Classification: Internal

Status: Draft

A Microbial EOR Pilot in the Gullfaks Field

Rune Instefjord, Ole Trnqvist and Petter Eltvik

Content

Introduction to the Gullfaks field What is MEOR? Selection of pilot area Equipment Implementation of the pilot Results Conclusions

Key data for GF main field

Discovered: 1978 Start production: 1986 STOOIP: 599 MSm Base oil reserves: 358 MSm3 Produced to date: 336 MSm3 Daily production: 15 kSm3 Average water cut: 84 % Expected recovery: 60 % Recovery pr. 2007: 56% Recovery of base res: 94% Initial pressure/temperature: 310-320 bar/ 71 oC at 1850 m TVD MHN Bubble point pressure: ~200-240 bar at 1850 m TVD MHN GOR: ~ 100 Sm/Sm Oil viscosity: ~ 0.5 1 cp

Reservoir Quality

Reservoirs: Brent, Cook, Statfjord & Lunde Very faulted and eroded, with contrasting layers Dip up to 12 o in the western part. Weak formations Porosity (Brent): 30-35 % Permeability (Brent): 10 D 10 mD

Drainage strategy

Aquifer support Water injection Reservoir pressure over bubble point WAG

MEOR Principles reservoir effects

Cultivate bacteria which lives on the contact (pore scale) between water and oil near the injector. The bacteria reduces the surface tension between oil and water and thereby activates oil. Already done this process for many years, before start on nitrat injection. (which we have done for many years due to souring). Drawback: H2S

BACTERIA + OIL + N + P + O2

TY ED C LI U R BI ED E A R AT ME W ER P

IN

TE RE R DU TE FA C N CI E D SI AL O N

MOBILISED RESIDUAL OIL

ENHANCED SWEEP EFFICIENCY

What is needed for the MEOR pilot

Nitrate (already injecting du to H2S control). Phosphate. Air (we remove oxygen from injected seawater due to corrosion of tubing.) Equipment : Storage tank. Chemical pump for nitrate/phosphate. Air compressor. Air storage. Pipes and valves.

Chemical-pump

Principle drawing
P 14-HV119 FE 050A FE 050B

Chemical injection

42-TB21A

Water injectionmanifold

FE 117

SUM

14-HV626

WING

42-PF36

Water injectionmanifold

FE 651

Well A-41

PIT 005

Water injection
05-XV004

05-KB01A

FE 003

Air storage
05-FV003

PIT 015

FIC 003

05-KB01B

Air injection

Selection of a good pilot candidate

An area with steady-state conditions, as little as possible influence from other

wells or areas. It is very important to know that the effects we are measuring is from MEOR and not from something else.

The injector should, with advantage, be in the oil zone. The distance between injector and producer should not be too long due to
throughput time. To get results in a reasonable time is important.

The injector should be at a lower level than the producer. If not, the process
will not work.

Good reservoir understanding. The producer(s) should be in steady-state conditions as regards to water cut.

10

2 16 0

2 1 6 0

20 6 0

2 2 1 1 4 0 60

34/10 Gullfaks Vann- og Gassflmming i vre NER PCRI52 Topp Ness-1 dybdekart
0 8
2
1972

