<Wednesday's Open ThreadThe Oil DrumThe Vincent E. McKelvey Lifetime Achievement Award>

91 comments on And Saudi Arabia had an answer . . .

Comments can no longer be added to this story.

Halfin on February 9, 2006 - 4:50am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
Chris, I think they put the water in here, and the oil comes out over there. The reason for the water is to keep up the pressure. Only once the water migrates over to where the oil is coming out do you start to have a problem. HO could answer more authoritatively.
Comments can no longer be added to this story.
Heading Out on February 9, 2006 - 10:34am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
It used to be that they ran clusters of injection and production wells together, now they add the water around the outside of the field in a much more controlled manner, so that the oil over the field is gradually pushed to the center and higher segment of the reservoir.  This gives a more even pressure distribution.  One of the problems however, is that there are a lot of fractures in that area, and it may be more difficult to stop water passage up some of them.  This is where the valves come in, since they would allow isolation of the zones were premature water penetration occurs.
Comments can no longer be added to this story.