SPE 163085

Successfully Controlling Unwanted Gas Production in a Highly

Naturally Fractured Carbonate Reservoir
Ismael Diaz, Tomas Nava, Carlos Deolarte, Oscar Castillo, PEMEX; Julio Vasquez, Victor Cancino, and Carlos
Caballero, SPE, Halliburton

Copyright 2011, Society of Petroleum Engineers

This paper was prepared for presentation at the 2011 South American Oil and Gas Congress, organized by the SPE Western Venezuela Section, held in Maracaibo, Venezuela, 18–21 October 2011.

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Abstract
This paper presents the successful field implementation of a conformance polymer (CP) system used to control undesired gas
production in the Cantarell field, a naturally fractured offshore carbonate reservoir in southern Mexico. Gas control is a challenge in
this field because high gas-oil ratios (GORs) force the operator to prematurely abandon wells because of gas-handling facility
constraints, leaving substantial oil reserves in place. Case histories are presented in which the CP system was successfully applied to
reduce undesired gas production to an acceptable level. The CP treatments were tailed in with foam cement to avoid overdisplacement
in these fractured, depleted formations.
The CP system is based on a copolymer of acrylamide and t-butyl acrylate (PAtBA) crosslinked with polyethyleneamine (PEI). To
date, more than 700 jobs have been performed with the CP system around the world, mostly to address excessive water production
problems, such as coning/cresting, high-permeability streaks, gravel-pack isolation, fracture shutoff, and/or casing-leak repair.
Similarly, this system provides excellent gas shutoff properties as well. The operating temperature range of this system is from 60 to
350°F. The CP system has been successfully applied to sandstone, carbonate, and shale formations requiring a conformance treatment.
This system has been successfully tested to withstand a differential pressure of at least 2,500 psi and is resistant to acid, CO2, and H2S
environments.
One of the most demanding scenarios for this type of polymer system is stopping gas production, especially in this reservoir where
the operator must deal with a combination of high matrix permeability (3 to 10 darcy) and natural fractures. These CP treatments have
proven to be economical gas shutoff solutions in difficult well/reservoir environments, yielding significant reduction of gas and/or
increased oil production. A detailed description of the wells treated with the CP systems is presented along with one-year production
rates after the treatment.

Introduction
Excessive gas production is a widespread problem that has significant economic impact on the profitability of oil-producing wells.
Gas production can cause a decrease in oil-production rates, or worse, it can completely block hydrocarbon production. In addition,
gas production will increase the operating expenditure of the well because of costs associated with handling and disposing, surface
facility construction, and/or efforts to meet environmental laws.
Several techniques for controlling gas production have been used by the oil industry. Earlier attempts to reduce gas production
included mechanical isolation, squeeze cementing, solid slurry (clay) injection, and oil/water emulations. More successful results have
been obtained with in-situ polymerized systems, crosslinked polymeric solutions, and silicate-based gels (Prada et al. 2000). Perhaps
the most widely used chemical system has been chrome crosslinked polyacrylamide gel. However, it is well-known that commonly
used chrome crosslinkers tend to undergo hydrolysis and precipitation, especially with increasing pH and temperature environments.
Throughout the last decade, organically crosslinked polymer gel systems have emerged as one of the most powerful tools for
shutting off, or at least controlling, water and gas production (Hardy et al. 1998). The CP system presented in this paper has been used
in field applications at temperatures up to 350°F. To date, approximately 600 jobs have been performed with the CP system around the
world to address conformance problems such as: water coning/cresting, high-permeability streaks, gravel pack isolation, fracture
shutoff, and/or casing leak repair (Vasquez et al. 2005, 2006).