Pilot area
0

C-17
2188

1924 1927 1923

C-38(F) C-38T2 C-38

C-19(F)
2004

2920

C-19
1971

2900

2 1

20 4 0

80

1 2 4 0

I5B 14
1949

2880

0 4 2 0

0 94 1 0 00 2 9 19 1

6 0

C-19
21 2 0 0

2860

12

2 1 0 0

C-10 H6A
2 0
0
1968

C-10

1897

C-23 C-23CT2
1938

2840

C-23A
1883

20 20 2 0 1 9 0 80 0

1 9 8 0

1 19 1 1 9 4 9 00 2 0

2 1 2 0 14 6 0 2 1 2 0 2 1 0 20 0 8 0 20 6 0 20 4 0

20 21 0 0 8 0

60 0

1 9 60

G6

C-25T2 C-25
1857

B-26

B-14A B-14A
1964

86
0

2087

1 9 4 0 1 9 2 1 0 0 8 1 9 0 8 0

GFC
2800 2780 2760 2740 2720 2700

2820

2 0 6 0

PBEG61
21 2 0

4 0 2 0 2 0

B-8
2040

0 6 0 2

B-8
2 00 0
1 9 6 0 1 9 4 0

0 2 1 2

I5A
1860

I4 C-33 C-27(F) C-27

1842 1835

C-31

C-27

18

1855

B-20
1908

B-11 B-11
1822

1986

40

C-15
1818

0 8 0 2

C-26
1817

2 10 0

0 8 9 1

8 0 0 2

C-3 9 I3B
1 8 40
1817

B-12

H5
19 80

8 1 4 0

GFB
02 0

2130

3
1949

B-27
1898

PBRH54
B-5
1810

1823

C.22 C-22
1800

C.26AT2
C

1 8 6 0

0 2 20

9 0 0 1

1941

B-24
B-36

1886

192 0 0 0 9 1

G5
0 4 0 2

B-17
0 4 19 0 9 8 1

0 198

1 96 0

0 2 2 0 4 0 0 2

2 9 0 1

B-15
8 8 0 1

PBEG52
B-3
2 00 0

1972

C-30

C-11 C-30
1783

C.11
1791 1777

PCRI35
C-28

2680

2660

B-24

2001

0 8 1 9

PBRH53
1841

B-33
8 2 0 1
1838

1793

C.28

2640

B-1
2001

B-30
1792

I2C 4

IXRI25
B-19T2 B-19A B-32 B-19 PBRH31
1799 1793 1795

PCRI37
C-12
1773

8 6 1 0

2620

2 4 00 0 0 9 6 0

B-22(F)
2 00 0
2038

B-36AT2
1993

B-36AT2

B-2
1842

2008

B-19A
1798

PCRI23

2600

B-22A(F) B-9 2025

B-32
1787

1 8 4 1 8 1 7 8 1 0 0 80 0

1996

1 7 8 0

B-31
0 2 B-23
1800 1790

H3

2580

C-5
1761

19
1 9 20

H4

6 0 8 1 4 8 0 1 1 8 2 0

B-6(F)
1939

B-21
1890

B-7 B-34 B-7(F)

1791 1774 1788

1765

B-10 1773 B-10A

B-10A

PCRI24 B-39B B-25 B-7A A-40

I1 B-25
1756

2560

C-35
1767

C.35
2540

20 0 0

A-23 B-4A(F) B-4A(F)

9 1 4 0
1976

A-12
1921 1919

1 78 0

A-12(F) A-12(F) A-12

1965

B-4 H2
1767

PBRH45

B-34(F)
1766

I2A B-31
1770

2520

A-6A A-33
1880

B-38 B-38
1758

G4
2 0 2 0
1 9 96 80 0

A-31
1 90 0 18 8 0
1896

8 1 6 0 8 40 1

1979 1916

A-34A(F)
1787

2500

I1

1796

A-16

A-34A(F)
1

2480

1922

A-32B

A-16A(F)
1945

A-3H
1785

A-34A A-34A A-34

1780 1752 1752

1 9 60

A-8
1875

18 4 0

GFA

A-32 A-18(F)
2009

A-14 A-14
1833

B-37
0 1 8 0
1772 1755

A-39A(F)
1765

C-32
1857

0 88
U1

2460

4 0 9 1 0 2 9 1

A-1H A-39A
1761

2440

1 82 0

0 6 8 1

A-39A(F)
1760

2420

A-36T3 A-2AH H1
17 8 0
1745

A-36

0 90 1

A-26
1888

2 0 0 0 1 8 9 0

A-20(F)
1991

A-20A
2017

G3
1 9 0 6

1 A-5H1800 A-38(F) A-38 1810

1840 1833

2400

A-39A A-39A
1753

A-41B A-41B 60
17
1764

A
1 9 2 0

A-11
1925

A-19AT3 A-19A A-10 A-19AT3(F) A-19A(F) 1782 A-19AT2(F) A-30(F) 1830

1904 18441834 1869 1844 1846

A-11 A-19

G2

A-39
1764 1765

Vannflmmet Oljefylt Gasskappe Delvis vannflmmet

0 0 0 2

A-10A

A-7A
1904

8 80 1

2380

A-17
1778 1788

A-17AT2

A-41A 181791 00 A-41

1808

2360

2340

A-35
1813

A-35 Oljeprodu sent Vanninjekt or Gassinjekt or VAG injektor Syklisk prod./gassinj. Mulig Mulig injeksjon produksjon OU ml

