bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Centralized Automatic Production Control and Data Gathering in the Virginia Hills Field
Authors: Cleland Noel A. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
A centralized automatic control and data-handling system has been installed in the remotely located Virginia Hills field of Alberta. It permits the automatic or manual control of the whole area from one point and gathers all data at the same point. The design uses a parallel-transmission multiplexing system for control and data handling. Data-generating devices give a digital output. The mechanical installation under control is outlined and the supervisory system operation is described in detail. This installation illustrates that complete oilfield supervisory systems are both feasible and economical.

Introduction
Automation has now reached the stage of development such that highly sophisticated systems can be applied to most oilfield operations. The producing industry's interest has been sharpened in recent years by the serious cost-price squeeze that it is experiencing. Automation can materially reduce the cost of producing oil. A centralized system of supervision, control and data gathering, combined with tape programing for flexible scheduling, appeared to offer the most desirable answer to the requirements of automatic oilfield control in the Virginia Hills field. This system was installed in Nov., 1960, and is at present controlling 45 wells drilled on 160-acre spacing. The average depth of these wells is 9,300 ft. They are flowing wells with no water production. The Virginia Hills field (Fig. 1) is located in a remote section of Western Canada where the land is characterized by deep valleys, heavy timber and an abundance of muskeg (swamp). Before oil was discovered, no use was being made of the area and access was possible only in winter. A first-class road has now been built to the nearest highway 27-miles away, thereby reducing the distance to the nearest town to 50 miles. Because the staff required to operate this area would not be large enough to justify even the minimum of medical, educational and recreational facilities and because the cost of providing staff accommodations would be prohibitively high, a system of production control that could reduce the staff to a minimum was most desirable.

Field Layout and Equipment
A "satellite" system of facility layout usually results in the minimum investment per well and, thus, was used when planning the Virginia Hills field development. In a satellite system of production, many wells are produced through each central producing station (or battery), in this way the use of common equipment, such as line heaters, group separators, surge tanks, etc., is maximized and its cost per well is minimized. To offset the increased length of flow lines, remotely located satellite test stations are used for well testing and control. The total production from each satellite is transported through a common flow line to the central producing station. The area under control in the Virginia Hills field is divided into a number of sub-areas due to topography, accessibility and partnership interest.
JPT
P. 22^
Pressure Distributions in Eccentric Circular Systems
Authors: Temeng Kwaku O. , Horne Roland N. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
This paper presents an analytical solution for the pressure transient response of a well producing from an arbitrary position within a circular drainage boundary. The analysis is performed for both constant pressure and no-flow outer boundary conditions. In the analysis of pressure effects in asymmetrical circular systems, the practice has been to represent the circular system by a square system for which solutions exist. While this representation yields adequate results for the cases of wells close to the center, this work shows that significant errors may arise in situations where the wells are close to the boundary. Dimen-sionless pressure drops are obtained by numerically inverting solutions in Laplace space and are plotted as functions of dimensionless time.
From the wellbore pressure behavior it can be inferred that an effect of the eccentricity of the system is an apparent reduction of the drainage radius. By introducing the concept of an "equivalent radius" in the constant pressure boundary case, we show that the eccentric system can be analyzed, for the most part, as if it were a symmetrical one. Shape factors are calculated and presented for various well locations. The shape factors show similarities to those for a square system for well positions close to the center but differ significantly for positions close to the boundaries.
Effects of Size on Three-Cone Bit Performance in Laboratory Drilled Shale
Authors: Black Alan D. , Tibbitts Gordon A. , Sandstrom John L. , DiBona Bennie G. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
The effects of size on the performance of three-cone bits were measured during laboratory drilling tests in shale at simulated downhole conditions. Four Reed HP-SM three-cone bits with diameters of 612, 778, 912, and 11 in. [165, 200, 241, and 279 mm] were used to drill Man-cos shale with water-based mud. The tests were conducted at constant borehole pressure, two conditions of hydraulic horsepower per square inch of bit area, three conditions of rotary speed, and four conditions of weight-on-bit (WOB) per inch of bit diameter. The resulting rates of penetration (ROP's) and torques were measured. Statistical techniques were used to analyze the data.
Pressure Transient Analysis Methods for Bounded Naturally Fractured Reservoirs
Authors: Chen Chih-Cheng , Serra Kelsen , Reynolds Albert C. , Raghavan Rajagopal 
Published: December 2007

