Waterflood Performance Predictive Calculations | Web Application
VenTex Software Corporation has developed an industry accepted,web based waterflood application
program dealing with the immiscible displacement of oil by water resulting in the prediction of oil recovery.
Waterflood prediction methods cover a wide and diverse range of techniques and as a consequence lead to
simple or comprehensive results and detail. The choice of methodology many times depends upon the degree
of detail required and is typically based upon the following five factors as a minimum consideration:
- The time available for the evaluation
- Volume and quality of data in hand
- Cost
- Required minimum amount of detail necesarry to make a decision, i.e., at the start
of a flood or possible expansion of an existing flood
- Experience level of the evaluation member(s)
This application is not intended as a substitute of state of the art simulation
methods but rather as a quick way for the practicing engineer, geologist, operator
or other qualified user to predict the performance of oil recovery due to the injectivity
of water and to determine project viability. In other words, most of us involved
in day to day operations do not have the time and in many instances, the inclination
to become specialists in simulation techniques and processes when projects arise
a few times each year.
The calculations are based on the waterflood predictive methods recommended by various
researchers (Craig et al, Caudle & Witte and Welge) that consider the water displacement
mechanism including the existence of a saturation gradient behind the water bank ( movable oil ).
Layer analysis is initiated with data input consisting of rock and fluid properties usually
found and available in most production operation office environments. Relative permeability
data obtained from laboratory measurements from cores can be manually input or can be
empirically generated if saturation end points and rock wettability can be estimated.
Multiple layers with different rock and fluid properties can be analyzed independently or
as a summary analysis. Single multilayer five spot pattern or multiple pattern analyses
can be performed if so desired. The resulting layer calculations provide for injection
and oil production rates, cumulative oil recovery, injectivity and water production, WOR,
injectivity as a function of pore volume, all versus time. Results of all analyses and
graphs can be printed for permanent record documentation.
Learn more
The application can be applied to one or more 5 spot patterns and can be used to
approximate the behavior of other similar patterns. It is intended for use by practicing
reservoir and production engineers, geologists and those technically trained personnel
involved in the day to day management of oil fields operations. It is a “hands on” process that most
engineers, geologists and operations personnel can use without hours of tutorial study or out of office training.
The required data should be readily available in the typical operations office.
The process hierarchy and calculational sequence identifies the
Project Name
(for hard copy reporting purposes),
Reservoirs or Patterns that are to be analyzed within the project;
identification of various
Zones that comprise the reservoirs or patterns; and finally the
Layers
that make up the zones. Data input is required only at the
layer level and consists
of rock and fluid properties typically used in waterflood calculations and analysis.
A set of relative permeability curves is also required but can be generated with some guidance from the user,
i.e., saturation and point values.
Next generation releases will contain a set of relative permeability curves donated and formal throughout the world's
producing horizones. Discretion and confidentiality shall be maintained. See
Privacy Policy
statement.
The calculations and resulting analysis is presented in each of the following scenarios and levels:
• Individual layer summary
• Zone summary representing multiple layers
• Reservoir/Pattern summary representing multiple zones
• Project summary which contains multiple reservoirs/pattern and hence multiple zones and layers.
A report format is available for maintaining hard copy data. The graphics portion of
the application allows for plotting performance by individual layer, by zone or
by project summary. The plotting variables available are those frequently encountered
in industry when analyzing waterflood performance. The calculated results by layer,
by zone or by project summary consists of cumulative injection, cumulative oil
production, water to oil ratio, cumulative water produced, daily injection rate,
daily oil rate, daily produced water production and percent surface water cut,
all versus time. User defined graphs can also be constructed using any of the
aforementioned variables. The results are reported in tabular form as well as
graphical and are available at the layer level, by zone or at the project summary level.
The project is an excellent precursor to simulation which usually involves much time and cost.