Abstract
Due to the improvement in horizontal well construction technology, there is a tendency to extend the use of horizontal wells for improving the ultimate recovery of different recovery process, including waterflooding.
In this study, emphasize was given to several critical parameters affecting performance of horizontal injection wells in the highly heterogeneous Zone-17 of Hassi Messaoud (HMD) field in Algeria. These parameters are: position of the horizontal wellbore, perforated interval length and position, vertical to horizontal permeability ratio, and the optimum injection rate. The effectiveness of waterflooding using horizontal wells in this zone was examined in terms of sweep efficiency and ultimate recovery.
Horizontal injection wells have significantly increased injection capacity resulting in the ability to withdraw hydrocarbons from the reservoir at a higher rate. In Zone-17 HMD field, the injection/production rate can be increased by as much as four times without exceeding the fracture-parting pressure of the reservoir. Length and permeability of the perforated intervals, in heterogeneous reservoirs, have an important impact on the well injectivity and productivity. A relationship between these latter parameters has been developed.
