Produced Water Re-Injection, A Holistic Approach from Pilot to Full Field Implementation and Enhancement

Abstract Field X is a giant oil field which is an elongated, faulted anticline with longer axis trending northeast-southwest and located onshore UAE. In 1980s’, peripheral water injection (PWI) scheme supplied by brackish water from the aquifers (Regional Aquifers: perforated in Umm Er Radhuma and open hole in Simsima) was the main driving mechanism. The studied reservoir is divided into two main zones showing a high permeability contrast with an upper zone ranging from 10 to 5000 mD interbedded with low permeability layers (1-100mD) and a lower zone of limited heterogeneity and relatively low permeability ranging from 1 to 20 mD. This contrast in permeability provides good macroscopic sweep efficiency in the upper formation compared to the lower ones. Consequently, sharp increase in water cut trends in the upper formation is observed in 2002 which leads to (a) increase volumes of water disposing and treatment (b) environmental issues (c) government regulations (e) financial and economic factors. The common practice was to drill dedicated wells to dispose of water which must be processed and treated to meet certain standards prior of disposing it. Water control treatments and disposing of water is a very time-consuming process with a considerable cost associated with it. In alignment with our leadership directions moving towards zero emissions, waster to value conversion, no discharge to surface or sea and being proactive in handling the increasing water production volumes, 100% Produced Water Re-Injection (PWRI) strategy is embraced as a cost-effective manner to achieve our vision and strategy. Many papers discussed the implementation of PWRI on a moderate scale. However, in this paper, 100% PWRI strategy in a mega field is discussed on an intensive and enormous scale from pilot phase till full field implementation and monitoring.(1,2,3,4,7)