A study of waterflood sweep efficiency in a complex viscous oil reservoir

Abstract

West Sak is a multi-billion barrel viscous oil accumulation on the North Slope of Alaska. The unique geologic complexities and fluid properties of the West Sak reservoir make understanding ultimate sweep efficiency under waterflood a challenge. This project uses uncertainty modeling to evaluate the ultimate sweep efficiency in the West Sak reservoir and honors a rich dataset gathered from 30 years of development history. A sector model encompassing the area of the West Sak commercial pilot was developed and a sensitivity analysis conducted to determine the most important parameters affecting sweep efficiency. As part of this process unique constraints were incorporated into the model including measured saturations at the end of history, and observed completion performance. The workflow for this project was documented and can be adapted for use in larger scale models. The workflow includes the development of static cell properties which accurately represent field behavior, a preliminary history match using conventional methods and a sensitivity analysis employing a multi-run visualization tool to effectively navigate and process large amounts of data. The main contributions of this work include the identification of key parameters affecting sweep efficiency in the West Sak oil field, a documented workflow, and increased insight into observed production behavior.