CONTROL OF SEAWATER QUALITY AND BACTERIAL INFESTATION ON THE INJECTIVITY OF WELLS IN NORTH KUWAIT OIL FIELDS

This paper deals with the data gathered in rather general terms and the implications of water quality, primarily on injectivity, as determined by the well head pressure and folwrate of individual wells. It is considered that the particle count analyses undertaken at the injection headers and well heads far exceeds the specification, and in reality, the total suspended solids (TSS) data certainly exceeds the set specifications for significant periods of time. Suspended solids at these levels will have a determintal effect upon the formation into which they are being injected, and almost certainly are derived in part from bacterial infestation, corrosion products accumulations in the transfer line and headers, and possibly also from poorly treated water from the seawater treatment plant (SWTP). The basic intent of monitoring is to provide assurance that all systems are operating as expected. While monitoring requires considerable dedicated effort and expense, its impact upon the efficiency of a water flood project can not be minimized. Poor quality injection water, and the associated loss of injectivity, can have significant consequences for the intended purpose of water flood and can seriously impact the economic viability of the field.