Cyclic Steam Injection (CSI) pilot design

Overview

Most E&P operators are challenged with finding cost-effective solutions for improving reservoir recovery factors. Well-planned CSI can provide significant benefits, such as increased production and recovery factor. Additionally, the earlier an operator applies the method, the more likely they are to gain positive economic results.

Field pilot can provide valuable knowledge on the feasibility and potential of CSI, reduce the full field deployment risks, and increase the operator’s knowledge about the process. However, many field pilots take much longer than needed and are unsuccessful due to cost overruns, lack of clear results, inappropriate monitoring, disregard of important operational aspects, and lack of expertise.

The Halliburton method is a disciplined approach to CSI optimization that can determine the best scenario before beginning a pilot, reduce cost overruns due to trial and error, and reduce the time to positive net present value. The CSI method can offer high final oil recoveries, with records indicating up to 65% of the OOIP when proper reservoirs are chosen, sound pilot design, and execution excellence. Halliburton can achieve this by acting as an integrated service provider with complete oversight of the entire process from visualization to evaluation of the pilot. Our approach offers the possibility of successfully executing a pilot before cost-effectively extending the technique.

Case study

A multidisciplinary NOC-Halliburton team developed a pilot design based on results from the integrated reservoir study. The diagnosis study shows a steam-to-oil ratio (SOR) of 0.33, which increased cost efficiency by about 9 times compared to the average

Hot oil (first cycle of steam injection) was 11 times higher than cold, which is 3 times higher than the worldwide average.