GreenZyme® Treatment Begins on Well EM-0014, Neuquén Basin, Argentina
- Lucas Evangelista
- Apr 30, 2014
- 2 min read
Well EM-0014 sits in the Quebrada del Sapo sandstone zone of the Neuquén Basin, Argentina, an area known for 10–15% porosity and a history of hot-oil interventions. Completed in January 2007, the well came online at 78 m³/day of total fluid — 53 m³/d oil and 25 m³/d water — with a 26° API oil carrying an unusually high 35–40% paraffin content. That paraffin has a known tendency to deposit in the wellbore and restrict the action of pumps and sucker rods.
Starting in 2013, EM-0014 began showing a steady rise in water cut alongside a steady decline in overall production. By April 2014, the well was producing just 10.58 m³/d of total fluid — mostly water — with oil down to 1.1–1.2 m³/d. The pump was sitting at 4,625 ft with the static liquid level only a few feet above it at 4,583 ft, leaving little room to operate.
EM-0014 was one of 10 wells screened across an area-wide Neuquén province pilot, and one of 5 ultimately selected for GreenZyme® treatment. Its recurring paraffin problem, combined with a strong original production rate, made it an attractive candidate for the program.
Objective
Clear the paraffin and asphaltene blockage restricting flow, and restore economic production before the well crossed the operator's internal shut-in threshold.
Procedure — May 8, 2014
GreenZyme® was injected through the casing in a single-day operation. A total of 18,000 gallons (roughly 70,000 liters) of fluid were used, built around 220 gallons (4 drums) of GreenZyme® mixed to a 5% concentration in produced water. The solution was split into two 2,000-gallon batches: the first followed by 5,300 gallons of produced water to displace it into the formation, and after roughly an hour, the second batch followed by 9,200 gallons of produced water to fully displace and cap the well. EM-0014 was then shut in for 5 days to allow the enzyme solution to soak and diffuse through the formation.
On-site implementation was carried out by AECO SACIA, BTP's Argentina agent, with Alfredo Evangelista and Aldo Moro supervising the treatment in the field.
What to Expect
Based on comparable BTP GreenZyme® treatments in similarly blocked wells, the near-term expectation is a recovery of static fluid level and a gradual return of oil rate over the following weeks, with results tracked and reported as they develop.
