A correlation of steam chamber size and temperature falloff in the early-period of the SAGD Process

Zhu, Lijuan; Zeng, Fanhua; Huang, Yingchao

doi:10.1016/j.fuel.2015.01.060

Cited by 20 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…Although 52 more days are required for preheating, the horizontal section is fully communicated by electrical preheating. This finding is different from the previous study [31], in which only 74 days were needed for electrical heating and 200 days for steam circulation because electrical heating is mainly characterized by heat conduction, which elevates the formation temperature theoretically slower than the heat convection process with mass and heat transfer for steam circulation. By comparing with the conventional steam circulation, the section around the toe is poorly communicated and steam preferential channeling happens in the middle section with high permeability (avg.…”

Section: Field Performance Predictioncontrasting

confidence: 92%

“…From the SAGD production curves by different preheating methods (Figure 14), the oil rate at the early stage of SAGD production is similar for both cases. The main reason is that both steam chambers are small, with a low steam injection rate at the early stage, which results in almost the same ramp-up of the oil production rate [31,32]. However, the oil rate difference increases steadily with time, and, after converting to SAGD production for two years, both cases reach the SAGD plateau period and the peak oil rate for the case of electrical heating is 35 m 3 /day, while the case of conventional steam circulation is only 30 m 3 /day.…”

Section: Field Performance Predictionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Strategies of SAGD Start-Up by Downhole Electrical Heating

Yang²,

Yang³

et al. 2022

Energies

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The SAGD start-up process normally circulates steam in both the injector and producer, which consumes a large amount of steam, requires the high cost of high-temperature-produced liquid treatment, and unavoidably results in preferential communication in heterogeneous reservoirs. In order to achieve uniform preheat and full steam chamber development in SAGD wellpairs, downhole electrical heating to start up SAGD was proposed and investigated in this study using physical and numerical simulation approaches. Two 3-D scaled physical experiments were designed and implemented to investigate the feasibility and heating characteristics of such a method. Numerical simulation was conducted using an SAGD sector model with typical field properties to design the preheating process, optimize key operational parameters, and formulate the soak strategy to determine the SAGD conversion timing. The experimental results indicate that electrical heating outperforms steam circulation in achieving the uniform thermal communication in heterogeneous reservoirs, which is challenged in the conventional steam circulation process. The preheating process and operational parameters of electrical heating were formulated and optimized, which include wellbore pre-flush, wellbore saturation by heat conduction fluid, electrical heating, and replacement of heat conduction fluid periodically. Surveillance of temperature difference along the horizontal section while powering off electrical heating intermittently is optimized to be the SAGD conversion timing determination strategy. Based on the combination results of scaled physical simulation and pilot wellpair numerical simulation, full heat communication and steam chamber development are achieved along the horizontal length by electrical preheating, and the oil recovery factor of the pilot wellpair is enhanced by 14.8%, indicating encouraging potentials in heavy oil and bitumen development.

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Section: Field Performance Predictioncontrasting

confidence: 92%

Section: Field Performance Predictionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Strategies of SAGD Start-Up by Downhole Electrical Heating

Yang²,

Yang³

et al. 2022

Energies

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“…And then using this method, the SAGD performance for Fengcheng pilot project is predicted. Zhu et al (2015) proposed a simulation based correlation between steam chamber size and temperature falloff data in the early period of the SAGD process. This correlation can be used to estimate the chamber size distribution along the horizontal well at the early period of SAGD process.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Empirical Correlation to Predict the SAGD Recovery Performance

Dong

Liu

Hou

et al. 2015

SPE/IATMI Asia Pacific Oil &Amp; Gas Conference and Exhibition

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The prediction of the recovery performance for Steam-Assisted-Gravity-Drainage (SAGD) process is becoming increasingly important as the SAGD projects all over the world continue to increase. The prediction of SAGD recovery performance should go back to the theory basis developed by Butler (1978). Afterwards, based on his model, many modified models are proposed. But most of these models are analytical or semi-analytical methods, and the predicting process is much complicated. In particular for the SAGD projects in some irregular thick heavy oil reservoir, it will be a hard work. Thus, a quick and easy method is needed to screen the heavy oil reservoirs for potential SAGD project.In this study, based on the grey system theory, we developed a weighted grey correlation model firstly. Through this model, aiming at a typical thick heavy oil reservoir from Bohai offshore oilfield, China, the influences of reservoir/fluid parameters and operation parameters on SAGD recovery performance were comprehensively evaluated. And a sensitive sequence of each parameter was derived to reflect the sensitive degree. Thus a static multi-parameter nonlinear correlation is proposed to predict the oil recovery, recovery rate and cumulative oil-steam ratio (COSR) of SAGD process. Then, this correlation is used to predict the SAGD recovery performance in some potential thick heavy oil reservoirs of Bohai oilfield and the results is compared against the numerical simulation model. During this process, we also make a survey on the successful SAGD projects around the world and analyze the development features. Through the modification to the proposed correlation above, it is validated.From the simulation results, it is indicated that the SAGD recovery performance is more sensitive to the parameters of reservoir thickness, permeability (including horizontal and vertical), net-to-gross value and steam chamber pressure. Based on the gray related degrees and the sensitivity results, we proposed a six parameters nonlinear correlation to predict the recovery indicators of SAGD process. Thus, using this correlations, the recovery performance of several SAGD projects are predicted, and the correlation results are in good agreement with those obtained from numerical simulation. The prediction error of recovery factor and COSR is controlled within 10%. Furthermore, from the validation results, we found after a modification process, our correlation could be used. Our correlation is a static method to predict the recovery performance of SAGD process in heavy oil reservoir, and it could be used to successfully predict the recovery performance of SAGD projects in heavy oil reservoirs. Through the utilization of this correlation, the SAGD recovery performance in candidate oil reservoirs could be rapidly obtained.

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“…methods, those used in light crude oil extraction, due to the high viscosity of bitumen. Generally heavy oil is recovered by steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) process, which is one of the leading methods for heavy oil extraction [1][2][3][4]. This method is realized by drilling a pair of horizontal wells into the reservoir in which the upper pipe injects high pressure steam to reduce the viscosity of the bitumen and the lower pipe collects the liquefied bitumen.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microwave heating of heavy oil reservoirs: A critical analysis

Oloumi

Rambabu

2016

Micro & Optical Tech Letters

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In this article, microwave heating of the heavy oil reservoir, oil-sand, is critically studied. The study is carried out based on full wave and multiphysics simulations that are performed at 2.45 GHz using both CST Microwave studio and COMSOL. It is demonstrated that most of the microwave power is deposited in bitumen rather in sand due to the dielectric properties of bitumen. Thermal analysis showed that most of the heat is generated in bitumen and is conducted to sand. Although microwave power is selectively deposited into bitumen of the oil-sand, the temperature gradient between the bitumen and sand is not able to maintain due to high thermal conductivity of the oil-sand medium. Microwave heating can play very important role to reduce the tailing ponds and protect the environment by minimizing water usage in the recovery process. V C 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:809-813, 2016; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com.

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A correlation of steam chamber size and temperature falloff in the early-period of the SAGD Process

Cited by 20 publications

References 14 publications

Strategies of SAGD Start-Up by Downhole Electrical Heating

Strategies of SAGD Start-Up by Downhole Electrical Heating

An Empirical Correlation to Predict the SAGD Recovery Performance

Microwave heating of heavy oil reservoirs: A critical analysis

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