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Collaborating Authors
Thermal methods
Abstract Due to the extremely low permeability and high depletion rate, primary recovery from unconventional reservoirs is generally low. Huff-n-puff has proved to be a successful EOR technique in tight formations, such as the Eagle Ford. However, the underlying transport mechanism remains to be completely understood. Recent studies show oil-gas diffusion is a key factor for the success of huff-n-puff EOR. Due to concentration gradient, injected gas molecules diffuse into in-situ oil causing it to swell and consequently to be expelled out of the nanopores into the micro- and macro- fractures. Our research group has designed an experiment with a high pressure-high temperature cell having observation windows for the measurement of oil swelling and diffusivity in oil-gas mixtures and in this study, we present some preliminary results. The measurements were done on a Meramec oil (API-42.7) with 3 different gas mixtures of methane – ethane, at a temperature of 175°F to evaluate the impact of injection pressure (above and below Minimum Miscibility Pressure-MMP) and injectate composition on oil-gas diffusivity. The diffusivity of injectate gas into oil phase as a function of pressure increases to maximum at MMP, beyond which it decreases. Using pure methane (MMP = 5500 psi) as the injectate, the diffusion coefficient increases by 250% on increasing the pressure from 2500 psi to 5500 psi and then decreases. Based on the data available in the literature, this decrease in diffusivity can be explained by the increase in bulk fluid density and viscosity. For the oil sample used in this study, the diffusion coefficient varies between 10 m/s to 10 m/s, regardless of pressure and injectate composition. Tight reservoirs generally have high matrix tortuosity, which impacts the diffusion efficiency in the porous media. Using tortuosity values available in the literature and diffusivities of oil gas systems measured in this study, we estimate that the injected gas can only travel 0.2-0.75 ft away from the fracture-faces in 1-6 months of injection. This study highlights the importance of stimulated reservoir area (SRA) characterization, nanoporous tortuosity and diffusivity measurements to optimize huff-n-puff recovery in shales.
Abstract This paper summarizes BP's Alaskan viscous oil resource appraisal strategy to de-risk viscous oil resource progression with a goal to improve recovery factor by 10%. A key to recovery improvement is application of improved oil recovery/enhanced oil recovery (IOR/EOR) methods. However, even after detailed studies, moving to the next stage including field pilots is not always easy in the mature and remote Alaskan North Slope. The paper also covers BP's Alaskan viscous oil technology strategy, extraction technologies selection, simulation and analytical studies, laboratory studies, and field trials for various shortlisted methods. A comprehensive study strategy conducted for progressing chemical EOR processes is discussed. The paper also addresses the challenges of obtaining new core and fluid samples for laboratory studies and logistical and economic considerations for field trials due to location and weather conditions in this part of the world.
- North America > Canada (0.68)
- Europe > United Kingdom (0.66)
- North America > United States > Alaska > North Slope Borough > Prudhoe Bay (0.28)
- Geology > Mineral (0.93)
- Geology > Geological Subdiscipline > Geomechanics (0.68)
- North America > United States > Alaska > Schrader Bluff Formation (0.99)
- North America > United States > Alaska > North Slope Basin > Milne Point Field > Kuparuk Formation (0.99)
- North America > United States > Alaska > North Slope Basin > Duck Island Field > Endicott Field > Kekiktuk Formation (0.99)
- (8 more...)
Abstract Steam injection—a thermal-based enhanced oil recovery (EOR) process—is used to improve fluid mobility within a reservoir, and it is well known that it yields positive results in heavy-oil reservoirs. In theory, steam injection has the potential of being applied in light-oil reservoirs to enable vaporization of in-situ reservoir fluids, but field developments and scientific studies of this application are sparse. Conventional displacement methods like water-flooding and gas-flooding have been applied to some extent, however, oil extraction in such reservoirs relies on recovery mechanisms like capillary imbibition or gravity drainage to recover oil from the reservoir matrix. Furthermore, low-permeability reservoir rocks are associated with low gravity drainage and high residual oil saturation. The objective of this study is to evaluate the potential of steam injection for light (47°API) oil extraction in naturally-fractured reservoirs. It is theorized that this method will serve as an effective tool for recovery of light hydrocarbons through naturally-fractured networks with the benefit of heat conduction through the rock matrix. This research investigates the application of light-oil steamflood (LOSF) in naturally- fractured reservoirs (NFR). A simulation model comprised of a matrix block surrounded by fracture network was used to study oil recovery potential under steam injection. To simulate gravity drainage, steam was injected through a horizontal well completed in the upper section of the fracture network, while the production well was completed at the bottom of the fracture network. The simulation included two different porous media: (1) natural fractures and (2) matrix blocks. Each of these porous media was assumed to be homogeneous and characterized based on typical reservoir properties for carbonate formations. This study also analyzed the impact of different recovery mechanisms during steam injection for a light-oil sample in NFR, with reservoir sensitivity examined, based on varying amounts of vaporization, injection rate, permeability, matrix height and capillary pressure. Of these, vaporization was found to be the dominant factor in the application of LOSF in NFR, as described in detail within the results.
