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Permalink Reply by dbob on August 3, 2012 at 12:12

Herman

I am not a geologist, but here is my best understanding. 

if there are already a lot of wells in an area, existing wells can be converted to inject gas.  As the gas spreads via pressure, and theoretically in all directions in a formation, it will move toward areas of less resistance and/or lower pressure.  You can lower pressure by actively producing or pumping from a well.  Therefore, the gas will tend to go toward that feature.  A fair amount of the gas will be recovered with the liquids, and typically recycled into the system.  Some of the gas that enters the formation is probably recoverable after oil production stops, and some percentage is essentially lost.  

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Permalink Reply by Herman (Chuck) Plonnigs, III on August 3, 2012 at 14:50

Thanks…your response makes perfect sense…tend to make things much too complicated!!!

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Permalink Reply by Herman (Chuck) Plonnigs, III on August 3, 2012 at 14:45

My family has some land that has been passed through several generations. The land in question was originally drilled in the late 1940’s. Two years ago we were approached by an organization that wanted to attempt to bring in these old wells that had not been produced in decades. We allowed them to do so.

One of them has been producing reasonably well for the past year. The depth of this one well is about 2500 feet deep.

My uncle informed me last week that a company was being approached to flood the field with natural gas in an attempt to increase oil follow/production.

I had been led to believe if flooding this old field was successful the prospect of additional wells being drilled could be a possibility.

I was just trying to understand the concept.

Just a side note I have a cousin living there and he has informed me he has heard seismic charges lately.

Our land is n 34/22N/R1W and 3/T21N/R1W Union Parish.

 

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Permalink Reply by Les Bamburg on August 3, 2012 at 16:00

Herman, typically natural gas is injected to created an artificial gas cap in the updip areas of the formation improving oil recovery in very mature oil fields.  If there is sufficient reserves in the artificial gas cap the operator may drill a gas well after the oil production reaches an economic limit.

 

Also, the oil may absorb some of the natural gas reducing the density and allowing more to be recovered.

 

Natural gas injection would normally only be attempted in conventional oil formations.  

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Permalink Reply by Keith on August 4, 2012 at 5:41

   Flood projects all over the world help extend the like of an oilfield. The oil in place after the natural drive has been exhausted can be recovered by these projects.  In Mexico's Cantarelle field you can look up how they use massive amounts of nitrogen. Some places use Carbon Dioxide flooding. Denbury resources even appeared to be ready to make money if the cap and trade bill would have passed,  because they were going to charge companies to dispose of carbon dioxide while they used it to flood an old Texas oil field that had abundant amounts of oil in place.  That field appeared to be economically lost without the flooding project. Imagine that, the cap and trade bill was trying to punish and lower the use of carbon fuels, but it would resulted in increased the production of oil for at least one field!

 In Saudi Arabia the largest field in the world Ghawar, has salt water injected at a high rates to keep the formation pressure below the bubble point, because you don't want a gas cap. In the northern gulf of Mexico producers of smaller oil pockets utilize gas lift technology where they pump natural gas from existing wells into gas lift mandrels on oil wells to help lift the oil out of the well by lowering the hydrostatic head pushing down on the formation.

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Herman (Chuck) Plonnigs, III on August 4, 2012 at 9:28

Thank you dbob, Les B and Keith,

Like I’ve stated these are shallow well’s, about 2600 feet, drilled in the late 40’s. They were never pumped dry but stopped producing economically for back then. I think the last one went into the early 70’s. This group out of Arkansas approached my Uncle about 2 years ago about trying to “bring in” some of these older wells. The primary issue was if they still contained casing. One did and it has been producing for a little over a year.

I talked to my Uncle last week and was told one of their layer/investors were in the process of discussing “flooding “with a company. I won’t mention specific $’s but it was millions. I don’t know a field this old and shallow…it just seems a bit over the top, but what do I know.

Anyway, thank you all very much. Should anything actually occur I will most assuredly let you know.

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Permalink Reply by Aubrey C. Sanders, Jr. on August 4, 2012 at 12:07

Herman,

Water flooding is very common. Water flooding greatly increased production from my land in North Shongaloo-Red Rock Field from Buckrange formation (about 2700 Feet). A very common practice in S. Ar and N. La., as well as all over the world. Without further information I cannot assure this would work in your case, but I think it would. Lot of $ being made doing this.

 

Good Luck

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

red Rock

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Permalink Reply by Two Dogs, Pirate on August 4, 2012 at 12:22

Mr. Aubrey, I relate the term flooding to using some sort of water. Can't say that I have ever heard it used with injection of gasses. Have you ever heard the term used with gas?

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Permalink Reply by Les Bamburg on August 5, 2012 at 5:29

TD, in the O&G world there are water floods, CO2 floods, natural gas floods, nitrogen floods, fire floods, chemical floods, etc.  It just depends on multiple factors which approach is optimum.

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Permalink Reply by Aubrey C. Sanders, Jr. on August 5, 2012 at 8:25

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TD,

Yes. Les B covered the waterfront, I think.

A very good example is Marathons utilizing NG is the north flank of the North Shongaloo-Red Rock Field in the Smackover "B" zone. They are now selling gas off instead of recyling it. They had very good recovery while it lasted. Unfortunately my land is on south flank As a result of major fault I am left out.

 

 

 

 

td

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Permalink Reply by Herman (Chuck) Plonnigs, III on August 6, 2012 at 4:07

Mr. Sanders...just found out you went to school with my Uncle Bill Tucker.

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Permalink Reply by Aubrey C. Sanders, Jr. on August 6, 2012 at 5:15

Yes, Billy Fred was and is a very good friend!! Although I haven't seen him in about 60 years we have talked by phone. I have many fond memories about "running" with him. I do see P.O frequently        in Springhill. 

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