Steam conformance control: reservoir versus wells
Date
2011
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Abstract
One critical element of thermal processes is uniform steam delivery to the bitumenbearing oil sands formation of the reservoir: non-uniform steam injection means poor well utilization which can lead to lower heavy oil and bitumen production rates and recovery factor and higher steam-oil-ratios. Given that steam conformance (i.e. the ability to control the distribution of steam within the oil column) is critical to performance of steam-based recovery processes and it is affected by several factors, such as geology heterogeneity, fluid heterogeneity, well completion and design, and wellbore dynamics. In addition, accurate prediction of steam and water two phase flow in steam injection wells is required to understand and design well systems to obtain uniform steam injection into the reservoir. 1n this research, the relationship between geology and wellbore flow conditions has been explored. The focus of the study is ConocoPhillips Surmont SAGO pilot. Also, the steam-water flow model has been used to understand flow conditions in the injection well. The results show that both geology and wellbore flow contribute to full wellpair utilization and heterogeneities of the steam chamber. Also, the flow conditions in the injection well at the start of the process are critical for establishing the initial steam chamber which impacts its future growth along the wellpair.
Description
Bibliography: p. 134-145
Many pages are in colour.
Many pages are in colour.
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Citation
Wei, W. (2011). Steam conformance control: reservoir versus wells (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/4108