A Comparison Study between the Newly Developed Vertical Wells Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage and the Conventional SAGD Process

A numerical simulation study using the CMG-STAR Simulator was performed to compare the performance of the newly developed process (VWSAGD) utilizing vertical wells to enhance heavy oil recovery during steam assisted gravity drainage against the conventional steam assisted gravity drainage process which utilized horizontal wells (HWSAGD) under the same operating conditions. Two identical reservoir models were simulated for the two processes using 3-Dimensional, black heavy oil model (14° API). Each reservoir type consists of 49 × 49 × 20 grid blocks on a 5-acre model, which incorporated a typical heavy oil reservoir rock and fluid properties taken from the SPE case study, stspe001.dat (CMG 2015 release). A sensitivity analysis for both processes was performed for the grid density, soaking time, steam quality, bottom hole producing pressure, steam injection rate, reservoir thickness, reservoir area, and horizontal to vertical permeability anisotropy. More preferable reservoir conditions are those such as high horizontal to vertical permeability ratio, thick reservoir oil zones, as well as improved reservoir recovery for the VWSAGD process. Under unfavorable conditions such as thin reservoir oil zones, an improved reservoir recovery response was limited for the VWSAGD process and could be uneconomical in real field cases. Finally, the simulation results from this study include cumulative recoveries, Steam oil ratios, produced water-oil ratios, pressure and temperature distributions, and production rates. In addition, the results from this study have shown that the new VWSAGD process is more favorable than the conventional HWSAGD process.

Models of steam-assisted gravity drainage(SAGD) steam chamber expanding velocity in double horizontal wells and its application

The development of steam chamber can be used to evaluate steam-assisted gravity drainage(SAGD) performance. The velocity of steam chamber expanding is the key parameter for evaluating the development of steam chamber. Based on SAGD technology theory and heat transfer theory, two calculation model methods, observation well temperature method and steam chamber edge method for estimating the horizontal expanding velocity of steam chamber, were presented. Through analyzing the monitoring data and numerical simulation results of a typical super heavy oil block developed by SAGD in Fengcheng oilfield in Xinjiang, NW China, the development patterns of steam chamber and temperature variation law in the observation well at different stages are determined. The observed temperature data was used to calculate steam chamber expanding velocity. The calculated chamber velocity at different time was applied to predict the temperature distribution of oil drainage zone at the edge of steam chamber and SAGD oil rate. The results indicate that temperature function of high temperature zone in the observation well temperature curve has a linear relationship with measuring depth.The characteristic section can be used to calculate key parameters such as the angle of the drainage interface, expanding edge and velocity of steam chamber. The field production data verify that the results of the two proposed methods of steam chamber growth are reliable and practical, which can provide theoretical support for the efficient development of SAGD.

CO2 assisted steam flooding in late steam flooding in heavy oil reservoirs

To improve the oil recovery and economic efficiency in heavy oil reservoirs in late steam flooding,taking J6 Block of Xinjiang Oilfield as the research object,3D physical modeling experiments of steam flooding,CO2-foam assisted steam flooding,and CO2 assisted steam flooding under different perforation conditions are conducted,and CO2-assisted steam flooding is proposed for reservoirs in the late stage of steam flooding.The experimental results show that after adjusting the perforation in late steam flooding,the CO2 assisted steam flooding formed a lateral expansion of the steam chamber in the middle and lower parts of the injection well and a development mode for the production of overriding gravity oil drainage in the top chamber of the production well;high temperature water,oil,and CO2 formed stable low-viscosity quasi-single-phase emulsified fluid;and CO2 acted as a thermal insulation in the steam chamber at the top,reduced the steam partial pressure inside the steam chamber,and effectively improved the heat efficiency of injected steam.Based on the three-dimensional physical experiments and the developed situation of the J6 block in Xinjiang Oilfield,the CO2 assisted steam flooding for the J6 block was designed.The application showed that the CO2 assisted steam flooding made the oil vapor ratio increase from 0.12 to 0.16 by 34.0%,the oil recovery increase from 16.1%to 21.5%,and the final oil recovery goes up to 66.5%compared to steam flooding after perforation adjustment.

