Loading...
Search for:
heavy-oil-production
0.008 seconds
Total 74 records
The determination of effective diffusivity coefficients in a solvent gas heavy oil system for methane
, Article Petroleum Science and Technology ; Volume 30, Issue 24 , 2012 , Pages 2582-2593 ; 10916466 (ISSN) ; Dadvar, M ; Kharrat, R ; Ghazanfari, M. H ; Sharif University of Technology
2012
Abstract
In this investigation, an accurate high pressure and temperature diffusion setup was applied to measure the diffusion coefficients of methane in Iranian heavy oils in presence and absence of porous media by using the pressure-decay method. The solvent diffusivity in heavy oil was determined by both graphical and numerical methods. In addition, the effects of the porous medium and the temperature on the molecular diffusion coefficient of the solvent gas in the liquid phase were discussed and finally, using experimental data, a functionality dependence of molecular diffusivity on temperature and porous medium characteristics was proposed
A new empirical correlation for predicting effective molecular diffusivity of gas-heavy oil-porous media systems
, Article Special Topics and Reviews in Porous Media ; Volume 3, Issue 1 , 2012 , Pages 23-33 ; 21514798 (ISSN) ; Mirjordavi, N ; Kazemeini, M ; Ghazanfari, M. H ; Sharif University of Technology
2012
Abstract
Molecular diffusivity is an essential parameter for modeling of mass transfer in enhanced oil recovery processes. However, experimentally determined diffusivities for light gas-heavy oil systems in the presence of porous media are relatively rare. A few correlations are available in the literature that predict diffusivity of gases into heavy oil in presence of porous media. In this work the pressure-decay method was applied to obtain effective molecular diffusion of CO 2, CH 4 and N 2-heavy oil systems in both bulk and porous media systems at different temperatures. The diffusivity of gases in heavy oil was determined by matching the numerically calculated pressures to the measured data. A...
Understanding the polydisperse behavior of asphaltenes during precipitation
, Article Fuel ; Vol. 117, issue. PART A , 2014 , pp. 206-217 ; Panuganti, S. R ; Taghikhani, V ; Pishvaie, M. R ; Chapman, W. G ; Sharif University of Technology
Abstract
Asphaltenes are a polydisperse fraction of the crude oil, the phase behavior of which is significantly affected by the changes in pressure, temperature and composition. The focus of this study is to model the polydisperse asphaltenes' precipitation onset condition and the amount of precipitate from solvent-diluted crude oils using the Perturbed Chain form of the Statistical Associating Fluid Theory (PC-SAFT) over a wide range of crude oil density. Heavy oil and bitumen production can involve diluting with paraffinic solvents. Different fractions of the polydisperse asphaltenes thus precipitated are predicted and when compared to the experimental data show a remarkable matching for different...
Experimental and numerical investigation of polymer flooding in fractured heavy oil five-spot systems
, Article Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering ; Volume 108 , 2013 , Pages 370-382 ; 09204105 (ISSN) ; Ghazanfari, M. H ; Masihi, M ; Rashtchian, D ; Sharif University of Technology
2013
Abstract
Microscopic and macroscopic displacements of polymer flooding to heavy oil at various levels of salinity and connate water saturation have been investigated. Both oil-wet and water-wet conditions in fractured five-spot micromodel systems, initially saturated with the heavy crude oil are utilized. The primary contribution is to examine the role of salinity, wettability, connate water, and fracture geometry in the recovery efficiency of the system. The microscopic results revealed that the increase in the connate water saturation decreases the oil recovery, independent of the wettability conditions. Moreover, the increase in salinity of the injected fluids lowers the recovery efficiency due to...
Experimental investigation of microscopic/macroscopic efficiency of polymer flooding in fractured heavy oil five-spot systems
, Article Journal of Energy Resources Technology, Transactions of the ASME ; Volume 135, Issue 3 , 2013 ; 01950738 (ISSN) ; Ghazanfari, M. H ; Parvazdavani, M ; Morshedi, S ; Sharif University of Technology
2013
Abstract
This paper concerns on experimental investigation of biopolymer/polymer flooding in fractured five-spot systems. In this study, a series of polymer injection processes were performed on five-spot glass type micromodels saturated with heavy crude oil. Seven fractured glass type micromodels were used to illustrate the effects of polymer type/concentration on oil recovery efficiency in presence of fractures with different geometrical properties (i.e., fractures orientation, length and number of fractures). Four synthetic polymers as well as a biopolymer at different levels of concentration were tested. Also a micromodel constituted from dead-end pores with various geometrical properties was...
