INTERWELL TRACER TEST TO DETERMINE RESIDUAL OIL

SATURATION IN A GAS-SATURATED RESERVOIR. PART II:

FIELD APPLICATIONS
J.S. TANG B. HARKER

this article begins on the next page

JCPT91-04-01 RESERVOIR ENGINEERING Interwell tracer test to determine residual oil saturation in a gas-saturated reservoir, Part 11: field applications JOSEPH S. TANG and BRAD HARKER Esso Resources Canada Limited ABSTRACT This paper entails the implementation and interpretation of the first successful interwell test ever reported in the industry to de- termine residual oil saturation in a gas-saturated reservoir. Two interwell tests were conducted in Golden Spike to measure the residual oil saturation to gas-,t7ood at two different depths. This method, which involves the comparison of the
whole partitioning and non-partitioning tracer curves to derive residual oil satura- tion values, is an improvement of the original method that com- pared only the breakthrough times. A chromatographic trans- formation technique was developed for curve comparison so as to avoid tedious simulation for data interpretation. For layers with different residual oil saturation, the transformation method works only for a pseudo single porosity reservoir with ordered layers, i.e. low residual oil saturation for a high permeability layer. The first test indicated that there were three layers with
residual oil saturations of 7%, 15% and 20%. The results from the second test conducted in a lowerproduction interval were masked by the presence of extensive fractures in the production zone. In spite of the interference from the fracture production, the residual oil saturation in some j7ow channels could still be estimated to be about 12%. Because it is unlikely that the tracers could enter the matrix during the test, the residual oil saturation measured is prob- ably the oil saturation in some secondary channels. Sulphur hex- afluoride, F13BI (brome-trifluoro-methane) and F]2
(dichloro-difluoro-methane) were selected as the tracers from the previous lab tests. The tracers were pre-mixed and injected as a liquid. A freon phase behaviour program was developed to cal- culate the exact amount of the freons injected. Introduction Upon evaluation of various conventional methods, the interwell tracer test(l) has been identified as the most reliable means to de- termine residual oil saturation in Golden Spike, a low-pressure, low-porosity, gas-saturated carbonate reservoir. The original in- terwell method disclosed by Cooke(2) in 1971 involved the com- parison of the
relative breakthrough times of the partitioning and non-partitioning tracers for residual oil saturation calculation.
Breakthrough time is not a well-defined quantity, as it is often obscured by dispersion, the detection limit, and most importantly, Keywords: Golden Spike D3 "A" pool, Interwell tracer test, Residual oil saturation, Gas-flood, Chromatographic transformation differential liberation. Paper reviewed and accepted
for
publication
by
the
Editorial 34 by the streamline and layer distributions. As a result, the interpre- tation technique, certainly inadequate, draws
criticiSM(3,4). Con- sequently, because of the lack of suitable chemicals and interpretation technique, no single test has been tried in the field or, at least, published in the literature. To circumvent the problems _ anticipated in Cooke's method, our interwell method employed a whole curve comparison to derive a residual oil saturation value at any location on the curve using a simple "landmark" compar- ison technique. Under ideal conditions, residual oil saturation can be determined by layers. To demonstrate the feasibility of the method, extensive tests were performed in the lab(5).
Slim tube displacement results indicated that residual oil saturation could be measured in an accuracy of I % pore volume from the sepa- ration of tracers. This paper entails the design, implementation and interpretation of the two field tests conducted in Golden Spike in 1987. Theory A stream tube model offers a powerful alternative to f@te differ- ence simulators to study tracer propagation between wells, espe- cially at steady state conditions where streamline distribution is invariant with time. In order to satisfy the steady state condition, interwell tests need to be conducted at
constant injection and production rates and unit mobility ratio. Under steady state con- ditions, equal fractions of partitioning and non-partitioning tracers will be allocat,ed to a stream tube in which the tracers will be con- fined and move toward the producer. Analytical Model An analytical streamline model was developed by Brigham(6) to study the propagation of non-partitioning water tracers in homogeneous, layered reservoirs for various repeated, balanced patterns. A stream tube is a flow conduit defined by two adja- cent stream lines, 4, and * + 6*. Therefore, a stream tube has a
finite volume as opposed to a stream line. Tracers move at a constant volumetric flow rate along a stream tube, and because of a non-uniiorm cross section, varying in velocity causes addi- tional dispersion. Equations that incorporated this mixing phenomenon were derived to describe the concentration of a tracer slug in a general stream tube. Integrating the concentration-stream line equations over the entire drainage area resulted in an analyti- cal expressioti of tracer production with time. In spite of all the restrictions, Brigham's model has been applied directly to isolated
unbalanced patterns that do not deviate significantly from the ideal repeated and balanced pattemS(6,7). However, because of the in- Board of The Journal of Canadian Petroleum Technology. The
Journal
of
Canadian
Petroleum
Technology

