Geological modeling and reservoir simulation of Umiat: a large shallow oil accumulation

Abstract

Current high oil price and availability of new technologies allow re-evaluation of oil resources previously considered uneconomic. Umiat oil field is one such resource: a unique, shallow (275-1055 feet), low-pressure (200-400 psi) reservoir within the permafrost zone located north of the Arctic Circle, 80 miles west of Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) with an estimated 1.5 billion barrel of oil-in-place. This thesis presents a reservoir model that incorporates recently identified permeability anisotropy patterns within the Cretaceous Nanushuk sandstone reservoir to evaluate various potential mechanisms such as horizontal wells and immiscible gas injections. The simulation model focuses on the Lower Grandstand which is identified as a better reservoir rock. The reservoir temperature is assumed at 26 OF and gas is injected at the same temperature to maintain equilibrium with the permafrost and prevent any well integrity problems. An optimum horizontal well length of 1500 ft was found and applied for all simulation cases. The simulation results show that with 50 years of lean gas injection, recovery factors for the base case and case of 600 psi injection pressures are 12% and 15%, respectively, keeping all other parameters constant.