Two pilot steam stimulation projects were initiated to study the feasibility of application of steam for recovery of heavy oil occuring in a shallow depth reservoir in Kuwait.

The first pilot cyclic steam stimulation project was started in September 1982 with 4 wells1 . This is still in the first production cycle with an overall OSR of 10.316 till end September 1988.

The second pilot cyclic steam stimulation project was commissioned in June 1986 and steam injection to the first well commenced on 25th June 1986. Injection continued from well to well and terminated in the 4th well on 23rd August 1986.

The salient features of this pilot are:

  • 1)

    Use of treated brackish water produced from a shallow water well.

  • 2)

    Facility to switch steam from one well to another without interruption of operation by using combination steam and oil header.

  • 3)

    Compared to the first pilot a very short natural flowing life of the wells.

  • 4)

    Long distance pumping of the crude oil without any additive or pipeline heating.

These 4 wells are now in the production cycle and they have produced 222,874 bbls [34,434m3] of oil by 30th September 1988 with an overall oil steam ratio of 3.0832.

There was no primary production.

Keywords:
regular production, brackish water, thermal method, spe 17987, upstream oil & gas, reservoir, operation, soak period, kuwait, steam injection rate
Subjects:
Improved and Enhanced Recovery, Thermal methods
Copyright 1989, Society of Petroleum Engineers
You can access this article if you purchase or spend a download.