POOR IMAGE DUE TO ORIGINAL DOCUMENT QUALITY

-JcPT9/-

0+

-0

RESERVOIR ENGINEERING

InterweU tracer test to determine residual oil

saturation in a gasmsaturated reservoir.
Part II: field! applications
JOSEPH s. TANG and BRAD HARKER
Esso Resources Canada Limited
ABSTRACT
This paper enralls the implementation and interpretation of the
firs{ succes.sful imeJ'well lest ever reported in the industry to determine residual oil saturatiOlJ in a gas-saturated reservoir. Two
interwell tests were conducted in Golden Spike to measure the
residual oil salUration to gas-flood at {WO different depths_ This
method, which involves {lie comparison of tile whole partitioning
and non-partitioning tracer curves to derive residual oil saturation values, is an improvemellf of the original method that compared only the breakthrough times. A chromatographic transformation technique I~'as de~leloped for Clll1'e comparisDn so as
to avoid tediDlls simulation for data interpretation. For layers with
dlfferenc residual oil saturation, (lie transformatiotl method works
only for a pseudo single porosity resenoir with ordered layers,
Le. low residual oil saturation for {[ high permeability layer. The
first test indicated that there were tllree layers with residual 011
saturations of 7%, 15% and 20%. The results from the second
test conducted in a lower production intenal were masked by rhe
presetlce oj extensive fractures in the production zone. In spite
of the interference from the fracture production, the residual oil
saruration ill some flow channels could still be estimated to be
about 12%. Because it is unlikely that the fracers could enter the
matrix during the tesl, the residual oil saturation measured is probably the oil satrtratioll in some secondary challnels. Sulphur hexafluoride, F13BI (brome-triJluoro-methatie) and Fl2
(dichioro-dif/lloro-methane) were selected as the tracers from fhe
previous lab tests. The rraCers were pre-mixed and injected as 11
liquid_ A freon phase be/lawollr program I~'as developed to calculate (he exact amount of the freons injected.

Introduction
Upon evaluation of various conventional methods, the interwell
Lracer test(11 has been identified as the mosr reliable means to determine residual oil saturation in Golden Spike, a low-pressure,
low-porosity, ga'i-.!.aLUrated carbonate reservoir. The original interwell method disclosed by Cookem in 1971 involved the comparison of the relalive breakLhrough times of the partitioning and
non-partitioning tracers for residual oil saluration calculation.
Breakthrough tim~ is not a well-defined quantity, as it is often
ob~cured b}' dispersion, the detection limit, and most imponamly,

Ke)'l\'ords: Goldell Spike D3 "A" pool, lmerwclllracer Le5I, ReSidual

oil ~alUraLion, Ga~-nood, Chromatographic lransrormarion dirierenLi.lI
liberation.

by the streamline and layer distributions. As a resuh, the inlerpretation technique, certainly madequare, draws criticism(lI). Consequently, because of the lack of suitable chemicals and
interpretation technique, no single Lest has been tried in the field
or, at least, published in the literature. To circumvenL the problems
anticipated in Cooke's method, our inLerweU meL hod employed
a whole curve comparison to derive a residual oil saturation value
at an}' location on the curve using a simple "landmark" comparison technique. Under ideal conditions, residual oil saLuraLion can
be determined by la}rers. To demonstrate the feasibility of the
method, extensive tests were performed in the lab(51. Slim lube
displacement results indicated that residual oil saturation could
be measured in an accuracy of to;o pore volume from the separation of tracers. This paper entails the design, implementalion
and interpretation of the twO field tests conducLed in Golden Spike
in 1987.

Theory
A stream tube model offers a powerful ahermuive to finiLe difference simulators to study Lracer propagation belwecn wells, especially a[ steady state conditions where streamline diMribuLion is
invariant with time. In order to satisfy the steady staLe condition,
interweH tests nl:!ed to be conducled at consLant injecLion and
production rates and unit Inability raLio. Under steady Male conditions, equal fractions of partitioning and non-parLiLioning lracers
will be allocated to a stream tube in which the tracers will be confined and move lOward the producer

Analytical Model
An analytical sLreamline model was developed b)' 8righam!{" (0
slUd}' the propagation of non-panitioning waLer traccr.~ in
homogeneous, layered reservoirs for various repeated, balanced
patterns_ A stream lUbe is a flow conduiL defined by two adjacent srream lines, 'I' and 'I' + 0'1'. Therefore, a stream tube Ilas
a finite volume as opposed to a Slream linc. Tracers move at a
constant \'olumetric now rate along a stream tube, and because
of a non-uniform cross section. varying in velociLY causes additional dispersion. Equations Ihat incorporated this mixing
phenomenon were derived to describe rhe concentration ot" a tracer
slug in a general stream tube. Integrming the cQ[)ccntration-slream
line equations O\'er the entire drainage area re~uhed in an analytical cxpression of tracer production wirh lime. ln spiLe of all Lhe
reslricrions, Brigham's model has been applied directly LO isolaLcd
unbalanced pattems that do noL deVIate significanrly from Lltc ideal
repeated and balanced patterns tl1 71 . However, becau!'lc of the in-

Paper re\'iewed and aceepled for publication by the Editorial Board of The Journal of Canadian PeLroleum Technology.

