Analysis of IPR curves in North Slope horizontal producers supported by waterflood and water alternating gas EOR processes

Abstract

The shape and behavior of IPR curves in waterflooded reservoirs has not previously been defined despite their common use for optimization activities in such systems. This work begins to define the behavior of IPR curves in both water flood and water‐alternating‐gas EOR systems using a fine scale model of the Alpine A‐sand. The behavior of IPRs is extended to 3 additional reservoir systems with differing mobility ratios. Traditionally derived (Vogel, Fetkovich) IPR curves are found to be poor representations of well performance and are shown to lead to non‐optimal gas lift allocations in compression limited production networks. Additionally, the seemingly trivial solution to gas lift optimization in an unconstrained system is shown to be more complex than simply minimizing the bottom hole pressure of the producing well; maximized economic value is achieved at FBHPs greater than zero psi.