Steam-on-a-chip for oil recovery: the role of alkaline additives in steam assisted gravity drainage

Lab on a Chip ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (19) ◽  
pp. 3832 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas W. de Haas ◽  
Hossein Fadaei ◽  
Uriel Guerrero ◽  
David Sinton
Keyword(s):  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Gravity Drainage ◽  
Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage

Investigation of Emulsion Flow in Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage

SPE Journal ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 18 (03) ◽  
pp. 440-447 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.C.. C. Ezeuko ◽  
J.. Wang ◽  
I.D.. D. Gates
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Numerical Simulation ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Gravity Drainage ◽  
Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage ◽  
Emulsion Flow ◽  
Very High ◽  
Effective Representation

Summary We present a numerical simulation approach that allows incorporation of emulsion modeling into steam-assisted gravity-drainage (SAGD) simulations with commercial reservoir simulators by means of a two-stage pseudochemical reaction. Numerical simulation results show excellent agreement with experimental data for low-pressure SAGD, accounting for approximately 24% deficiency in simulated oil recovery, compared with experimental data. Incorporating viscosity alteration, multiphase effect, and enthalpy of emulsification appears sufficient for effective representation of in-situ emulsion physics during SAGD in very-high-permeability systems. We observed that multiphase effects appear to dominate the viscosity effect of emulsion flow under SAGD conditions of heavy-oil (bitumen) recovery. Results also show that in-situ emulsification may play a vital role within the reservoir during SAGD, increasing bitumen mobility and thereby decreasing cumulative steam/oil ratio (cSOR). Results from this work extend understanding of SAGD by examining its performance in the presence of in-situ emulsification and associated flow of emulsion with bitumen in porous media.

Numerical Simulation of Thermal Solvent Replacing Steam under Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage SAGD Process

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weiqiang Li ◽  
Daulat D. Mamora
Keyword(s):  
High Temperature ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Oil Sands ◽  
Steam Injection ◽  
Thermal Recovery ◽  
Production Performance ◽  
Gravity Drainage ◽  
Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage ◽  
Recovery Technique ◽  
Simulation Results

Abstract Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) is one successful thermal recovery technique applied in the Athabasca oil sands in Canada to produce the very viscous bitumen. Water for SAGD is limited in supply and expensive to treat and to generate steam. Consequently, we conducted a study into injecting high-temperature solvent instead of steam to recover Athabasca oil. In this study, hexane (C6) coinjection at condensing condition is simulated using CMG STARS to analyze the drainage mechanism inside the vapor-solvent chamber. The production performance is compared with an equivalent steam injection case based on the same Athabasca reservoir condition. Simulation results show that C6 is vaporized and transported into the vapor-solvent chamber. At the condensing condition, high temperature C6 reduces the viscosity of the bitumen more efficiently than steam and can displace out all the original oil. The oil production rate with C6 injection is about 1.5 to 2 times that of steam injection with oil recovery factor of about 100% oil initially-in-place. Most of the injected C6 can be recycled from the reservoir and from the produced oil, thus significantly reduce the solvent cost. Results of our study indicate that high-temperature solvent injection appears feasible although further technical and economic evaluation of the process is required.

scholarly journals Introduction and investigation of magnetic location system for steam-assisted gravity drainage dual-horizontal heavy oil wells

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 168781401879897 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong Chen ◽  
Hao Yi ◽  
Chuan He
Keyword(s):  
Measurement Error ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Detection System ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Gravity Drainage ◽  
Horizontal Projection ◽  
Recovery Method ◽  
Location System ◽  
Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage ◽  
Magnetic Source

Steam-assisted gravity drainage has been proven to be an effective oil recovery method, and the technology of magnetic location is the key to steam-assisted gravity drainage. In view of the rapid development of this technology in China, a new magnetic location system with intellectual property rights was developed in this article, including mechanical parts and circuit section of detection system. Specific structure, operating principle, and technical parameters of magnetic source generator and detection system were designed and analyzed. The ground test results show that the source generator is powered by an alternating current of 4–7 A, the detection system can probe the magnetic field signal 25 m away from the magnetic source generator, and the measurement error is less than 3% by comparison of measured with actual spacing distance. The steam-assisted gravity drainage dual-horizontal well group in Zhong 37 Well block in Fengcheng Oilfield is chosen for further experiment with the developed magnetic location technology. The results of field experiment show the trajectories of Wells I (injection well) and P (production well) are basically matched in the horizontal projection, and the measurement error is within the allowable range. The magnetic location system developed in this article can meet the operational requirement in steam-assisted gravity drainage dual-horizontal wells.

