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3rd
Quarter 2003 Case Studies
Petroleum Technology Digest
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CONTACT
THE PTTC REGIONAL
RESOURCE CENTER IN YOUR AREA:
Appalachian Region
Director: Doug Patchen
West Virginia University,
304-293-2867, ext. 5443
www.karl.nrcce.wvu.edu
Central Gulf Region
Director: Bob Baumann,
Louisiana State University, 225-578-4400
Coordinator: Don Goddard, 225-578-4538
www.cgrpttc.lsu.edu
Eastern Gulf Region
Director: Ernest Mancini
University of Alabama, 205-348-4319
http://egrpttc.geo.ua.edu
Midwest Region
Director: David Morse
Illinois State Geological Survey,
217-244-5527
Coordinator: Steve Gustison, 217-244-9337
www.isgs.uiuc.edu/pttc
North Midcontinent Region
Director: Rodney Reynolds
Kansas University
Energy Research Center, 785-864-7398
Coordinator: Dwayne McCune, 785-864-7398
www.nmcpttc.org
Rocky Mountain Region
Director: Sandra Mark
Colorado School of Mines, 303-273-3107
www.pttcrockies.org
South Midcontinent Region
Director: Charles Mankin
Oklahoma Geological Survey,
405-325-3031
Coordinator: Michelle Summers, 405-325-3031
www.ogs.ou.edu/pttc.htm
Southwest Region
Director: Robert Lee,
Petroleum Recovery Research
Center, 505-835-5408
Coordinator: Martha Cather, 505-835-5685
http://octane.nmt.edu/sw-pttc
Texas Region
Director: Scott Tinker,
Bureau of Economic Geology
University of Texas at Austin, 512-471-1534
Coordinator: Sigrid Clift, 512-471-0320
www.energyconnect.com/pttc
West Coast Region
Director: Iraj Ershaghi
University of Southern California
213-740-0321
Coordinator: Idania Takimoto,
213-740-8076
www.westcoastpttc.org
Michigan Satellite
William Harrison III, 269-387-5488
http://wst023.west.wmich.edu/pttc.htm
Permian Basin
Bob Kiker, 432-552-3432
www.energyconnect.com/pttc/pb/
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Horizontal Drilling Increases
Production in a Reef Formation
Bottom Line:
In 1992, SOMOCO Inc. - a Michigan-based company - initially
developed the Novi 29 Niagaran reef by drilling a 35° directional discovery well
into the southeast corner of the reef. Some eight years later, to increase
production and access additional reserves, the well was re-entered, drilling a
417-ft horizontal lateral with a second 272-ft horizontal spur. For a re-entry
cost of only $175,000, production more than tripled and estimated ultimate
recoverable reserves increased by 233,000 barrels of oil and 606 MMcf. A second
horizontal well was subsequently drilled into the north end of the reef.
Combined, the incremental reserves attributed to horizontal development are
estimated at 283,000 barrels of oil and 1,240 MMcf.
Two-Piece, Flow-Thru Plunger Offers Benefits for Unloading Gas
Wells
Bottom Line:
ChevronTexaco has successfully employed two-piece, flow-through
plungers in South, East and West Texas. By virtually eliminating the shut-in
time required for a traditional plunger, lost production is minimized, fewer
liquids are forced
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back into the formation, and less surface
fluctuations are encountered. In one well where a capillary
string installation was replaced, production increased and
$1,740 per month of chemical costs were eliminated. In a
10-well program in West Texas (replacing standard plunger lift
in eight wells and two flowing wells), production increased
1,200 Mcfd.
Beam-Operated Gas Compressor Is Profitable in
Various Field Applications
Bottom Line:
Using the walking beam-operated Beam Gas
Compressor (BGC), operators can increase production and reduce
operating costs on rod-pumping wells by drawing gas and gas
pressure from the casing, alleviating the problem of gas
interference in the downhole pump. Operators are utilizing the
BGC to force casing head gas into high-pressure sales lines.
Operators find the BGC is the solution to compress casinghead
gas in fields where electricity is not available for
conventional compression methods. Some operators experience
increases of up to 40 bopd with associated gas and compression
expense savings of $20,000 or more. |
Regional
Roundup