Title: Optimisation of well constraints based on wellpad system to accomplish a successive thermal process in a heterogeneous oil-sands reservoir

Authors: Jiyeon Choi; Changhyup Park; Ilsik Jang

Addresses: Department of Energy and Resources Engineering, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Kangwon, Korea ' Department of Energy and Resources Engineering, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Kangwon, Korea ' Department of Energy and Resources Engineering, Chosun University, Gwangju, Korea

Abstract: This paper presents the optimum operations of a wellpad system in a heterogeneous oil-sands reservoir where the flux interference occurs between parallel adjacent steam chambers. The objective values are the minimum steam to oil ratio for energy efficiency and the maximum recovery for profitability. The constraints influencing both objective values are the bottom hole pressure at the injectors, the surface liquid rate, and the steam rate at the producers. The temperature distribution shows that the unbalanced development of steam chambers plays a man-made thief-zone. The energy efficiency can be achieved when the operational conditions make a small amount of steam to release into the reservoir, reduce the interference, and increase steam retention within the reservoir. For maximum recovery, the highest steam injection is necessary to generate more vertical growth notwithstanding that some steam losses occur and the well-developed chamber assists other chambers by providing the steam laterally. [Received: December, 7, 2015 ; Accepted: March 17, 2016]

Keywords: optimum operation; wellpad system; heterogeneous reservoir; flux interference; thermal process.

DOI: 10.1504/IJOGCT.2017.085997

International Journal of Oil, Gas and Coal Technology, 2017 Vol.16 No.1, pp.27 - 42

Received: 07 Dec 2015
Accepted: 17 Mar 2016
Published online: 21 Aug 2017 *

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