Predicting the performance of steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) method utilizing artificial neural network (ANN)

As the price of oil decreases,it is becoming increasingly important for oil companies to operate in the most costeffective manner.This problem is especially apparent in Western Canada,where most oil production is dependent on costly enhanced oil recovery(EOR)techniques such as steam-assisted gravity drainage(SAGD).Therefore,the goal of this study is to create an artificial neural network(ANN)that is capable of accurately predicting the ultimate recovery factor of oil reservoirs by steam-assisted gravity drainage(SAGD).The developed ANN model featured over 250 unique entries for oil viscosity,steam injection rate,horizontal permeability,permeability ratio,porosity,reservoir thickness,and steam injection pressure collected from literature.The collected data set was entered through a feed-forward back-propagation neural network to train,validate,and test the model to predict the recovery factor of SAGD method as accurate as possible.Results from this study revealed that the neural network was able to accurately predict recovery factors of selected projects with less than 10%error.When the neural network was exposed to a new simulation data set of 64 points,the predictions were found to have an accuracy of 82%as measured by linear regression.Finally,the feasibility of ANN to predict the recovery performance of one of the most complicated enhanced heavy oil recovery techniques with reasonable accuracy was confirmed.

基于非稳态热传导的SAGD开发指标预测模型

根据传热学和热采理论,利用程序设计的方法,对考虑边界效应的SAGD(蒸汽辅助重力泄油)非稳态热传导模型和开发关键指标解析解及开发指标的快速预测进行了研究。研究结果表明:(1)现有的非稳态热传导模型对传热外边界的温度假设存在局限性,根据能量守恒原理修正传热外边界条件,建立传热深度与累积传热量的解析关系,可定量计算上覆和下伏地层的热损失;(2)在巴特勒经典SAGD产量模型基础上,推导的蒸汽腔上升及横向扩展阶段和下压阶段的产水量、油汽比和蒸汽热利用率等解析模型,可实现SAGD特定开发阶段或全生命周期开发关键指标的快速预测;(3)通过与实际指标对比,井组生产6.4 a预测油汽比和含水率的符合率均在95%以上,证实了解析模型和程序设计的可靠性;(4)根据准噶尔盆地风城油田重32井区油藏参数,预测分析的不同油层厚度条件下SAGD蒸汽热利用率和关键开发指标表明,蒸汽热利用率大于35%、油汽比大于0.15对应油层厚度应大于12 m。

加拿大油砂非凝析气体辅助SAGD开采特征及影响因素研究

常规SAGD开采蒸汽超覆现象严重、蒸汽腔发育不均匀、后期开发效果差,非凝析气体辅助SAGD开采即SAGP(steam and gas push)可有效改善SAGD开发效果,但SAGP开采机理、开发特征和影响因素仍未完全明确。采用室内实验和数值模拟相结合方法,揭示SAGP开采机理,明确蒸汽腔发育、剩余油分布等开发特征,探讨非凝析气体类型、注入方式、注入时机等因素的影响规律。结果表明:非凝析气体可降低稠油黏度和储层顶部热量损失速率,从而提高稠油可流动性和蒸汽热利用效率;SAGP过程中利用二氧化碳的辅助效果优于甲烷和氮气,尽早注入非凝析气体可形成“椭圆形”蒸汽腔;非凝析气体注入速率为4000 m^(3)/d时效果最好,超过该值非凝析气体会抑制蒸汽腔发育;采用段塞式注入非凝析气体效果优于连续式注入方式,最优段塞长度为2个月。研究结果对于加拿大油砂SAGP高效开发具有重要意义。

Oil production rate predictions for steam assisted gravity drainage based on high-pressure experiments

