Pressure pulsing - An improved method of waterflooding fractured reservoirs

Abstract

The basic idea of oil recovery by water-flood pressure pulses is discussed and supported by field evidence including accidental pulsing of a Permian Basin, Grayburg reservoir. Laboratory tests on "fracture matrix blocks" which represent a portion of a fractured or vugular oil reservoir are described. Field and laboratory data show that cyclic pressuring/depressuring by water injection may have considerable merit over conventional water flooding in applicable reservoirs. The data also show that supplementary gas injection can significantly improve the process.