Abstract
In an environment of soft to declining oil prices, the key to survival for many operators is maintaining production on current producing wells. Stimulating current producing wells is one way of maintaining that production, although the type of stimulation treatment may not always be straightforward. This paper presents strategies for the identification of stimulation candidate wells, and chemical treatment types that will present the best opportunities to increase production based on the specific type of damage mechanism encountered.
The use of decline curve analysis is an important tool in selecting wells for production enhancement. In a day where precious few dollars are available for production enhancement and a long term study for candidate identification is not feasible, it is of particular importance to have the tools readily available to identify and select only those wells that will not only minimize the risk of the expenditure, but also yield justifiable economic returns.
Extensive field experience has identified production profiles that are consistent with different types of damage mechanisms found in the heavy oil environment. Learning to recognize the profiles and the damage that triggered those profiles, will help the production engineer or coordinator decide on the best treatment technique.
This paper discusses the different types of damage profiles observed on production plots, and details the damage mechanisms that caused that damage profile and the treatment products and techniques necessary to restore a well's production to its full potential.
