Miscible CO2 Flooding Using Horizontal Multi-Fractured Wells in the San Andres Formation, TX – a Feasibility Study

The San Andres is a well-known dolomitic enhanced oil recovery target with low matrix permeability in the area of interest (Yoakum County, TX). A reservoir simulation study was undertaken to investigate the feasibility of using horizontal multi-fractured wells in low permeability miscible floods. A reservoir model was developed for the area of interest and was history-matched with the primary production data from the field. The model was then used to illustrate the CO₂ miscible flood potential by quantifying the incremental recovery over the primary production scenario.

Compositional modeling was used in the study to evaluate CO₂ flooding feasibility and efficiency. A holistic workflow included PVT modeling, petrophysical analysis, geomodeling, and hydraulic fracture modeling, provided integrated input into the reservoir model was followed. Continuous CO₂ flooding was explored as an operating strategy. Furthermore, water alternating gas (WAG) cases were designed and ran as a more realistic and cost-effective method of implementing miscible flooding. Based on the history-matched model, sensitivity analyses were conducted on hydraulic fracture geometry, well spacing, injection patterns and operating conditions for the primary production scenario, continuous CO₂ flooding and WAG scenarios.

Field surveillance and observations during the history-matching process showed that the wells had undergone damage from scaling. Sensitivity analysis showed that 300ft to 400ft cluster spacing resulted in the highest oil production during the first 10 years. Interdependent parameters, well spacing and fracture half-length were studied together; this sensitivity review showed that the differential oil recovery from 128 acres to 160 acres was larger than that from 160 acres to 213 acres, leading to the recommendation that 160 acres could be the optimized well spacing. In the optimized design, the continuous CO₂ injection case showed an incremental oil recovery of +22% (compared to primary production). The CO₂ utilization factor was between 7 and 8, which was consistent with the reported value from literature. WAG sensitivity analysis showed that longer hydraulic fractures did not necessarily improve WAG efficiency, but led to earlier CO₂ breakthrough. This observation confirmed our early suspicion that smaller hydraulic fracturing treatment could be a more cost-effective design toward miscible flooding in this reservoir. In addition, sweep efficiency and recovery was sensitive to WAG ratio, but not to injection slug size in each cycle.

The current study sheds light on the feasibility of conducting a CO₂ miscible flood using horizontal multi-fractured wells in low permeability reservoirs – a topic that is yet to be explored widely in petroleum engineering literature and in the industry. Incremental production that can be expected from a miscible CO₂ flood is estimated and recommendations are provided for optimal well spacing, WAG ratio and operating constraints to help determine a viable field development plan.