Description of the CP System

The base polymer of the CP system is a copolymer of acrylamide and t-butyl acrylate (PAtBA), a high-activity liquid with enhanced
thermal stability. The crosslinker is polyethyleneimine (PEI), a high-activity liquid that forms strong covalent bonds with the base
polymer. A water-soluble carbonate retarder is used only for applications in which the bottomhole injection temperature exceeds
250°F. More recently, a polyacrylamide polymer has been introduced to extend the low application-temperature range of the CP
system from 60 to 140°F.
2 SPE 163085

The CP system components are easily diluted in the mixing brine. The crosslinking process is activated by the temperature of the
well. The crosslinking rate is dependent on temperature, salinity, pH, base polymer, and crosslinker concentrations. The CP system
offers the following advantages:
• Low-viscosity fluid system (20 to 30 cp) that can be easily injected deep into the matrix of the formation without
undergoing hydrolysis and precipitation. It is well-known that chrome-based systems tend to hydrolyze and precipitate,
especially with increasing pH and temperature (Lockhart 1992; Bartosek et al. 1994).
• Adequate pumping times in environments up to 350°F (177°C) to obtain adequate placement time before the system
undergoes the phase change from liquid to a three-dimensional gel structure. Fig. 1 shows a typical gelation time curve
for the CP system (viscosity vs. time). The inflection point of the curve corresponds to the gelation time of the system.
This transition time is completely controllable and predictable with the crosslinker concentration for a given temperature.
• Effective water-permeability reduction and sufficient strength for resisting drawdown pressure inside the wellbore and
stopping water and gas flow. The system provides sufficient strength for resisting differential pressures of at least 2,500
psi (based on laboratory data) (Eoff et al. 2006).
• Thermal stability up to 375°F (191°C).

In addition, the CP system is not sensitive to formation fluids, lithology, and/or heavy metals. Another advantage of the CP system
is the predictable viscosity profile that can be used to improve diversion over long treatment intervals.
Also, the thermal stability of the system was evaluated at 350°F in a sandpack flow experiment. The objective of this extended
flow test was to evaluate the effectiveness of the CP system in reducing permeability of water as a function of time. In this test, a
stainless steel tube was packed with a mixture of sand, silica flour, and bentonite, giving a permeability to API brine of 1069 md at
residual oil conditions. The pack was then treated with 10 pore volumes of the organically crosslinked polymer system plus the
retarder and shut in overnight. The following day, the pressure on the pack was raised to 100 psi, and no brine flow was observed.
This procedure was repeated every two days for the following 30 days, and no brine flow was observed. Thus, it appeared that the
retarder was able to extend the working temperature range without detrimental effect on the gel strength and ability of the gel to stop
fluid flow (Vasquez et al. 2005, 2006).

Field Application
The candidate wells treated with these systems were located in the Cantarell field, a mature field offshore Mexico. These wells are
producing from naturally fractured and highly vugular carbonate formations, which is a challenging scenario for successful gas
control. Controlling gas production in the Cantarell field becomes more critical because of its limited water-handling facilities.

Reservoir Description. The Cantarell field, discovered in 1976 with the Chac-1 well, is an offshore field located about 50 miles from
Ciudad del Carmen, in Campeche, Mexico. The anticline is oriented NW-SE, comprised by two main blocks. In the overthrust block,
the complex is composed of the Akal, Nohoch, and Kutz fields, bounded internally by faults. In the underthrust block, there are two
fields: Chac and Sihil. The Cantarell field is the largest and most important field in Mexico and the second-largest in the world. It was
estimated that the original oil in place (OOIP) was approximately 37 billion standard barrels. The main pay zones in Cantarell are
highly fractured vuggy-carbonate formations from Jurassic-Cretaceous. Formations are hydraulically continuous and have an average
thickness of about 4,000 ft, with 100 ft of pay zone. The oil produced is approximately 20° API oil. Typical total porosity is 8%, and
up to 35% of it is secondary porosity, fractures, and vugular areas. Matrix permeability varies from 1 md to 10 darcy. Average
bottomhole static pressure is approximately 1,400 psi, and average bottomhole temperature is 200°F (93°C). Currently, this field is
being produced with a pressure maintenance program by nitrogen injection and gas lift.
Despite that natural fractures can have a positive effect on oil flow, they can also negatively affect water or gas flow because of
coning effects or high-permeability streaks that connect producing zones with other zones above or below. If the contacted zones are
water and gas producers; they eventually influence the actual producing zone. This is one reason why fluid flow is difficult to
characterize in a uniform pattern.
Presently, approximately 275 jobs have been performed worldwide with the CP system. Most of these jobs have been designed for
matrix, natural fractures/voids, and high-permeability streaks shutoff. Some other cases include near-wellbore shutoff, casing leaks,
and/or gravel pack isolation. The field application of the CP system has a high ratio of success, especially when proper diagnostic and
analysis techniques are performed to fully understand the problem. Some economic failures of this system are attributable to poor
candidate selection and not the treatment system itself.

