Reversible Invert Emulsion System used to Significantly Increase Water Injection Rates in an Open Hole, Stand-Alone Screen Completion in West Africa

Abstract

Abstract Increasing water injection rate at low injection pressures with low cost has always been a goal of any reservoir pressure maintenance program. During the development of an offshore West Africa field, the operator has discovered a method to significantly increase water injection rate at low injection pressures. This paper describes the utilization of a number of new technologies to drill and complete a 2,109-foot section. The well was drilled in a geologically challenging reservoir containing inter-bedded shales. The project was planned with geological, drilling/completion and injectivity goals in mind. The high-rate water injector was completed open hole with a stand-alone screen. A number of new technologies were used during the drilling and completion phase of this well includes: Specially designed reversible invert emulsion reservoir drill-in fluidUtilization of a completion screen flow through testUnique displacement sequenceSpecially designed organic acid cleanup treatment Compared to best offset drilled with a low-solids, conventional oil-based mud this operation resulted in a 280 % increase in the water injection rate with a 50% decrease in injection pressure.