Heavy Niques: Oil Recovery Tech
Heavy Niques: Oil Recovery Tech
Heavy Niques: Oil Recovery Tech
Techniques
Thermal Methods
Introduction
Recovery Processes
1- Non-Thermal Processes
2- Thermal Process
A- Cyclic Steam Stimulation
B- Steam Flooding
C- Steam-Assisted Gravity
Drainage
D- In-Situ Combustion
API Gravity
(Kg/m )
Heavy Crude
1000-100000
920-1000
22.3-10.1
>100000
>1000
<10
Thermal Methods
Thermal techniques aim to reduce oil
viscosity in order to increase its mobility,
through the application of heat.
Cyclic steam stimulation
Steam flooding
In-situ combustion Fire flooding
Non-Thermal Methods
Non-thermal recovery techniques could be
considered for moderately viscous oil 50-200
cp, thin formation less than 30 ft, low
permeability less than 1 md and depths
greater than 3000 ft.
Non-thermal methods aim to reduce the
viscosity of oil, increase the viscosity of the
displacing fluid, or reduce the interfacial
tension.
1- Polymer flooding
2-
Formation Thickness, ft
Depth, ft
Porosity, %
Permeability, md
30
< 3000
> 30
1000-2000
1200
API Gravity
< 15
1000-4000
Temperature, F
250-450
Oil Recovery, %
6-15
Formation Thickness, ft
Depth, ft
30
< 3000
Porosity, %
> 30
Permeability, md
4000
1200-1700
13-25
< 1000
Temperature, F
250-450
Oil Recovery, %
20-40
of the
rock mass
15 - 20
125 - 175
35
5 - 12
1200-1700
8
5 106
55
The injected air will be preheated by the hot sand, and will
help recover some of the heat stored in the sand and
transport it to downstream to the combustion front.
Due to the low heat capacity of air, the heat recovery rate is
low and the heat contained in the hot sand will loss to the
adjacent formation.
In order to increase the heat recovery, water can be injected
with air, giving rise to the wet combustion process.
Water has a heat capacity about 100 times that of air.