OTC 13178

Reservoir Management Issues in the Cantarell Nitrogen Injection Project

F. Rodríguez, G. Ortega, J.L. Sánchez, O. Jiménez, PEMEX Exploración y Producción

Copyright 2001, Offshore Technology Conference

and Kutz, in addition to the reserves in the newly discovered
This paper was prepared for presentation at the 2001 Offshore Technology Conference held in deeper Sihil field. Cantarell’s largest reservoir, the Akal field,
Houston, Texas, 30 April–3 May 2001.
is considered the sixth largest reservoir in the world.
This paper was selected for presentation by the OTC Program Committee following review of
the information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents of the paper, as
Main pay zones in Cantarell, hydraulically continuous over
presented, have not been reviewed by the Offshore Technology Conference and are subject to an average thickness of 1200 m, correspond to highly
correction by the author(s). The material, as presented, does not necessarily reflect any
position of the Offshore Technology Conference or its officers. Electronic reproduction, fractured and vuggy carbonate formations from Jurassic,
distribution, or storage of any part of this paper for commercial purposes without the written
consent of the Offshore Technology Conference is prohibited. Permission to reproduce in print
Cretaceous, and lower Paleocene geological ages; less
is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words; illustrations may not be copied. The important calcarenite and sandstone formations are from the
abstract must contain conspicuous acknowledgment of where and by whom the paper was
presented. upper Paleocene and middle Eocene.
Oil was initially undersaturated and the pressure at the
reference depth of 2300 mSS was 270 kilograms per square
Abstract
centimeter (kg/cm2). Typical total porosity in the reservoirs is
Akal, the main field of the offshore Cantarell complex, is a
7 percent; up to 25 percent of it may correspond to secondary
supergiant with original oil in place of 32 billion stock tank
porosity (fractures, microfractures, and vugs). Typical
barrels (bstb) and oil column thickness of about 1200 meters
absolute permeabilities in the primary and secondary porosity
(m). Being a highly fractured carbonate reservoir with a large
media are 0.3 and 5000 milidarcys (mD), respectively.
volume of vugs, Akal has produced under full gravity
The production in Akal field started in 1979 through the
segregation conditions and subject to natural thermal
Cantarell 1-A well, which initially produced 34,000 standard
convection; the gas-oil contact has been steadily moving
tank barrels per day (stb/d) of 22 ºAPI oil. In April 1981
through the years to its current position of 1930 m subsea,
production reached 1.156 million stb/d (mmstb/d). Since then
(mSS). Water encroachment from an aquifer that is shared
and up to 1995, the Cantarell complex produced at an almost
with other neighboring fields has also taken place; water-oil
constant rate of 1 mmstb/d. In 1997, as a result of the
contact has moved 480 m from its original position of 3200
implementation of the Cantarell Project, oil production began
mSS. To maximize the economic value of the Cantarell fields,
increasing to reach the current rate of 1.6 mmstb/d, which
among others, an unprecedented worldwide pressure
represents about 50 percent of Mexico’s total oil production
maintenance project by nitrogen injection was envisioned and
to date.
recently implemented.
Akal field has been producing under full gravity
This paper discusses some reservoir management issues of
segregation conditions and subject to natural thermal
the Cantarell nitrogen injection project: nitrogen channeling,
convection2,3. The gas-oil contact has been steadily moving
asphaltenes aggregation, number of required injection wells,
through the years to its current position of 1930 mSS, giving a
nitrogen breakthrough time and evolution of its concentration
thick secondary gas cap of 730 m. Water encroachment from
in the associated gas effluents, monitoring of nitrogen
an aquifer that is shared with other neighboring fields has also
injection, and finally, the impact of Cantarell nitrogen
taken place4,5; water-oil contact has moved 480 m from its
injection on neighboring fields, given the evidence of
original position of 3200 mSS.
hydraulic communication and production interference of Bay
Natural depletion of the Akal reservoir has caused a
of Campeche offshore fields through a regional aquifer, or
pressure decline from its original average value of 270 kg/cm2
aquifers. Details on these issues and the approach used to
to its current value of 105 kg/cm2. This, in turn, has led to a
solve them are presented in this paper.
decreasing production rate.
Initially, Cantarell produced from Akal field at an average
Introduction
rate of about 29,000 stb/d per well. The 1.156 mmstb/d
The Cantarell complex, discovered in 1996 and located about
produced in 1981 required only 40 non-assisted wells1 (see
80 kilometers (km) offshore in the Bay of Campeche, Mexico,
Fig. 2). However, the 1 mmstb/d produced in 1995, when
(see Fig. 1), is the largest oil field in Mexico1. The Cantarell
Cantarell Project was conceived, required 150 gas-lift assisted
field is composed of four major fields: Akal, Nohoch, Chac,
2 F. RODRÍGUEZ, G. ORTEGA, J.L. SANCHEZ AND O. JIMENEZ OTC 13178

