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Application of Two Methods to Evaluate Matrix Acidizing Using Real-Time Skin Effect
in Saudi Arabia
A.M. Al-Dhafeeri, SPE, T.W. Engler, SPE, New Mexico Tech., H.A. Nasr-El-Din, SPE, Saudi Aramco
Abstract
The effectiveness of acid treatment is commonly evaluated by
a reduction in skin factor determined through pre-and/or postwell test analysis. However, mathematical models have been
developed to monitor the change in skin while injecting acid
and therefore obtaining real time skin values. This work
demonstrates the application of monitoring real change in skin
effect during the acid treatment with several field examples in
carbonate formation.
Two real-time monitoring methods1,2 were used to capture
the effect of treating fluids on the formation. The field
applications using the two methods were conducted on two
water injectors in Saudi Arabia to evaluate stimulation
performance with in-situ Gelled Acid systems. From the
calculated bottomhole pressure and injection rate, skin effect
was determined as a function of time. In this manner, the
effectiveness of acid injection into the formation
was estimated.
The Paccalonis method, which is a direct result of the
steady state assumption, was conducted to monitor the skin
factor during the acid job. The second method, by Prouvost
and Economides was also used to illustrate the effect of the
treating fluid on formation damage, but is based on transient
flow equations. Both methods can readily be included in acid
treatment monitoring; however, the latter method is preferred
due to the better agreement in the field cases.
This study provides a field application comparing the two
methods and demonstrates the ability to capture the effect of
diversion when the gelled acid increased viscosity in the
formation by a subsequent increase in skin, and also the
cleanup (decrease skin) that occurred when the regular acid
r
0.00708khp
+ ln b
re
.q i
(1)
SPE 73703
4kt
p(r , t ) = pi
ln
2
4kh
c r
t w
qi
(2)
162.6qi B
k
log t + log
3.2275 + 0.87 S o
2
kh
c r
t w
(3)
162.6q B
k
i
log(t + t ) + log
3.2275 + 0.87 S +
o
2
kh
c r
t w
162.6 q q B
k
i2
i i
log t + log
3.2275 + 0.87 S o
2
kh
ct rw
= p +
sim
i
(4)
kh
p
(t ) p
(t , S ) (5)
meas
sim
o
5
2.34 x10 q i B
SPE 73703
APPLICATION OF TWO METHODS TO EVALUATE MATRIX ACIDIZING USING REAL-TIME SKIN EFFECT IN SAUDI ARABIA
increase.
This damage can be observed in the skin
calculations from the steady-state equations6.
The modified Prouvost & Economides Technique was
also able to predict the change of skin effect during the acid
treatment. For example, in stages 2,4, and 6, an increase in the
skin effect due to the cross-linking reaction was observed.
This increased skin effect was then removed by injecting the
15 wt% HCl into the formation, as seen by the decrease in skin
effect in stages 3, 5, and 7.
Figure 2 shows the calculated bottomhole pressure and
injection rate recorded by the service company during the
treatment. It indicates that an increase in bottomhole pressure
during the entire acid treatment occurred when in-situ gelled
acid was injected into the formation. For the majority of the
treatment, the calculated bottomhole pressure was maintained
between 3800 psi and 4700 psi by either increasing or
decreasing the injection rate. It is interesting to note that as
the flow rate remains constant, the bottomhole
pressure increases.
Figure 3 shows the difference in calculated skin effects
between the two modified methods during the treatment.
From the figure, it can be observed that the difference in
calculated skin effects ranges mostly between 1.5 and 2.5.
This difference in calculated skin effect arises from the fact
that Paccalonis method assumes a steady-state pressure
behavior while the original Prouvosts method assumes a
transient pressure behavior.
