Title: Controlling the hybrid steam-solvent injection for increasing recovery factor and reducing solvent retention in heterogeneous reservoirs

Authors: A.M. Suranto; A.K. Permadi; W. Bae; Y. Park; D.T. Son

Addresses: Department of Energy and Mineral Resources Engineering, Sejong University, 98 Gunja-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, 143-747, South Korea; Department of Petroleum Engineering, Universitas Pembangunan Nasional 'Veteran' Yogyakarta, Jalan Ring Road Utara, Yogyakarta, 55283, Indonesia ' Department of Petroleum Engineering, Bandung Institute of Technology, Jalan Ganesa No. 10, Bandung, 40132, Indonesia ' Yeong sil Gwan Romm 509, Sejong University, Gunja dong, Gwanjin gu, Seoul, South Korea ' Department of Industrial and Management Engineering, Myongji University, San 38-2 Nam-Dong Yongin, Kyunggi-Do, 449-728, South Korea ' Subsurface Department, Cuu Long Joint Operating Company, 34 Le Duan St., Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

Abstract: The irregular steam chamber propagation has been a problem in hybrid steam-solvent injection in heterogeneous reservoirs. When the steam chamber is poor, the solvent passes through to the production well directly. If the steam chamber is good, the oil drain will be effective. In such a case, controlling the hybrid steam-solvent injection is necessary to spread the steam chamber uniformly. A synthetic reservoir model was developed to study the phenomenon using a real field data set. Adjusting steam injection pressure, grouping perforations, and controlling the openings of perforation were observed. The adjustment from the peak of production rate is more favourable because the steam chamber has reached its maturity. Then, the solvent effectiveness increases and the solvent retention reduces. The heat efficiency and recovery factor are increased by 7.4% and 8%, respectively. The NPV on the adjustment from the peak of production rate increases by 9% compared with no-adjustment case. [Received: January 21, 2015; Accepted: May 27, 2015]

Keywords: steam assisted gravity drainage; steam-solvent distribution; solvent retention; heterogeneous reservoirs; hybrid steam-solvent injection; irregular steam chamber propagation; oil drain; synthetic reservoir modelling; steam injection pressure; perforation grouping; perforation openings; heat efficiency; oil recovery factor.

DOI: 10.1504/IJOGCT.2016.075107

International Journal of Oil, Gas and Coal Technology, 2016 Vol.11 No.4, pp.370 - 386

Received: 30 Jan 2015
Accepted: 27 May 2015

Published online: 03 Mar 2016 *

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