AbstractNew methods for analyzing drawdown and buildup pressure data obtained at a well located in an infinite, naturally fractured reservoir were presented recently. In this work, the analysis of both drawdown and buildup data in a bounded, naturally fractured reservoir is considered. For the bounded case, we show that five possible flow regimes may be exhibited by drawdown data. We delineate the conditions under which each of these five flow regimes exists and the information that can be obtained from each possible combination of flow regimes. Conditions under which semilog methods can be used to analyze buildup data are discussed for the bounded fractured reservoir case. New Matthews-Brons-Hazebroek (MBH) functions for computing the average reservoir pressure from buildup data are presented.
Case History of a Successful Flank Well Curtailment Program in a Peripheral Water Flood
Authors: Pierce Robert L. , Garrison William H. 
Published: December 2007

This paper summarizes the waterflood performance of the KZWA subpool of the Upper Terminal zone, Fault Block VB, in the Wilmington oil field, Los Angeles County, Calif., following a major reduction in water withdrawals by shutting in flank wells. The program was initiated specifically to improve the net injection rate of the pool. Production and development history of the pool are discussed together with a review of secondary recovery operations. The pool was under gas injection for 7 1/2 years, followed by waterflood operations starting in May, 1958.Field two were run in an isolated area of the pool to establish performance that might he expected under the curtailment program. The paper includes projected economics to he expected under continuation of the program prior to the shut-in and the economics under the existing shut-in program. Criteria for selecting a water flood in which flank well curtailment is applicable are also discussed. The economics to date show that a saving in operating costs due to shutting in wells, and increased stimulation of oil from the net injectivity improvement have already increased operating profits.

Introduction
Determination of the optimum time to shut in flank producers in a peripheral water flood has long been a source of controversy among petroleum engineers. It is extremely difficult, even in the least complicated floods, to apply a strict set of rules to determine the economic limit of high-volume, high-watercut wells. The purpose of this study is to review a flank well shut-in program in the Upper Terminal VB zone in the Wilmington oil field, Calif. Only the KZWA subpool will be reviewed with respect to geology, reservoir data, development history, water injection history, and pool-wide flank- well curtailment program. The upper two sub-zones (HX and JY) were involved in the flank-well curtailment program, but to a lesser degree. However, examples of interference in individual wells producing from those subzones are reviewed and production from them, together with KZWA pool production, is analyzed. The predicted effect of a curtailment program on pool economics is reported along with the status of the analysis 1 1/2 years later.

Location, Geology and Reservoir Data
The Wilmington oil field is in the Wilmington and Harbor Districts of the city of Los Angeles and the Harbor District of the city of Long Beach, Los Angeles County, Calif. The location of the Wilmington oil field with respect to other fields in the Los Angeles Basin is shown in Fig 1.The oil-producing structure of the field is an anticlinal fold with its main axis trending in a northwesterly- southeasterly direction. The producing zones are highly faulted. There are six main fault blocks numbered I thru VI, and the large subfault blocks are designated by the suffix A, B and D. The fault block with which this study is concerned is VB. Fault Block V]3 is located in the eastern half of the presently developed area of the Wilmington oil field.
JPT
Distribution of Fluid Phases Within the Steam Zone in Steam-Injection Processes
Authors: Yortsos Yanis C. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
The saturation distribution of steam, water, and oil within the steam zone in a steam-injection process at constant injection rates is examined. It is shown theoretically that for typical values of injection parameters the oil saturation in the steam zone rapidly reaches its residual value at steam zone conditions. This result, which corroborates previous experimental evidence, is a consequence of the relatively fast changes in phase saturations compared with the rate of the advance of the steam front. Explicit expressions for the steam saturation distribution are obtained. It is shown that the average steam saturation is a slightly decreasing function of time and approaches a limiting value that is a nearly constant fraction of the steam saturation at the injection point. This result provides theoretical justification for the assumption of constant average steam saturation in steam-injection calculations.
Modeling of Piled Foundations
Authors: Kriger Glenn A. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
A comprehensive set of guidelines for constructing linear models of single piles and pile groups for foundations of offshore structures is presented. These models are used as boundary conditions at the base of the superstructure, thus permitting independent analysis of the superstructure from its supporting foundation.
This paper is a "how-to" text for piled foundation modeling. It is also of value to those in related disciplines, such as geotechnical specialists, who will gain insight into how their data is applied in analyzing structures supported by piled foundations. Discussions include the behavior and modeling of single piles and pile groups. Construction methods are presented for three types of pile models—matrix, springs, and equivalent pile. The advantages and disadvantages of each model type are described. Linear and nonlinear foundation behavior characteristics are treated in depth. Factors that influence the approach to a modeling problem are outlined. Emphasis is placed on providing the reader with an understanding of the physical behavior of piled foundations and model construction. A step-by-step procedure for model synthesis is provided in an example.
Minimization of Scale Deposits in Oil Wells by Placement of Phosphates in Producing Zones
Authors: Featherston Aleck B. , Mirham R. George , Waters A.B. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
Deposition of compounds such as calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate and barium sulfate in formation flow channels, on tubing, casing and producing equipment has continuously plagued the oil industry. Although polyphosphates have a long history in scale inhibition, only relatively recently have the extremely slow solubility di-metallic polyphosphates been injected into producing zones in conjunction with fracturing.
As a result of such treatments, scale deposition in the formation in addition to the wellbore and producing equipment has been checked in some cases for over a year. Characteristics to be considered when selecting a phosphate for this type treatment have been outlined with the effect each has on scale prevention and on length of time they will be effective.

