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Drive Mechanisms Presentan
Drive Mechanisms Presentan
Active aquifer
Key issue-relative
size of aquifer to
hydrocarbon
accumulation
1 V
c
V P
Water Drive Reservoirs
Artesian Flow
Key issues:
Mobility of
water in
aquifer
Barriers to flow
Compaction Drive
Not a common
drive mechanism.
Characteristics
can be dramatic
as a result of
increase in net
overburden stress
as pore pressure
reduced.
Nature of the rock
or its consolidation
determines extent
of mechanism
Gravity Drainage Drive
Due to the relative density of the fluids and high
vertical permeabilities.
Fractured reservoirs
Depletion Type Reservoirs
Wellbore
Two types
Edge water drive
Bottom water drive
Combination Drive
Well behaviour
Longer, depends on
gas cap size
Recovery
20-40% STOIIP
Well Locations
Away from gas oil
contact
Not too close to
water oil contact
Water Drive
Majority of water drive reservoirs energy from
compressibility of aquifer.
Effectiveness depends on ability of water to replace
volume of oil produced.
Key issue- size and permeability of aquifer.
For compressibility to be effective the relative size
needs to be very large.
Challenge to reservoir engineer is to predict
behaviour prior to production.
Difficult to justify exploration costs to determine the
size of a water accumulation
Water Drive - Rate Sensitivity
The features of a natural water drive are strongly
influenced by the rate sensitivity of these
reservoirs.
Can the water replace the rate of voidage loss
due to oil production?
If not the pressure will drop and another drive
mechanism will also be effective. e.g. solution
gas drive,
Water Drive - Artesian flow
Oil flowrate is less than
potential flow of water from
aquifer
Producing GOR Rp
Remains constant since
reservoir
undersaturated.
Pressure
at oil water contact
constant
Plateau phase possible.
Decline due to water
production
Water cut, determines when abandonment of well occurs
Water Drive - Compressibility of aquifer .
Oil flowrate is less than potential flow
of water from aquifer
Producing GOR
Remains constant since reservoir
undersaturated.
Pressure
Declines as
aquifer
decompresses
Productivity
remains high.
Reduces as
water production
increases
Solution Gas Drive
Characteristics Trend
Reservoir pressure Declines rapidly
Gas-Oil Ratio First low then rises through a maximum
Production rate First high, then declines rapidly
Water production None
Well behaviour Requires artificial lift early
Expected recovery 5-30% STOIIP
Gas Cap Drive
Characteristics Trend
Reservoir pressure falls slowly and continuously
Gas-Oil Ratio Rises continuously
Production rate First high, then declines gradually
Water production Absent or negligible
Well behaviour Long flowing life depending on gas cap
Expected recovery 20-40% STOIIP
Water Drive
Characteristics Trend
Reservoir pressure Remains high
Gas-Oil Ratio Steady
Water production Early and increases to large amount
Well behaviour Flow until water production excessive
Expected recovery up to 60% STOIIP
Recovery