Dumpflooding from a strong aquifer to support pressure to another depletion-drive reservoir is not new to the oil industry, neither to the region. In cases where the natural aquifer pressure is insufficient to deliver adequate volumes to meet pressure support requirements, or the injectivity of the target reservoir is relatively low, artificial lift is required. This was the case in the North Kuwait asset where injectivity was poor owing to the relatively low natural fracture density of the carbonate reservoir being flooded.

Since the conventional encapsulated (POD) systems required one sealbore packer, one encapsulated ESP system, and one ESP packer, it was decided to test an alternate and simpler system that required only two ESP packers that would achieve the same result.

Deployment of this new tandem-ESP-packer system proved less complex and required less rig time than the encapsulated ESP system. Both packers were set simultaneously in one operation, with the ESP function test to surface pit giving excellent results. After opening the SSDs, the ESP operating parameters measured at surface indicated optimum pump performance at expected injection rates.

The tandem-ESP-packer dumpflood completion system provides fewer sealing interfaces than the conventional encapsulated ESP system and therefore fewer opportunities for leaks. Additionally, it affords a very simple one-trip system for less complex deployment and retrieval when necessary. This alternate system also provides easily-deployed, immediate pressure support in areas of the reservoir/field while awaiting the installation and commissioning of major surface injection facilities.