Application of Time Lapse 3D/4D Seismic in the Monitoring of Steam Conformance and Cap Rock Integrity of Heavy Oil Thermal Production Project in North Kuwait

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zu Biao Ren ◽  
Abdullah Akarim Al-Rabah ◽  
Antonio Pico ◽  
Michael Freeman
Keyword(s):  
Temperature Change ◽  
Heavy Oil ◽  
Acoustic Impedance ◽  
Physical Modeling ◽  
Steam Injection ◽  
Steam Pressure ◽  
Steam Chamber ◽  
Seismic Image ◽  
Cap Rock ◽  
Chamber Size

Abstract The challenge of Heavy oil thermal production Kuwait includes how to monitor steam flood effectiveness and cap rock integrity. Due to shallow & heterogeneous reservoirs and thin cap rock, pressurized and heated steam could diffuse in all directions and breach the cap rock. KOC acquired a baseline & time-lapsed surface seismic and 3D VSP for purposes of monitoring CSS production. This paper presents a technical application of seismic inversion to steam chamber size & cap rock integrity interpretation. The seismic image area includes 13 CSS wells, at varying CSS stages of steam injection, soaking and production. The data acquisition consisted of a base and a time-lapsed monitor seismic; each acquisition period lasting for around a week and separated by 40 day intervals. The simultaneous acquisition of surface seismic and the 3D VSP enabled complimentary data exchange and results validation. Well data of sonic and PHIT are used for building a low frequency inversion model. Rock physical modeling is also required to understand the effect of steam and production changes on acoustic and elastic properties. Various geophysical inversion methods are performed on AI inversion of post & pre stack seismic and Poisson's ratio inversion. To estimate reservoir temperature changes due to steam injection, the calibrated rock-physics model was utilized to relate the AI response to temperature change. The steam injection is expected to decrease acoustic impedance. The AI difference exhibits much wider impedance anomalies revealing steam chamber size and the production zone around the wells at various stages of the CSS cycle. Average temperature maps in reservoirs derived from rock-physical modeling also show temperature change around the wells. Inverted seismic attributes of acoustic impedance and temperature were used for study of cap rock integrity. Interpretation results of the steam size through AI and temperature analysis at reservoir and cap rock enable optimization of our CSS and SF completion strategies include steam pressure and volume, soaking period and thermal production control. The result of cap rock integrity monitoring also indicate no serious damage of cap rock under existing conditions of CSS operation (WHT: 420 °F & WHP: 320 PSI), which defines the limits of strategies to increase steam pressure and volume to increase EOR efficiency.

scholarly journals A Numerical Model for Investigating the Steam Conformance along the Dual-String Horizontal Wells in SAGD Operations

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (15) ◽  
pp. 3981
Author(s):  
Peng Li ◽  
Yanyu Zhang ◽  
Xiaofei Sun ◽  
Huijuan Chen ◽  
Yang Liu
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Drop ◽  
Horizontal Wells ◽  
Pressure Profile ◽  
Steam Injection ◽  
Steam Pressure ◽  
Optimization Method ◽  
Injection Time ◽  
Reservoir Model ◽  
Landing Position ◽  
Steam Chamber

Non-uniformity of the steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) steam chamber significantly decreases the development of heavy oil reservoirs. In this study, to investigate the steam conformance in SAGD operations, a wellbore model is developed for fluid flow in dual-string horizontal wells. Then, a three-dimensional, three-phase reservoir model is presented. Next, the coupled wellbore and reservoir model is solved with a fully implicit finite difference method. Finally, the effects of the injector wellbore configuration, steam injection ratio and injection time on the steam conformance are investigated. The results indicate that under different injector wellbore configurations, the closer the differences between the pressure drop from the landing position of the short string to the heel of the wellbore and the pressure drop from the landing position of the short string to the toe of the wellbore, the better is the steam conformance. The smaller the difference in the steam injection rate between the long and short injection strings, the higher is the uniformity of the steam chamber. The injector annular pressure profile uniformity is consistent with the steam conformance. Creating a more uniform steam pressure in the annulus of the injector improves the uniformity of the steam chamber. The steam conformance decreases with increasing injection time, so the optimization method of steam chamber uniformity should be adjusted according to different injection times.

Seismic characterization of heavy oil reservoir during thermal production: A case study

Geophysics ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 82 (1) ◽  
pp. B13-B27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hemin Yuan ◽  
De-Hua Han ◽  
Weimin Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Oil ◽  
Rock Physics ◽  
Time Lapse ◽  
Steam Injection ◽  
Oil Reservoirs ◽  
Inversion Method ◽  
Oil Reservoir ◽  
Steam Chamber ◽  
Heavy Oil Reservoirs ◽  
Heavy Oil Reservoir

