Steam floods in the Wilmington Field

Wilmington Field is located in the SW. portion of the Los Angeles basin, California. Cyclic steam injection into wells producing low-gravity oil has proven to be the most important stimulation method being used in the Tidelands area of the field since waterflooding. The economic and oil recovery advantages determined from 60 wells which have undergone steam stimulation are outlined, along with experience in timing of re-steaming, and the effects of well-bore cleanup on production. Oil rate increases of 5 to 10 times are very common and may be sustained at 3 to 4 times the level of former production. Big production rates, both gross and net, often exceed new well rates. Large lease areas as well as producing wells have been stimulated by cyclic steaming. These concepts are illustrated with specific case histories of performance and economics.