wells, which gives an average production rate of about 7,000 Injection occurs through seven wells drilled and completed
stb/d per well. within the gas cap at the top of Akal field. Pemex
Preliminary6 and more detailed reservoir simulation implemented a pressure and concentration monitoring
studies7 indicated that pressure maintenance was required to program to evaluate the response of the Cantarell complex to
optimize hydrocarbon recovery in the Cantarell complex. the nitrogen injection program; preliminary results are next
Reservoir simulation forecasts indicated that if natural presented along with other reservoir management issues.
depletion would continue in Akal, an average pressure of 83
Kg/cm2 and production rates of 3,200 stb/d per well would Reservoir Management Issues
have been reached by year 2004. Under these circumstances, Given the lack of precedent on the implementation of a
long times, in the order of 80 years, would have been required pressure maintenance project by nitrogen injection of the size
to produce Cantarell hydrocarbon reserves and consequently and characteristics of Cantarell, preliminary thoughts were
would have been necessary to replace the offshore production given to performing a pilot test. However, pilot testing was not
facilities. Also, water encroachment would continue, creating feasible because there are no confined areas for testing with
poorer oil recovery efficiency than that evidenced in the gas- conditions similar to those of Akal field.
invaded zone. Issues that pilot testing intended to solve, along with other
key reservoir management issues identified at the outset of the
The Nitrogen Injection Project project that could potentially impact its success, included:
The above considerations, along with other technical and • nitrogen channeling,
economical studies8 led Pemex to conclude that pressure • asphaltenes aggregation,
maintenance by nitrogen injection was required to maximize • number of required injection wells,
the economic value of Cantarell fields. • nitrogen breakthrough time and evolution of its
Among gas injection technologies, nitrogen was selected concentration with time,
by considering availability, cost, handling infrastructure, • monitoring nitrogen injection, and
environmental, safety, and reservoir issues. Preliminary • impact of nitrogen injection on neighboring fields, given
estimates indicated that the delivered cost of nitrogen would the evidence of hydraulic communication and production
be approximately US$1.1 per mscf, which compared favorably interference of Bay of Campeche offshore fields through a
against US$2.66 per mscf for natural gas, the second best regional aquifer or aquifers4,5.
option. The final cost of nitrogen, obtained through the Details on these issues and the approach used to solve
bidding of services for nitrogen supply was US$0.36 mscf. them are presented in this paper.
Technical and economical analysis of various simulated
production-injection scenarios indicated that best results Nitrogen Channeling. The risk of nitrogen channeling was
would be obtained when producing 2 mmstb/d of oil for four rejected as a major issue based on reservoir simulation studies
years, which in turn would require the injection of 1,200 and field evidence through the years, which indicated that
mmstb/d of nitrogen. gravity segregation has been very effective in Akal. It was
After four years, the analyses indicated that the oil concluded that injecting at the top, far away from the gas-oil
production rate would start to decline with an accompanying contact, would not pose any risk of nitrogen channeling
decline in nitrogen requirements. At that time, excess nitrogen towards the producing wells.
could then be injected in other offshore fields.
Therefore, Pemex decided to inject nitrogen into the gas Asphaltenes Aggregation. Issues related to the
cap at the top of Akal reservoir to maintain pressure within the thermodynamic behavior of the mixtures of nitrogen and
oil column. Estimated additional oil and gas recoveries are reservoir fluids, particularly those regarding oil vaporization
2,324 mmstb and 870 bcf, respectively, considering the and the possibility of asphaltene precipitation, were studied9.
economic limit of the project. The conclusion of this study indicated that asphaltenes
initially dissolved in the oil tend to aggregate when pressure is
Current Status of the Project. decreased and that the effect of nitrogen dissolution in the
Full-scale implementation began in 1997. The injection crude on this asphaltenes aggregation is almost negligible.
system is now complete, composed of a nitrogen generator
plant with a capacity of 1,200 mmstb/d, an injection platform Number of Injection Wells. A preliminary injectivity test
containing seven nitrogen injection wells, and a 233-km-long was conducted in the gassed-out well C-57A. Nitrogen was
network of pipelines. injected at flow rates ranging from 20 to 40 mmstb/d. Flowing
Nitrogen injection for the Cantarell pressure maintenance well head pressures and injection rates obtained during the test
program began in May 2000 with the injection of 300 were then used to model the hydraulics of the well10.
mmstb/d, when the first nitrogen generation module started The calibrated model was then used to predict nitrogen
operations. The final generation module came on line in injection rates for different well head operating pressures and
December 2000, to reach the injection goal of 1,200 mmstb/d, tubing sizes. The results are shown in Table 1.
(see Fig. 3).
OTC 13178 RESERVOIR MANAGEMENT ISSUES IN CANTARELL NITROGEN INJECTION PROJECT 3

