Analytical Modeling of Steam Injection and Steam-Solvent Co-Injection for Bitumen and Heavy Oil Recovery with Parallel Horizontal Wells

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dc.contributor.advisorChen, Zhangxin
dc.contributor.advisorHarding, Thomas Grant
dc.contributor.authorKeshavarz, Mohsen
dc.contributor.committeememberChen, Zhangxin
dc.contributor.committeememberHarding, Thomas Grant
dc.contributor.committeememberGates, Ian Donald
dc.contributor.committeememberMaini, B. B.
dc.contributor.committeememberLines, Larry R.
dc.contributor.committeememberDas, Swapan K.
dc.date2019-06
dc.date.accessioned2019-05-06T17:24:06Z
dc.date.available2019-05-06T17:24:06Z
dc.date.issued2019-04-30
dc.description.abstractSteam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) is recognized as one of the most promising techniques for the commercial in situ recovery of bitumen reserves. The process, however, is energy intensive and is economically challenged in thin and low-quality reservoirs. Years of small-scale testing have shown that adding small amounts of hydrocarbon solvents to steam can yield large gains in oil output and reduced emissions over the conventional SAGD (Rassenfoss, 2012). The process has been referred to with different names in industry and academia such as expanding solvent-SAGD (ES-SAGD), solvent aided/assisted-SAGD (SA-SAGD), SAGD+TM, solvent aided process (SAP) and so on. High costs of solvents compared to bitumen requires their optimized use. The numerical simulation complexities and run times can make the filed-scale optimization exercise extremely costly. Therefore, analytical models can play an important role for such a purpose and to increase the confidence in performance forecasting. This dissertation starts with a review of the primary analytical models available for SAGD and co-injection and discussion on their limitations. Then, a new universal modelling approach is proposed that is applicable to the both processes. The breakthrough in the modelling approach is the robust coupling of mass balance, energy balance and fluid flow in porous media. This approach solves the heat and mass transfer problems at the stationary base of the steam chamber where the drainage to the producer happens. Combining material balance and Darcy’s Law, it then estimates the bitumen production rate and chamber shape. Then, energy balance is incorporated to estimate the steam requirements. In addition, the new modeling approach closes the material balance on all the components which allows for the estimation of solvent requirements for a particular set of key performance indicators. The developed model is intended to be simple enough for practical applications. After validation against numerical simulation results, its application to history-matching, forward prediction, pre-screening and uncertainty analysis is demonstrated through a number of field case studies.en_US
dc.identifier.citationKeshavarz, M. (2019). Analytical Modeling of Steam Injection and Steam-Solvent Co-Injection for Bitumen and Heavy Oil Recovery with Parallel Horizontal Wells (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.en_US
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/36476
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1880/110300
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.publisher.facultySchulich School of Engineeringen_US
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Calgaryen
dc.rightsUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.en_US
dc.subjectAnalytical Modelingen_US
dc.subjectBitumen and Heavy Oil Recoveryen_US
dc.subjectThermal and Solvent-Thermal Recoveryen_US
dc.subjectSteam-Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD)en_US
dc.subjectExpanding Solvent-Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage (ES-SAGD)en_US
dc.subjectSolvent Aided-Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage (SA-SAGD)en_US
dc.subjectSteam and Solvent Co-Injectionen_US
dc.subjectThermodynamics and Phase Behavioren_US
dc.subjectNumerical Simulationen_US
dc.subjectUncertainty Analysisen_US
dc.subjectDecision Making under Uncertaintyen_US
dc.subjectRisk Quantification and Managementen_US
dc.subjectTechnology Maturity and Pathway to Commercializationen_US
dc.subjectEconomic Analysisen_US
dc.subjectPilotingen_US
dc.subjectDiscretized-Interface (DIN) Modelen_US
dc.subjectPrescribed-Interface (PIN) Modelen_US
dc.subjectLinear-Interface with Averaged Rate (LINAR) Modelen_US
dc.subject.classificationChemistry--Analyticalen_US
dc.subject.classificationEngineering--Chemicalen_US
dc.subject.classificationEngineering--Petroleumen_US
dc.titleAnalytical Modeling of Steam Injection and Steam-Solvent Co-Injection for Bitumen and Heavy Oil Recovery with Parallel Horizontal Wellsen_US
dc.typedoctoral thesisen_US
thesis.degree.disciplineEngineering – Chemical & Petroleumen_US
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Calgaryen_US
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophy (PhD)en_US
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