Dual-well steam assisted gravity drainage(SAGD) has significant potential for extra-heavy oil recovery.China is conducting two dual-well SAGD pilot projects in the Fengcheng extra-heavy oil reservoir.Quick,direct predictions of the oil production rate by algebraic models rather than complex numerical models are of great importance for designing and adjusting the SAGD operations.A low-pressure scaled physical simulation was previously used to develop two separate theoretical models corresponding to the two different growth stages observed in the SAGD steam chambers,which are the steam chamber rising stage and the steam chamber spreading stage.A high-pressure scaled model experiment is presented here for one dual-well SAGD pattern to further improve the prediction models to reasonably predict oil production rates for full production.Parameters that significantly affect the oil recovery during SAGD were scaled for the model size based on the reservoir characteristics of the Fengcheng reservoir in China.Experimental results show the relationship between the evolution of the steam chamber and the oil production rate during the entire production stage.High-pressure scaled model test was used to improve the gravity drainage models by modifying empirical factors for the rising model and the depletion model.A new division of the SAGD production regime was developed based on the relationship between the oil production rate and the evolution of steam chamber.A method was developed to couple the rising and depletion models to predict oil production rates during the SAGD production,especially during the transition period.The method was validated with experiment data and field data from the literature.The model was then used to predict the oil production rate in the Fengcheng reservoir in China and the Athabasca reservoir in Canada.

Study of reservoir properties and operational parameters influencing in the steam assisted gravity drainage process in heavy oil reservoirs by numerical simulation

This study was originally aimed at suggesting a two-dimensional program for the Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage(SAGD)process based on the correlations proposed by Heidari and Pooladi,using the MATLAB software.In fact,the work presented by Chung and Butler was used as the basis for this study.Since the steam chamber development process and the SAGD production performance are functions of reservoir properties and operational parameters,the new model is capable of analyzing the effects of parameters such as height variation at constant length,length variation at constant height,permeability variation,thermal diffusivity coefficient variation and well location on the production rate and the oil recovery among which,the most important one is the thermal diffusivity coefficient analysis.To investigate the accuracy and authenticity of the model outcomes,they were compared with the results obtained by Chung and Butler.The privilege of this method over that proposed by Heidari and Pooladi lies in its ability to investigate the effect of thermal diffusivity coefficient on recovery and analyzing the effect of temperature distribution changes on thickness diffusivity.Based on the observations,results reveal that the proposed model gives more accurate predictions compared to the old model proposed by Chung&Butler.

超稠油油藏直井与水平井组合SAGD技术研究

辽河油田曙一区杜84块兴隆台油层兴Ⅵ组为厚层块状超稠油油藏,50℃下脱气原油黏度大于100Pa.s。针对该油藏的地质特征、原油性质与开发现状,分析了直井与水平井组合蒸汽辅助重力泄油(SAGD)技术的适应性,在现有直井已吞吐多个周期、地层压力已大幅下降的情况下,应用数值模拟技术研究了直井与水平井组合SAGD技术的水平井部署方式并对SAGD注采参数进行了优化。研究结果表明,直井与水平井组合SAGD技术是杜84块兴Ⅵ油层组超稠油油藏蒸汽吞吐后的有效接替技术,可提高原油采收率30%,累计油汽比可达到0.296。最佳的布井方式为水平生产井在两排垂直井中间,且位于侧下方,垂向距离为20m,水平井段长度为280m;井底注汽干度必须大于70%,且生产井排液速度必须与注汽井注汽速度相匹配。

非均质油藏双水平井SAGD三维物理模拟

为了改善双水平井SAGD开发过程受储层非均质性影响的问题,利用自主研发的双水平井双管柱结构三维比例物理模型和已有的注蒸汽三维模拟实验系统,研究了油藏非均质性对SAGD蒸汽腔展布的影响规律。研究结果表明:当储层存在平面非均质性时,双水平井SAGD在开发过程中存在蒸汽腔发育不均匀、水平段油藏动用程度较差等现象,影响了SAGD的开采效果;水平井采用双管柱结构可提高水平段油藏动用程度;合理的注采参数、有效的操作压力、较高的蒸汽干度以及稳定的生产井井底饱和温度与实际温度的差值控制均可有效改善开发效果。根据物理模拟实验的结果总结了双水平井SAGD生产各阶段的注采调控方法,将其应用于油田现场取得了较好的开发效果。

氮气辅助SAGD开采技术优化研究

利用物理模拟及数值模拟方法,研究了在蒸汽辅助重力泄油（SAGD）过程中添加氮气提高顶水超稠油油藏开发效果的生产机理,主要包括：形成隔热层,降低热损失,提高热效率;维持系统压力,改善流度比;降低原油黏度,提高流动能力。优选出了氮气注入方式、氮气与蒸汽比和氮气总注入量。研究结果表明,氮气辅助SAGD开采技术在杜84块馆陶油层开采中是可行的,有利于蒸汽腔的侧向扩展,增加蒸汽的横向波及体积;在SAGD过程中添加氮气能够有效控制顶水下泄,延长SAGD生产时间3~4年,提高了油藏采收率和油汽比。

