tanke,individual tank gas blanket pressures, high end low pressureof transfer and injectionpumps,flow to the emerge.lcy pit, statueof operationof each injection pump, abnormalfuel gas pressure, end high liquidlevelson the emergency pit. This eystemaffordssurveillance of this plant during unattended periodsthroughalarm displayat nearby Exxon facilities.Supervisory personnel directly responsible for the waterflood operations are notiLater in 1975 after start-upof the plant, fied of criticalalarmsas they occur and they abnormalcorroeion rateswere noted in the produced directany remedtalactionrequired. water eystsin.Subsequent teetingindicated sulfate reduc%ng bacteriawere being introduced into the of fieldmeasurements were also Automation includedon the design. Liquidmeasurement is accom- plant by the producedwater. Periodicbatch type bactericide treatment correctedthis problemand plishedby the use of turbineand orificemeter end (!these treatments have been optimizedto 100 ppm for devicee. Plant inletvolumesfrom aach separatesourc and plant discharge volumesto the variouscomponents eight houre on a weekly basic. Ae a resultof the problem,some injection well plugging of the injection syetemare accumulated and proceesed corrosion in 1975 and 1976,especially by the automation eystem. Injection rates and tubing problms were experienced in the tighterinjectionzonee. Selective acidizing preseures of the individual injection welle are read usinga perforation wash tool,have manuallyand then enteredinto the automation system. techniques, proveneffectivein the removalof theseplugging From thesedata and the plantdischargeratee,the ageutsfrom the wellboree. computercalculates and storesthe injection volumes into each well. These data are then available on a Optimization of surveillance activities is a real time baris for reservoir engineersto monitor cent.nuing proceesin a facility of thie size. injection performance of each sand memberbeing flooded. All accumulated data are Initially held in Cur:ently, this surveillance programconeistsof the foilowing activitlee: short-term storagefor easy accessibility by local Exxon operating and engineering personneland then 1. Computerized preventive maintenance programs are automatically added to permanentcomputerrecords. in which monthlyschedules are prepared indicating the required maintenance checke, After developing the basic designconcepts, and calibrations of variousplant equipment contracts were let for the detaildesignand conetruc for the month. Such operations include tion. A uniqueappllcatton of existingtechnology checkeof varioustank leveland pressure allowedthe initiation of water injection9 months alarmsend the calibration of individual prior to completion oz the waterflood station. Upon filterflow rate controllers. completion of the distribution system,injection was initiated in September 1974 by producingtwo source 2. Corrosioncouponehave been installed in wells directlyto a groupof injection wells, strategic locationein the facility. These by-paseing the processplantwhich waa stillunder coupor.a are retrieved on a regularbasis construction.Submergible pumps were used to produce for evaluation. water at sufficient wellheadpressureto move approximetely32,000BW/D throughthe distribution syetem 3. Periodicwater qualitysurveysare made and allowedthe in~ection of water at pressures of in which checkeof suspended solids,oxy300-400 pslg. gen, oil content,and bacterial count are made at variouslocations in the syetem. Construction on the waterfloodetationwas cornSystematic analysisof theeedsta can pl.eted in earlyklay 1975. Within 10 days of inttial indicatepoor operation of specificitems plant start-up.the injection rate throughthe plant of equipment, the earlydetection of which was 57,000barrelsof water per day. The completed station may preventcostlyequtpment breakdown stattonis shown in Figure4. The waterflood and/orinjection well damage. Dailyminiwas completed approximately 13 monthsafter approval pore filtertestsare takenaa a visual for construction.Throughout the vartouadesignand checkof water qualityat variouapoints construction phases,crititial path enalyeis proca-

WEBSTERFIELDUNIT W, ERFLOODFACILITIES In the Iystem. well rate and 4* Plots of veeklyinjection pressuretests-are-maintained. These data, when com~iled with other pertinent data euch as plant upsets,well servicejobs, etc.,providea valuabletool in the overall surveillance of the entiresystems performance.

SPE 6880

utilizedto maximizewater qualityand to provide betteroperational controlthroughuse of automation equipment. In the firstthreeyears of ulantoneration,no problemshave occurredto rest~ictth~operation and throughput below targetrates. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The authorwished to expressappreciation to E~on Company,U.S.A.,for permiseioi to prepare and publishthis paper. Specialacknowledgement ie given to Mr. W. J. Frank,annuitantof Exxon Company,U.S.A.,for his adviceand counselin the designstagesof this project.

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CONCLUSIONS This paperhas outlinedkhe concepteused in the designof a majorEaoton Company,U.S.A.,waterflood facility. Some unusualdesignconcepts were

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Fig. 1 - Location of Webster Field.

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Schematic of Webster Field Waterflood Settling Tank.

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Aerial view of Webster Waterflood Plant.