The results of the modeling, along with other mechanical In the second test, tritiated methane and Kripton-85 were
considerations, were used in the engineering design of the injected in the gas cap through well C-52 at the Akal-E
injection wells. For the selected tubing size of 9 5/8˝ and 111 platform. Seven gassed-out wells and three in the oil column
Kg/cm2 well head pressure, it was established that six wells were sampled for about three months. Lab analysis of the gas
would be required to inject the 1,200 mmstb/d of nitrogen into samples is still in progress.
the Cantarell complex. It was decided however, for
contingency reasons, to drill seven wells. Fig. 4 shows field Monitoring Nitrogen Injection. Carefully designed programs
data and forecasted response of an injectivity test performed in were implemented to monitor, first, the pressure response of
one of the drilled injection wells. Cantarell fields to nitrogen injection, and second, the
composition of the produced gas, to detect the presence of
Estimation of Nitrogen Breakthrough. Given the field injected nitrogen.
evidences of thermal convection in Akal field2 it was Pressure has been measured in 12 wells strategically
considered necessary to account for this phenomenon in located in the gas cap, oil column, and the aquifer (see Fig. 6).
reservoir simulation studies aiming at the estimation of The preliminary measured pressure response is consistent with
nitrogen breakthrough. Along with thermal convection, that predicted by black oil reservoir simulation. Fig. 7 shows
molecular diffusion was another relevant transport the measured and predicted pressure for three wells, located in
mechanism considered. the gas cap, oil column, and aquifer, respectively.
A unique study of nitrogen injection in Cantarell complex The latest bottom hole pressure data, measured in typical
was conducted9. Special core analysis, pressure-volume- wells located in the gas cap, oil column, and aquifer, are
temperature (PVT) analyses of mixtures of Cantarell’s fluids shown in Figs 8, 9, and 10, respectively. An immediate
and nitrogen, and diffusion-dispersion experiments in PVT (nearly no-time-lag) response to changes in the nitrogen
cells and cores were first conducted. Data obtained were then injection rate can be observed in these figures, which confirms
used to develop a phenomenological model of Cantarell which the extremely high transmissibility of Akal reservoir. The
took into account all flow mechanisms involved in the pressure jump observed in Fig. 10 is due to replacement of the
nitrogen injection process in a naturally fractured, dual pressure gauge.
porosity, reservoir. Detailed analysis of the pressure response to changes in the
As expected, simulation results showed that nitrogen injection rate shows almost no transient period; observed
effluents depend on the position of the production platforms instead is an immediate pseudo-steady state pressure behavior.
relative to the gas-oil contact and injection point. The clearest pressure response is found in the gas cap well,
Platform Akal-D, located below the gas-oil contact and where there is only one movable phase between injection and
close to the injection zone, would start producing nitrogen as monitoring wells. As more movable phases are involved, the
early as early 2002 and would reach molar concentrations as poorest response is obtained.
high as 13 percent (see Fig. 5). Simple analyses of the pressure trends observed under
Platform Akal-R, located far from the gas-oil contact, different injection-production conditions reveal preliminarily
would barely produce nitrogen and maximum molar that, for the design operating conditions, 2 mmstb/d and 1,200
concentration would be 1 percent. mmstb/d, pressures in the gas cap and oil column will initially
Results for Cantarell’s production overall, considering increase about 6.7 and 2.5 kg/cm2/year, respectively.
mixing of effluents from all platforms, show that nitrogen This implies that the gas-oil contact will move about 57
would be noticeable three years after the start of injection. meters per year and that injection capability will decrease with
They also show that nitrogen concentrations of 5 percent time, considering a constant wellhead injection pressure. It can
would take place in year 2010 and remain in that range for the also be preliminarily established that pressure in the oil
rest of the injection program (see Fig. 5). column will increase about 4 kg/cm2 by the end of year 2004,
The above estimates are particularly relevant to the design even though it is expected that a constant pressure will be
and planning of facilities for nitrogen rejection from the maintained in the oil column by that time.
produced gas. Gas chromatography has been applied to monitor the
concentration of nitrogen in 151 wells strategically located,
Tracer tests. With the goal of obtaining data that could allow horizontally and vertically, across the Akal field.
a better representation of flow dynamics in the numerical Breakthrough time for the injected nitrogen and the evolution
simulation of Akal field, particularly concerning thermal of its concentration in the produced gas will be the output of
convection and molecular diffusion, two nonconventional this program.
tracer tests were designed and conducted prior to Because nitrogen is one of the components naturally
nitrogen injection. occurring in Cantarell’s fluids, molar concentrations of
In the first test, tritiated toluene in liquid phase was nitrogen in the gas-cap gas and in the production-associated
injected in the gas-oil interface through well C-86 at the Akal- gas were measured prior to nitrogen injection. Nitrogen molar
G platform. Tracer was detected within 12 to 83 days after concentrations of 1.1 to 1.3 percent were found in the gas-cap
injection in four oil production wells located 0.8 to 2 km south gas, and 0.4 to 0.6 percent in the produced gas (associated gas
of the injector. and gas lift injected gas).
4 F. RODRÍGUEZ, G. ORTEGA, J.L. SANCHEZ AND O. JIMENEZ OTC 13178