Well B
Well B is a water-injection well located in Saudi Arabia. Well
B was open hole completed with a 236 ft limestone injection
zone. This well was treated with a total of 314 bbls of 15 wt%
HCl and 214 bbls of in-situ gelled acid. The original acid
treatment program for this well can be found in table 4. The
initial skin effect before conducting the acid treatment was
+10. This value was obtained through well test analysis
before the acid treatment. This high value of skin effect
indicated that well B had severe formation damage.
Figure 4 illustrates the progression of the skin effect
during the course of the acid treatment. The initial value of
skin started with a value of 15.24 by modified Paccalonis
Technique and 10.1 by modified Prouvost & Economides
Technique. The actual value of skin, which was measured by
well testing analysis before the acid treatment, was 10.
Therefore, it is in agreement with the modified Prouvost &
Economides Technique. The results from this technique
matched the well testing results because the transient pressure
response is accounted for in the modified Prouvost &
Economides Techique. The periods of increasing skin effect
were due to the formation of gelled acid (stages 2, 4, 6) in the
formation. The increased viscosity of the gelled acid due to
the cross-linking reaction resulted in the treating fluid being
more uniformly distributed across the damaged intervals.
Diversions in this treatment were effective, as indicated by the
apparent skin effect increasing after each injection of the
diverting agent. This increased skin effect was then removed
by introducing the 15 wt% HCl into the formation, as seen by
SPE 73703
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank Dr. Geir Hareland for his
guidance and useful discussions. Thanks are also due to the
professional and technical staff of the Department of
Petroleum Engineering at New Mexico Tech. The authors
appreciate the great efforts and contribution made by Saudi
Aramco (R&D Center).
References
1. Paccaloni, G.: New Method Proves Value of Stimulation
Planning, OGJ. (Nov. 26, 1979) 61-65.
2. Prouvost, L.P., and Economides, M.J.; Application of
Real-Time Matrix Acidizing Evaluation Method, Paper
SPE 17155 (November 1989) 401-7.
3. Mcleod, H.P. and Coulter, A.W.: The Stimulation
Treatment Pressure Record-An Overlooked Formation
Evaluation Tool, JPT (August 1969) 952-960.
4. Earlougher, R.C.: Advances in Well Test Analysis, SPE
Monograph Volume 5, Dallas, TX (1977) Chap. 2.
5. Taylor, K.C. and Nasr-El-Din, H.A.: Flowback Analyiss
of Acid Stimulation of Seawater Injection Wells: Case
Histories paper SPE 58736 presented at the 2000 on
Formation Damage held in Lafayatte, Lousiana, 23-24
February.
6. Lynn, J.D. and Nasr-El-Din, H.A.: A Core Based
Comparison of the Reaction Characteristics of Emulsified
and In-Situ Gelled acid in Low Permeability, High
Temperature, Gas Bearing Carbonates paper SPE 65386
presented at the 2001 Oilfield Chemistry, held in Houston,
Texas, 13-16 February.
