Produced Water Disposal in Deep Aquifers: Case History Review of Ughelli East-30 Pilot Injector

Abstract

A water injector pilot well - Ughelli East-30, was drilled across high-permeability unconsolidated sandstone aquifers to dispose 30 Mbwpd of produced water in November 1998 and suspended in December 1998 due to lack of injectivity. Review of the failed pilot injection was performed as part of an extensive water management study for a cluster of onshore fields located in the western Niger Delta area. The technical investigation focused on the target disposal aquifer petrophysical parameters, produced water composition analysis, well completion design and injection performance result. Potential impairment mechanisms and failure risk factors for injectors with similar cased-hole, perforated completion design in analogue reservoirs were also investigated. The poor well injectivity performance was attributed to sub-optimal sand control completion design and the ‘water hammer’ effect which resulted in massive sand fill as evidenced by a sand bailing exercise during November 1999 riglessre-entry in the well. The 17-ft rat hole below the bottom aquifer sand perforations was also deemed to be inadequate for the sand fill which apparently bridged the perforations. Optimal completion requirements to prevent water injection failure in unconsolidated sandstone formation has been brought to the fore in this paper which is expected to steer engineers focus to those factors with high impact on water injection system performance.