Electrothermal Heating of California Oil Wells: A Case Study of Enhanced Oil Recovery of Shallow Wells

A case study of enhanced oil recovery of shallow wells is presented. This article explores the utilization of electric heat tracing (EHT) as a viable technology solution to bridge the gap between economic and uneconomic when considering heavy oil wells in the California region, wherein production has dropped to an unacceptable level or production is not economically desirable. Polymer flooding is a similar approach to surfactant flooding. Primary recovery involves the natural pressure of the reservoir along with artificial lift methods to move oil reserves to the surface. EHT has been considered an effective solution for flow assurance, wax, paraffin, and hydrate concerns for many decades.