Water injection (oil production)
Encyclopedia
Water injection refers to the method in oil
industry where water
is injected back into the reservoir
, usually to increase pressure
and thereby stimulate production. Water injection wells can be found both on- and offshore, to increase oil recovery from an existing reservoir. The first use of water injection to increase production from failing oil wells was in the states of New York and Pennsylvania in the early 1930s.
Water is injected (1) to support pressure of the reservoir (also known as voidage replacement), and (2) to sweep or displace oil from the reservoir, and push it towards a well.
Normally only 30% of the oil in a reservoir can be extracted, but water injection increases that percentage (known as the recovery factor) and maintains the production rate of a reservoir over a longer period of time.
Produced water
is often used as an injection fluid. This reduces the potential of causing formation damage due to incompatible fluids, although the risk of scaling or corrosion in injection flowlines or tubing remains. Also, the produced water, being contaminated with hydrocarbons and solids, must be disposed of in some manner, and disposal to sea or river will require a certain level of clean-up of the water stream first. However, the processing required to render produced water fit for reinjection may be equally costly.
As the volumes of water being produced are never sufficient to replace all the production volumes (oil and gas, in addition to water), additional "make-up" water must be provided. Mixing waters from different sources exacerbates the risk of scaling.
Seawater is obviously the most convenient source for offshore production facilities, and it may be pumped inshore for use in land fields. Where possible, the water intake is placed at sufficient depth to reduce the concentration of algae; however, filtering, deoxygenation and biociding is generally required.
Aquifer water from water-bearing formations other than the oil reservoir, but in the same structure, has the advantage of purity where available.
River water will always require filtering and biociding before injection.
. Typical filtration is to 2 micrometre
s, but really depends on reservoir requirements. The filters are so fine so as not to block the pores of the reservoir. Sand
filters are a common used filtration technology to remove solid impurities from the water.
The sand filter has different beds with various sizes of sand granules. The sea water traverses the first, finest, layer of sand down to the coarsest and to clean the filter, the process is inverted. After the water is filtered it continues on to fill the de-oxygenation tower.
Sand filters are bulky, heavy, have some spill over of sand particles and require chemicals to enhance water quality.
A more sophisticated approach is to use automatic selfcleaning backflushable screen filters (suction scanning) because these do not have the disadvantages sand filters have.
The importance of proper water treatment is often underestimated by oil companies and engineering companies.
Especially with river-, and seawater, intake water quality can vary tremendously (algea blooming in spring time, storms and current stirring up sediments from the seafloor) which will have significant impact on the performance of the water treatment facilities.
If not addressed correctly, water injection may not be successful. This results in poor water quality, clogging of the reservoir and loss of oil production.
and growth of certain bacteria
. Bacterial growth in the reservoir can produce toxic hydrogen sulfide
, a source of serious production problems, and block the pores in the rock.
A deoxygenation tower brings the injection water into contact with a dry gas stream (gas is always readily available in the oilfield). The filtered water drops into the de-oxygenation tower, splashing onto a series of trays, causing dissolved oxygen to be lost to the gas stream.
An alternative method, also used as a backup to deoxygenation towers, is to add an oxygen scavenging agent such as sodium bisulfite
.
. The result of the injection is not quick, it needs time.
Water injection is used to prevent low pressure in the reservoir. The water replaces the oil which has been taken, keeping the production rate and the pressure the same over the long term.
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
industry where water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
is injected back into the reservoir
Oil field
An oil field is a region with an abundance of oil wells extracting petroleum from below ground. Because the oil reservoirs typically extend over a large area, possibly several hundred kilometres across, full exploitation entails multiple wells scattered across the area...
, usually to increase pressure
Pressure
Pressure is the force per unit area applied in a direction perpendicular to the surface of an object. Gauge pressure is the pressure relative to the local atmospheric or ambient pressure.- Definition :...
and thereby stimulate production. Water injection wells can be found both on- and offshore, to increase oil recovery from an existing reservoir. The first use of water injection to increase production from failing oil wells was in the states of New York and Pennsylvania in the early 1930s.
Water is injected (1) to support pressure of the reservoir (also known as voidage replacement), and (2) to sweep or displace oil from the reservoir, and push it towards a well.
Normally only 30% of the oil in a reservoir can be extracted, but water injection increases that percentage (known as the recovery factor) and maintains the production rate of a reservoir over a longer period of time.
