A Comprehensive Approach for Stimulating Produced Water Injection Wells at Prudhoe Bay, Alaska

The paper presents a three-component approach to removing damage from produced water injection wells of Prudhoe Bay Field, Alaska: (1) identification of plugging material, (2) evaluation and selection of potential treatment chemicals, and (3) design and implementation of a well treatment and placement method. Plugging material was sampled anaerobically and kept frozen prior to identification and evaluation. Appropriate treatment chemicals were determined through a series of solvation, filtration, and weight-loss tests. Field treatments were designed so that the treating chemicals entered the formation under normal operating conditions, i.e., at pressures and rates similar to those present during produced water injection. A number of treatments improved injection rates and profiles, but continued injection of oil and solids-laden water caused deterioration of well performance at rates that precluded general application of the treatment at Prudhoe Bay.