SPE 167347

Use of Electric Downhole Heaters to Improve Production and Recovery of

Heavy, Viscous Oil in California and Venezuela
Samuel S. Ojeda and David G. Parman, Pentair Thermal Management, LLC

Copyright 2013, Society of Petroleum Engineers

This paper was prepared for presentation at the SPE Kuwait Oil and Gas Show and Conference held in Mishref, Kuwait, 7-10 October 2013.

This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE program committee following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents of the paper have not been
reviewed by the Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject to correction by the author(s). The material does not necessarily reflect any position of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, its
officers, or members. Electronic reproduction, distribution, or storage of any part of this paper without the written consent of the Society of Petroleum Engineers is prohibited. Permission to
reproduce in print is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words; illustrations may not be copied. The abstract must contain conspicuous acknowledgment of SPE copyright.

Abstract

This paper will combine field results from two heavy and high viscosity crudes - one in Venezuela and the other in
California. Electric Downhole Heating (EDH) systems were used to lower the viscosity of oil in the reservoirs to
increase the flow rates of crude and improve the oil recovery. EDH systems are very efficient, reliable, and easily
controlled solution to allow production of heavy, high viscosity oils. The total system is very space efficient both
downhole and on the surface.

Introduction

In order to heat the reservoir adequately, fairly high power output was necessary. Due to their high power and
high temperature capabilities, and Alloy 825 sheath, Mineral Insulated (MI) heaters were selected. The heaters
were easily controlled at the surface to provide the required heat under varying conditions.

The Venezuelan crude had API gravity of about 8-9 [about 1.01 specific gravity] and had a very high viscosity of
0 0
18,000 centipoise (cP) at the reservoir temperature of 47 C (117 F). The heating varied over the horizontal
length from the toe to the heel with more heat (higher watt density) delivered to the toe to equalize the wellbore
0 0
pressure drop in the long horizontal producing zone. The temperature increased to 76 C (168 F) at the toe.

The California crude was in the range of 8.5-13 API and had high viscosity of 338 cP or more at reservoir
0 0
conditions. Heating the oil to temperatures above 93 C (200 F) substantially reduced the viscosity, resulting in
increased production.

Electric Heating Options

Various methods of electric heating have been used for more than 25 years to control not only heavy viscous oil
but also wax and hydrates. Several of these applications have been downhole in the wellbore but many have
1-3
involved pipelines. For this application, we are restricting ourselves to only wellbore heating .

There are various methods for electrically heating pipes. The first one is called Mineral insulated cables which
are used where high watt density or high temperatures are required. Figure 1 shows a diagram of this type of
system. They can provide more than nominal 600 watts/meter (200 watts per ft.). The maximum application
o o
temperature for heating units can be up to 550 C (1022 F) and the maximum exposure temperature for the
o o
heating cable itself is as high as 670 C (1238 F). Mineral insulated (MI) cables have been used many times for
heavy oil including in the Congo (Szemat Vielman 2010, reference 2) and for flow assurance issues with paraffin.
MI cables were selected for both the Venezuelan and California applications.
2 SPE 167347

Figure 1: Mineral insulated (MI) heat trace cable.

“Skin-effect tracing systems“ generate heat on the inner surface of a steel heat tube that is thermally bonded to
the pipe to be heated. The skin-effect tracing cable is inserted into this tube to conduct the current to the far end
of the tube and then back up in just the inner surface of the tube itself. “Skin-effect tracing systems“ provide
several advantages over the cables mentioned earlier, including higher watt densities, higher operating
temperatures, and longer circuit lengths. Wattage densities of up to nominal 150W/m (45 watts per ft.),
o o
temperatures to 149 C (300 F), and lengths up to several miles are possible. Figure 2 shows a diagram of this
type of system.

Figure 2: Skin effect heat tracing.

The next heating cable option is called “constant wattage (CW) cable” or “constant watt heat tracing cable”. In
this case, the cable provides a constant amount of wattage per linear length. Therefore, the surface and ambient
conditions do NOT control the wattage. In fact, a controller is usually needed for this system to prevent
overheating and other potential damage. The CW cable has been considered an effective solution for flow
assurance issues including wax, paraffin and hydrate concerns for over two decades, with the primary technical
solution being an armored polymer-insulated CW technology. Figure 3 shows a three-phase CW heating cable.

Figure 3: Constant Wattage (CW) heat trace cable.

Venezuelan Case

As noted above the physical properties of the Venezuelan and Californian crudes were very different but both are
heavy, viscous crudes. The Venezuelan reservoirs are often much thicker than those in California.