Sources of injected water
Any and every source of bulk water can be, and has been, used for injection. The following sources of water are used for recovery of oil:Produced water
Produced water
Produced water is a term used in the oil industry to describe water that is produced along with the oil and gas. Oil and gas reservoirs have a natural water layer that lies under the hydrocarbons. Oil reservoirs frequently contain large volumes of water, while gas reservoirs tend to have smaller...
is often used as an injection fluid. This reduces the potential of causing formation damage due to incompatible fluids, although the risk of scaling or corrosion in injection flowlines or tubing remains. Also, the produced water, being contaminated with hydrocarbons and solids, must be disposed of in some manner, and disposal to sea or river will require a certain level of clean-up of the water stream first. However, the processing required to render produced water fit for reinjection may be equally costly.
As the volumes of water being produced are never sufficient to replace all the production volumes (oil and gas, in addition to water), additional "make-up" water must be provided. Mixing waters from different sources exacerbates the risk of scaling.
Seawater is obviously the most convenient source for offshore production facilities, and it may be pumped inshore for use in land fields. Where possible, the water intake is placed at sufficient depth to reduce the concentration of algae; however, filtering, deoxygenation and biociding is generally required.
Aquifer water from water-bearing formations other than the oil reservoir, but in the same structure, has the advantage of purity where available.
River water will always require filtering and biociding before injection.
Filters
The filters must clean the water and remove any impurities, such as shells and algaeAlgae
Algae are a large and diverse group of simple, typically autotrophic organisms, ranging from unicellular to multicellular forms, such as the giant kelps that grow to 65 meters in length. They are photosynthetic like plants, and "simple" because their tissues are not organized into the many...
. Typical filtration is to 2 micrometre
Micrometre
A micrometer , is by definition 1×10-6 of a meter .In plain English, it means one-millionth of a meter . Its unit symbol in the International System of Units is μm...
s, but really depends on reservoir requirements. The filters are so fine so as not to block the pores of the reservoir. Sand
Sand
Sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles.The composition of sand is highly variable, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal...
filters are a common used filtration technology to remove solid impurities from the water.
The sand filter has different beds with various sizes of sand granules. The sea water traverses the first, finest, layer of sand down to the coarsest and to clean the filter, the process is inverted. After the water is filtered it continues on to fill the de-oxygenation tower.
Sand filters are bulky, heavy, have some spill over of sand particles and require chemicals to enhance water quality.
A more sophisticated approach is to use automatic selfcleaning backflushable screen filters (suction scanning) because these do not have the disadvantages sand filters have.
The importance of proper water treatment is often underestimated by oil companies and engineering companies.
Especially with river-, and seawater, intake water quality can vary tremendously (algea blooming in spring time, storms and current stirring up sediments from the seafloor) which will have significant impact on the performance of the water treatment facilities.
If not addressed correctly, water injection may not be successful. This results in poor water quality, clogging of the reservoir and loss of oil production.
De-oxygenation
Oxygen must be removed from the water because it promotes corrosionCorrosion
Corrosion is the disintegration of an engineered material into its constituent atoms due to chemical reactions with its surroundings. In the most common use of the word, this means electrochemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen...
and growth of certain bacteria
Bacteria
Bacteria are a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals...
. Bacterial growth in the reservoir can produce toxic hydrogen sulfide
Hydrogen sulfide
Hydrogen sulfide is the chemical compound with the formula . It is a colorless, very poisonous, flammable gas with the characteristic foul odor of expired eggs perceptible at concentrations as low as 0.00047 parts per million...
, a source of serious production problems, and block the pores in the rock.
A deoxygenation tower brings the injection water into contact with a dry gas stream (gas is always readily available in the oilfield). The filtered water drops into the de-oxygenation tower, splashing onto a series of trays, causing dissolved oxygen to be lost to the gas stream.
An alternative method, also used as a backup to deoxygenation towers, is to add an oxygen scavenging agent such as sodium bisulfite
Sodium bisulfite
Sodium bisulfite is a chemical compound with the chemical formula NaHSO3. Sodium bisulfite is a food additive with E number E222. This salt of bisulfite can be prepared by bubbling sulfur dioxide in a solution of sodium carbonate in water...
.
Water injection pumps
The high pressure, high flow water injection pumps are placed near to the de-oxygenation tower and boosting pumps. They fill the bottom of the reservoir with the filtered water to push the oil towards the wells like a pistonPiston
A piston is a component of reciprocating engines, reciprocating pumps, gas compressors and pneumatic cylinders, among other similar mechanisms. It is the moving component that is contained by a cylinder and is made gas-tight by piston rings. In an engine, its purpose is to transfer force from...
. The result of the injection is not quick, it needs time.
Water injection is used to prevent low pressure in the reservoir. The water replaces the oil which has been taken, keeping the production rate and the pressure the same over the long term.
Sources and notes
- "New Billions In Oil" Popular Mechanics, March 1933 -- ie article on invention of water injection for oil recovery