Well 1. This well is producing from the BTP-KS formation, which has a top at around 8,645 ft. It was determined that the excessive
gas production is a consequence of the combination of the perforated interval being very close to the gas-oil contact (GOC) of the
reservoir and the high-permeability streaks present in this highly naturally fractured reservoir. It was a standard practice by the
operator to abandon (isolate) an interval once the GOC reached the perforations and perforate the same formation a few feet further
down. This well was anticipated to produce approximately 3,500 BOPD.
According to the formation evaluation, most of the hydrocarbon production for Well 1 was from 7,333 to 8,695 ft MD (Fig. 2),
with the GOC estimated to be at 8,871 ft, which meant that interval was completed inside the gas zone. Because of the vertical
communication between the interval to be sealed and the future perforated interval, it was necessary to place a barrier between these
SPE 163085

two intervals to keep the GOC from reaching the new perforations so that the life of this well could be extended. To achieve this
objective, it was necessary to completely seal the current producing interval and to obtain a deep penetration into the formation.

Treatment Design. The CP system was used in combination with a tail-in of foam cement to shutoff 131 ft of perforations
(8,645.43 to 8,776.67 ft MD). The size of the CP treatment volume was designed based on 11 ft of radial penetration into the
formation. A volume of 692 bbl of treatment was injected at 2 bbl/min. Fig. 3 shows the pumping schedule for this treatment along
with the corresponding pressure and pumping rates.

Treatment Results. Gas production for this well was decreased substantially following the polymer treatment and the perforation
of the new interval (8,907 to 8,947 ft measured depth, 40 ft of perforations). After perforating the new zone, the customer decided to
stimulate the well with an aggressive acid treatment. Even after the acid job, the GOR decreased from 1511 m3/m3 to 314 m3/m3. This
well produced for six months with a production of 3,900 BOPD after the CP treatment.
Table 1 shows production data for seven other wells treated with the CP system to stop the GOC from moving downward. All of
these wells experienced improvement in gas reduction, and subsequently, restored or increased oil production (CP treatments are
usually followed by aggressive acid stimulation treatments.) One of these wells was producing zero BOPD before the CP treatment.
After being treated, this well began producing approximately 2,000 BOPD.

Conclusions
The following conclusions are a result of this work:
• The CP system has proven to be successful in various applications in Mexico and throughout the world.
• The CP system is able to address conformance problems, such as water coning/cresting, gas problems, high-permeability
streaks, gravel-pack isolation, fracture shutoff, and casing-leak repair.
• The organically crosslinked polymer system is capable of penetrating deep into the matrix of the formation to provide a
more effective seal, particularly for gas problems and shutoff applications. Conventional squeeze cement techniques do
not provide this property.
• The volume design of the organically crosslinked polymer system is crucial for the success of the treatment (the more
volume injected, the better the results). This volume becomes even more critical when the problem to be corrected is a
combination of water coning and highly fractured formations.

