Abstract: Reservoir Characterization Efforts for Improved Recovery Guided by Attention to Reservoir Management Context in the Citronelle Field, a Fluvial Reservoir in the Rodessa Formation (Cretaceous), South Alabama

FOWLER, MICHAEL L., L. EUGENE SAFLEY, and MARK A. YOUNG

Since its discovery in 1955, Citronelle Field, in Mobile County, Alabama, has produced over 160 MMBO from fluvial sandstones of the Rodessa Formation at a depth of over 10,000 ft. Now in its mature waterflood stage, this nearly 500-well reservoir is currently being managed by small operators who are seeking ways to improve both production and profitability of the reservoir.

Through a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the U.S. Department of Energy, field operators have teamed with the Alabama Geological Survey, the State Oil and Gas Board of Alabama, the University of Alabama, and BDM Oklahoma to create an optimal reservoir management strategy for the field. Characterizing the reservoir to develop this strategy recognized the fact that, over the years, both major and independent operators of the field have conducted numerous reservoir studies and collected voluminous data (many versions of some parameters).

Three elements dominated development of a strategic plan for the Citronelle reservoir. First, was the decision to make maximum use of the best information already available from past work. The corollary to this activity was identifying and prioritizing information deficiencies to address in future studies. Second, was the use of new analytical approaches to identify both general and specific targets for improved recovery. Third, was construction of a comprehensive database for performing mapping and volumetrics tasks in this and future studies.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90939©1997 AAPG Eastern Section and TSOP, Lexington, Kentucky