Downhole Oil/Water Separation

Part of the Oil Industry’s Future

Bruce R. Peachey, P.Eng., MCIC

Downhole Oil/Water Separation

◊ Background and Basic Operation

◊ What Has Already Been Done

◊ What Can Be Done

◊ What Might Be Done in Future

Water and Oil Production in Western Canada

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

Ann

ual P

rodu

ctio

n -

Mill

ions

of b

bls

Water Production

Oil Production

Downhole Oil/Water Separation

◊ Problem - Wells being shut-in• Still producing oil• Producing too much water• Most North American wells shut-in @ WOR<10-20• North Sea/Offshore wells shut-in @ WOR<5-10• Middle East wells shut-in @ WOR<1-2

◊ Solution - In Well Separation Downhole• Mechanical solution more reliable than shut-offs• Re-Inject water into producing formation

Basic Downhole Separation

New Paradigm – 1991

Oil to Surface

Separator & Pump(s)

Water to Injection

C-FER/NPEL

What Has Already Been Done

◊ “DHOWS” Commercial Systems Developed with C-FER

• ESP Commercial – AQWANOTTM and HydrosepTM

• PCP (Weatherford) and Beam (Quinn) available

◊ New “DHOWS” Versions in Trial StageDesanding (PCP and ESP)

◊ Gravity Separation Systems - Beam Pumps• Texaco/Dresser, Quinn (Q-Sep)

◊ Reverse Coning Without Separators

Basic “DHOWS” Prototypes

◊ ESP - Electric Submersible Pump - 1800 bfpd• Oil Rate went up 10-20% at same bottom-hole rates• Reduced water to surface by 97%

◊ PCP - Progressing Cavity Pump - 1800 bfpd• Reduced water to surface by 85%• Well previously in sporadic operation for about 3 yrs

◊ Beam Pump - 600 bfpd• Reduced water to surface by 85%• Demonstrated Gravity Separation

Basic “DHOWS” Installation - PanCanadian

1

10

100

Jun 95 Aug 95 Oct 95 Dec 95 Feb 96 Apr 96 Jun 96 Aug 96 Oct 96 Dec 96

Date

OilRate

(m3/d)

SurfaceWOR

COM

PLET

ED IN

JECT

ION

ZONE

INST

ALLE

D DH

OW

S

Surface WOR

Oil Rate

C-FER/NPEL

Uphole Reinjection

Pump System

Separator

ProducingZone

InjectionPerforations

◊ Injection zone(s) above the production zone(s)

◊ ESP DHOWS

Dual Horizontal Well “DHOWS”

Talisman Energy Inc

Also Installed With Uphole Injection

“DHOWS” with C-FER Desander

Pump(s) - ESP or PCP

Desander

De-oiler Hydrocyclone

To Surface

To Injection

◊ Problem - Heavy Oil Wells• “Sand” Plugs Injection

◊ Solution – Desanding• Sand & Oil to Surface• Water to Injection

Gravity Separation

Oil Concentrate Pump

Water Pump

Producing Zone(s)

Disposal Zone(s)

C-FER/NPEL

Coning Control

Separator

Injection Zone

Oil Pump

Total Flow Pump

Oil

Water

C-FER/NPEL

◊ Louisiana State• Pump oil & water separately

◊ NPEL/C-FER/Petro-Can• Pump oil & water together• Open more of well to oil

What Can Be Done

◊ Reverse Coning with DHOWS

◊ Re-Entry Drillout (Single Well)

◊ Re-Entry Drilling (Multi-well)

◊ Cross-Flooding Between Zones

Re-Entry Drillout

Pump (Dual or Single;ESP, PCP, Beam)

Separator

Injection Zone

Old Producing Zone(Cement or Leave Open)

Horizontal Re-entry

Horizontal Producing Zone

◊ Create or activate water disposal leg on producing well or producing leg on watered-out or water disposal well

◊ Re-entry drillout or drilled and plugged-off during initial drilling program

◊ Zone cross-flooding between wells

Re-Entry Drilling

◊ Use when zone between injector and producer is swept

◊ Directionally drill to establish new producing or injection location(s)

◊ Producing zone in well provides water for flood

◊ Existing wellbore could be used as producing zone or injection zone

New ProducingLocation

New ProducingLocation

New InjectionLocation

New InjectionLocation

Existing SweptZone

Existing SweptZone

Producing WellProducing Well

InjectorInjector

Cross-Flooding

◊ Multi-layered reservoir application

◊ Some wells produce from lower zone & inject into upper zone

◊ Other wells produce from upper and inject lower

◊ Double the number of injectors or producers without drilling!

WaterLoop

Oil Oil

What Might be Done In Future

◊ Offshore: Already under way. Gas Lift Proposal

◊ High Volume: Larger capacity system under development

◊ Lower Water cut to surface: Feasible for offshore subsea

◊ Alternate Lift Systems: Flowing, Jet Pump◊ Alternate Separation Units: More options at

low rates

Oilfield Water Management – Same Well Source/Injector/Recycle

Lake orRiver Source

Cap rockOil Leg

Water LegCap rock

Underlying Aquifer

DHOWS

Move toward“Ideal”

Pump

The Middle East Water Challenge

◊ Reservoirs contain billions of barrels• Recovery only projected to be 40% due to water

◊ Most wells flowing only oil now• No water handling infrastructure• Wells “die” at 30-40% water cut• Major costs and infrastructure to operate with water

◊ Solution needed:• Install in well and leave for years• No external power• No increase in water

Downhole Oil/Water Separation Summary

◊ Positive experience is quickly building

◊ All “DHOWS” wells show water reduced 85-97%

◊ Still many applications to try

◊ Plenty of potential and opportunity for new concepts

◊ For more public info see:• Argonne National Labs – http://www.ead.anl.gov

Acknowledgments

◊ Clients - NRCan & PERD, Oil & Gas Producers

◊ Alliance Partners - C-FER Technologies Inc., KR Croasdale & Associates, R&D 2000, Scott-Can Industries, Colin Gosselin

◊ Contact Networks - CSChE, PTAC, ACR, CIM, SPE, CAPP, individual colleagues

◊ New Paradigm Affiliates - KeyTech Energy Inc., Blackline Oil Corp. & Avatar Systems Inc.

◊ Family and Friends

Contact Information

Advanced Technology Centre

9650-20 Avenue

Edmonton, Alberta

Canada T6N 1G1

tel: 780.450.3613

fax: 780.462.7297

email: info@newparadigm.ab.ca

web: www.newparadigm.ab.ca