Heavy oil reservoirs are important alternative energy resources to conventional oil and gas reservoirs. However, due to the high viscosity, most production methods of heavy oil reservoirs involve thermal production. Heavy oil reservoirs’ properties change dramatically during thermal production because the viscosity drops drastically with increasing temperature. Moreover, the velocity and density also decrease after steam injection, leading to a longer traveltime of seismic velocities and low impedance of the steam chamber zone. These changes of properties can act as indicators of the steam chamber and can be detected through the time-lapse inversion method. We first establish the rock-physics relationship between oil sands’ impedance and temperature on the basis of our previous laboratory work. Then, we perform the forward modeling of the heavy oil reservoir with the steam chamber to demonstrate the influence of steam injection on seismic profiles. Then, we develop a modified-Cauchy prior-distribution-based time-lapse inversion method and perform a 2D model test. The inversion method is then applied on the real field data, and the results are analyzed. By combining the inverted impedance and rock-physics relation between impedance and temperature, the temperature distribution map is obtained, which can work as an indicator of steam chamber. Finally, an empirical relation between impedance and velocity is established, and velocity is derived from the impedance.

scholarly journals Combination of Cyclic Steam Stimulation and Steam Flooding to Improve Oil Recovery in Unconsolidated Sand Heavy Oil Reservoir

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 80-87
Author(s):  
Ahmad Muraji Suranto ◽  
Boni Swadesi ◽  
Indah Widyaningsih ◽  
Ratna Widyaningsih ◽  
Sri Wahyu Murni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Reservoir Simulation ◽  
Heavy Oil ◽  
Steam Injection ◽  
Steam Chamber ◽  
Steam Flooding ◽  
Cyclic Steam Stimulation ◽  
Unconsolidated Sand ◽  
Reservoir Simulation Model ◽  
Steam Stimulation

Steam injection can be success in increasing oil recovery by determining the steam chamber growth. It will impact on the steam distribution and steam performance in covering hot areas in the reservoir.  An injection plan and a proper cyclic steam stimulation (CSS) schedule are critical in predicting how steam chamber can grow and cover the heat area. A reservoir simulation model will be used to understand how CSS really impact in steam chamber generation and affect the oil recovery. This paper generates numerous scenarios to see how steam working in heavy oil system particularly in unconsolidated sand reservoir. Combine the CSS method and steam injection continue investigate in this research. We will validate the scenarios based on the how fast steam chest can grow and get maximum oil recovery. Reservoir simulation resulted how steam chest behavior in unconsolidated sand to improve oil recovery; It concluded that by combining CSS and Steam Injection, we may get a faster steam chest growth and higher oil recovery by 61.5% of heavy oil system.

Production Features of Flue Gas Assisted SAGD Technology

2012 ◽  
Vol 524-527 ◽  
pp. 1196-1202
Author(s):  
Teng Lu ◽  
Zhao Min Li ◽  
Xiao Na Sun ◽  
Bin Fei Li ◽  
Yong Rong Gao
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Oil ◽  
Flue Gas ◽  
Linear Increase ◽  
Viscosity Reduction ◽  
Steam Chamber ◽  
Heat Efficiency ◽  
Water Breakthrough ◽  
Reduce Heat Loss ◽  
Test Zone ◽  
Cap Rock

The SAGD test zone in the Guantao reservoir of the Du84 Block in the Liaohe Oilfield belongs to a massive reservoir with top water, which may have the challenge of top water breakthrough along with the propagation of steam chamber. Flue gas assisted SAGD technique is proposed to slow down water break through. Laboratory experiments have been conducted to study the dissolubility of flue gas in Liaohe dehydrated super-heavy oil. The result of the experiments indicates that the viscosity of oil/gas mixture reduces drastically, and the rate of viscosity reduction almost shows linear increase after flue gas dissolved in super-heavy oil. The steam chamber extension feature and development characteristics of SAGD and flue gas assisted SAGD were compared by numerical simulation. The results show that flue gas exits in the top of reservoir because of gravitational differentiation, which can inhibit steam overlay, reduce heat loss to cap rock, and increase heat efficiency.

Mathematical Modeling of Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage

2005 ◽  
Vol 8 (05) ◽  
pp. 372-376 ◽  
Author(s):  
Serhat Akin
Keyword(s):  
Mathematical Model ◽  
Heavy Oil ◽  
Steam Injection ◽  
Viscosity Reduction ◽  
Gravity Drainage ◽  
Heavy Oils ◽  
Production Well ◽  
Steam Chamber ◽  
Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage ◽  
Wide Range

