CO2 Foam Field Verification Pilot Test at EVGSAU: Phase II—Foam Injection Design and Operating Plan

Abstract

ABSTRACT The East Vacuum Grayburg San Andres Unit (EVGSAU) operated by Phillips Petroleum, is the site selected for a comprehensive evaluation of the use of foam for improving the sweep efficiency of a CO2 flood. The four-year project is jointly funded by the EVGSAU Working Interest Owners (WIO), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and the State of New Mexico. The Petroleum Recovery Research Center (PRRC), a division of the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (NMIMT), is providing laboratory and research support for the project. A Joint Project Advisory Team (JPAT) composed of technical representatives from numerous major oil companies, PRRC, and DOE provides input, review and guidance for the project. This paper is the second in a series of papers detailing various aspects of the CO2 Foam Field Verification Pilot test at EVGSAU. An earlier paper summarized the project plans and detailed the laboratory work leading to the selection of a surfactant for the field trial. This paper presents: 1) an overview of the operating plan for the project, 2) details of the foam injection schedule and design criteria, and 3) a discussion of the data collection program and performance criteria to be used in evaluating successful application of foam for mobility control in the EVGSAU CO2 project. Specific items discussed in the foam injection design include the determination of surfactant volume and concentration, selection of the surfactant-alternating-gas (SAG) injection sequence for foam generation, field facilities, operations during foam injection, and contingency plans. An extensive data collection program for the project is discussed including production testing, injection well pressure and rate monitoring, injection profiles, production well logging, observation well logging program, and both gas and water phase tracer programs.