Abstract

The Handil Field was discovered in April 1974 in the Mahakam Delta of East Kalimantan. Around 150 sandstone hydrocarbon bearing reservoirs have been encountered between 400 m and 3000 m.

Production started from a few wells in July 1975 at 40.000 BOPD and reached a fully capacity of 180.000 BOPD in January 1977.

While the development of the field was continued, it soon become apparent that primary recovery for certain reservoirs would be poor and that a secondary recovery scheme would have to be implemented. A study in 1977 recommended flexible peripheral water injection as the best suited secondary recovery method. Flexibility was important because the delineation of the field was not complete and the performance of many reservoirs was still unknown.

In 1978, a preliminary phase of the water injection scheme began.

In 1980, a full scale project for 16 reservoirs was developed. Those reservoirs account for 44% of Handil oil in place and their production was 70.000 BOPD mid 1980.

Early in 1981 an injection capacity of 190.000 BWPD was reached (17 injectors and 14 water supply wells completed in shallow aquifers).

The reservoirs have responded favourably to the water injection scheme: levelling off of the pressure decline, producing GOR decreased on oil production boosted to 93.000 BOPD, end 1981 (Field production = 180.000 BOPD).

In the near future more injection points will be added in order to optimize the areal sweep efficiency; however the field injection rate is not expected to increase.