An Overview of the North Ward Estes CO2 Flood

Abstract

Abstract A CO2 pattern flood was initiated in a west Texas (Permian Basin), sandstone reservoir as a tertiary recovery process in 1989. This paper is an overview of the development and management of the North Ward Estes CO2 Flood. The primary objective of managing the CO2 flood has been to maximize oil recovery for maximum profitability. This has been accomplished by maintaining a consistent water-alternating-gas (WAG) process, optimizing CO2 utilization, and maintaining a proper balance between patterns. Reservoir modeling, which is emphasized in this paper, has also been critical in the development and management of this flood.