二氧化碳气体辅助SAGD物理模拟实验

为进一步提高蒸汽辅助重力泄油(SAGD)的开发效果,针对辽河油田杜84块馆陶组超稠油油藏SAGD开采的现状,采用二维物理模拟技术,开展了通过添加CO2气体改善SAGD开发效果的机理及技术可行性实验。实验研究结果表明:CO2气体辅助SAGD开发杜84块馆陶组超稠油油藏在技术上是可行的,超稠油SAGD过程中添加的CO2气体具有非凝析气和溶剂的双重作用机理;从CO2气体辅助SAGD实验的温度场发育数据来看,CO2气体有利于SAGD蒸汽腔的侧向扩展,增加蒸汽的横向波及体积;添加的CO2气体使SAGD的采收率、油/汽比及采油速度都明显提高。同时,进一步研究了添加的CO2气体量对SAGD开发效果的影响程度,初步优化出CO2气体与蒸汽的最佳注入比例为20%。

风城油田重37井区SAGD开发提高采收率技术

研究风城油田重37井区生产动态与蒸汽辅助重力泄油(SAGD)蒸汽腔发育的关系后认为,重37井区SAGD开发效果主要受储集层非均质性、注采管柱结构、生产工艺以及注采关键操作参数等因素影响。以试验区典型井组非均质模型为基础,经数值模拟提出了二次蒸汽吞吐预热、加密井注汽辅助SAGD、注氮气辅助SAGD以及注溶剂辅助SAGD等改善SAGD开发效果技术对策,为提高水平段动用程度,促进SAGD蒸汽腔发育,提高采收率提供研究思路。

考虑沿程非均匀吸汽下SAGD产能预测模型

蒸汽辅助重力泄油(SAGD)相比于其他热采方法对稠油开发效果更好。目前常用的SAGD产能预测模型主要基于沿程均匀吸汽提出,矿场应用困难。针对这个问题,对SAGD沿程生产过程进行试验研究,基于试验获得沿程非均匀吸汽现象,结合达西定律、热传导定律及物质平衡方程,推导出新的SAGD产能预测模型。结果表明:三维SAGD开发物理过程比二维SAGD更加复杂;所建立的新模型在产能预测上比以往的模型更加准确;以往在二维剖面上将SAGD划分为蒸汽腔上升、蒸汽腔横向扩展及蒸汽腔下降3个阶段,但是在更加符合矿场实际的包含沿程方向的三维角度,这个阶段划分方式并不适用;蒸汽干度是影响双水平井SAGD沿程蒸汽分布的一个重要因素。

稠油油藏井间泥岩夹层对双水平井SAGD开发效果的影响

为定量描述稠油油藏蒸汽辅助重力泄油(SAGD)开采过程中注采井间夹层对双水平井泄油通道与开发效果的影响,针对新疆油田A区块,利用CMG数值模拟软件建立了表征SAGD注采井间夹层的数值模拟模型,对注采井间存在不同大小、间距及物性夹层情况下的SAGD蒸汽腔发育形态与开发效果进行对比,得到了稠油油藏夹层非均质影响SAGD开发的临界特征参数。矿场实际的非均质SAGD井组夹层展布特征、蒸汽腔发育特征及生产效果对比结果表明,得到的结论与矿场实践一致,因此可用于指导并实现经济、高效的稠油油藏双水平井SAGD开发。

SAGD开发中突破夹层技术对策研究

开发实践表明,稠油油藏内部发育的夹层影响蒸汽辅助重力泄油(SAGD)开发效果。实际SAGD开发应当充分考虑夹层对SAGD生产效果的影响,寻找突破夹层的有效对策,以期提高SAGD产量。以国内某超稠油油藏地质特征为基础,结合夹层岩石力学参数测试结果,利用耦合岩石力学数值模拟技术确定了不同参数(岩石力学参数、物性参数、操作参数)对岩石变形量、SAGD产量的敏感性。研究结果表明,夹层的渗透率和SAGD注汽压力是影响SAGD产量的主要因素。进一步地,针对夹层特征,结合实际操作可行性,提出了提高注汽压力和直井辅助两种突破夹层技术对策,并给出了相应的技术界限及突破效果,该研究结果可用于指导稠油油藏双水平井SAGD经济高效开发。