scholarly journals Experimental and Modelling Study of Gravity Drainage in a Three-Block System

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamidreza Erfani ◽  
Abtin Karimi Malekabadi ◽  
Mohammad Hossein Ghazanfari ◽  
Behzad Rostami
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Model ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Tilt Angle ◽  
Free Fall ◽  
Recovery Factor ◽  
Gravity Drainage ◽  
Horizontal Fracture ◽  
Block System ◽  
Matrix Blocks

AbstractGravity drainage is known as the controlling mechanism of oil recovery in naturally fractured reservoirs. The efficiency of this mechanism is controlled by block-to-block interactions through capillary continuity and/or reinfiltration processes. In this study, at first, several free-fall gravity drainage experiments were conducted on a well-designed three-block apparatus and the role of tilt angle, spacers’ permeability, wettability and effective contact area (representing a different status of the block-to-block interactions between matrix blocks) on the recovery efficiency were investigated. Then, an experimental-based numerical model of free-fall gravity drainage process was developed, validated and used for monitoring the saturation profiles along with the matrix blocks. Results showed that gas wetting condition of horizontal fracture weakens the capillary continuity and in consequence decreases the recovery factor in comparison with the original liquid wetting condition. Moreover, higher spacers’ permeability increases oil recovery at early times, while it decreases the ultimate recovery factor. Tilt angle from the vertical axis decreases recovery factor, due to greater connectivity of matrix blocks to vertical fracture and consequent channelling. Decreasing horizontal fracture aperture decreases recovery at early times but increases the ultimate recovery due to a greater extent of capillary continuity between the adjacent blocks. Well match observed between the numerical model results and the experimental data of oil recovery makes the COMSOL multiphysics model attractive for application in multi-blocks fractured systems considering block-to-block interactions. The findings of this research improve our understanding of the role of different fracture properties on the block-to-block interactions and how they change the ultimate recovery of a multi-block system.

Feasibility of electromagnetic methods to detect and image steam-assisted gravity drainage steam chambers

Geophysics ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 81 (4) ◽  
pp. E227-E241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah G. R. Devriese ◽  
Douglas W. Oldenburg
Keyword(s):  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Oil Sands ◽  
Vertical Component ◽  
Design Procedure ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Gravity Drainage ◽  
Steam Chamber ◽  
Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage ◽  
Mcmurray Formation

We have investigated the use of electric and electromagnetic (EM) methods to monitor the growth of steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) steam chambers. SAGD has proven to be a successful method for extracting bitumen from the Athabasca oil sands in Alberta, Canada. However, complexity and heterogeneity within the reservoir could impede steam chamber growth, thereby limiting oil recovery and increase production costs. Using seismic data collected over an existing SAGD project, we have generated a synthetic steam chamber and modeled it as a conductive body within the bitumen-rich McMurray Formation. Simulated data from standard crosswell electrical surveys, when inverted in three dimensions, show existence of the chamber but lack the resolution necessary to determine the shape and size. By expanding to EM surveys, our ability to recover and resolve the steam chamber is significantly enhanced. We use a simplified survey design procedure to design a variety of field surveys that include surface and borehole transmitters operating in the frequency or time domain. Each survey is inverted in three dimensions, and the results are compared. Importantly, despite the shielding effects of the highly conductive cap rock over the McMurray Formation, we have determined that it is possible to electromagnetically excite the steam chamber using a large-loop surface transmitter. This motivates a synthetic example, constructed using the geology and resistivity logging data of a future SAGD site, where we simulate data from single and multiple surface loop transmitters. We have found that even when measurements are restricted to the vertical component of the electric field in standard observation wells, if multiple transmitters are used, the inversion recovers three steam chambers and discerns an area of limited steam growth that results from a blockage in the reservoir. The effectiveness of the survey shows that this EM methodology is worthy of future investigation and field deployment.

Significance of Aquathermolysis Reaction on Heavy Oil Recovery during the Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage Process

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 5426-5435
Author(s):  
Jianliang Zhang ◽  
Fei Han ◽  
Zhengda Yang ◽  
Liqiang Zhang ◽  
Xinwei Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Heavy Oil ◽  
Gravity Drainage ◽  
Heavy Oil Recovery ◽  
Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage
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