Autonomous Outflow Control Technology AOCD in New Water/Polymer Injectors in Heavy Oil Fields from South Sultanate of Oman

Abstract

Several techniques have been applied to improve fluid conformance of injection wells to increase water flooding performance and eventually field oil recovery. Normal outflow control devices (OCDs) are effective solutions for this problem in reservoirs with static properties, however, they fail in reservoirs with complex/dynamic properties including fractures. There, the continuously increasing contrast in the injectivity of a section with the fractures compared to the rest of the well causes diverting a great portion of the injected fluid into the thief zone thus creating short-circuit to the nearby producer wells. This paper summarizes the integrated technical learnings from the successful application of the installation of the first Autonomous Outflow Control (AOCD) technology in a new long horizontal injector well. It shows the result of extending this technology to other injectors in both water and polymer phases in the field, it details the facts and observations and the insights the multidisciplinary authors have captured. This autonomously reactive control on the injection fluid conformance resulted in an increased sweep and ultimate oil recovery while reducing the total volume of injected fluid.