ANALYSIS OF THE CAUSES OF DECREASE IN PERMEABILITY OF THE NEAR-WELLBORE ZONE AND JUSTIFICATION OF WAYS TO ENHANCE IT AT THE ALIBEKMOLA FIELD

Abstract

In the late stages of oil field development, a gradual decline in the productivity of producing wells is commonly observed, significantly affecting reservoir exploitation efficiency and the ultimate oil recovery factor. This phenomenon is caused by a combination of factors, the most important of which are a decrease in reservoir pressure, an increase in produced water cut, and deterioration of the filtration-capacity properties of the near-wellbore formation zone. This issue is particularly pronounced in carbonate and fractured-porous reservoirs, where formation damage caused by plugging processes, salt precipitation, asphaltene-resin-paraffin deposits, and migration of fine particles leads to a significant reduction in rock permeability and a sharp decline in well production rates.

The Alibekmola field is one of the major oil and gas condensate fields in Kazakhstan and is currently at a mature stage of development. According to 2025 data, the average water cut reached 73.4%, while reservoir pressure declined from its initial value of 34.95 MPa to an average of approximately 17 MPa. These changes negatively affect reservoir hydrodynamic conditions and contribute to the formation of additional flow resistance in the near-wellbore zone.

This study examines the main causes of permeability deterioration in the near-wellbore formation zone, analyzes the factors affecting well productivity decline, and substantiates promising methods for production stimulation and restoration of reservoir filtration properties. The obtained results can be applied to improve the development efficiency of the Alibekmola field and other fields with similar geological and technical conditions.