Delvis gassflmmet Delvis vann- og gass-flmmet 2320 Usikker vannflmming Usikker gassflmming Usikker vann- og gassflmming Prospekt
2300

8 0 1 0

8
1936

1 88 0 1 0 8 6

A-24A
0 0 2 0
1983

1 9 0 0 20 9 1

A-13 A-13 PARH13 A-44T4 A-44T4

18291809

8 20 1

0 0 0 2
4 9 1 0

A-22
1909

0 4 8 1

2280

2260

1 9 8 0

A-15
1965

A-46T2
1904

2240

G1
0 2 0

2 km

2220

2200

198 0 0 2002680 2600 2620 2640 2660 2700 2720 2740 2760 2780 2800 2820 2840 2860 2880 2900 2920 2940 2960 2980 3000 3020 3040

40

11

Lower Brent, segment I1:

Segment I1 is isolated from the rest of lower Brent. May be an insignificant communication to Cook fm. Most shallow part of the field: No OWC established. Good reservoir understanding. Producers have a stabile production trend over time. Well defined water cut in the observation wells.

Status: STOOIP=10,4 M Sm 4,10 M Sm produced from lower Brent (per 1.12.05). Recovery factor of 40% (per 1.12.05), expected recovery factor of 59%. Producers: A-36, A-40 and B-39B Injector: A-41B

12

Success criteria for the MEOR pilot

Increased oil recovery (estimated to 35000
Sm in A-36).

Increased

pressure drop in the injector A-41B (decreased injectivity) producers A-36 and A-40.

Reduced seawater fraction in the The throughput time for water should be
longer. Tracer injected before start-up of pilot, Jan-05, gave a throughput time of 5 months. (550m between A-41B and A-36)
20000 18000 16000 14000 12000 10000 8000 6000 4000 2000 0

A-36
1 0,9 0,8 0,7 0,6 0,5 0,4 0,3 0,2 0,1 0

Reduced water cut (at least 5% decrease) Reduced H2S in the producer.

ja n. 02 ap r.0 2 ju l. 0 2 ok t.0 2 ja n. 03 ap r.0 3 ju l. 0 3 ok t.0 3 ja n. 04 ap r.0 4 ju l. 0 4 ok t.0 4 ja n. 05 ap r.0 5 ju l. 0 5 ok t.0 5

oil rate month water cut

13

Pilot implementation

Tracer injected 27.01.05 with a breakthrough time of 5 months. New tracer injected 01.06.06. MEOR injection started 05.12.05. Expected pilot duration of 1 year. Design injection rate A-41B: 6000 Sm/d. Status A-36, 01.12.05 :
Liquid rate / oil rate: ca. 2400 Sm/d / 100 Sm/d Water cut: GOR: 95% 110 - 140 Sm/Sm

Status A-40, 01.12.05 :

Liquid rate / oil rate: ca. 700 Sm/d / 130 Sm/d, restricted by sand Water cut: : GOR: 80% 80 - 100 Sm/Sm

No effect expected in B-39B.

14

A-41, Injection data during the pilot period

Water inj rate 7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0
de s. 04 m ar .0 5 de s. 05 m ar .0 6 de s. 03 m ar .0 4 ju n. 05 se p. 05 ju n. 04 se p. 04 ju n. 06 se p. 06 se p. 03 de s. 06

The injection rate has been constant between 5000 and 6000 Sm/d. 97% regularities on the injector. >90% regularities on the air injection. Nitrat/fosfat solvent: 0,107 l/min (independent of rate) Air: 98 ltr/min (regulated due to rate). Prosper is used to estimate the injectivity of A-41B. Well head pressure used in calculations. The Injectivity index seems to be rather constant and in the same order of magnitude after the MEOR injection as before.

Water inj rate

140 120 100 I, Sm3/d/bar 80 60 40 20 0 01.02.2005 05.06.2005 07.10.2005 08.02.2006 12.06.2006 14.10.2006

8000 7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0 Inj. rate, Sm3/d

The expected reduction in injectivity due to bacterial growth has not been observed.

