Seawater versus produced water in oil-fields water injection operations Original Research Article

Maximizing oil production by water flooding demands injection of water in sufficient quantities and acceptable qualities into the appropriate regions of the reservoirs in a cost efficient manner. The questions are: (1) what is the allowable level of water quality that steadily enhances production?; and (2) is it technically and economically possible to achieve such a level of water quality? In this fifth article, of a five-part series, the effects of water quality and the possibility of inducing unwanted fractures by the combined pressure-temperature stress of the injected water are discussed. The discussion is strictly focused on comparing oil-fields produced water to seawater as possible sources for water injection operation.