Operation of a Second Steam Stimulation Pilot Project in Kuwait

Abstract

SPE Members Abstract Two pilot steam stimulation projects were initiated to study the feasibility of application of steam for recovery of heavy oil occuring in a shallow depth reservoir in Kuwait. The first pilot cyclic steam stimulation project was started in September 1982 with 4 project was started in September 1982 with 4 wells. This is still in the first production cycle with an overall OSR of 10.316 till end September 1988. The second pilot cyclic steam stimulation project was commissioned in June 1986 and steam project was commissioned in June 1986 and steam injection to the first well commenced on 25th June 1986. Injection continued from well to well and terminated in the 4th well on 23rd August 1986. The salient features of this pilot are:Use of treated brackish water produced from a shallow water well.Facility to switch steam from one well to another without interruption of operation by using combination steam and oil header.Compared to the first pilot a very short natural flowing life of the wells.Long distance pumping of the crude oil without any additive or pipeline heating. These 4 wells are now in the production cycle and they have produced 222,874 bbl [34,434m] of oil by 30th September 1988 with an overall oil steam ratio of 3.0832. There was no primary production. Introduction A heavy oil reservoir occurs in Kuwait at a shallow depth. The API gravity and viscosity of the oil ranges between 12 to 14 API [0.9861 to 0.9725 9/cm-3] and 600 to 2000 cst [MM2/s] at 70 degrees F [21.1 degrees C]. Production of heavy oil in a place where Production of heavy oil in a place where high quality oil is abundantly available naturally takes a lower priority. However keeping the future requirements in view a modest start has been made in Kuwait to understand heavy oil production technology by initiating a small pilot production technology by initiating a small pilot project in 1982 followed by a similar project in project in 1982 followed by a similar project in 1986. This paper describes the operation of the second pilot steam stimulation project in Kuwait. GEOLOGICAL AND RESERVOIR CHARACTERISTICS The heavy oil deposits in Kuwait are Middle Miocene in age and correspond to the evaporite sequence which overlies the Asmari Limestone in Iran. Figure 1 shows a typical type section. Reservoir stratigraphy from top to bottom is generally as below:–Cap rock shale.–Upper member of the reservoir.–Lower shale bed separating two members of the reservoir.–Lower member of the reservoir. The lower member of the reservoir in this area is non oil bearing. P. 623