Overview

A Californian operator with challenging heavy oil requested our THOR downhole heater to provide targeted, controllable and low carbon in well hating at the perforations which:

• Increased oil production by 6.5x more than steam
• Halved the water cut
• Increased in Revenue by $505,000 per well per year
• Break even in 29 days

 

 

Challenge

The operator was experiencing low production at their:

• Heavy oil well (13 API)
• High viscosity – 1150 cP at reservoir conditions (115°F)
• Moderately permeable, 200ft thick sandstone reservoir section
• Deplete (under 50 psi)
• Near wellbore wax or asphaltene skins probable

Making extraction challenging with the sucker rod pump (SRP) only producing 3.1 barrels of oil per day (bopd).

State Laws meant the traditional solution of carbon intensive steam flooding was not viable. 

 

 

The Solution: THOR (Thermal Oil Recovery)

THOR was set at the perforations (1,500ft MD) heating radially into the reservoir up to 50ft. Reducing oil viscosity and improving the skins to increase inflow. Heating the oil before the pump inlet also allows for easier lifting to surface.

 

Oil production increased from 3.1 to 20.4 bopd after just 1 month, a 6.5x uplift compared to steaming. Reducing oil viscosity also improved the mobility ratio, halving the water cut. 

 

 

THOR automatically correct for flow changes via the remote SCADA system staying at the operators set point of 230° protecting the pump.

The California grid input allowed THOR to produce oil at 1.51 around 20 times less than local steam floods at 29.33 g/MJ. THOR’s high (90%) efficiency and targeted downhole heating keeps fuel costs low.

 

Get in touch with the Cavitas team to discover THOR, the Thermal Heater for Oil Recovery. Find out how we can enhance production in your well. 

 

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Email: info@cavitas.co.uk

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