In situ recovery of heavy oil and bitumin using vaporized hydrocarbon solvents

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dc.contributor.advisorButler, Roger M.
dc.contributor.authorDas, Swapan Kumar
dc.date.accessioned2005-07-29T22:14:24Z
dc.date.available2005-07-29T22:14:24Z
dc.date.issued1995
dc.descriptionBibliography: p. 304-318.en
dc.description.abstractThe aim of this research was to develop an efficient technique for recovering the huge natural resources present in the form of heavy oil and bitumen. In the proposed process called "Vapex" - Vapour extraction, vaporized hydrocarbon solvents (propane or butane) are used to extract heavy oil and bitumen using the concept of gravity drainage. The study was focused to understand the mechanism of the process and assess its performance under various conditions. The results of experiments carried out in Hele-Shaw cells show that with deasphalting the extraction rates are higher than those without deasphalting. This indicates that asphaltene deposition may not be a constraint for the process. This was confirmed later in experiments carried out in packed models. It was observed that deasphalting occurs when the solvent is near its saturation pressure. A hypothetical "Vapex Parameter" was defined to scale or compare the results of these experiments. It was possible to calculate the diffusivity of the solvent-bitumen system from these parameters. The mechanism of the process in porous media was studied in experiments carried out in a scaled packed model using butane as a solvent. Production rates in porous media were observed to be proportional to the square root of permeabilities. The flow rates achieved in packed cells were higher than those obtained by scaling up the results of Hele-Shaw cell experiments using identical conditions of temperature and pressure. Higher interfacial area of contact in the porous media, capillary imbibition, surface renewal and transient mass transfer are considered to be the reasons behind this enhancement. Extraction rates are higher in upward leaching when there is a countercurrent extraction process. Experimental results show that extraction at higher pressure in the presence of a non-condensible gas performs equally well. In field operations mixtures of hydrocarbon solvent and natural gas may be used to give operating pressures close to the original reservoir pressures. Flow rates predicted from these results indicate that the process has a potential for field applications.en
dc.format.extentxxvii, 318 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm.en
dc.identifier.citationDas, S. K. (1995). In situ recovery of heavy oil and bitumin using vaporized hydrocarbon solvents (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/24508en_US
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/24508
dc.identifier.isbn0612030946en
dc.identifier.lccTN 871 D38 1995en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1880/29889
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Calgaryen
dc.publisher.placeCalgaryen
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.
dc.subject.lccTN 871 D38 1995en
dc.subject.lcshThermal oil recovery - Mathematical models
dc.subject.lcshOil reservoir engineering - Mathematical models
dc.subject.lcshMiscible displacement (Petroleum engineering)
dc.subject.lcshBitumen
dc.subject.lcshHydrocarbons - Research
dc.titleIn situ recovery of heavy oil and bitumin using vaporized hydrocarbon solvents
dc.typedoctoral thesis
thesis.degree.disciplineChemical and Petroleum Engineering
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Calgary
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophy (PhD)
ucalgary.item.requestcopytrue
ucalgary.thesis.accessionTheses Collection 58.002:Box 968 520538278
ucalgary.thesis.notesoffsiteen
ucalgary.thesis.uarcreleaseyen
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