Analyses of production-associated gas extracted after the and the effect of nitrogen injection on Cantarell fields and
start of injection do not indicate, to date, the presence of neighboring fields are most relevant.
injected nitrogen. These results are in agreement with Thermal convection and molecular diffusion are important
reservoir simulation forecasts9 previously mentioned. phenomena in the reservoir simulation studies of the Cantarell
Monitoring of nitrogen concentration buildup in the gas- field. Simulations conducted without these effects would lead
cap gas has also been performed. Fig. 11 shows the changes in to an underestimation of nitrogen breakthrough time and
nitrogen concentration measured in gas samples taken from molar concentration in the gas effluents. Special tracer
three gas-invaded wells. This is important information that injection tests were designed and performed for in-situ
will be used in the update of Cantarell’s numerical model. evaluation of these phenomena.
Carefully designed programs were implemented to monitor
Impact of Nitrogen Injection on Neighboring Fields. the pressure response of Cantarell fields to nitrogen injection
Evidences of hydraulic communication and production and to detect the presence of the injected nitrogen in the
interference of Bay of Campeche offshore reservoirs through a produced gas.
regional aquifer or aquifers, have been documented in Preliminary pressure behavior observations from the Akal
the literature4. field are consistent with reservoir simulation forecasts.
The pressure history of several of these offshore fields is Analyses of associated gas effluents performed on samples
shown in Fig. 12. Average pressures are given at the reference seven months after nitrogen injection commenced do not
level of 4100 mSS. Two main pressure trends are noticed, indicate the presence of nitrogen, which is again consistent
thus indicating the existence of at least two aquifers. with the reservoir simulation forecasts.
Initial pressures found in some offshore reservoirs that Finally, the nitrogen injection project has reverted the
began producing late are in close agreement with pressures pressure-production decline trend observed in Cantarell
found in the depleted older reservoirs. This provides evidence complex since production started in 1979.
of the hydraulic communication of the fields through a
common aquifer. References
For the pressure-production behavior of Caan field, located 1. Ortega González, G.:”Mantenimiento de Presión y Bombeo
20 km south of Akal, see Fig. 13. Notice that the pressure Neumático, la Mejor Alternativa para Explotar las Reservas del
decline trend of Caan is not consistent with its production Complejo Cantarell” paper presented in the Anual Conference of
history. The sharp increase in production rate experienced by the Mexican Association of Petroleum Engineers, AIPM,
Morelia, Mich., 1998.
