Performance Prediction of a Surfactant Flood using Interwell Tracers in a Burgess Formation

Chad Roller, Tom Burghart, Jeff Harwell, Tzu-Ping Hsu, Ahmad Jamili, Prapas Lohaeeraparp, Dan Phelps, and Ben Shiau

A surfactant flood pilot has been designed for a Burgess formation in Northeast Oklahoma. The surfactant system is capable of reducing interfacial tension and mobilizing residual oil in high salinity reservoirs exceeding 150,000 ppm total dissolved solids (TDS) eliminating the need for fresh water pre-flushing. The approach is based on surfactant only injection and is expected to recover an incremental oil recovery of ~7%-15% OOIP. Ultimate recovery is less than what would be expected coupling the surfactants with polymers for mobility control, however, the elimination of polymers significantly reduces overall cost and complexity. In addition, our surfactant-only approach will significantly accelerate time to pilot execution. Interwell tracer tests have been performed on an inverted 5-spot pattern of an ongoing mature waterflood to assess sweep efficiency, permeability streaks or fractures, and barriers to flow. This study focuses on the use of the interwell tracers to predict the performance of the surfactant flood. The flow paths of the surfactant slug are expected to closely follow the fluid paths of the ongoing waterflood. Initiation of the surfactant flood pilot is planned for mid-2013. 

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90176©AAPG Mid-Continent Meeting, Wichita, Kansas, October 12-15, 2013