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Simulation study of Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) in fractured systems

Fatemi, S. M ; Sharif University of Technology | 2009

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  1. Type of Document: Article
  2. DOI: 10.2516/ogst/2009012
  3. Publisher: 2009
  4. Abstract:
  5. The Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) process, a developed Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) process to recover oil and bitumen, has been studied theoretically and experimentally in conventional reservoirs and models and is found a promising EOR method for certain heavy oil reservoirs. In this work simulation studies of the SAGD process were made on different fractured models consisting of fractures in both Near Well Region (NWR) and Above Well Region (AWR) and even in the presence of networked fractures. At early stage of the SAGD process in fractured system, steam moves through the fractures first and then the matrix blocks are heated primarily by conduction and possibly some steam invasion. The steam-oil interface forms and develops from all sides of the matrix and oil chamber rather than a steam chamber forms and shrinks in the center of each block. SAGD process recovery enhanced in the presence of vertical fractures but horizontal fractures were harmful on the recovery. Fracture spacing was not a very important parameter in the performance of steam processes in fractured models. High fracture frequency improved SAGD performance since it reduced the time period necessary for heating the matrix block and enhanced heating process by conduction. Horizontal fractures between injector-producer wells had an insignificant effect on the process since SAGD production mechanism is based on steam chamber development in AWR rather than NWR. Horizontal fractures extension increase reduced ultimate oil recovery attainable by SAGD. In the networked fracture model the presence of vertical fractures improved the recovery achieved in the case of horizontal fractures alone. © 2009, Institut français du pétrole
  6. Keywords:
  7. Enhanced oil recovery ; EOR methods ; Fracture frequency ; Fracture model ; Fracture spacing ; Fractured systems ; Heating process ; Heavy oil reservoirs ; Horizontal fractures ; Matrix ; Matrix blocks ; Oil recoveries ; Process recovery ; Simulation studies ; Steam chamber ; Steam-assisted gravity drainages ; Time periods ; Vertical fracture ; Well region ; Enhanced recovery ; Heating ; Horizontal wells ; Petroleum reservoir engineering ; Petroleum reservoirs ; Recovery ; Simulators ; Steam ; Water injection ; Fracture ; Bitumen ; Computer simulation ; Fracture network ; Hydrocarbon reservoir ; Numerical model ; Oil production ; Oil well ; Steam injection
  8. Source: Oil and Gas Science and Technology ; Volume 64, Issue 4 , 2009 , Pages 477-487 ; 12944475 (ISSN)
  9. URL: https://ogst.ifpenergiesnouvelles.fr/10.2516/ogst/2009012