OVERCOMING THE STEAM ERUPTION IN AREA 'X' OILFIELD 'Y': IDENTIFICATION AND PROBLEM ROOT CAUSE SOLVING

• Main Author: (NIM : 22207329), YOELSON
• Format: Theses
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/24782
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Steam eruption in the surface is one of the possible risk in the steamflood oilfield operation. The cause of steam eruption basically is steam conduit formation from <br /> <br /> sub surface which steam accumulation has already been existed in the sand. Through this conduit, steam flows to the surface. The root cause how the conduit be formed could be varied depends on what the trigger and how the geological and reservoir condition is. <br /> <br /> Field 'Y' is located at Central Sumatera and developed using steamflood technology. Area 'X' is part of Field 'Y' located at northern part of Field 'Y'. The <br /> <br /> major sand in this area is Sand A and Sand B. Area 'X' was developed using steamflood technology in year 2003. All the production wells had been producing oil and all the injection wells had been injecting steam since year 2003 so the steam is being accumulated in the sub surface at the most in the Sand A and B. In year 2008 Area 'X' was re-developed to optimize the oil recovery from the unswept oil by drilling some production and injection well. During drilling execution in Well 'S' which will be planned as injection well, steam kick <br /> <br /> happened and be followed by action to kill with new composition of drilling mud. After a while steam eruption starting with indication of steam bubbling in the surface at the distance about 52 metres from drilling location and be followed by second steam bubbling about 40 metres from first location or 85 metres from drilling location. The volume of steam bubbling kept increasing at the both of spot and created pool with diameter about 5 metres. Eruption stopped after some of surrounding injectors were shut in. The interesting thing was happened, when one of injector was re-activated by injecting the steam, there was direct response in second eruption spot while the first was not. The injector was shut in again but steam eruption in second spot was still active and remained to be active for 1 month.