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A 20-million barrel project, the Upper Morne L’Enfer (UMLE)
Steam Flood project
is one of the
Company’s major
enhanced oil
recovery (EOR)
thermal projects
within the
Exploration and
Production Division.
This project involves the conversion of recently drilled
wells to injectors,
the relocation and
retrofit of a
30-year old steam
generator from an
adjacent oilfield,
the construction of
a gathering station
and the installation
of gas, water, steam
and crude oil pipe
lines with
associated tie-ins.
It is the Company’s
first EOR being
implemented in
Trinidad since the
passing of the
Certificate of
Environmental
Clearance (CEC)
Rules in 2001. |
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In April 2004, the UMLE pilot project was conducted on a
23-acres area in
Middle Field. The
success of this
initiative pushed
the enhanced oil
recovery team to
begin the commercial
phase of the project
and expand over a
much wider acreage. |
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At Forest Reserve,
the UMLE Steam flood
Expansion project is
making good progress
with several wells
having already been
drilled to date. To
date, the project
comprises 15 wells
of which four are
injectors at any one
time, an onsite tank
and generator
facility, three 250
barrel and two 100
barrel production
tanks, one 30 MMBTU
1600 barrel capacity
generator with a 500
barrel water tank,
three pumps and one
6’ scrubber, one
mile of gas line,
1200’ of steam line,
6300’ of water line
and an existing
production line. |
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Currently the pilot project is fully commissioned and has
been showing good
response to steam
injection. Oil
production averaged
318 bopd over the
last year (2006).
Enhanced Oil Recovery refers to a series of methods applied
to a reservoir to
recover additional
oil that cannot flow
to the surface on
its own. Electrical
pumping, steam,
carbon dioxide,
microbes and water
are sometimes
introduced to power
the oil to the
surface.
Steam Flooding injects steam into reservoirs that are
relatively shallow,
continuous and
permeable and
contain high
viscosity oil. The
dominant mechanism
in thermal recovery
processes is the
reduction of the
viscosity (or
thickness) of the
oil, allowing easier
flow to the well
bore.
UMLE Project Leader Burt Sinanan said while primary
production of heavy
oils has a recovery
rate of less than
10%, the recovery
rate using steam
injection is
sometimes 50% and
more.
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Of the UMLE project itself, Sinanan said: “Heavy crude oil
and or
non-conventional oil
will be the
sustainable energy
source in the future
both locally and
globally. We at
Petrotrin are and
must remain leaders
in improved and
enhanced oil
recovery in
Trinidad. We can
maintain this
position through the
integration of
multidisciplinary
teamwork and
application of
relevant
technology.” |
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