Experimental investigation of asp flooding in fractured heavy oil five-spot systems
, Article 74th European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers Conference and Exhibition 2012 Incorporating SPE EUROPEC 2012: Responsibly Securing Natural Resources, 4 June 2012 through 7 June 2012 ; 2012 , Pages 3924-3928 ; 9781629937908 (ISBN) ; Ghazanfari, M. H ; Masihi, M ; Rashtchian, D ; Sharif University of Technology
European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers, EAGE
2012
Abstract
Although alkaline-surfactant-polymer flooding is proved to be efficient for oil recovery from heavy oil reservoirs, the displacements mechanism/efficiency of this process in fractured systems needs to more discussion, especially in five-spot patterns. In this work, several ASP flooding test were performed on fractured micromodels which were initially saturated with heavy oil at constant flow rate and different fracture geometrical characteristics conditions. The ASP solutions are constituted from 5 polymers i.e. four synthetic polymers include three hydrolyzed polyacrylamide with different molecular weight as well as a non-hydrolyzed polyacrylamide and a biopolymer, 2 surfactants i.e. a...
Pore-level experimental investigation of ASP flooding to recover heavy oil in fractured five-spot micromodels
, Article EUROPEC 2015, 1 June 2015 through 4 June 2015 ; June , 2015 , Pages 1033-1058 ; 9781510811621 (ISBN) ; Mohammadzadeh, O ; Kord, S ; Chatzis, I ; Sharif University of Technology
Society of Petroleum Engineers
2015
Abstract
Although Alkaline-Surfactant-Polymer (ASP) flooding is proved to be efficient for heavy oil recovery, the displacement mechanisms/efficiency of this process should be discussed further in fractured porous media especially in typical waterflood geometrical configurations such as five-spot injection-production pattern. In this study, several ASP flooding tests were conducted in fractured glass-etched micromodels which were initially saturated with heavy oil. The ASP flooding tests were conducted at constant injection flow rates and different fracture geometrical characteristics were used. The ASP solutions constituted of five polymers, two surfactants and three alkaline types. The results...
Heavy oil recovery using ASP flooding: A pore-level experimental study in fractured five-spot micromodels
, Article Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering ; Volume 94, Issue 4 , 2016 , Pages 779-791 ; 00084034 (ISSN) ; Mohammadzadeh, O ; Kord, S ; Chatzis, I ; Sharif University of Technology
Wiley-Liss Inc
2016
Abstract
Although alkaline-surfactant-polymer (ASP) flooding has proven efficient for heavy oil recovery, the displacement mechanisms and efficiency of this process should be discussed further in fractured porous media. In this study, several ASP flooding tests were conducted in fractured glass-etched micromodels with a typical waterflood geometrical configuration, i.e. five-spot injection-production pattern. The ASP flooding tests were conducted at constant injection flow rates but different fracture geometrical characteristics. The ASP solutions consisted of five polymers, two surfactants, and three alkaline types. It was found that using synthetic polymers, especially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide...
In-depth characterization of light, medium and heavy oil asphaltenes as well as asphaltenes subfractions
, Article Fuel ; Volume 324 , 2022 ; 00162361 (ISSN) ; Husein, M. M ; Ghotbi, C ; Dabir, B ; Taghikhani, V ; Sharif University of Technology
Elsevier Ltd
2022
Abstract
Asphaltenes, and their related issues, have been the focus of many literature investigations. However, in-depth analysis of asphaltenes structure and its relation to asphaltenes stability has been considered by fewer studies. In this research, extensive analysis of the structure of asphaltenes extracted from light, medium, and heavy oils is provided, together with analysis of three subfractions of the medium oil asphaltene having the least, intermediate, and highest solubilities. To this end, elemental analysis, EDX, mass spectroscopy, FTIR, NMR, XRD, and SEM results were collected. Higher hydrogen content and hydrogen/carbon atomic ratio, lower aromatic nature and olefinic entities were...
Monitoring the role of fracture geometrical characteristics on fingering initiation/development during heavy oil miscible displacements in fractured porous media
, Article Energy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization and Environmental Effects ; Vol. 35, issue. 12 , Aug , 2010 , p. 1129-1139 ; ISSN: 15567036 ; Ghazanfari, M. H ; Masihi, M ; Kharrat, R ; Sharif University of Technology
Abstract
Finger initiation/development at fluid-fluid interface during miscible floods can cause poor displacement efficiency, which is undesirable in enhanced oil recovery processes. In this work, a series of hydrocarbon injection experiments performed on 5-spot glass micromodels that were initially saturated with the heavy crude oil. The fractured micromodels with different fracture geometrical characteristics were used in the tests. High quality image analysis was applied to determine the fluid flow behavior, solvent front movement, and viscous fingering associated with solvent movement in matrix and fractures. Observations showed that higher solvent dispersion in the fractures rather than matrix...