POOR IMAGE DUE TO ORIGINAL DOCUMENT QUALITY

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100

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Produ:ar
IJI2351VVl4
Inlec'iar
lJB2351Z7'I'/4

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Wei Gas InlEloc1ars

Producer..

.p

Legond

T"

Dry Gas Inlec'iOlS

'0
~

n
n

.."
".
"E
~

60

40

"

20

50

100

Production lime. days

FIGURE 1. Location of Ihe test wells for Ihe Golden Spike tests.
FlGURE 3. Schematic layer conlributions to (olal SF6 production.

SE

NW
915m

.......\

:/

3Da
Fl~B I

200

a~.~kd:f~~
,

FIGURE 2. Schematic of N\\'-SE cross section of Golden Spike.

,,
,

a.4

Numerical Model(B,9,10)
Stream lines can only be generated nwneric.ally using potential theory for complicated flow geometry. Stream tube as defined by
two adjacent stream lines can be regarded as a pseudo-linear system made up of a series of mixing. cells of variable sizes. Once
the volumetric flow rate and the geometry of the stream tube are
known, tracer concentration in the stream tube can be determined
using the dual-porosity. mixing cell model developed in Reference
5. Total tracer production is simply the sum of the normalized
contributions from all stream tubes connecting the injector and
producer. The numerical model, which virtually removes all the
restrictions in Brigham's model. is more versatile and general.
However, as a trade-off, there are many intricate parameters to
be manipulated in the simulation. It may be a major effort to
match all the tracer profiles.

Landmark Comparison Technique:

Chromatographic Transformation
Chromarographic theory indicates that residual oil saturation
determination only involves the relative separation of the partitioning and non-partitioning tracers, the knowledge of the actual
flow pattern is not required. It is shown in Appendix 2 that chromatographic transformation for layers with different residual oil
saturation is valid only for single porosity reservoirs with ordered
layers, i.e. lower residual oil saturations in the more permeable
July-August

1991, Volume

3D, No_ 4

-.

T""I:tOr~

herent limitation, Brigham's model cannot handle the severely distorted flow patterns arising from anisotropy, heterogeneity. dual
porosity, drift and unidentified pressure sources and sinks due to
a lack of understanding of the reservoir. Because of this, its applicability to complicated carbonate reservoirs is rather limited.
If all the assumptions made in Brigham's model are satisfied,
as a first step. the model is used to identify contributing layers
by matching the non-partitioning tracer proflle. Then a residual
oil saturation value is assigned to each layer and the partitioning
tracer curve is synthesized using chromatographic transformation
shown in Appendix 1. The residual oil saturation values are
adjusted until there is a good match of the partitioning [racer curve.

.' ..... - .-.~.

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Jiif~1";-"~~~"'--';

ll00m
F.cid"bou~=<

.'-'

<c
~

;;.

Peal< J
!;'.
a.2 -------------T---'--T--Peak:!.

--------.--_. .....

ao
50

100

ProdUclion limll'. days

FIGURE 4. Recovery-profile cross-plOL [or Test 1.

layers. The recoveries are first calculated for each tracer, and
according to equation (1).
Ip,r =

(I +

In.r

Sorg) ....................................................... (1)

HSg

~,

where
H" is the effective Henry's law cOflStam defined in equation (A3)
SOrg and Sg are the residual oil saturation [Q gas-flood and gas saturation,
respectively, and
IJI,r and ~,T are [he equal recovery limes for the partitioning and nonpartitioning tracers at given recovery, days.

A plot of the reciprocal effective Henry's law constant vs equal

recovery time ~, at a given recovery should yield a straight line,
and the oil/gas saturation ratio, SarglSg, can be evaluated at any
point on the recovery curve from the slope*intercept product. It
should be noted that this method only gives the oil/gas saturation ratio. In order to solve for SorA;;' one of the following has to
be known:
I. Connate water saturation, Sw,,;.
2. Porosity and swept volume.
3. Any saturation or saturation combination, except SOlE/Sg' from
well logging.
It has been known in Golden Spike that S\\c is probably 811'/0.
Therefore, Sors is:
0.92

I-S .... c
R~

....................................(2)

R, + 1

35

. ,
., ..
,~

'

...

'