One of the challenges in extra heavy horizontal wells is that the pressure drop along the lateral varies
considerably from the toe (higher pressure) to heel (lower pressure), thus preventing consistent drawdown. This
phenomenon creates a situation whereby the production from the heel of the well is much greater than the
production from the toe. This reduces the total inflow of oil and reduces the efficiency of the downhole pumping
system. By strategically placing more heat at the toe of the well versus the heel it has been shown that the overall
pressure drop in the horizontal section can be lowered and be more uniform over the entire length. By doing this,
it is believed that flow rates and recovery factors will be greatly improved.
SPE167347 3

The primary purpose of the heating system is to strategically place supplemental heat to sections of the wellbore
so the pressure drop can be reduced in the production tubulars. The goal is to add varying amounts of heat along
the horizontal well so the oil temperature increases strategically, thus lowering the viscosity of the oil. This will
result in lower pressure drops in the tubulars. The heating system used consisted of a unique mineral insulated
(MI) heating cable with zones of differing resistances. The different resistances produce varying watt densities
and allow for strategic placement of heat in the lateral. This system was designed to strategically place more heat
at the toe of the well with decreasing amounts of heat as you move to the heel (or downhole pump). This reduces
the viscosity of the oil along the lateral and thus allows for a relatively consistent pressure drop in the horizontal
well which in turn leads to an increase in production. The heater was attached to a “stinger” pipe placed below the
Progressive Cavity Pump (PCP).

Properties of the Crude Oil

Table 1: Crude oil properties

PROPERTY Venezuela
API Gravity (degrees API) 8.1
Reservoir temperature 47⁰C (117⁰F)
Viscosity at reservoir temperature 18000 cP
Viscosity at 93⁰C (200⁰F) 380 cP

Wellbores and Reservoir Properties

Table 2: Reservoir/Wellbore Properties

PROPERTY Value
0 0
Reservoir Temperature 47 C/ 117 F
Reservoir Depth 868 m / 2850 ft
Reservoir Pressure 568 psi
Casing size 9.625 inch
Liner size 7 inch
Production Tubing 5.5 inch
Oil flow Rate 370 BOPD
Gas Flow Fate 150 GOR
Water Flow Rate 1 BWPD

Due to inadequate wellbore pressure to produce the wells without artificial lift, Progressive Cavity Pumps (PCPs)
were needed and therefore used.

Well Configurations

The well was a deviated well with a 1220 m (4000 ft) horizontal pay zone. Figure 4 illustrates the completion and
heater system for this application. The heater consists of a multi-stage, 3 cable MI heater in the pay zone,
powered via ESP cable. The MI heater was constructed to provide highest power output near the toe, somewhat
less power in the middle section of the lateral, and less still near the heel. A “cold lead” section is also included to
ensure that the ESP cable and connection components do not overheat.
4 SPE 167347

Figure 4: Well diagram for Venezuelan system.

Modeling

Wellbore heating models can again be used to provide some insight into the temperatures produced by the
heater. Figure 5 shows the results of these simulations for one of the example cases.
SPE167347 5

0
ambient
fluid
-1000

-2000

-3000
Measured Depth (ft)

-4000

-5000

-6000

-7000

-8000
60 80 100 120 140 160 180

Temperature (F)

Figure 5: Wellbore heating simulation results for the Venezuela well.

Figure 5 shows the higher temperature where it is needed in the bottom of the well in the pay zone that is to be
produced.

Results

After installing the heater system, the well was produced for a period of time prior to energizing the heater. The
unheated production rate during this time was 370 BOPD. The heater was then energized, and after several
weeks the production rate was reported as 570 BOPD, a 54% increase. In addition, the pressure drop along the
lateral decreased considerably, as shown in Table 3.

Table 3: Field results for Venezuelan well

Heel Toe
Low power zone Mid power zone High power zone
(12 W/ft) (19 W/ft) (29 W/ft)
Flow rate Pressure Temperature Pressure Temperature Pressure Temperature
Unheated 370 BOPD 501 psi 116 F 537 psi 116 F 556 psi 117 F
Heated 570 BOPD 500 psi 146 F 512 psi 156 F 518 psi 168 F
6 SPE 167347

California Cases

The California reservoirs are primarily heavy crude located in shallow reservoirs. Production of these heavy oil
reservoirs was slow until the introduction of steam in the 1960s to reduce the viscosity. Through the cyclic steam
process (“huff and puff”) and steam floods, producers were able to reach a peak production in the mid-1980s.
However, environmental concerns contributed to increasing costs of production, and since then – with as much as
65% of the original oil believed to still be in place – production has dropped off considerably.

Today, alternative methods of oil recovery are being considered including Electric Downhole Heating as a viable
solution for the enhanced oil recovery of shallow low-flow wells in this state.

Fluid and Reservoir Properties

Table 4: Properties for selected California wells.

PROPERTY Value
API Gravity (degrees API) 8.5- 21
Reservoir temperature 30-49⁰C (88-121⁰F)
Reservoir depth 650 – 1400 ft
Casing size 5 1/2 – 9 5/8 inch
Production tubing 1.66 to 2.875 inch
Pay zone thickness 10 – 90 ft

California Wellbore Configuration

The main objective for these wells was to increase oil inflow in the pay zone by injecting a substantial amount of
heat via the electric downhole heaters. The heater designs consisted of only 2 zones: a high watt density “hot
zone” installed in the producing zone, and a cold lead extending to surface. Figure 6 illustrates the typical
completion utilized for these wells. The power output of the heaters in the “hot zones” ranged from 558 W/m (170
W/ft) to over 850 W/m (280 W/ft). The total heater system power load ranged from 25 kW to 50 kW. These wells
were installed with a thermocouple located in the top of the hot zone, which was used for temperature monitoring
and control of the heater.
SPE167347 7

Figure 6: Typical well diagram for the California wells.