Introduction
Mineral deposition in formation flow channels, on tubing, casing and producing equipment has continuously plagued the oil industry. Compounds such as calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate and barium sulfate carried in the produced water may crystallize or precipitate as a result of a pressure drop, a temperature change or exceeding the solubility product. This scaling reduces and sometimes even stops oil production by plugging the formation, perforations or producing equipment.
Formation of scale on tubing and producing equipment has been recognized for many years. After extracting this equipment from the well, the deposits have been removed mechanically with scrapers and other such devices. Hydrochloric acid has been found effective when the plugging material is basically carbonate in nature.
As early as 1938 and 1939 Krynine and Yuster recognized that these scaling compounds frequently were deposited away from the wellbore in flow channels of waterflood wells. Acid, salts and phosphates were suggested as possible remedial treating chemicals. More recently work has been done which indicates water incompatible with the formation water sometimes can be used in water floods.
A Viscosity Correlation for Mixtures of Heavy Oil, Bitumen, and Petroleum Fractions
Authors: Shu W. R. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
High viscosity is a major constraint in the recovery and transportation of heavy crudes and tar sand bitumens. Viscosity reduction may be achieved by mixing the crude with a light petroleum solvent. This paper presents a generalized correlation for calculating viscosities of such mixtures. A power-law mixing rule was generalized by use of the Einstein-type relationship for the viscosities of infinitely dilute solutions. Literature and in-house data were compiled to establish the correlation. The final correlation requires only density and viscosity of the two fluids to predict blending viscosity at any mixture composition. The correlation is tested with heavy-oil/solvent blending data and gives an excellent prediction of the blending viscosities.
The Effect of Thermoelastic Stresses on Injection Well Fracturing
Authors: Perkins T. K. , Gonzalez J. A. 
Published: December 2007

AbstractWhen a cool fluid such as water is injected into a hot reservoir, a growing region of cooled rock is established around the injection well. The rock matrix within the cooled region contracts, and a thermoelastic stress field is induced around the well. For typical waterflooding of a moderately deep reservoir, horizontal earth stresses may be reduced by several hundred psi. If the injection pressure is too high or if suspended solids in the water plug the formation face at the perforations, the formation will be fractured hydraulically. As the fracture grows, the flow system evolves from an essentially circular geometry in the plan view to one characterized more nearly as elliptical.This paper considers thermoelastic stresses that would result from cooled regions of fixed thickness and of elliptical cross section. The stresses for an infinitely thick reservoir have been deduced from information available in public literature. A numerical method has been developed to calculate thermoelastic stresses induced within elliptically shaped regions of finite thickness. Results of these two approaches were combined, and empirical equations were developed to give an approximate but convenient, explicit method for estimating induced stresses.An example problem is given that shows how this theory can be applied to calculate the fracture lengths, bottomhole pressures (BHP's), and elliptical shapes of the flood front as the injection process progresses.
Flow Behavior of Foam: A Porous Micromodel Study
Authors: Owete Owete S. , Brigham William E. 
Published: December 2007

Summary
The flow behavior of foam in porous micromodels has been studied visually by use of etched silicon wafers. Air was injected into homogeneous and heterogeneous porous media previously filled with an aqueous surfactant solution. The flow characteristics and the mobility of the injected air were determined under different conditions of pore dimensions, air injection rates, and surfactant concentrations.
In the experiments, air was found to be propagated by displacement of lamellae in long bubbles flowing and extending across several pore lengths, while the liquid flowed through the network of films. Propagation of foam bubbles formed at pore constrictions by snap-off was dominant in the heterogeneous model. Liquid and/or gas was trapped in some pores. The mechanisms observed depended on pore structure and surfactant concentration. A considerable reduction of effective air mobility was observed in the presence of foam. Mobility reduction depended on flow mechanisms.
Magnesium Oil Mud Provides Gauge Hole in Bischofite/Carnallite Formations
Authors: Carter T. S. , Smith J. E. 
Published: December 2007

