Analysis of the influence of the thermophysical parameters of the reservoir and fluid on the process of cyclic steam stimulation

Abstract

Currently, the existing models of cyclic steam stimulation do not allow to research the development of the heat front at the stage of steam injection into the reservoir, considering the possible influence of both convective and conductive flows, as well as the properties of the rock and fluid. Knowledge of the dynamics of the development of fronts allows to determine the features of the ongoing physical processes at specific deposits and can be used to optimize the production process. The aim of the work is to analyze the development of the thermal field in rocks with different thermophysical parameters. A hydrodynamic model of the development of the thermal field was developed and calculated on the tNavigator software package for rocks with various thermophysical properties. The model considering the three-dimensional propagation of heat, the properties of reservoir and injected fluids, as well as heat loss into the top and the bottom of the reservoir. The comparison of the maximum dimensions of the heated area calculated according to the developed hydrodynamic model with the results obtained by the integral model is carried out. The dependence of the advance of the thermal front on the specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity of the rock is determined. The thermal front moves much further in rocks with a lower specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity with the same injection volume. It is shown that the convective component of heat exchange weakly depends on the specific heat capacity and the shape of the heat front remains the same in all cases.