Cold Production of Heavy Oil From Horizontal Wells in the Frog Lake Field

Abstract

Summary Texaco Canada Petroleum Inc. (TCPI) has successfully conducted a 10-horizontal well primary production pilot project at Frog Lake, Alberta, Canada. The gravity of the heavy oil ranges from 10 to 14°API, and the oil viscosity ranges from 20,000 to 50,000 cp. These 10 wells were completed in the Lower Waseca formation (one of five prospective formations in the field) and were produced by use of a coproduction of sand and oil from the reservoir at ambient temperatures, known as cold production. These wells were very successful, with most wells displaying productive capabilities in excess of 100 B/D. Based on the technical success of the 10-well pilot, a long-term staged development plan was established to resolve some technical challenges identified by the 10-well project. These challenges include reduction of operating costs and improvement of artificial lift and well reliability. As part of the development plan, over 70 horizontal wells have been drilled and production has peaked at 3,000 BOPD. This paper summarizes the history of the Frog Lake field, completion and production techniques for the pilot project, and some of the operational and technical challenges encountered. A field-wide development strategy and potential for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) are also discussed.