Page 14 - Reservoir Formation Damage

formation damage problems associated with the production of hydrocarbons
from subsurface reservoirs. It may serve as a useful reference and provides
the knowledge of the theoretical and practical aspects of formation damage
for various purposes, including model assisted interpretation of experimental
test data, prediction and simulation of various formation damage scenarios,
evaluation of alternative strategies for formation damage minimization, and
scientific guidance for conducting laboratory and field tests.
Exhaustive effort has been made to gather, analyze, and systematically
present the state-of-the-art knowledge accumulated over the years in the area
of formation damage in petroleum reservoirs. This book is intended to
provide a quick and coordinated overview of the fundamentals, and the
experimental and theoretical approaches presented in selected publications.
However, it should not be viewed as a complete encyclopedic documentation
of the reported studies. It discusses processes causing formation damage and
reducing the productivity of wells in petroleum reservoirs and systematically
presents various approaches used in the diagnoses, measurement, production,
and simulation of formation damage. The techniques for assessment, minimiza-
tion, control, and remediation of the reservoir formation damage are described.
This book is intended for the petroleum, chemical, and environmental
engineers, geologists, geochemists, and physicists involved in formation dam-
age control, and for the undergraduate senior and graduate petroleum engi-
neering students. Therefore, this book can be used in industry training courses
and undergraduate senior and graduate level petroleum engineering courses. It is
recommended for formation damage courses and as a companion for drilling,
production, and stimulation courses. Readers will:

• Learn the mechanisms and theoretical background of the common for-
mation damage processes
• Be familiar with the testing, modeling and simulation techniques avail-
able for formation damage assessment, and
• Be able to develop strategies for better management of the adverse pro-
cesses to minimize and avoid formation damage in petroleum reservoirs.

The material presented in this book originates from my industry short
courses and curriculum courses at the School of Petroleum and Geological
Engineering at the University of Oklahoma.
I am indebted to the researchers who have contributed to the understanding
and handling of the various issues and aspects of formation damage and miti-
gation. Their efforts have led to the accumulation of a substantial amount of
knowledge and expertise on formation damage and helped develop techniques
and optimal strategies for effective detection, evaluation, and mitigation of
formation damage in subsurface reservoirs. Their works have been published
in various literature. I am pleased to have had the opportunity to analyze,

xvi