Monitoring the role of fracture geometrical characteristics on fingering initiation/development during heavy oil miscible displacements in fractured porous media
, Article Energy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization and Environmental Effects ; Volume 35, Issue 12 , Aug , 2013 , Pages 1129-1139 ; 15567036 (ISSN) ; Ghazanfari, M. H ; Masihi, M ; Kharrat, R ; Sharif University of Technology
2013
Abstract
Finger initiation/development at fluid-fluid interface during miscible floods can cause poor displacement efficiency, which is undesirable in enhanced oil recovery processes. In this work, a series of hydrocarbon injection experiments performed on 5-spot glass micromodels that were initially saturated with the heavy crude oil. The fractured micromodels with different fracture geometrical characteristics were used in the tests. High quality image analysis was applied to determine the fluid flow behavior, solvent front movement, and viscous fingering associated with solvent movement in matrix and fractures. Observations showed that higher solvent dispersion in the fractures rather than matrix...
A new approach to characterize the performance of heavy oil recovery due to various gas injection
, Article International Journal of Multiphase Flow ; 2017 ; 03019322 (ISSN) ; Pourafshary, P ; Fathollahi, A ; Yassin, M. R ; Hassani, K ; Khosravi, M ; Mohammadifard, M ; Dangkooban, A ; Sharif University of Technology
Elsevier Ltd
2017
Abstract
The performance of CO2 injection into a semi-heavy oil reservoir was investigated at reservoir conditions, using highly permeable sandstone in a complete series of PVT tests and coreflooding experiments. Analysis of involved parameters such as: injection rate, injectant type and reservoir pressure were also considered. Oil viscosity reduction and oil swelling are the most influential mechanisms of enhanced oil recovery in this process. The results demonstrated that CO2 injection would decrease the interfacial tension for the high permeable medium in the absence of capillarity, but this reduction may not improve the recovery drastically. One of the main important aspects of this work is the...
A new approach to characterize the performance of heavy oil recovery due to various gas injection
, Article International Journal of Multiphase Flow ; Volume 99 , 2018 , Pages 273-283 ; 03019322 (ISSN) ; Pourafshary, P ; Fathollahi, A ; Yassin, M. R ; Hassani, K ; Khosravi, M ; Mohammadifard, M ; Dangkooban, A ; Sharif University of Technology
Elsevier Ltd
2018
Abstract
The performance of CO2 injection into a semi-heavy oil reservoir was investigated at reservoir conditions, using highly permeable sandstone in a complete series of PVT tests and coreflooding experiments. Analysis of involved parameters such as: injection rate, injectant type and reservoir pressure were also considered. Oil viscosity reduction and oil swelling are the most influential mechanisms of enhanced oil recovery in this process. The results demonstrated that CO2 injection would decrease the interfacial tension for the high permeable medium in the absence of capillarity, but this reduction may not improve the recovery drastically. One of the main important aspects of this work is the...
The semi-analytical modeling and simulation of the VAPEX process of ""Kuh-e-Mond"" heavy oil reservoir
, Article Petroleum Science and Technology ; Vol. 29, issue. 5 , Oct , 2009 , p. 535-548 ; ISSN: 10916466 ; Masihi, M ; Kharrat, R ; Sharif University of Technology
Abstract
The vapor extraction process (or VAPEX) uses vaporized solvents injected into a horizontal well to form a vapor chamber within the reservoir. Vapor dissolves in the oil and enhances the oil production by decreasing the oil viscosity in heavy oil reservoirs. To evaluate the process we conduct a simulation study on an Iranian heavy oil reservoir called Kuh-e-Mond. In addition, a semi-analytical investigation of the VAPEX process has been performed. The idea is to perform VAPEX simulation for a laboratory model and find a methodology to compare the results of the simulator with the semi-analytical Butler's model. In particular, a semi-analytical dimensionless correlation for production rate...
The semi-analytical modeling and simulation of the VAPEX process of "Kuh-e-Mond" heavy oil reservoir
, Article Petroleum Science and Technology ; Volume 29, Issue 5 , 2011 , Pages 535-548 ; 10916466 (ISSN) ; Masihi, M ; Kharrat, R ; Sharif University of Technology
Abstract
The vapor extraction process (or VAPEX) uses vaporized solvents injected into a horizontal well to form a vapor chamber within the reservoir. Vapor dissolves in the oil and enhances the oil production by decreasing the oil viscosity in heavy oil reservoirs. To evaluate the process we conduct a simulation study on an Iranian heavy oil reservoir called Kuh-e-Mond. In addition, a semi-analytical investigation of the VAPEX process has been performed. The idea is to perform VAPEX simulation for a laboratory model and find a methodology to compare the results of the simulator with the semi-analytical Butler's model. In particular, a semi-analytical dimensionless correlation for production rate...
