Toward Understanding the Effect of Electromagnetic Radiation on In Situ Heavy Oil Upgrading and Recovery: Background and Advancements

Abstract

Electromagnetic (EM) heating, like microwave radiation, is one of the newest and most promising thermal enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods for producing oil from heavy oil and bitumen reservoirs. The basis of this method is reducing the viscosity of heavy oil to improve its movement toward the injection well. On the other hand, the given heat to the reservoir can, in situ, upgrade the heavy oil by cracking large molecules, reducing resin and asphaltene content, and so on. This study explained the method’s basic theory, mechanism, and governing equations. The background and recent developments in this field were reviewed. It found that using additional EM absorbing materials, like magnetic nanoparticles, polar solvents, and green ionic liquids, can improve the process’s efficiency. The limited field-scale applications of this method showed that this method is economically feasible and has fewer environmental challenges than conventional thermal EOR methods.