Nomenclature
B
= Formaton volume factor, rbbl/stb
BHP = Bottomhole pressure, psi
ct
= Total compressibility, psi-1
h = Reservoir thickness, ft
=
Intial reservoir pressure, psi
pi
pmeas =
Measured bottomhole injection pressure, psi
psim =
Simulated pressure response, psi
qi
=
Injection rate,bpm
rb
=
Acid bank radius, ft
re
=
Effective wellbore radius, ft
S
=
Skin factor , dimensionless
So : =
Initial skin factor, dimensionless
t = Time, hour
p = Difference pressure between intial reservoir
pressure and well flowing pressure, psi
t = Time difference, hour
= Acid viscosity, cp
= Porosity, fraction
= Euler constant
SPE 73703
APPLICATION OF TWO METHODS TO EVALUATE MATRIX ACIDIZING USING REAL-TIME SKIN EFFECT IN SAUDI ARABIA
Variable
Sodium, mg/L
Calcium, mg/L
Magnesium, mg/L
Sulfate, mg/L
Chloride, mg/L
Carbonate, mg/L
Bicarbonate, mg/L
Total dissolved solids, mg/L
pH
Density, g/cm3 at 60 oF
Iron, mg/L
Variable
Bicarbonate, mg/L
Calcium, mg/L
Carbonate, mg/L
Hydroxide, mg/L
Magnesium, mg/L
Sodium, mg/L
Chloride, mg/L
Sulfate, mg/L
Total dissolved solids, mg/L
Density @60 oF, g/cm3
pH
Total dissolved iron, mg/L
Conductivity @ 25oC,
micromhos
Value
16,870
700
2,040
4,150
30,040
0
160
53,960
7.5
1.0418
<0.01
Fluid Type
Pre-flush
Field Mixing
Water
In-Situ
Gelled Acid
15 wt% HCl
Acid
In-Situ
Gelled Acid
15 wt% HCl
Acid
In-Situ
Gelled Acid
15 wt% HCl
Acid
Overflush
Field Mixing
Water
Displacement
Total
15 wt% HCl
Total In-Situ
Gelled Acid
= 249
bbls
Acid =
213
bbls
Pre-flush
Stage
No.
1
12.4
Diverter
71
14.9
71
14.9
Acid
Treatment
Diverter
83
17.4
83
17.4
Acid
Treatment
Diverter
95
20
Acid
Treatment
Overflush
Displacement
(Sea water)
Volume
(bbls)
230
Volume
(Gal/ft)
59
100
190
52.3
gal/ft
44.7
gal/ft
Remarks
Value
210
137
0
0
48
210
371
270
1257
1.0011
8
1
2040
Fluid Type
Pre-flush
Field Mixing
Water
In-Situ
Gelled Acid
15 wt% HCl
Acid
In-Situ
Gelled Acid
15 wt% HCl
Acid
In-Situ
Gelled Acid
15 wt% HCl
Acid
Overflush
Field Mixing
Water
Displacement
Volume
(bbls)
300
Volume
(Gal/ft)
Remarks
60
12.4
Diverter
71
14.9
71
14.9
Acid
Treatment
Diverter
83
17.4
83
20
Pre-flush
95
Acid
Treatment
Diverter
Acid
Treatment
Overflush
100
389
Displacement
(Sea water)
Total
15 wt%
HCl
=
314 bbls
56.4
gal/ft
Total In-Situ
Gelled Acid
Acid =
214 bbls
38.4
gal/ft
Paccaloni method
Prouvost method
9
1 2 3
5 6 7
9
S(Paccaloni)-S(Prouvost)
Skin effect
3
2
1
HCl
Gelled HCl
Acid
0
0
10
20
Gelled Acid
Gelle Acid
Field
Mixing
HCl
Sea
water
Water
30
40
50
60
45
40
4700
35
15
Gelled HCl
Gelled
HCl
HCl
4500
20
Gelled
30
seawater
4300
4100
3900
10
3700
5
0
3500
0
10
15
20
25
Time, min
30
35
40
45
50
1.5
0.5
0
10
20
30
Time, min
2.5
Time, min
25
SPE 73703
40
50
SPE 73703
APPLICATION OF TWO METHODS TO EVALUATE MATRIX ACIDIZING USING REAL-TIME SKIN EFFECT IN SAUDI ARABIA
Paccaloni's Metod
1 2
HCl
Gelled Acid
HCl
10
15
20
S(Paccaloni) - S (Prouvost)
Gelled Acid
Field Mixing
HCl
Gelled Acid
Skin effect
Prouvost's Method
24
22
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Sea
water
25
30
35
Time, min
5
4
3
2
1
0
0
Flow rate
Bottomhole pressure
12
5000
4500
20
HCl
Gelled
HCl
seawater
HCl
10
Gelled
4000
Field Mixing Water
Gelled
25
15
3500
3000
2500
0
10
15
20
Time, min
10
15
20
Time, min
25
30
35
30
25
30
35