8 SPE 167347

Modeling

Wellbore heating models can again be used to provide some insight into the temperatures produced by the
heater. Figure 7 shows the results of these simulations for one of the example cases.

.
0
ambient
Flow, No heat
Flow, Heated
-200

-400
Measured Depth (ft)

-600

-800

-1000

-1200
50 100 150 200 250 300

Temperature (F)

Figure 7: Wellbore heating simulation results for MI heaters in a California well.

Again, the temperature increase is significant and focused in the pay zone in the bottom of the wellbore.

Results

For the 10 California wells considered in this paper, most exhibited considerable production improvement that has
been sustained over the course of the last 6-8 years. For many of the wells, water production decreased to nearly
zero while oil and gas production increased. An example of the performance of attained by many of the wells is
shown in Figure 8 .
SPE167347 9

250 Electric Downhole

Heater installed
August 2006
Increased production
200 with heater

150

Bbl/month

100
Unheated
production
50

0
Sep-02 Jan-04 May-05 Oct-06 Feb-08 Jul-09 Nov-10 Apr-12 Aug-13

Oil Water Days Gas (MCF)

Figure 8: Selected Field Results for One Well

Table 5: Field data for California wells using Electric Downhole Heaters

Pay zone Heater Year PRODUCTION W/O HEATER PRODUCTION W/HEATER IMPROVEMENT
Well # API thickness power installed DH Temp Oil (bpd) H2O (bpd) DH Temp Oil (bpd) H2O (bpd) Oil (bpd) % change
A 10.7 72 ft 27 kW 2007 109 F 2.5 0.6 234 F 3.0 0.1 0.5 19%
B 13 68 ft 16 kW 2006 111 F 1.9 0.9 243 F 3.9 0.1 1.9 101%
C 13 71 ft 20 kW 2006 115 F 1.9 0.9 245 F 3.9 0.1 1.9 100%
D 13 86 ft 19 kW 2006 102 F 2.7 1.2 255 F 5.4 0.1 2.7 102%
E 12.7 70 ft 16 kW 2006 105 F 2.3 1.0 225 F 4.7 0.1 2.3 100%
F 13 70 ft 16 kW 2008 98 F 4.3 0.4 242 F 4.4 0.1 0.1 3%
G 13 70 ft 15 kW 2006 88 F 2.0 1.0 285 F 5.0 0.2 3.0 148%
H 8.5 62 ft 33 kW 2007 109 F 7.2 303.4 295 F 7.4 332.0 0.2 3%
I 8.5 62 ft 23 kW 2008 110 F 0.8 45.3 285 F 4.7 235.8 3.9 464%
J 13 90 ft 25 kW 2008 121 F 2.3 0.4 236 F 5.1 1.1 2.8 122%

On average for the 10 wells considered here, oil production increased by 116%. It can be seen in this data that
not all wells gave appreciable improved production, but a large majority did. In addition to improved oil production,
some operators have indicated improved pump life, presumably due to reduce sand production that has been
realized on some of the wells, and reduced pump load.
10 SPE 167347

Conclusions

1. Production rates of heavy oil can be increased significantly with the addition of Electric Downhole
Heaters systems.
2. In Venezuela, the daily production increased from 370 BOPD to 570 BOPD - a 54% increase (a
significant daily oil production increase).
3. In California, production increased an average of 116% for low producing heavy oil wells.
4. Secondary effects can include reduced water production, reduced sand production, and may
possibly result in less pump wear. Increased gas production was also seen in California
5. These application of Mineral Insulated (MI) wellbore heating cables in the field provided a reliable,
effective, and economic system.
6. MI wellbore heating can prevent other flow assurance issues too including wax/paraffin and hydrate
issues.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the support of their co-workers and the management of both Pentair
Thermal Management for permission to write this paper.

References

1. Rodriguez, Raul, Bashbush, Jose Luis, and Rincon, Adafel, 2008, Feasibility of Using Electric
Downhole Heaters in Faja Heavy Oil Reservoirs, SPE/PS/CHOA 117682 presented at the
SPE/PS/CHOA International Thermal Operations and Heavy Oil Symposium
2. McQueen, Parman and Williams, 2009, Enhanced Oil Recovery Of Shallow Wells With Heavy
Oil: A Case Study In Electro Thermal Heating Of California Oil Wells, IEEE PCIC-AN-30
3. Szemat Vielman, W.E., Misenta, M.E., Ponticiello, I., and Secco, G., 2010, Downhole Electric
Heating System: Feasibility of Heavy Oil Implementation in Offshore Congo, Paper SPE
136857 presented at the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference, Abu
Dhabi, UAE,1-4 November.
4. David G. Parman and Samuel S. Ojeda, and Andrew Marron, OMV New Zealand Ltd, Case
Study: Heating Offshore Production Tubing Electrically for Crudes that Have Wax Issues, OTC
24137, presented at the Offshore Technology Conference held in Houston, Texas, USA, 6–9
May 2013.