this field in 1993 barely changed its pressure decline rate, 2. “First Cantarell Complex Workshop: Report of Activities”,
which clearly shows production interference with a high PEMEX E&P, Mexico City, March 19-20, 1997.
producing field, which seems to be Akal. 3. Manceau, E., Delamaide, E., Sabathier, J.C., Kalaydjian, F.,
A preliminary regional model was developed5 to analyze Ladrón de Guevara,, J.M., Sánchez, J.L. and Rodríguez,
the production interference of Akal and Caan fields. Other F.:”Implementing Convection in a Reservoir Simulator: A Key
offshore fields were included in this model (see Fig. 14). This Feature in Adequately Modeling the Exploitation of the
model is currently being updated and improved by Cantarell Complex,” paper SPE 59044 presented at the 2000
constructing a more realistic regional offshore geologic model SPE International Conference and Exhibition in Mexico,
of the aquifer using new seismic and exploratory well data. Villahermosa, Tab., 1-3 February 2000.
4. Miguel Hernández, N.,Durán Arnábar, R.,”Zona Regional
The new model covers an area of 15,000 km2. Conectada por Acuífero Asociado a los Yacimientos de la
Among other applications, the new regional model will Formación Brecha-Cretácico de la Región Marina”, Ingeniería
allow a more precise assessment of the impact of Cantarell’s Petrolera, Vol. XXXVI, No. 10, Oct. 1996.
nitrogen injection on neighboring fields. 5. “Advisory Study of the Caan Field located in the Bay of
Campeche, Mexico”, a NSAI study for PEMEX E&P, Houston,
Conclusions TX, January 1999.
An unprecedented worldwide pressure maintenance project is 6. “Advisory study of the Cantarell Complex fields (Akal, Chac,
underway at the Cantarell field. The project, consisting of the Kutz and Nohoch), located offshore Campeche Mexico”,
injection of 1,200 mmscf/d of nitrogen and production of up to prepared for PEMEX E&P by NSAI, June 1996.
7. “Cantarell Complex Special Simulation Runs,” Schlumberger-
2 mmscf/d of oil, will maximize the economic value of the Geoquest, Denver, CO., August 1998.
Cantarell field. Estimated additional oil and gas recoveries are 8. “Feasibility Study of Gas Injection in Offshore Mexican Oil
2,324 mmstb and 870 bscf, respectively, over the life of Reservoirs,” a Unigas, Co. study prepared for PEMEX E&P,
the project. Norman OK., December 1996.
Given the nature of Cantarell field, and particularly that of 9. “Study of Nitrogen Injection in the Cantarell Complex, An IFP
Akal field -- high structural relief, high fractures-vugs density Study for PEMEX,” Rueil-Malmaison, France, July 1999.
and associated fluid flow mechanisms -- nonconventional 10. Internal Pemex E&P communication., Cantarell Asset,
studies and field tests have been designed and implemented to March 1997.
solve reservoir management issues related to the nitrogen
injection project. Among these, the number of injection wells,
estimation of nitrogen breakthrough, asphaltenes aggregation,
OTC 13178 RESERVOIR MANAGEMENT ISSUES IN CANTARELL NITROGEN INJECTION PROJECT 5

