Steam Additives Research Articles

New Scaling Criteria And Their Relative Merits For Steam Recovery Experiments

Abstract New scaling criteria for steam and steam additive recovery experiments are presented in this paper. The mathematical development of different scaling criteria for a variety of scaling options and their relative merits are discussed. Past papers have reported similarity groups governing the scaling of steam additive processes to be incompatible. The scaling criteria presently available for steam processes, which permit the use of the same fluids in the model as those found in the prototype, require high pressure models and different porous media. This causes difficulties in scaling properties which depend on pressure or the porous media. Methods are presented which, by relaxing the requirement of geometric similarity, allow the same fluids and the same porous media to be used to scale steam or steam additive processes/or horizontal reservoirs. These methods allow scaling of all properties which depend on pressure and temperature, such as the saturated steam properties. A set of similarity groups is derived by inspectional and dimensional analysis for the steam additive process. Relaxed sets of scaling criteria, particular to the major mechanisms of a process, are then determined. The relative merits and potential applications of the various approaches are compared with (hose published m the literature. A means of selecting, or developing. If necessary, an approach which best scales the major aspects of a particular recovery process IS outlined. Introduction Steamflooding is a known method for recovering oil from some heavy oil reservoir For a number of years, emphasis has been placed on improving the steam flooding process. Many laboratory studies have been conducted in an effort to achieve this goal. Some of the experiments were designed to study the various mechanisms of a process and to extend the results to make field predictions by using numerical simulators. Other experiments, referred to as scaled experiments, were designed allow the relative influence of the various mechanismsobserved in an experiment to be similar to that expected in the field and to permit interpretation of the results to predict field performance. It is difficult to satisfy all of the criteria required to design scaled experiments of steamflooding processes. Consequently, some of the scaling requirements must be relaxed. The choice of which requirements to relax will depend on the particular process being modelled. Scaling of the phenomena considered to be least Important to a particular process might be relaxed without significantly affecting the major features of the process. Background to Scaling Steam Processes Scaled model experiments have been used to predict the effect of various parameters on the production response of a reservoir undergoing steam injection. The parameters include injection rate, production pressure, slug size, completion intervals, well pattern geometry, steam additives, bottom water, reservoir heterogeneities, and steam quality. Scaled models are also used to calibrate numerical models and provide insight into the effects of mechanisms which may not be properly incorporated in numerical simulators. A number of approaches to scaling steam processes have been used by previous investigators.

New Technology For Cold Lake

Abstract Carlyle Energy Ltd. became involved in 1981 when the U.S. owners of the technology were attempting to raise funds in Canada for a heavy oil pilot project. Cold Lake Heavy Oil Ltd. (CLHO) was formed: 45% by Carlyle (55% of the voting control) and 55% by three parties in the U.S. who own and developed the technology. Carlyle commissioned studies by A.J. Gruy & Associates, Inc. of Dallas and McCallum, Stewart and Associates in Calgary to study and review the material available relative to the application of the process to Cold Lake type reservoirs. A pilot project was beyond their financial resources so time was spent interesting others in CLHO. In late 1982 and early in 1983, AOSTRA financed a laboratory study of the technology by the Alberta Research Council. Their recommendation was that a field pilot project be undertaken. CLHO was able to negotiate a staged farm-in of the Gulf lease and Bow Valley Industries Ltd. agreed to participate and operate Phase A of the pilot project. The technology, if successful, will greatly enhance the recovery of these heavy oils. Project Bow Valley Industries Ltd. and CLHO (a 45% subsidiary of Carlyle Energy Ltd.) has initiated Phase A of an in-situ oil sands bitumen recovery project located approximately 30 km north of Grand Centre, Alberta. The project known as the "ABC Cold Lake Pilot" involves three participants, AOSTRA (Alberta Oil Sands Technology and Research Authority), BVI (Bow Valley Industries Ltd.), and CLHO. The pilot project is located on a BVI / CLHO farm-in from Gulf Canada Resources (Heavy Oil Lease 84) and covers approximately 5,000 hectares (12,500 acres) bordering on the north-west shore of Cold Lake. The location is 16 km east of Esso's Marie Lake project. Total expenditures in Phase A will be approximately $15,000,000 over the next two years. Capital costs for 1984 will be $7,000,000, with the remaining funds being operating expenses for the next one and a half years. All costs will be shared 75 per cent by AOSTRA and 25 per cent by BVI. To date, seven directional wells have been drilled in a hexagonal configuration from a central pad. Steam injection and well satellite facilities were installed during late August and September. Steam and carbon dioxide injection was scheduled to commence in late September. Over 85 per cent of capital costs represent Canadian material and tabor, the majority of which will be expended in Alberta. Drilling, equipment, fabrication and installation have been awarded to local contractors in the Cold Lake area. A field office at the pilot site has been opened and will employ 12 full time staff and contract personnel to conduct the project, the majority of whom are presently area residents. Bitumen produced by the project will be trucked to L1oydminister. Phase A of the project will evaluate a new technology, which relies upon the use of superheated steam, carbon dioxide and other additives to recover bitumen from the Clearwater formation at a depth of about 1,400 feet (430 m).