A systematic and comprehensive approach in analyzing produced water re-injection

This paper addresses the issues related to the injectivity maintenance during the process of produced water re-injection. This primary process can be attributed to a particle transport process where the particle clogging on the pore throats near the injection appears to be the dominant mechanism. In this paper, the impacts from all other processes (i.e. mechanical, hydraulic, and thermal influences) on the transport process are also evaluated. Additional processes may be envisioned as secondary, but the preliminary example indeed shows the noticeable impacts from these secondary processes on the primary process. Theoretical formulation of all related processes is general, and can be applied to other petroleum engineering applications besides the issue of produced water re-injection (e.g. sand control, reservoir stimulation, and wellbore stability analysis, etc.). Formulation, solution, interaction, and application of these coupled processes at various levels are detailed in this paper.

► Discussing injectivity maintenance during the process of produced water re-injection. ► Providing an interactive formulation of all related processes on waste disposal. ► Giving example of utilizing the derived solutions to identify particle plugging. ► Characterizing plugging with changes of stresses, pressure, and temperature.