Summary A mathematical model for gravity drainage in heavy-oil reservoirs and tar sands during steam injection in linear geometry is proposed. The mathematical model is based on the experimental observations that the steam-zone shape is an inverted triangle with the vertex fixed at the bottom production well. Both temperature and asphaltene content dependence on the viscosity of the drained heavy oil are considered. The developed model has been validated with experimental data presented in the literature. The heavy-oil production rate conforms well to previously published data covering a wide range of heavy oils and sands for gravity drainage. Introduction Gravity drainage of heavy oils is of considerable interest to the oil industry. Because heavy oils are very viscous and, thus, almost immobile, a recovery mechanism is required that lowers the viscosity of the material to the point at which it can flow easily to a production well. Conventional thermal processes, such as cyclic steam injection and steam-assisted gravity drainage(SAGD), are based on thermal viscosity reduction. Cyclic steam injection incorporates a drive enhancement from thermal expansion. On the other hand, SAGD is based on horizontal wells and maximizing the use of gravity forces. In the ideal SAGD process, a growing steam chamber forms around the horizontal injector, and steam flows continuously to the perimeter of the chamber, where it condenses and heats the surrounding oil. Effective initial heating of the cold oil is important for the formation of the steam chamber in gravity-drainage processes. Heat is transferred by conduction, by convection, and by the latent heat of steam. The heated oil drains to a horizontal production well located at the base of the reservoir just below the injection well. Based on the aforementioned concepts, Butler et al. derived Eq. 1 assuming that the steam pressure is constant in the steam chamber, that only steam flows in the steam chamber, that oil saturation is residual, and that heat transfer ahead of the steam chamber to cold oil is only by conduction. One physical analogy of this process is that of a reservoir in which an electric heating element is placed horizontally above a parallel horizontal producing well.

Review of Research on Interlayer SAGD in Domestic and Foreign

2014 ◽  
Vol 644-650 ◽  
pp. 5142-5145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peng Luo
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Oil ◽  
Development Process ◽  
Basic Research ◽  
Technical Support ◽  
Oil Field ◽  
Oil Reservoir ◽  
Steam Chamber ◽  
Heavy Oil Reservoir

China is rich in resources of heavy oil.But some oilfield heavy oil reservoir in the development process will encounter interlining, affecting the development effect. In the process of SAGD to carry out the basic research of reservoir interlayer is helpful to identify the basic attributes of reservoir in the interlayer. The interlayer of SAGD development process is helpful to find the study focus and direction of development. Steam chamber breakthrough research achievements of interlining research abroad, summarizes the steam chamber breakthrough interlining, provide technical support for the oil field SAGD breakthrough interlining, it is of great significance for promoting SAGD efficient development.

Tertiary Recovery Improvement of Steam Injection Using Chemical Additives: Pore Scale Understanding of Challenges and Solutions Through Visual Experiments

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Randy Agra Pratama ◽  
Tayfun Babadagli
Keyword(s):  
Porous Media ◽  
Phase Change ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Heavy Oil ◽  
Phase Distribution ◽  
Steam Injection ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
Heavy Oil Recovery ◽  
Residual Oil ◽  
Tertiary Recovery

Abstract Our previous research, honoring interfacial properties, revealed that the wettability state is predominantly caused by phase change—transforming liquid phase to steam phase—with the potential to affect the recovery performance of heavy-oil. Mainly, the system was able to maintain its water-wetness in the liquid (hot-water) phase but attained a completely and irrevocably oil-wet state after the steam injection process. Although a more favorable water-wetness was presented at the hot-water condition, the heavy-oil recovery process was challenging due to the mobility contrast between heavy-oil and water. Correspondingly, we substantiated that the use of thermally stable chemicals, including alkalis, ionic liquids, solvents, and nanofluids, could propitiously restore the irreversible wettability. Phase distribution/residual oil behavior in porous media through micromodel study is essential to validate the effect of wettability on heavy-oil recovery. Two types of heavy-oils (450 cP and 111,600 cP at 25oC) were used in glass bead micromodels at steam temperatures up to 200oC. Initially, the glass bead micromodels were saturated with synthesized formation water and then displaced by heavy-oils. This process was done to exemplify the original fluid saturation in the reservoirs. In investigating the phase change effect on residual oil saturation in porous media, hot-water was injected continuously into the micromodel (3 pore volumes injected or PVI). The process was then followed by steam injection generated by escalating the temperature to steam temperature and maintaining a pressure lower than saturation pressure. Subsequently, the previously selected chemical additives were injected into the micromodel as a tertiary recovery application to further evaluate their performance in improving the wettability, residual oil, and heavy-oil recovery at both hot-water and steam conditions. We observed that phase change—in addition to the capillary forces—was substantial in affecting both the phase distribution/residual oil in the porous media and wettability state. A more oil-wet state was evidenced in the steam case rather than in the liquid (hot-water) case. Despite the conditions, auspicious wettability alteration was achievable with thermally stable surfactants, nanofluids, water-soluble solvent (DME), and switchable-hydrophilicity tertiary amines (SHTA)—improving the capillary number. The residual oil in the porous media yielded after injections could be favorably improved post-chemicals injection; for example, in the case of DME. This favorable improvement was also confirmed by the contact angle and surface tension measurements in the heavy-oil/quartz/steam system. Additionally, more than 80% of the remaining oil was recovered after adding this chemical to steam. Analyses of wettability alteration and phase distribution/residual oil in the porous media through micromodel visualization on thermal applications present valuable perspectives in the phase entrapment mechanism and the performance of heavy-oil recovery. This research also provides evidence and validations for tertiary recovery beneficial to mature fields under steam applications.

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