Nano-Surfactant Huff and Puff Optimization in Marginal X Field Using Commercial Simulator

Abstract

Economic optimization of an oil and gas project is an obligation that has to be done to increase overall profit, whether the field is still economically feasible or the field has surpassed its economic limit. In this case, a marginal field was chosen for the study. In this marginal field EOR methods have been used to boost the production rate. However, a full scale EOR method might not be profitable due to the amount of resources that is required to do it. Alternatively, Huff and Puff method is an EOR technique that is reasonable in the scope of single well.

The Huff and Puff method is an EOR method where a single well serves as both a producer and an injector. The technique of Huff and Puff: (1) The well is injected with designed injection fluid, (2) the well is shut to let the fluid to “soak” in the reservoir for some time, and (3) the well is opened and reservoir fluids are allowed to be produced. The injection fluid (in this case, nano-surfactant) is hypothesized to reduce interfacial tension between the oil and rock, thus improving the oil recovery.

In this study, the application of Huff and Puff method using Nanoparticles (NPs) as the injected fluid, as a method of improving oil recovery is presented in a case study of a field in South Sumatra. The study resulted that said method yields an optimum Incremental Oil Production (IOP) in which the economic aspect gain more profit, and therefore it is considered feasible to be applied in the field.