Abstract
Conventional methods have recovered most of the easier-to-produce oil, also called primary and secondary recovery techniques. Under normal reservoir conditions, heavy crude oil does not flow easily due to its higher density, viscosity, and specific gravity as compared to light crude oil. Oil recovery methods have been developed to maximize oil production and recovery by reducing viscosity and increasing sweep efficiency. Extraction of heavy crude oil through thermal enhanced recovery is one of the most popular methods. This chapter presents thermal concepts in enhanced oil recovery. An introduction to the types of heat transfer (conduction, convection, and radiation), heat-carrying capacity of steam, heat of combustion, heat losses, and fluid flow in porous media is given. Thermal methods including steam flooding, cyclic steam stimulation (CSS), steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD), and in situ combustion are presented. Then, thermodynamic mechanisms, effect of heat on fluid-rock properties, effect of reservoir mineralogy and heterogeneity, steam characteristics, and oil viscosity are discussed. Hybrid thermal recovery processes are also addressed. Finally, the future directions of heavy oil recovery processes are provided.
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