Waterflood History and Design Fundamentals

In Waterflood History and Design Fundamentals , you'll learn ...

• Knowledge of what waterflooding is and the history of the technique
• Knowledge of the rock and fluid properties and equations used in waterflood analyses
• The skill of basic waterflood analysis techniques
• Knowledge of advanced waterflood considerations and techniques

Overview

Credit: 2 PDH

Length: 22 pages

This course introduces the student to the history and fundamental principles of waterflood design. Concepts of the required rock and fluid properties are reviewed, equations and methodology for preliminary subsurface waterflood analyses are presented. Factors and techniques for more detailed analyses are discussed in the following sections of the material. The final section reviews the elements of the surface facilities and potential problems related to the injected water.

The course material begins with a definition of waterflooding followed by the history of waterflooding beginning with the first patent issued in 1884. The analytical section introduces the rock properties of porosity, permeability and relative permeability and the fluid property of viscosity. Darcy's equation, the fractional flow equation, the frontal advance equation, and the Time to Water Break Through equation for horizontal flow are presented to provide a foundation for the prediction technique in the following section.

The use of the Buckley-Leverett/Welge graphical solution is described for preliminary analyses of waterfloods. More advanced considerations such as reservoir heterogeneity, flood patterns, and reservoir simulation are discussed in the concluding section of subsurface considerations. The surface facility review presents the three primary components of waterflooding surface facilities; the gathering system, the treating plant and tankage, and the injection system. Sources of potential problems with the injected water are noted.