Abstract
One of the main challenges in developing a process of continuous steam injection is to control the injection profile. Said profile is strongly affected by steam channeling to “thief zones” and the gravitational effect of override, both are characterized by preventing contact of the steam with reservoir zones containing considerable amounts of hydrocarbons thus decreasing the vertical sweep efficiency. These phenomena are favored by some features of the formation such as large thickness and reservoir heterogeneities and may affect the technical and economic feasibility of the project if they are not controlled and / or monitored properly.Several methodologies have been designed to address this problem. Among them are injecting surfactants for the formation of in situ foam, which seeks to reduce the mobility of steam; using thermal gels, for plugging high permeability channels; injection of solvents, used to enhance oil mobility; and water-alternating-steam injection (WASP) for scavenging of both upper and lower zone of the formation. This article collects relevant aspects of the mentioned methods, and a comparison is made in base of the number of applications, incremental production and implementation cost.Keywords: Steamflooding, In Situ Foams, Solvents, High Temperature Gels, Water Alternating Steam.
Highlights
Several methodologies have been designed to address this problem
Among them are injecting surfactants for the formation of in situ foam, which seeks to reduce the mobility of steam; using thermal gels, for plugging high permeability channels; injection of solvents, used to enhance oil mobility; and water-alternating-steam injection (WASP) for scavenging of both upper and lower zone of the formation
This article collects relevant aspects of the mentioned methods, and a comparison is made in base of the number of applications, incremental production and implementation cost
Summary
El vapor saturado es el medio comúnmente usado para inyectar energía calórica a un yacimiento. A pesar de su éxito y de los altos factores de recobro alcanzados, cuando el proyecto llega a su madurez (alta relación vapor aceite y excesiva producción de agua), se acrecientan los efectos del override del vapor y de su canalización por zonas de alta permeabilidad, dando lugar a problemas operacionales como la producción de arena, fallas mecánicas en las tuberías de fondo, formación de emulsiones, entre otros (Ariza et al, 2016). Las investigaciones sobre recobro térmico mediante vapor han apuntado a la combinación de diferentes procesos de recobro y el uso de aditivos químicos con el fin de mitigar el impacto de estos problemas en el yacimiento, dando como resultado una serie de metodologías (Figura 1) que serán descritas a continuación
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