(48) STIMULATION & OPTIMIZATION OF OFFSHORE WELLS (GOM) WITH ASPHALTENE RELATED PRODUCTION ISSUES
Anadarko Petroleum Corporation operates numerous deep water production facilities in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). In a continuing effort to maximize production and the recovery efficiency of existing assets, Anadarko has invested heavily into researching effective methods and practices of remediating asphaltene inhibited wells in a bid to offset premature well decline.
At the heart of Anadarko’s efforts to maintain production in asphaltene compromised wells is a vessel-based stimulation program that seeks to remediate production losses by reverse injecting volumes of various solutions (namely xylene, diesel, and/or dry oil) in a bid to flush detrimental asphaltene deposits away from the lower completion zone.
This paper will review a comprehensive analysis and the findings of a project undertaken in the summer of 2015 to examine and identify the most efficient stimulation techniques for wells experiencing compromised production due to asphaltene deposits. Specifically, this paper will establish the most effective stimulation fluid to be used, the optimal volume of fluid to be injected, and the most cost effective frequency of treatment.