Summary
Laboratory tests conducted to investigate the possibility of using oil muds through the Zechstein formation of the Viking field showed that diesel-oil muds formulated with sodium- and/or calcium-type emulsifiers could break down if the wrong treatment was used to counteract contamination from the solubility of magnesium minerals. However, oil-mud samples prepared with magnesium compounds offered good mud stability and did not dissolve the contaminant. Therefore, this formulation was selected for a field test on a Viking well; this paper reviews the results. Drilling data from previous wells in the area are compared with values measured on the test well. Results indicate that the magnesium oil muds can provide a gauge hole in the bischofite/camallite zones that occur within the Zechstein formation.
Microscopic Observations of Solution Gas-Drive Behavior
Authors: Chatenever Alfred , Indra Mohit K. , Kyte John R. 
Published: December 2007

Introduction
Microscopic mechanisms are critical in the behavior of reservoir systems and our knowledge of them uncovers pertinent factors made apparent in no other way. Mechanistic problems associated with evolution of solution gas have been considered by earlier investigators. Sage, Kennedy, Berry, and their co-workers have studied the number of bubbles formed in the evolution process. Van Meurs, has visually examined the patterns formed by the evolved gas in displacements in ideal packs. With enlargogram techniques Kimbler and Caudle have examined location of the points of genesis of free gas in unconsolidated sand packs.
In the present work 116 laboratory experiments were performed in a visual study of the solution gas-drive mechanism. Thin glass-bead packings and thin sections of natural sandstone and limestone were used as porous matrices in the experiments. As gas evolved the system was examined visually at different magnifications.
Certain differences in fluid behavior were observed for the different types of matrices. However, the findings of most interest were generally observed in all tests. These findings help clarify the roles of the physical parameters governing solution gas-drive behavior. They also provide a basis for further experimentation to help define this behavior in reservoir formations.
The experimental approach and techniques employed were developed by American Petroleum institute Research Project 47-B. Details of these are published in the literature. Observation flow cells were saturated with butane-saturated mineral oil at atmospheric pressure and drawn down to sub-atmospheric pressures to effect gas evolution.

Results of Gas Evolution Experiments

Gas Nucleation
In all the gas evolution experiments pressure had to be reduced to several psi less than atmospheric before the first point of gas nucleation appeared. This indicates that some degree of supersaturation must be reached before gas evolution will start. However, supersaturation behavior is variable and not precisely reproducible, even in identical systems.
In-Situ Leaching of Crownpoint, NM, Uranium Ore: Part 4—Laboratory Study of Strong Leaching Systems: Oxidant/Sulfuric Acid
Authors: Vogt Thomas C. , Strom E. Thomas , Johnson Warren F. , Venuto Paul B. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
This paper presents laboratory data on the effectiveness of a severe leaching system, sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and an oxidant, in recovering uranium from refractory Crown-point uranium ore. A strong mineral acid, such as H2SO4, plus an oxidant, such as oxygen or hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), should be able to degrade the kerogen associated with uranium in slow-leaching uranium ores to expose the uranium mineral to leachate contact. Scoping-batch leach tests show that an H2SO4, ferric ion leachate gives good recoveries at a fast rate from Crown-point refractory ore. A composite core was fabricated with this refractory ore. A leachate of 0.5% H2SO4, 24.5 g/L Na2SO4, 1 g/L NaCl, and 0.2 g/L CO2 with 800 psig [5516 kPa] O2 gave 65% recovery of uranium from this core in about 30 PV's. This is almost double the recovery obtained from a similar core with a mild leaching system (O2/bicarbonate) in the same number of PV's. Plugging, which occurred twice during the leach run, appears to be related to movement of feldspar and quartz fines. Chemical consumption was fairly high in these H2SO4 experiments.
Single-Phase Fluid Flow in a Stratified Porous Medium With Crossflow
Authors: Cheng-Tai Gao 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
A new model is presented for a stratified reservoir. The model is used to study the influence of crossflow on pressure transient well tests and other single-phase flow problems. The reasons for single-phase crossflow in multilayer reservoirs are discussed. Solutions for linear and radial incompressible flow in a stratified reservoir with crossflow are presented; effects of reservoir parameters and crossflow on pressure are studied, and a criterion for considering crossflow between layers is suggested.