The Use of Bacteria to Reduce Water Influx in Producing Oil Wells (original) (raw)

SPE Production & Facilities, 1998

Abstract

This paper reports the results of a laboratory investigation evaluating the use of bacteria to reduce water production from oil wells. The objectives are to show that bacteria can be used to form in-depth stable plugs in porous media, that the bacterial plug can effectively reduce the amount of water being produced in oil wells by preferentially reducing water relative permeability, and to briefly report on the economical value of such a treatment. Bacterial strains for tests in a physical model of a producing well and near wellbore region with flow in two dimensions were selected based on results in linear-flow sandpacks. Results from the linear sandpacks showed that in-depth plugs can be formed in porous media by the injection of one pore volume of nutrient. The pre-treatment sandpack permeability of 6600 md was reduced to a stable 200 md after one treatment. Bacterial injection and incubation in the two-dimensional physical model resulted in a 47% decrease in water cut (from 95% ...

eric robertson hasn't uploaded this paper.

Let eric know you want this paper to be uploaded.

Ask for this paper to be uploaded.