Design and Implementation of World's First Arctic Offshore Waterflood, Endicott Field, Alaska

ADAMSON, G., H. HEILMAN, and R. METZGER, BP Exploration, AK

The Endicott field is the world's first Arctic offshore producing oil field. Early reservoir studies indicated that optimum recovery would require start-up of waterflooding within the first two years of production. This paper describes the engineering and geological work done to implement and optimize the waterflood project in this field.

The reservoir at Endicott field is contained within the Mississippian Kekiktuk Formation. These multistory fluvial sandstones are characterized by a wide variation in rock properties. Thick areally extensive shales combined with sealing intra-reservoir faults serve to subdivide the field into seven distinct reservoir management subzones.

Simulation studies were used extensively in the design and implementation of this waterflood project. These studies showed that waterflooding would more than double the recovery and that there were significant benefits for returning the field to original pressure. Simulation models optimized both the number and placement of production and injection wells.

Waterflood facilities were included in the initial production facility sealift. This enabled a pilot program to be implemented within five months after production start to shake down facilities, determine well injectivity, and obtain early waterflood performance data.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #91004 © 1991 AAPG Annual Convention Dallas, Texas, April 7-10, 1991 (2009)