Progress Review of the K&S Carbonated Waterflood Project

Abstract

AbstractA carbonated waterflood process which comprises the treatment of a hydrocarbon reservoir with controlled amounts and concentrations of carbon dioxide is one of the newer methods of increasing oil recovery being used in a commercial field application. The process consists of the treatment of a crude-oil reservoir with controlled amounts and concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) or solutions of carbon dioxide. To achieve this end, the techniques of water flooding are combined with the injection of carbonated water into a reservoir during the early stage of the flood. The K and S project is the first commercial application of this process. Water injection was initiated on the and project in Feb., 1958, and CO2 injection started in April of the same year. The carbonation period should be completed by April 1, 1960. At this time it is too early to predict the ultimate oil recovery from the project. However, several notable accomplishments have been recorded to date. When the project was initially developed, several areas were noted to be highly water productive due to a previous dump flood. These areas subsequently have produced considerable oil, indicating that additional recovery has been gained. Second, injectivity has been increased to two to four times the rate of neighboring input wells which have not been subjected to the carbonated water process. And third, in 1959 more oil was produced than has been previously produced for the total primary life of the property.IntroductionThis paper is a progress report outlining the accomplishments and difficulties experienced to Jan. 1, 1960, at the K and S project. The K and S project is located 10 miles north of Bartlesville, Okla., and consists of three contiguous leases totaling 240 acres. There are 35 input wells and 24 producing wells spaced on a regular 10-acre five-spot pattern, as shown in Fig. 1. Water injection was initiated in Feb., 1958, and CO2 injection started in April of the same year. CO2 injection will be completed by April 1, 1960. Water injection will continue throughout the life of the project. The property was acquired in June, 1957. With 80 per cent of the working interest, Oil Recovery Corp. acts as engineering consultant and supervises the application of the process. Wellsville Oil Co., with the remaining 20 per cent of the working interest, is flood operator of the joint venture.