Waterflood optimization using an injector producer pair recovery factor, a novel approach

Abstract This paper presents an approach to optimize the recovery factor and sweep efficiency in a waterflooding process by automating optimum injection rate calculations for water injectors using streamline simulation. A simulator is appropriate tool modern waterflood management can be used determine dynamic interaction between injector producer pairs, which will vary over time based on operational changes. identify injectors, are not supporting production contributing mainly producing wells. Streamlines illustrate natural fluid-flow paths reservoir, fluid properties, rock well distribution rates across reservoir. bundle of connected streamlines provide oil place injector/producer pair at any given during simulation run. Thus, factors each pair, produced cut weighting determined. Multiplying this determines new injector. For that lower than average field cut, increased vice versa. Given finite volume water, there re-allocating from with low high redistributing producers, thus maximizing reducing production. The described automated procedure reservoir run, making it full optimization many producers high-resolution heterogeneous brown reservoirs. reduce increase extend life waterflooded fields. It was initially tested synthetic model later actual model, paper.