- Asia > Middle East (0.94)
- North America > United States > Oklahoma (0.47)
- Geology > Geological Subdiscipline > Economic Geology > Petroleum Geology (0.86)
- Geology > Petroleum Play Type > Unconventional Play > Heavy Oil Play (0.71)
- North America > United States > Wyoming > Powder River Basin > NPR-3 > Teapot Dome Field > Wall Creek Formation (0.99)
- North America > United States > Wyoming > Powder River Basin > NPR-3 > Teapot Dome Field > Tensleep Formation (0.99)
- North America > United States > Wyoming > Powder River Basin > NPR-3 > Teapot Dome Field > Sussex Formation (0.99)
- (8 more...)
Abstract Solvent Aided-Steam Flooding (SA-SF) focuses on maximizing the oil production by reducing the economic and environmental challenges created by steam generation. However, the solvent selection is vital due to the interaction of solvents with asphaltenes. Moreover, the polar nature of asphaltenes also enables asphaltene-steam interaction which may result in emulsion formation. This study investigates solvent-asphaltene-steam interaction during SA-SF with low and high molecular weight asphaltene insoluble solvents. Two different solvents were tested; n-hexane (E1 and E4) and a commercial solvent (CS) (E2 and E5) with four flooding experiments; two miscible flooding (E1 and E2) and two SA-SF (E4 and E5) experiments. Results were compared with steam flooding (E3) experiment. The performance evaluation of different enhanced oil recovery methods was accomplished by comparing the oil recovery rates. The asphaltene content of produced oil samples was determined by standard methods. The asphaltene-steam interaction was analyzed with microscopic images, and the water content of produced oil samples was measured by Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). Even though similar cumulative oil productions were obtained by the end of E1 (n-hexane-flooding) and E2 (CS-flooding), the produced oil quality varied due to asphaltene and clay contents. While higher clay content was measured for E1, E2 had a lower quality, due to higher asphaltene contents. This finding is due to the heavy dearomatized hydrocarbons composition of the CS which ranges from C11 up to C16 and enables more asphaltene production. Even though, E5 yielded the highest liquid production among all experiments; the produced liquid was composed of emulsified oil. The solvent aided-steam flooding (SA-SF) experimental results, which have been conducted with n-hexane/steam (E4) and CS/steam (E5) injections, suggest that as the asphaltene content increases in produced oil samples, more hard-to-break emulsions are formed. The unusual stability of these emulsions can be attributed to the nature of the asphaltene present in the produced oil. From the results presented, it is recommended the use of lower carbon number solvents to leave the larger amounts of asphaltenes in the reservoirs. The solvents differed in their interactions with the asphaltenes present in the oil and with the steam that has a direct impact not only on the quantity of oil produced but the quality as well. Hence, the wise selection of the appropriate solvent cannot be ignored during solvent aided-steam flooding processes.
- North America > United States > Texas (0.30)
- North America > Canada > Alberta (0.30)
- Materials > Chemicals > Commodity Chemicals > Petrochemicals (1.00)
- Energy > Oil & Gas > Upstream (1.00)
- Reservoir Description and Dynamics > Improved and Enhanced Recovery > Thermal methods (1.00)
- Production and Well Operations > Production Chemistry, Metallurgy and Biology > Inhibition and remediation of hydrates, scale, paraffin / wax and asphaltene (1.00)
- Health, Safety, Environment & Sustainability > Environment > Climate change (1.00)
- Facilities Design, Construction and Operation > Flow Assurance > Precipitates (paraffin, asphaltenes, etc.) (1.00)
Abstract The production and transportation of heavy and extra-heavy crude oil are two of the paramount concerns in the oil industry due to the difficulties associated with heavy crude oil high viscosity. One of the most efficient techniques to improve the recovery and the transportability of such oil is to reduce its viscosity through dilution that can be applied solely or via thermal methods. In the present work, a new type of plant-based diluent is proposed, and its efficacy in heavy oil viscosity reduction for different concentrations, temperatures and shear rates is studied. Various concentrations of diluent, ranging from 5 to 25 wt%, are added to heavy-oil samples with different concentrations of asphaltene and viscosity, ranging from 48000 to 65000 cp in ambient temperature. A rotational viscometer was then employed to the measure viscosity of the prepared samples at the temperature range of 70 to 190°F and a shear rate of 3 to 50 s. The application of the proposed diluent led to promising results in that in caused the viscosity of the heavy oil samples to reduce by 93% in 75°F and 85% in 190°F with 20 wt% of diluent. To compare the performance of the proposed solvent and the common viscosity-reducing solvents, heavy oil samples were diluted with xylene and toluene with the same concentrations. Results indicated that the application of proposed diluent outperformed all of the commonly used solvents in terms of decreasing viscosity. The application of 20 wt% of the proposed diluent led to a 93% viscosity reduction of the heavy oil samples, which is 15% more than efficiency of adding the same concentration of toluene. The proposed diluent is a plant-based, non-hazardous substitute to the conventional hazardous diluents, e.g., xylene or toluene, that provides more efficient viscosity reduction compared to its conventional alternatives. Its flashpoint is higher than that of light crude resulting in less evaporation at high temperatures thus a longer period of reduced viscosity can be obtained. Furthermore, due to its high flashpoint, the proposed diluent can be employed in thermal methods more efficiently.
