2000 06 28
Toe To Heel Water Flooding: An Effective Short Distance Oil Displacement Process for Light Heavy Oil Reservoirs

INVITATION

Wascana Energy Inc. and Alberta Research Council invite you to attend an information session to describe the Toe-To-Heel Waterflooding (TTHW) process.  Our optimism is based on preliminary results obtained in a 2-D model. We are proposing further laboratory research to be conducted in a 3-D model, in order to understand the main underlying mechanisms and establish the best conditions for the application in light heavy oil reservoirs (with oil viscosity less than 2000 mPas).

Date:  Wednesday, June 28, 2000 
Time:  10:00 am - 11:30 am 
Location: 17th Floor, One Palliser Square, 125-9th Ave. SE, Calgary, Alberta

Background
With the advent of horizontal wells in Improved Oil Recovery of heavy oils, a change is taking place in the approach to improved recovery of oil. Currently, there is a move from displacing oil in a flood pattern from injector to producers over long distances (of the order of hundreds of meters) to short-distance oil displacement (SDOD) processes (typically over a few meters).  Due to the high viscosity of heavy oil, the displacement to producers located long distance away tends to make waterflooding inappropriate.

Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage, Vapor Extraction and Toe-To-Heel Displacement Processes (TTHDP) belong to the SDOD processes.  TTHDP can be applied as a non-thermal recovery technology, such as Toe-To-Heel Waterflooding or as a thermal technology such as Toe-To-Heel Steamflooding and Toe-To-Heel Air Injection.  More than 17 laboratory tests of Toe-To-Heel Waterflooding (TTHW) showed that this process will provide good results for lighter heavy oil reservoirs (with viscosity less than 1200 mPas).  Hele Shaw model tests indicated ultimate recovery factors substantially higher for the TTHW, when compared to conventional waterflooding using vertical wells.

Scope of Work
The Hele Shaw tests did not provide any information concerning the areal sweep efficiency of the process.  For this reason a comprehensive laboratory research program is proposed. This program would test the new TTHW process in a 3-D model, using oils with viscosity of up to 2000 mPa.s. Optimising the TTHW process by applying Water Alternating Gas injection and alkaline/surfactant solutions are also included in the scope of this project.

Benefits to Participants
Where the combination of two, relatively closely spaced, vertical wells and one horizontal well are arranged in the required configuration, the application of the TTHW in participant fields may be very easy.  Otherwise, either a new vertical well or a new horizontal well may be necessary. A significant improvement in the control of the waterflood is the final goal of this project, and this is automatically associated with a superior performance in terms of oil rate and oil recovery.

Deliverables
Requirements for TTHW technology application, including guidelines for field testing and evaluation of the new technology will be provided.  Technology use rights for participants will be included at this very early stage.

Project Cost
This is an ARC JIP project with a Company Participant Fee of $20,000 each.
Application will made to AOSTRA to match the Industry Funding.
Total Project cost will be in the range $120,000 to $160,000

PTAC makes no representation regarding ownership or quality of the subject technology.