Table 1: Forecasted gas injection rates

Tubing size Gas injection rate (MMscf)

(inches) Pwh=70.3 Kg/cm2 Pwh=105.5 Kg/cm2 Pwh=140.6 Kg/cm2
4 1/2 - 5 1/2 20.4 56.3 85.9
4.5 -7 28.4 78.0 119.4
7 39.2 107.4 163.3
9 5/8 101.4 274.9 429.2

460 500 540 580 620

MAL OOB- 103 2170

B ACAB L UM -1

Z AA P-1 EK
KU BALAM

KU TZ
IXT AL T AR ATUNICH
IXT OC-1
CNTAR ELL
CANTARELL
301 101

201 1 T AK IN
A B KATUN
BA TA B 2130
C AA N
T OLOC
POL
OCH
C HU C
KAX -1

U EC H
200 m.

S INA N
101A
1A MIS ON -1
2090
100 m.
K A B- 101 K IX-1
Y UM -2
401 K IX-2
2-B
CD. DEL CARMEN
50 m.
MAY -1

25 m.
FRONTERA 2050
YAX CH E-1

DOS BOCAS
0 3 0 Km.
ESC A LA GRA FI CA

Fig. 1: Cantarell complex location.

1700 340 1500 150000

No. of wells

1600 320
1500 300
Pressure
1400 280 1200 120000
Oil rate 260 Cummulative nitrogen injection
1300
( Kg /cm2)

1200 240
Nitrogen injection rate
Cummulative gas injection (MMPC)

1100 220
Nitrogen injection rate (MMPCD)

900 90000
1000 200
Qo (MBPD)

900 180
Pressure

800 160
700 140 600 60000
600 120
(MMPCD)

500 100
No. of wells
Np X 10 (MMBLS)

400 1200 300 30000

300 N 900
Np 2
N 2 Injected

200 600
100 300
0 0
0 0
79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 1-May-00 1-Jun-00 2-Jul-00 2-Ago-00 2-Sep-00 3-Oct-00 3-Nov-00 4-Dic-00 4-Ene-01
Date Date

Fig. 2: Akal pressure and production behavior. Fig. 3: Nitrogen injection rate.
6 F. RODRÍGUEZ, G. ORTEGA, J.L. SANCHEZ AND O. JIMENEZ OTC 13178

125
14
120

115 12
Akal-D platform
110

105 10
Operation range

Nitrogen production (% mol)

Wellhead pressure [kg/cm2]

100
8
95
Akal field

90
6
85
Field data
80
Model
4
75
Akal-R platform
70
2
65

60 0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240 260 280 300 320 340 360
1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030
Gas injection rate [MMPCD]
Year
Fig. 4: Typical injection well model Fig. 5: Predicted nitrogen production

