Abstract Cold production as a new primary production process can be used successfully in heavy oil unconsolidated sandstones. Ideal reservoirs are 5–15 m thick uncemented sands with high saturations of <20 API oils with gas in solution without free water or gas zones. However, application of Cold Production to many other cases in other parts of the world must be investigated. Strategies to initiate sand production involve aggressive perforation and swabbing measures. Keeping sand production stable after initiation requires pumps to cope with large initial sand ratios in a foamy oil form for several weeks, and smaller amounts of sand and foamy fluid continuously for many months. Restoring stable sand production after blockage is currently an "art", and various workover methods are used: better controlled work-over approaches and new technologies are needed. Sand and "gorp" separation from oil at surface is necessary, economic and environmentally sound disposal of these materials probably involves re-injection into depleted reservoirs.
Introduction Cold Production has become an economic mainstay of heavy oil production strategies for companies in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Applications will grow in Canada and elsewhere, as the applicability limits seem relatively broad. It will continue to be a dynamic emergent technology for heavy oil because:–Without sand co-production, heavy oil rates are usually too low to be economical, particularly in shallow, low-pressure unconsolidated sandstones.
–With sand production, cheap, small diameter vertical or inclined wells can maintain sustained rates of 5–15 m3, often for many years.
–Without sand production, perhaps 0–3% OOIP can be recovered; lower values are for 10 API oil, larger values for 14–16 API oil.
–With sanding, up to 5–12% OOIP is recoverable.
–Proper completions, workover, and sand management techniques have led to reduced production costs; costs will continue to decline as better approaches are developed.
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