Nomenclature
B/D = barrels oil per day
BWPD = barrels water per day
MBPD = million barrels per day
MD = measured depth
PAtBA = copolymer of acrylamide and t-butyl acrylate
PEI = polyethyleneimine
RRF = residual resistance factor

References
Bartosek, M., Mennella, A., and Lockhart, T. 1994. Polymer Gels for Conformance Treatments: Propagation on Cr(III) Crosslinked Complexes in
Porous Media. Paper SPE 27828 presented at the SPE/DOE Symposium on Enhanced Oil Recovery, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 17–20 April. doi:
10.2118/27828-MS.
Eoff, L. Dalrymple, D., Everett, D., and Vasquez J. 2006. Worldwide Field Applications of a Polymeric Gel System for Conformance Applications.
Paper SPE 98119 presented at the SPE International Symposium and Exhibition on Formation Damage Control, Lafayette, Louisiana, U.S.A.,
15–17 February. doi: 10.2118/98119-MS.
Hardy, M., Botermans, W., and Smith, P. 1998. New Organically Crosslinked Polymer System Provides Competent Propagation at High
Temperature in Conformance Treatments. Paper SPE 39690 presented at the SPE/DOE Improved Oil Recovery Symposium, Tulsa, Oklahoma,
19–22 April.
Lockhart, T. 1992. A New Generation Technology for In-Depth placement of Cr3+/Polyacrylamide Gels in High Temperature Reservoirs. Paper SPE
24194 presented at the SPE/DOE Symposium on Enhanced Oil Recovery, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 22–24 April.
Prada, A., Civan, F., and Dalrymple, D. 2000. Evaluation of Gelation Systems for Conformance Control. Paper SPE 59322 presented at the
SPE/DOE Improved Oil Recovery Symposium, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 21–23 March. doi: 10.2118/59322-MS.
Vasquez, J., Jurado, I., Santillan, A., and Hernandez, R. 2006. Organically Crosslinked Polymer System for Water Reduction Treatments in Mexico.
Paper SPE 104134 presented at the SPE First International Oil Conference and Exhibition in Mexico, Cancun, Mexico, 31 August–2 September.
doi: 10.2118/104134-MS.
Vasquez, J., Dalrymple, D., Eoff, L., Reddy, B.R., and Civan, 2005. Development and Evaluation of High-Temperature Conformance Polymer
Systems. Paper SPE 93156 presented at the SPE International Symposium on Oil Field Chemistry, Houston, Texas, 2–4 February. doi:
10.2118/93156-MS.
4 SPE 163085

TABLE 1—CP TREATMENT RESULTS IN MEXICO—GAS PRODUCTION BEFORE AND AFTER THE TREATMENT
Before 30 Days after CP 60 Days after CP 180 Days after CP 360 Days after CP
Treatment Treatment Treatment Treatment Treatment Produced by
Well No.
Gas Oil Gas Oil Gas Oil Gas Oil Gas Oil (months)
(mmpcd) (B/D) (mmpcd) (B/D) (mmpcd) (B/D) (mmpcd) (B/D) (mmpcd) (B/D)
GP468D 13.3 0 4.1 1,825 — — — — 9.4 1,209 14
LR3024 32.5 0 11.3 1,825 — — — — 11.3 1,761 11
GR4062 40.0 0 18.6 2,784 — — — — 19.4 2,829 8
GR4064 18.84 0 21.0 5,420 — — — — — — 8
F1001 17.0 0 4.8 2,186 — — 2.7 1,800 — — 5
AS2297 16.9 0 — — — — 17.0 4,536 — — 5
TM3031D 21.5 0 — — — — 8.77 3,267 — — 6

Fig. 1—Typical gelation time curve for the CP system (viscosity vs. time).
SPE 163085

BTPKS Formation TOP

Gas Oil Contac (GOC) estimated (8871 FT)

Fig. 2—Well 1: interval to be abandoned: 8,645.43 to 8,776.67 FT MD; new interval: 8,907 to 8,947 FT MD. The zone in red indicates that zone
had gas-to-oil contact. For that reason, it was necessary to isolate the zone and extend the range maximum recovery of oil from the new
interval.

3
Fig. 3—The treatment consisted of 126 bbl of foam gel, followed by 31.5 bbl of CP system with silica, 30 m of foam cement, 660 bbl of CP
3
system to plug the zone, and 30 m of foam cement, all displaced with foam gel.