Abstract
The present article is based on the enhaced recovery pilot in Argentina presented in SPE 160078 ("Desing and Execution of a Polymer Injection Pilot in Argentina").
A polymer injection pilot is being conducted since January 2012 in El Corcobo Norte field, in Neuquén Basin, Argentina. The project intends to evaluate the incremental volumetric efficiency for Lower Centenario formation, unconsolidated, strongly water-wet sandstone that has been under waterflood since the beginning of the field's production in 2006.
El Corcobo Norte field produces medium-heavy oil and, due to its unconsolidated nature, production strategy involves massive sand production all along the well's productive life. Although waterflooding efficiency has allowed achieving an important oil recovery, wormholing and chanelling issues represent a challenge to the field's development strategy of increased injection and fluid production. A polymer injection project would help increasing ultimate recovery factor, through enhacing injected fluid's efficiency to displace the oil. Along the past four years of experience operating this pilot, many lessons learnt regarding process, operational, logistic and chemical issues, became extremely valuable for the company's know how in operating this technology. Pilot surveillance has proven to be a key factor for understanding how the process is working in the reservoir.
This work will present the updated results of the polymer injection pilot, which is still under evaluation but already showing promising results that could lead to an attractive expansion project.
