THE SPE IMAGE LIBRARY SPE 38015

SPE 38015

Integrated Study of a Heavy Oil Reservoir in the Orinoco Belt: A Field

Case Simulation

H.A. Rodriguez, P. Vaca, O. Gonzalez, INTEVEP, S.A., and M.C. de

Mirabal, CORPOVEN, S.A.

Copyright 1997, Society of Petroleum Engineers, Inc.

This paper was prepared for presentation at the Reservoir Simulation

Symposium held in Dallas, Texas, U.S.A., 8-11 June 1997.

This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE Program Committee

following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by
the author(s). Contents of the paper, as presented, have not been
reviewed by the Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject to
correction by the author(s). The material, as presented, does not
necessarily reflect any position of the Society of Petroleum
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meetings are subject to publication review by Editorial Committees of
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Abstract:

This paper presents a field case study of a reservoir in the Orinoco

Oil Belt, Venezuela. The reservoir is a heavy oil accumulation of 10
degrees API gravity, with about 2.5 billion of STOIP. It has been
produced for about 12 years by more than 170 wells, 25% of them
horizontal. Due to high oil viscosity, almost all vertical wells have
been producing under cyclic steam stimulation; no steam has been used
in horizontal wells. A special formulation for modelling the so called
"foamy oil" behavior has been used, supported by laboratory tests and
theoretical considerations. Additionally, a control volume finite
element (CVFE) grid was used to construct a simulation model, which
was history matched and used for production forecasting and economical
evaluation.

Results and Observations:

A reservoir model was made based on geological, geophysical and

petrophysical interpretations, using a computer platform for each
discipline. Conventional statistical and analytical reservoir
engineering has been done. The definition of two pseudo-components
(dead crude oil and solution gas), derived from the fluids molecular
composition at reservoir level, and the characteristics of the fluid
at surface were used.
 THE SPE IMAGE LIBRARY SPE 38015

The relative permeability curves for the water-oil and liquid-gas

systems were derived from displacement tests.

The production mechanisms identified for this reservoir are solution

gas drive, a weak aquifer activity, and the application of steam
processes in the area. No evidence of compaction/subsidence has been
detected, however, a recovery factor of 3% has been associated with it
at an abandonment pressure of 220 psi. Average reservoir has been
smoothly declining at an approximately rate of 15 psi/year.

Based on laboratory tests (PVT and displacement), conventional

analyses, and simulations efforts, the foamy nature of the crude oil
as a production mechanism has been determined to be of high impact.
Experimental results indicated a primary recovery factor up to 14%,
mostly associated to oil foaminess.

Well-known state of the art numerical simulation techniques have been

applied to analyze possible acting production mechanisms in this area
and their impact on the recovery factor. This approach and field
experiences were incorporated for the construction of a
three-dimensional compositional simulation model. Gridding was
generated applying CVFE method. The use of the CVFE allows: grid
generation unaffected by grid orientation, modelling the individual
reservoir layer boundaries, and direct refinement in selected regions,
Fig 1. After a history match was obtained, Fig 2, predictions were
performed for 20 your period, in which a 12-15% recovery was achieved,
5-6% of it due to foamy oil effect, Fig 3. Predictions for three
scenarios were evaluated at five different well rate constraint
conditions, variation of horizontal and vertical well number, as well
as the maximum oil rate constraint for horizontal and vertical wells.

Prediction evaluations indicated two reasonable cold scenario cases in

which new 18 horizontal wells were added. One of them is where
conditions for the wells are: horizontals at maximum oil rate of 1100
B/D and verticals at maximum oil rate of 300 B/D and the other
scenario is where the exploitation is done using only horizontal wells
at maximum oil rate constraint of 1100 B/D. After predictions, an
economical evaluation was done to define the best cold exploitation
scenario for three different artificial lift method: rod pump (RP),
progressive cavity pump (PCP), electrosumersible pump (ESP).
Economical evaluation results did not show significant difference
among artificial lift methods evaluated and the best scenario was that
where horizontal and vertical wells were produced with an oil rate
constraint.

Conclusions:

The main primary production mechanism of this reservoir is dominated

by solution gas drive and it is associated to foamy oil generation,
providing pressure maintenance and allowing a high well productivity.

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