A Success Story of the First Miscible CO2 WAG Miscible WAG Pilots in a Giant Carbonate Reservoir in Abu Dhabi

Abstract The key objective of the CO2 WAG Pilots is to confirm improved sweep and to enhance oil recovery under CO2 WAG relative to water flooding. Two CO2 WAG Pilots are in progress in a giant Abu Dhabi Oil Reservoir. Each pilot has one horizontal producer and two horizontal injectors along with two vertical pilot observers. A detailed monitoring plan was designed and implemented to monitor pilots’ performance and track CO2 breakthrough and flow path. Injectivity of both water and CO2 was determined in the WAG cycles to investigate any loss of injectivity. The producers are being tested daily for oil rate, water cut, GOR using multi-phase flow parameters (MPFM) while portable test separators are used every quarter to validate these measurements. PVT analysis of produced fluids are being carried out on samples from portable test separators and MPFM sampling point to monitor CO2 content. Different gas and water tracers have been injected to trace the movement and breakthrough of injected fluids into the pilot producers. Carbon and oxygen-isotope analysis for produced and injected CO2 gas is also carried out to monitor CO2 breakthrough. RST logs in the observers demonstrate good sweep across different layers of the reservoir and show that WAG is providing mobility control to CO2. Several data sources were analyzed to determine CO2 breakthrough time and the CO2 flow path. Analysis of CO2 in produced gas has determined the timing of CO2 breakthrough. This is supported by the isotopic analysis of injected and produced CO2 in pilot producers and near-by producers. The tracer analysis results unambiguously identify the source of the produced CO2. Injectivity analysis of both CO2 and water showed injectivity of CO2 was either the same or higher than water injectivity. Moreover, no loss of injectivity was observed between WAG cycles. The pilot has been operated successfully without HSE issues since 2016. Corrosion logs are acquired within the extensive monitoring program along with inhibitor injection to avoid any Asphalting deposition. The paper discusses the performance of the first multi-well CO2-WAG pilots in a giant onshore reservoir in Abu Dhabi which is used to de-risk multiple CO2 WAG full field projects in ADNOC reservoirs. It also highlights the importance of the different reservoir monitoring tools for improved understanding of the pilots which will be used as a basis for implementing CO2 WAG for the full area development.