Use of Reservoir Simulation for Optimizing Recovery Performance of One of the Iranian Oil Fields

Abstract A black oil reservoir simulator has been used to determine the reservoir management and production strategies to optimize the oil recovery from an offshore low porosity, low permeability carbonate reservoir with permeability of 1-3 md and porosity of 5-20%. This reservoir is a candidate for an EOR process, because the reservoir production rate has been declined rapidly to about half of the initial production rate within four years. The injection techniques that were used in this study include: (1) water injection, (2) gas injection, (3) water alternating gas injection (WAG), (4) simultaneous water alternating gas injection (SWAG), (5) gas injection in the top of the reservoir with water injection in the reservoir bottom and (6) gas injection in the bottom of the reservoir with water injection in the reservoir top. Specific strategy that was used includes the use of horizontal injectors and producers. This well configuration has been shown to yield the best oil recovery compared to other well configurations. Simulation results show that the most economical method to produce this reservoir is WAG. This production strategy has resulted in better efficiency and therefore higher oil recovery and good economics.