Shell makes a success of steam flood at Yorba Linda

The steam-injection operations which Shell Oil Co. began in Yorba Linda field of Orange County, Califorina, in 1960, still continue. From these operations, these conclusions have been drawn: (1) Cyclic steam injection (steam soak) increased oil recovery. Steam soak recovery in this field is estimated to be 6 times the ultimate primary recovery. (2) Early efforts to conduct a steam drive were thwarted by lack of mobility of the cold oil and the presence of an air zone at the top of the reservoir. (3) Conversion to steam drive can be accomplished after soak operations have created heat communication between wells. (4) Scaled physical-model studies were found to be of great value in determining the effect of operating parameters and production schemes on performance. Base maps and field cross sections provide more complete details of the operation.