Full Field Applicability of MWAGD Process Coupled With Horizontal Well Pair Model to Recover Extra Heavy Oil and Bitumen

Abstract

Applicability, assessment and work-how of Micro-Wave Assisted Gravity Drainage (MWAGD) process in Mehsana (India) heavy oil field along with added advantages over SAGD were presented in the previous part of this paper [1]. Various studies have been done during last 10 years illustrating wider applications of micro-wave heating of heavy oil reservoirs through quantitative and qualitative exercises. But the main problem that arises in micro-wave heating is very low penetration depth of micro-wave radiations which limits the application of this unconventional thermal EOR method on full field scale. The scope of this paper is to eliminate this problem by using horizontal well pair combination which enhances the drainage area within the heating radius of micro-wave radiations.The phenomenon of conversion of Micro-wave energy to heat energy is described and finally, a mathematical model based on energy balance principle is developed. Two parallel and vertically aligned horizontal wells are drilled. The upper well is production well and lower well is micro-wave source well with their length and vertical separation on the order of 500 meters and 15 meters respectively. In the lower well micro-wave sources are installed at various positions along the length with longitudinal spacing on the order of 20 meters. Advantages of heating of oil from the lower well are explained in lucid manner. This type of installation model confirms the coverage of larger reservoir volume in spite of short penetration depth of micro-wave radiations. Along with volumetric and selective heating in this process heat is developed within the formation fluid rather than being brought to it from the outside, and hence the fluid is heated more uniformly throughout the medium. Also, above proposed model can be applied effectively in case of carbonate formations where uneven sweeping occurs along steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) well pairs due to vuggs and fractures.