Gulf Water Injection Pipeline and Facilities De-Bottlenecking

Abstract

Gulf Canada Resources Ltd operates oil processing and water re-injection facilities at Goose River, just South of Valleyview, Alberta. As the oil reservoir is drawn down, the water re-injection is a priority to keep oil production volumes up. The water re-injection pipelines & facilities are extensive & complex systems of headers & pumps at a production Battery, a fresh water Plant & two Satellites. All facilities & injection wells are interconnected by pipeline loops.</jats:p> <jats:p>A study was undertaken to model the entire water injection system (pipelines & pumps), under a remote & Northern environment. The study included simulation of pipeline route information, flowrates, pressures & ground conditions at strategic locations such as wells & pump discharges. Based on existing conditions a model was configured & calibrated using actual field results. This model was then used to determine the best locations on the pipeline to install added pumping capacity to accommodate the new injection flow rates & pressures.</jats:p> <jats:p>This paper describes the pipeline facilities and all the steps involved in optimizing the pipeline for water injection purposes. A full description of all facilities together with simulation & calibration techniques will be given in the paper.