- Materials > Chemicals > Commodity Chemicals > Petrochemicals (1.00)
- Energy > Oil & Gas > Upstream (1.00)
- Reservoir Description and Dynamics > Unconventional and Complex Reservoirs > Oil sand, oil shale, bitumen (1.00)
- Reservoir Description and Dynamics > Improved and Enhanced Recovery > Thermal methods (1.00)
- Facilities Design, Construction and Operation > Processing Systems and Design > Heavy oil upgrading (1.00)
An Integrated German MEOR Project, Update: Risk Management and Huff'n Puff Design
Alkan, H.. (Wintershall Holding GmbH) | Klueglein, N.. (BASF SE) | Mahler, E.. (BASF SE) | Kögler, F.. (Wintershall Holding GmbH) | Beier, K.. (Freiberg University) | Jelinek, W.. (Wintershall Holding GmbH) | Herold, A.. (BASF SE) | Hatscher, S.. (Wintershall Holding GmbH) | Leonhardt, B.. (Wintershall Holding GmbH)
Abstract This paper provides an update on a microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) project conducted by Wintershall and BASF. Overall nutrient development and planning of a single well field trial (huff'n'puff, HnP) including risk management are described. A nutrient solution is tailored to stimulate growth and metabolite production of a reservoir community of various indigenous microbial species in a Wintershall operated oil field with challenging reservoir characteristics, including high salinity (160,000 ppm). Up-scaled imbibition experiments performed with sandstone cores using MEOR-oil systems are compared with injection brine-oil systems and assessed for the implications on incremental oil. The results of sandpack and coreflood experiments performed with optimized nutrient solutions are discussed regarding incremental oil recovery and responsible EOR mechanisms. A MEOR modelling concept developed using STARS/CMG is used to estimate additional oil production under various feeding strategies after the calibration of the EOR mechanisms assigned. As the laboratory and numerical works have indicated the feasibility of the MEOR field application, emphasis has been put on risk issues ranked in the register of the project. The key risk is potential souring of the reservoir due to the activation of the sulphate reducing bacteria (SRB) growing on the metabolites generated by the MEOR target community. Conventional mitigation measures have been tested in short and long-term experiments. An innovative solution had been developed to assure H2S free application without any consequences to the reservoir and to the MEOR application. A single well pilot application is planned in a pre-selected well of the Wintershall field studied with two main objectives: (1) proof of the concept of risk mitigation and (2) stimulation of growth and metabolite production. Identification of operational issues as well as data gathering to improve the forecasting methods towards full-field predictions are secondary objectives. A monitoring plan has been initiated to establish a baseline in terms of microbiological and petro-dynamic parameters. Temperature and volumetric distributions have been predicted based on the results of an injectivity test performed in the well. The data is used to design the HnP operation and the surface setup for the injection rate of 100 m/day nutrient solution under well-defined conditions.
- Research Report > New Finding (0.67)
- Overview > Innovation (0.48)
- Geology > Mineral > Sulfate (0.34)
- Geology > Rock Type > Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Rock > Sandstone (0.34)
- Energy > Oil & Gas > Upstream (1.00)
- Materials > Chemicals > Commodity Chemicals > Petrochemicals (0.34)
- Asia > China > Liaoning > Bohai Basin > Liaohe Basin > Liaohe Field (0.99)
- Asia > China > Heilongjiang > Songliao Basin > Daqing Field > Yian Formation (0.99)
- Asia > China > Heilongjiang > Songliao Basin > Daqing Field > Mingshui Formation (0.99)
- Africa > Nigeria > Gulf of Guinea > Niger Delta > Niger Delta Basin > OML 118 > Bonga Field (0.98)
- Reservoir Description and Dynamics > Improved and Enhanced Recovery > Thermal methods (1.00)
- Reservoir Description and Dynamics > Improved and Enhanced Recovery > Microbial methods (1.00)