DOE Office Of Fossil Energy - Phillips Petroleum Company

Oil Recovery Project in West Texas

Introduction

The Department Of Energy's Oil Recovery Field Demonstration Program was developed to experiment with new technologies and the innovative use of existing technologies to extend the life of what would normally be considered mature oil fields.

The South Cowden Unit has been under primary production since 1940 and has been water flooded since 1965. An estimated 35% of the original oil in place has been recovered. Phillips Petroleum Company estimates an additional 12 million barrels of oil can be recovered from the South Cowden unit utilizing horizontal injection wells in a CO2 flood.

Phillips Petroleum Company submitted a proposal to the Department of Energy for 2 horizontal injection wells to be drilled in the South Cowden Unit with support from multiple, vertical injection wells in the adjoining Fina Emmons Unit. Horizontal wells should allow for a more economic means of flooding with CO2 in that:

• Fewer wells would be needed to flood a set area

• Surface facilities can be simplified for CO2 distribution

• Less CO2 may be required to flood a given area

The Department Of Energy has awarded Phillips Petroleum Company with participation in the Oil Recovery Program. If this experiment is successful, it will lay down the foundation for a feasible means of keeping smaller reservoirs productive for major and independent operators in the United States Of America.

History

Drilling began on well #6C-25H March 17, 1996 and was completed in 28 days. The spud date for well #7C-11H was on April 14, 1996 and took 20 days to complete. Both wells were placed on water injection in early July to prepare for the first round of injection profiles.

Cardinal Surveys Company was selected as one of two contractors to provide logging services for determining injection efficiency of the South Cowden Unit horizontal, injection wells.  Cardinal's services were accomplished in conjunction with Madden Systems, manufacturer of memory productions logging instrumentation and services.

    Madden Systems Incorporated

Horizontal Injection Profiles

6C-25H Water Injection Profile

6C-25H was first run on water July 31, 1996. The page includes a detailed procedure, work log, log plot, and conclusions.

6C-25H CO2 Injection Profile

CO2 injection profile run on October 3, 1996. The page has an abbreviated work log, log plot, and conclusions.

7C-11H CO2 Injection Profile

This was our first time to log this well. It was run on October 4, 1996. The page has an abbreviated work log, log plot, and conclusions.

SPE Paper

37470, The Evaluation of Two Different Methods of Obtaining Injection Profiles in CO2 WAG Horizontal Injection Wells, Dollens, Kimberly B., et al, 1997.  Note also that Ms. Dollens was 2000-2001 Distinguished Lecturer: "The Application of Horizontal Lateral Wells in Secondary and Tertiary Recovery Operations."

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