Selection of A Suitable Oil Recovery Mechanism for A Niger Delta Field

One of the most significant challenges for extending production life in mature waterflood fields is high water cut. Couple with high reservoir heterogeneity, extensive layering and faulting, these fields often developed irregular flood patterns after decades of production which compounded the challenge of optimizing recovery from these fields. The severity of this problem has been observed in the Niger Delta oil fields, where several matured fields are producing at high water cut after many years of waterflooding. This study aimed to improve oil recovery using Water Alternating Gas (WAG) injection in comparison with Waterflooding and Gas injection methods in the Niger Delta. Water- alternating-gas (WAG) injection process is one of innovative and new enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods. This method Improves gas injection microscopic and water injection macroscopic displacement processes. In this study, a computer software known as “ECLIPSE” was used to model and simulate the hydrocarbon flow of an oil field in the Niger Delta. The software was used in optimizing oil recovery using WAG method in comparison with water flooding and gas injection was discussed. From the results obtained, WAG injection had a maximum field oil efficiency (FOE) of 34%, a field oil production total (FOPT) of 76.46 MMSTB, a plateau time of 3.7years and a field water cut (FWCT)of 26.11%. Waterflooding had a FOE of 26.65%, a FOPT of 59.62 MMSTB, a plateau time of 2.2years and FWCT of 47.58%. Whereas gas injection had an FOE of 21.35%, a FOPT of 47.89 MMSTB, a plateau time of 2 years, and FWCT of 9.2%. From comparative analysis of the three recovery methods, WAG injection outperformed both waterflooding and gas injection with the highest FOE of 34%, the longest plateau time of 3.7years, and a minimal water cut of 26.11%. Therefore, WAG recovery method has thus far demonstrated to be the most effective recovery method, in comparison to waterflooding and gas injection methods