A new technology of 3D scaled physical simulation for high-pressure and high-temperature steam injection recovery

Abstract

Abstract In order to solve the problems of existing physical simulation experiment device for thermal recovery, such as great heat loss, low precision in internal pressure control of physical model and insufficient process monitoring, a new experiment device for high-pressure and high-temperature (HPHT) 3D scaled physical simulation is developed independently, and the relevant experiment technical route is presented. By using thermal fluid simulation, PID auto-control and 3D graphics, the following problems are solved: (1) the heat loss scaled simulation technology is applied for HPHT thermal recovery model, to control the heat dissipating capacity of the model top and bottom and realize the continuous growth of the steam chamber; (2) HPHT 3D formation temperature/pressure simulation technology is applied to keep the model pressure and temperature stable, ensuring temperature difference at each point in high-pressure chamber less than ± 2 °C; (3) 3D data field on-line monitoring and visual analysis technology is applied to monitor and control the reservoir performance at real time. By using this experiment device, 3D scaled physical simulation experiment is performed for commingled thermal recovery of extremely heavy oil by horizontal/vertical wells as well as SAGD of super heavy oil by dual horizontal wells. The evolution of steam chamber is depicted and the knowledge on SAGD mechanism by dual horizontal wells and the production performance is deeply studied.