微地震监测在新疆稠油SAGD开发中的应用

针对SAGD生产过程中蒸汽腔形态差异大、常规监测方法无法定量描述的问题,运用微地震监测技术,采用滤波、平滑、属性分析、能量梯度分析等多种处理分析手段,对微地震事件进行精确定位,利用直井观察井温度监测资料,对微地震能量场进行标定,圈定了各个井组的蒸汽腔三维边界,测量了蒸汽腔各项参数。研究表明,微地震监测技术可以对SAGD的蒸汽腔发育特征进行实时监测,将微地震监测定量描述结果应用在重32井区FHW106井组,开展直井辅助SAGD生产,水平段动用程度达到80%以上,日产油量由35 t/d上升至85 t/d以上,油汽比达到0.24,采出程度提高9.5个百分点。研究成果对储层非均质性较强的稠油油藏开展SAGD开发具有重要意义。

高压环境双水平井SAGD三维物理模拟实验

针对原始地层压力较高且难于在短期内降压的特稠油油藏,为了研究双水平井SAGD在高压环境下的开发效果,利用高温、高压三维物理模拟系统进行了SAGD物理模拟实验,并分析了在原始地层压力较高的特稠油油藏中进行SAGD生产的各项特征。研究结果表明:与低压环境下的SAGD生产过程相比,在高压环境下蒸汽腔发育过程虽然也分为3个阶段,但是蒸汽腔体积小,横向扩展范围有限;生产过程中没有出现稳产阶段,产油速率和油汽比在达到最大值以后迅速降低,大量原油在高含水和低油汽比阶段被产出;生产过程中热损失速率先缓慢、后迅速增加,最后保持稳定,与蒸汽腔发育的3个阶段相对应。根据实验研究结果可知,在高压环境下进行SAGD生产难以取得较为理想的开发效果,低压环境下SAGD开发的采收率远高于高压环境下SAGD的采收率。因此,高压环境下实施SAGD不能有效释放蒸汽潜热从而提高稠油油藏采收率,在能降低油藏压力的条件下,应首先利用适当工艺措施降低油藏平均压力,再实施SAGD开发。

SAGD稠油开采余热综合利用方案及其实施

在调研数据的基础分析了辽河油田采用SAGD技术开采稠油时的余热分布,包括有高温产出液余热,注汽锅炉汽水分离器产生的高温分离水的余热以及燃油注汽锅炉排放的较高温度烟气的余热。这些余热的浪费加上散热损失,使原油的商品率低于70%。提出了新的余热回收方案:利用高温采出液加热给水、采用热管式空气预热器回收烟气余热、利用高温分离盐水的产生闪蒸蒸汽蒸发废水回收蒸馏水;同时对该方案的设备进行了初步设计。该方案的实施在消耗同样的燃料下原油采出量可提高310%,可使原油的商品率自目前的68.5%提高到76%。

SAGD采出液反相破乳剂GBED-08的研究

由多元醇、环氧氯丙烷合成了氯代聚醚,再用二甲胺进行季铵盐化,得到了有效含量约60%的聚醚季铵盐反相破乳剂GBED-08,简介了合成方法,考察了用于辽河油田SAGD法开采超稠油时产出的高含油污水脱油的效果。所用污水样含油量55163 mg/L,在90℃沉降90 m in后含油量44903 mg/L,加入GBED-08的污水样在90℃沉降90m in后的含油量,加量200 mg/L时为1005 mg/L,加量350 mg/L时最低,为110 mg/L,加量继续增加时缓慢增大,对此现象作了解释。在加量为300 mg/L,70℃下沉降时间≥60 m in时含油量不再变化,沉降90 m in的含油量随温度降低而增大,90℃时为276 mg/L,50℃约为700 mg/L。按300 mg/L的加量分别加入5种水溶性商品破乳剂、3种油溶性商品破乳剂及混凝剂PAC,在90℃沉降90 m in后含油量均大于25000 mg/L。