Chapter Five - Thermal Recovery Processes

Abstract

One of the most efficient approaches for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) in heavy oil reservoirs is thermal techniques. About 2×1012bbl of conventional oil and 5×1012bbl of heavy oil are remained in reservoirs after conventional production processes. Much of this residual oil would be recovered using EOR techniques. In this chapter, the principles and functional mechanisms of the main thermal EOR techniques including steam flood and steam-assisted gravity drainage, cyclic steam stimulation, fire flood and in situ combustion, toe-to-heel air injection (THAI), THAI with catalyst, and steam/solvent-based hybrid processes are represented. Moreover, operating parameters, heat transfer mechanisms, and various modeling approaches are presented in these techniques. Finally, the methods of steam generation and evaluating the heat-loss rate from the wellbore are declared.