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Downhole Oil/Water Separation
Part of the Oil Industry’s Future
Bruce R. Peachey, P.Eng., MCIC
Downhole Oil/Water Separation
◊ Background and Basic Operation
◊ What Has Already Been Done
◊ What Can Be Done
◊ What Might Be Done in Future
Water and Oil Production in Western Canada
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
Ann
ual P
rodu
ctio
n -
Mill
ions
of b
bls
Water Production
Oil Production
Downhole Oil/Water Separation
◊ Problem - Wells being shut-in• Still producing oil• Producing too much water• Most North American wells shut-in @ WOR<10-20• North Sea/Offshore wells shut-in @ WOR<5-10• Middle East wells shut-in @ WOR<1-2
◊ Solution - In Well Separation Downhole• Mechanical solution more reliable than shut-offs• Re-Inject water into producing formation
Basic Downhole Separation
New Paradigm – 1991
Oil to Surface
Separator & Pump(s)
Water to Injection
C-FER/NPEL
What Has Already Been Done
◊ “DHOWS” Commercial Systems Developed with C-FER
• ESP Commercial – AQWANOTTM and HydrosepTM
• PCP (Weatherford) and Beam (Quinn) available
◊ New “DHOWS” Versions in Trial StageDesanding (PCP and ESP)
◊ Gravity Separation Systems - Beam Pumps• Texaco/Dresser, Quinn (Q-Sep)
◊ Reverse Coning Without Separators
Basic “DHOWS” Prototypes
◊ ESP - Electric Submersible Pump - 1800 bfpd• Oil Rate went up 10-20% at same bottom-hole rates• Reduced water to surface by 97%
◊ PCP - Progressing Cavity Pump - 1800 bfpd• Reduced water to surface by 85%• Well previously in sporadic operation for about 3 yrs
◊ Beam Pump - 600 bfpd• Reduced water to surface by 85%• Demonstrated Gravity Separation
Basic “DHOWS” Installation - PanCanadian
1
10
100
Jun 95 Aug 95 Oct 95 Dec 95 Feb 96 Apr 96 Jun 96 Aug 96 Oct 96 Dec 96
Date
OilRate
(m3/d)
SurfaceWOR
COM
PLET
ED IN
JECT
ION
ZONE
INST
ALLE
D DH
OW
S
Surface WOR
Oil Rate
C-FER/NPEL
Uphole Reinjection
Pump System
Separator
ProducingZone
InjectionPerforations
◊ Injection zone(s) above the production zone(s)
◊ ESP DHOWS
Dual Horizontal Well “DHOWS”
Talisman Energy Inc
Also Installed With Uphole Injection
“DHOWS” with C-FER Desander
Pump(s) - ESP or PCP
Desander
De-oiler Hydrocyclone
To Surface
To Injection
◊ Problem - Heavy Oil Wells• “Sand” Plugs Injection
◊ Solution – Desanding• Sand & Oil to Surface• Water to Injection
Gravity Separation
Oil Concentrate Pump
Water Pump
Producing Zone(s)
Disposal Zone(s)
C-FER/NPEL
Coning Control
Separator
Injection Zone
Oil Pump
Total Flow Pump
Oil
Water
C-FER/NPEL
◊ Louisiana State• Pump oil & water separately
◊ NPEL/C-FER/Petro-Can• Pump oil & water together• Open more of well to oil
What Can Be Done
◊ Reverse Coning with DHOWS
◊ Re-Entry Drillout (Single Well)
◊ Re-Entry Drilling (Multi-well)
◊ Cross-Flooding Between Zones
Re-Entry Drillout
Pump (Dual or Single;ESP, PCP, Beam)
Separator
Injection Zone
Old Producing Zone(Cement or Leave Open)
Horizontal Re-entry
Horizontal Producing Zone
◊ Create or activate water disposal leg on producing well or producing leg on watered-out or water disposal well
◊ Re-entry drillout or drilled and plugged-off during initial drilling program
◊ Zone cross-flooding between wells
Re-Entry Drilling
◊ Use when zone between injector and producer is swept
◊ Directionally drill to establish new producing or injection location(s)
◊ Producing zone in well provides water for flood
◊ Existing wellbore could be used as producing zone or injection zone
New ProducingLocation
New ProducingLocation
New InjectionLocation
New InjectionLocation
Existing SweptZone
Existing SweptZone
Producing WellProducing Well
InjectorInjector
Cross-Flooding
◊ Multi-layered reservoir application
◊ Some wells produce from lower zone & inject into upper zone
◊ Other wells produce from upper and inject lower
◊ Double the number of injectors or producers without drilling!
WaterLoop
Oil Oil
What Might be Done In Future
◊ Offshore: Already under way. Gas Lift Proposal
◊ High Volume: Larger capacity system under development
◊ Lower Water cut to surface: Feasible for offshore subsea
◊ Alternate Lift Systems: Flowing, Jet Pump◊ Alternate Separation Units: More options at
low rates
Oilfield Water Management – Same Well Source/Injector/Recycle
Lake orRiver Source
Cap rockOil Leg
Water LegCap rock
Underlying Aquifer
DHOWS
Move toward“Ideal”
Pump
The Middle East Water Challenge
◊ Reservoirs contain billions of barrels• Recovery only projected to be 40% due to water
◊ Most wells flowing only oil now• No water handling infrastructure• Wells “die” at 30-40% water cut• Major costs and infrastructure to operate with water
◊ Solution needed:• Install in well and leave for years• No external power• No increase in water
Downhole Oil/Water Separation Summary
◊ Positive experience is quickly building
◊ All “DHOWS” wells show water reduced 85-97%
◊ Still many applications to try
◊ Plenty of potential and opportunity for new concepts
◊ For more public info see:• Argonne National Labs – http://www.ead.anl.gov
Acknowledgments
◊ Clients - NRCan & PERD, Oil & Gas Producers
◊ Alliance Partners - C-FER Technologies Inc., KR Croasdale & Associates, R&D 2000, Scott-Can Industries, Colin Gosselin
◊ Contact Networks - CSChE, PTAC, ACR, CIM, SPE, CAPP, individual colleagues
◊ New Paradigm Affiliates - KeyTech Energy Inc., Blackline Oil Corp. & Avatar Systems Inc.
◊ Family and Friends
Contact Information
Advanced Technology Centre
9650-20 Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada T6N 1G1
tel: 780.450.3613
fax: 780.462.7297
email: [email protected]
web: www.newparadigm.ab.ca