PHILLIPS STEPS UP EKOFISK WATER INJECTION

A group led by Phillips Petroleum Co. Norway has started the second phase of a water injection project in Ekofisk oil field in the Norwegian North Sea. In addition, the group will step up waterflood operations with a third phase scheduled to begin next year. The first two injection wells on Platform 2/4W in the main Ekofisk complex began injecting about 35,000 b/d. Phillips plans to drill eight wells from the platform and inject a total of 120,000 b/d of water by early 1992.

Sept. 17, 1990

2 min read

A group led by Phillips Petroleum Co. Norway has started the second phase of a water injection project in Ekofisk oil field in the Norwegian North Sea.

In addition, the group will step up waterflood operations with a third phase scheduled to begin next year.

The first two injection wells on Platform 2/4W in the main Ekofisk complex began injecting about 35,000 b/d.

Phillips plans to drill eight wells from the platform and inject a total of 120,000 b/d of water by early 1992.

Total cost of the second phase of injection is estimated at 2.2 billion kroner ($363 million). The investment is expected to contribute another 190 million bbl of production.

The second phase of the Ekofisk water injection project resulted from the success of the first phase, which involved installation of injection Platform 2/4K and drilling of 20 injection wells at a cost of 10 billion kroner ($1.65 billion).

The first phase is injecting 375,000 b/d of water. It is covering an estimated 65% of the main Ekofisk reservoir.

PRODUCTION RESPONSE

Oil production from the seven fields in the Ekofisk area had declined to 170,000 b/d in 1987 from a 624,000 b/d peak.

August production was up to 240,000 b/d.

Phillips said about 40,000 b/d of the 70,000 b/d increase is the direct result of water injection.

The rest came from workovers and new development wells.

The third stage of water injection will boost Platform 2/4K's injection capacity to 500,000 b/d from 375,000 b/d of water.

This will allow Phillips to inject water into the extreme southern portion of the reservoir and recover an additional 40 million bbl of oil at a cost of 950 million kroner ($156 million).