JOHANNESEN, DANN C., LARRY C. KNAUER, CYNTHIA A. HUGGINS, and MIKE L. MINNER
Texaco North America Production, Bakersfield, CA

Abstract: 4D Temperature Monitoring of Kern River Steamflood Projects

The Kern River oil field is one of the largest heavy oil fields in Kern County, California. Steam flooding, as a secondary recovery method, has been extremely beneficial in producing the Kem River sands. It is estimated that 32% of the OOIP has been recovered utilizing thermal recovery techniques. The introduction of steam into the Kern River Formation began in 1964. Steam chests have been developed in many of the producing intervals. Steam chests are approximately 220 <deg> Fahrenheit, and have been depleted to < 10% So. The main factor effecting steam/heat distribution is lithology, with steam quality and wellbore conditions playing lesser roles. These temperature variaations are mapped using temperature surveys from a network of over 400 Temperature Observation (TO) wells that covers the Texaco properties at Kern River. Temperature logs are run in each well four times a year. These data provide information in specific time intervals and are stored in a central database from which they may be extracted in several ways.

3D models of the temperature are routinely constructed and studied for reservoir management. The 3D models and the converted 2D images are used by the Asset Management Teams to determine the effectiveness of the steam flood. The consistent nature of the data acquisition provides a time-lapse, or 4D, view of what is taking place in the reservoir. The 3D data may be organized into 4D models to illustrate the passing of time and show, in a moviefashion, how steam chests are developing.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90920©1999 AAPG Pacific Section Meeting, Monterey, California