15

A-36, production data during the pilot period

A-36
25000 20000 Sm/mnth 15000 10000 5000 0 jun.06 mar.02 mar.03 mar.04 mar.05 mar.06 mar.07 jun.02 jun.03 jun.04 jun.05 des.01 des.02 sep.02 des.03 sep.03 des.04 sep.04 des.05 sep.05 des.06 sep.06 1 0,9 0,8 0,7 0,6 0,5 0,4 0,3 0,2 0,1 0

1.2 1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 jul. 07

The production has been stable at around 100 Sm/d during the year. The water cut has been stable at around 9597%. The well has rate dependent water cut. High total rate gives lower water cut. The well was restricted by sand and amount of H2S. The seawater fraction has been stable in the lower edge of 1.

Date oil/mnth Wct

A-36
100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 jul. 98 jul. 99 jul. 00 jul. 01 SO4 SW jul. 02 jul. 03 AMIOR jul. 04 jul. 05 jul. 06

Vannkutt

16

A-36, production data during the pilot period

A-36
25000 20000 Sm/mnth 15000 10000 5000 0 sep.02 sep.03 sep.04 sep.05 sep.06 des.01 des.02 des.03 des.04 des.05 mar.02 mar.03 mar.04 mar.05 mar.06 des.06 jun.02 jun.03 jun.04 jun.05 jun.06 mar.07 1 0,9 0,8 0,7 0,6 0,5 0,4 0,3 0,2 0,1 0

The H2S has stabilised during the period, no reduction, as expected, is observed. In the period from start of planning the pilot to the implementation, the H2S increased rapidly. This increase gave a new uncertainty to the pilot. The bacterial growth had been higher than we first assumed. Problems with continuous production from the well due to high H2S and capacity restrictions on the platform.

Date oil/mnth Wct

H2S
1000 900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 24.07.1998 06.12.1999 19.04.2001 01.09.2002 14.01.2004 28.05.2005 10.10.2006 22.02.2008 A-36 Amiorinjeksjon starter A-40

17

A-40, production data during the pilot period

A-40
40000 35000 30000 Sm/mnth 25000 20000 15000 10000 5000 0 mar.02 mar.03 mar.04 mar.05 mar.06 sep.02 sep.03 sep.04 sep.05 sep.06 des.01 des.02 des.03 des.04 des.05 jun.02 jun.03 jun.04 jun.05 jun.06 1 0,9 0,8 0,7 0,6 0,5 0,4 0,3 0,2 0,1 0

The production has been stable at around 200 - 300 Sm/d during the year. Restricted by sand production and closed down in october-06. The water cut has been increasing from 75% to 90% during the period. The well follows an usual trend for lower Brent wells. The seawater fraction has increased from 70 to 80%, following earlier trend. The H2S amount has not been influenced of the pilot. It is at a much lower level than in A36.

Date oil/mnth wct

H2S
1000 900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 24.07.1998 06.12.1999 19.04.2001 01.09.2002 14.01.2004 28.05.2005 10.10.2006 22.02.2008 A-36 Amiorinjeksjon starter A-40

18

Results
No changes in behaviour around the injector A-41B. No reduction in either water cut or seawater fraction in the producers A-36 and A-40.
They behave at the same trend as before MEOR injection.

The tracer injected in June-06 also had a breakthrough time of 5 months. Stabilised H2S in A-36 may be due to MEOR. The temperature in A-36 has decreased with around 10 degrees during the year,
which means that a lot of water has gone trough the reservoir.

The oil rate in the producers has not been influenced by the MEOR process.

No increased oil recovery from the MEOR pilot.

19

Conclusions

No increased oil recovery from the MEOR pilot.

Possible explanations:
Existing bio-film in the injector might have affected the establishment of a new biofilm needed for the aerobic process. A high level of H2S was present in the area as a result of long time water flooding. This had possibly reduced oil saturation in the area prior to MEOR pilot due to an anaerobic MEOR process. Water flooding in general is very effective on Gullfaks. Due to extensive water flooding, the residual oil saturation could have reached a very low value. Due to Etive-Rannoch override effect, the contact between injection water containing nutrients and oxygen and remaining oil, might have been limited causing no MEOR effect. The decrease in temperature indicates that the water only hits a small area.