C-1006
AKAL WELL C-2279 (WATER), MEASSURED DATA
WELL C-2279 (WATER), SIMULATION
KL TM M MB C-3002D Pressure gages WELL C-77D (OIL), MEASSURED DATA
WELL C-77D OIL) SIMULATION
L C-77D Injection wells WELL C-57A (GAS) MEASSURED DATA
C-52 WELL C-57A (GAS) SIMULATION
TJ BN B

KUTZ N
DB
CI-67
J
CI-73A CI-71 C-57A
C-58 CI-31
CI D C-2279
CI-51 CI-95
CI-52
CI-47 CI-49 C-9D
O CI-67 CI-69
CI-83 CI-87
CI-85 I C-2035
F C
C-42
CHAC C-57A
P G
C-269D CHAC-A

NOHOCH
NA
S
C-77D
NC

C-2279
R
NB MAY JUN JUL AGO SEP OCT NOV DIC
2000

Fig. 6: Pressure monitoring wells Fig. 7: Comparison of measured and predicted

pressure

1110 1,800 1516 1,800

1105 1,500 1515 1,500

Production/injection rate (MBld/MMscfd

Production/injection rate (MBld/MMscfd)

1100 1,200 1514 1,200

Pressure (psia)

Pressure (psia)

1095 900 1513 900

1090 600 1512 600

1085 300 1511 300

Pressure Pressure
Production rate Production rate
Injection rate Injection rate
1080 0 1510 0
15/10/00 30/10/00 15/11/00 30/11/00 16/12/00 31/12/00 16/01/01 31/01/01 15/10/00 30/10/00 15/11/00 30/11/00 16/12/00 31/12/00 16/01/01 31/01/01
Date Date

Fig. 8: Bottomhole pressure behavior of a typical Fig. 9: Bottomhole pressure behavior of a typical oil
gas well during nitrogen injection. zone well during nitrogen injection.
OTC 13178 RESERVOIR MANAGEMENT ISSUES IN CANTARELL NITROGEN INJECTION PROJECT 7

1889 1,800 1.8

1.7 CANT-51 CANT-53 CANT-73 A

1887 1,500

Production/injection rate (MBld/MMscfd)

1.6
1885 1,200

1.5
Pressure (psia)

%MOL N2
1883 900
1.4

1881 600
1.3

1879 300 1.2

Pressure
Production rate
Injection rate 1.1
1877 0
15/10/00 30/10/00 15/11/00 30/11/00 16/12/00 31/12/00 16/01/01 31/01/01
Date 1
1/02/00 1/04/00 1/06/00 1/08/00 1/10/00
DATE
Fig. 10: Bottomhole pressure behavior of a water
invaded well during nitrogen injection. Fig. 11: Nitrogen concentration measured from the
gas cap.

6400
600 240,00
0 0
6200

6000
Chac 550 200,00
0 0
5800
Bacab
Oil
5600 Takin
Bottom Hole Pressure at Datum (psi)

500 160,00
5400 0 0

5200 Akal OI
BH L
P 450 120,00 RA
5000 (ps0 0 TE
Caan ia) (b
4800 Chuc op
Nohoch
Pressur
4600 Ku (Br) 400 80,00
Ixtoc 0 0
Zaap
4400
Maloob
4200 Pol 350 40,00
0 0
4000
Abkatun

3800
300 0
1/78 1/80 1/82 1/84 1/86 1/88 1/90 1/92 1/94 1/96 1/98 1/00 0 197 198 198 198 198 198 199 199 199 199 199 200
Date 8 0 2 4 6 8 0 2 4 6 8 0
Date
Fig. 12: Pressure behavior of Bay of Campeche Fig. 13: Caan pressure and production behavior.
offshore fields.

Fig. 14: Regional simulation model.