Flooding multi-fractured wells is a difficult challenge. Planning a flood from the first horizontal well can pay big dividends in oil recovery.

Flooding can usually support pressure and increase sweep significantly improving oil recovery. However, directional permeability can cause unpleasant surprises after starting a flood. Consider a flood in a pool with directional permeability like the one in the attached figure. Injection in well 6 will water out well 4 very quickly. However, 5 and 7 would be well supported and get great sweep.

Most formations exhibit some type of directional permeability. This directionality can significantly alter flood sweep patterns. Often ignored in grid block simulations, this permeability direction can drastically reduce recovery.

Horizontal multi-fractured wells are a current big trend in oil and gas production in Western Canada. Many companies are currently drilling nothing but this type of well.

If you would like to know more about flooding pools with directional permeability, feel free to call us at Proven Reserves.

~Granger J. Low

What if there is a company Fly By Night Oil that has suspended wells in the field near your trucked oil production. What if they skim off a cube from each of the trucked oil loads from your wells into their own truck and sell this as if it were coming from their wells.

You notice that loads seem a bit smaller when they get to the sales point. But you suspect someone was not careful on their truck ticket. You dismiss any concern.

What if a principal of Fly By Night Oil is working in your production accounting department. For every truck ticket that comes in, he enters only 90% of it into your production accounting system and then credits the other 10% to Fly By Night Oil. He doesn’t need a truck, he can skim with a pen or keyboard entry.

You notice that the Petroleum Registry (and therefore Accumap) shows production from your wells seems a bit less than the operators enter in PVR. But you chalk it up to shrinkage or operator rounding. You ask yourself, “Does Accumap show net or raw?”

Oil and gas production theft is real in our industry. At one company’s major facility we found a 14% difference between field reported oil and sales.

At Proven Reserves we have experts in detecting production and reporting problems that point to theft. Let us help you with your EPAP controls reporting.

~Granger J. Low

Brandon Low has worked in various capacities at Proven Reserves since 2000 and is currently the communications editor and administration supervisor.

Brandon was born and raised in Calgary, but has also lived abroad in Japan and the USA for several years.

Brandon studied Japanese and Communications at Brigham Young University, and though he works in communications, he enjoys keeping up with his Japanese as well. He has worked on Proven’s newsletter and marketing efforts since 2003.

In his spare time, Brandon enjoys spending time with his family, visiting new places, and creating and appreciating art in many forms. He also enjoys video gaming when he has the time. Brandon’s favourite holiday is Christmas, and least favourite holiday is his birthday.

Brandon says his goals are to help increase Proven Reserves’ value for our clients, and help build bridges in the industry. He also hopes to one day become a waterpark connoisseur.

Thanks me!