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December 2022 - General Meeting

Distinguished Lecturer

 

The SPE San Joaquin Valley Section Invites you to attend a General Meeting in Bakersfield, California, featuring our guest speaker, Ramon Elias from Santa Maria Energy.

Abstract:                 
Discussed is the continued success seen with steam injection tracking and monitoring using modified Hall plots and their derivatives proposed in 2013. Matrix flow in the diatomite is confirmed using industry accepted analytical calculations for determining a host of parameters including steam zone flow capacity (kh), steam injection rates that avoid formation parting, and the zone of endangering influence (ZEI) needed for UIC approvals. Evidence of pore dilation and unavoidable skin effects are cited.

Modified Hall plots provide an alternative method for determining the formation parting flow rate (FPR) in lieu of the formation parting pressure (FPP). Fundamentally, step-rate tests are not reliable (SPE 169513-MS) for determining the FPP. An actual CSS well case history is used.

The study shows there to be a wide range of diatomite steam zone injection conditions that do not cause parting or fracturing of the diatomite by steam injection. Real-time Hall plots also provide valuable insights as to how injection zone properties change as the project matures. The project monitoring protocols originally described in a 2013 paper continue to be used with safe and reliable outcomes confirmed by thousands of successful project CSS injection operations.

Speaker Bio:           

Ray Elias is a California resident, engineer, scientist, inventor, and area business owner. His career spans over 49 years in energy and business both in the U.S. and abroad. His career started with Getty Oil Company in Bakersfield. His work experience spans field operations, research, process design, reservoir computer simulation, EOR, consulting, and management. He has authored over 25 technical papers domestically and abroad, has been awarded U.S. patents, and is an executive officer and co-founder of Santa Maria Energy and Pacific AgriTec. He resides in Santa Maria, California.   

Date:                   December 8th, 2022

Time:                   Doors open at 11:00AM

                            Lunch will be served at 11:30 AM

                            Guest Speaker at 11:45 AM

Location:         

                            Chevron Conference Room F - 1056

                            9500 Ming Ave.

                            Bakersfield, CA 93311

                            Google maps link

 

 

Registration fee:   All Attendees - $10.00

December 2022 - Virtual Meeting

Distinguished Lecturer

 

The SPE San Joaquin Valley Section Invites you to attend a Virtual Meeting featuring SPE Distinguished Lecturer, Arash Taleghani.

Abstract:                 

The number of abandoned oil and gas wells are growing over millions, significant costs are imposed to companies and government for decommissioning these wells. However, it would be very encouraging for the oil and gas industry to take advantage of these wells and use them as a source of geothermal energy. Huge upfront costs have always been a major obstacle for the development of geothermal energy. As a rule of thumb, a quarter of the costs for harvesting geothermal energy is going toward drilling and one third of the costs is spent for completions. One obvious solution is avoiding these costs by repurposing existing oil and gas wells to generate geothermal power at the end of their economic production life. In some regions of extensive hydrocarbon explorations, the geothermal gradient can be very steep, providing potential well candidates for conversion. Taking into consideration the local energy demand, potential market, existing infrastructure, and technical challenges, a conversion strategy for the existing wells is discussed specially in terms of the wellbore integrity requirement and steps to ensure hydrocarbon containment during the heat extraction process. Potential challenges in inspection and preparation of these wells in terms of well integrity and productivity with possible remedies will be discussed in this presentation.

Speaker Bio:           

Dr. Arash Dahi Taleghani is a tenured associate professor of petroleum engineering at Pennsylvania State University. Before joining Penn State, he was an associate professor of Petroleum Engineering at Louisiana State University. He earned his Ph.D. in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. He has about 12 years combined experience in applied engineering, research and in academia and is a registered professional engineer.  Dr. Dahi Taleghani is the associate editor of ASME journal of Energy Resources and Technology and has numerous publications and six patent applications in the field of drilling and completion. In 2014, he received the Distinguished Achievement Award for Petroleum Engineering Faculty from the Society of Petroleum Engineering (SPE). He has also received SPE Eastern North America Regional Completion Optimization and Technology in 2017. He is currently conducting research in reservoir geomechanics, hydraulic fracturing, wellbore integrity, and geothermal energy.

 

Date:                   December 14th, 2022

Time:                   11AM

Location:             Virtual: Register Here