Mechanisms of Heavy Oil Recovery by Low Rate Waterflooding

Abstract

At the conclusion of primary heavy oil production, significant volumes of oil still remain in the reservoir under depleted reservoir pressure. Waterfloods are often considered for additional oil recovery. It is accepted that conventional oil waterflooding theory is not applicable for heavy oil. However, there is a lack of understanding of how waterfloods should perform in these reservoirs, particularly after water breakthrough. In this study, waterfloods were performed at multiple rates in cores containing heavy oil and connate water. In some cores oil was initially free of solution gas, and waterfloods were a primary recovery process. In other cores, waterfloods were performed after primary production. Experiments were performed in linear systems for a highviscosity oil (11,500 mPa⋅s), at different injection rates. The influence of viscous and capillary forces is studied in primary vs. secondary recovery systems. A common misconception is that capillary forces are negligible in heavy oil; however this work shows that these forces are significant, and that water imbibition after water breakthrough can lead to improved oil recovery in both primary and secondary waterfloods. PETROLEUM SOCIETY