Effect of ultrasonic irradiation treatment on rheological behaviour of extra heavy crude oil: A solution method for transportation improvement
, Article Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering ; Volume 95, Issue 1 , 2017 , Pages 83-91 ; 00084034 (ISSN) ; Ramazani S. A, A ; Alijani Alijanvand, H ; Ghazanfari, M. H ; Ghanavati, M ; Sharif University of Technology
Wiley-Liss Inc
2017
Abstract
The highly viscous property of heavy oil often causes problems in its transportation in pipelines. Mixing heavy oil with light oil as well as ultrasound treatment are viable solutions to this problem. In this study, extra heavy crude oil samples were first diluted with 0, 0.05, 0.1, and 0.15 mL/mL (0, 5, 10, and 15 vol%) of a light crude oil; then the mixture was irradiated by ultrasonic waves for 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 min; finally the viscous shear functions of all mixtures was measured at different values of shear rate at different temperature levels. The results revealed that the minimum viscosity of the diluted extra heavy crude oil samples was obtained at 10 min of ultrasonic...
Studies of Iranian heavy oils pertinent to reservoir conditions for their auto-ignition to initiate fire flooding
, Article Chemical Engineering Communications ; Volume 196, Issue 5 , 2009 , Pages 643-657 ; 00986445 (ISSN) ; Razzaghi, S ; Kharrat, R ; Rashtchian, D ; Vossoughi, S ; Sharif University of Technology
2009
Abstract
In this work, the potential for the auto-ignition of Iranian heavy oil during in situ combustion (ISC) process conditions was studied. Kinetic studies were carried out using thermal analysis techniques. Effects of oxygen partial pressure, reservoir pressure, and clay on the auto-ignition condition were investigated. Based on the experimental results obtained, a kinetic equation was derived for each of the different oil samples in the presence of different sands. The effect of partial pressure of oxygen in the injected air showed that at atmospheric pressure, low temperature combustion (LTC) was initiated at 275°C. Also, enriching the injected air by oxygen lowers the initial LTC temperature...
A mechanistic understanding of the water-in-heavy oil emulsion viscosity variation: effect of asphaltene and wax migration
, Article Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects ; Volume 608 , 2021 ; 09277757 (ISSN) ; Hemmati, M ; Safari, M ; Rahimi, A ; Rahmani, O ; Aminpour, S. M ; Beiranvand Pour, A ; Sharif University of Technology
Elsevier B.V
2021
Abstract
The role of emulsions as a prevalent phenomenon is broadly investigated in the petroleum industry since forming the emulsion has many severe harmful implications. Heavy components of crude oil such as wax and asphaltene make the water-in-oil (w/o) emulsion more stable, while the role of these components on the emulsion viscosity has not been fully understood. In this regard, to find a proper demulsifier to break these emulsions, it is necessary to know the mechanisms of emulsion formation by heavy oil components. In this study, the effects of waxy-oil and asphaltenic-oil on w/o emulsion were investigated by measuring volume and viscosity of the formed emulsion after an elapsed time, followed...
Numerical modeling of hydraulic fracturing in oil sands
, Article Scientia Iranica ; Volume 15, Issue 5 , 2008 , Pages 516-535 ; 10263098 (ISSN) ; Chan, D. H ; Sharif University of Technology
Sharif University of Technology
2008
Abstract
Hydraulic fracturing is a widely used and efficient technique for enhancing oil extraction from heavy oil sands deposits. Application of this technique has been extended from cemented rocks to uncemented materials, such as oil sands. Models, which have originally been developed for analyzing hydraulic fracturing in rocks, are in general not satisfactory for oil sands. This is due to a high leak-off in oil sands, which causes the mechanism of hydraulic fracturing to be different from that for rocks. A thermal hydro-mechanical fracture finite element model is developed, which is able to simulate hydraulic fracturing under isothermal and non-isothermal conditions. Plane strain or axisymmetric...
Experimental investigation of constant and concentration-dependent diffusivity of a hydrocarbon solvents-heavy oil system: A comparative study
, Article Energy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization and Environmental Effects ; Volume 34, Issue 3 , 2011 , Pages 235-245 ; 15567036 (ISSN) ; Kharrat, R ; Ghazanfari, M. H ; Rashtchian, D ; Sharif University of Technology
Abstract
This work is concerned with the experimental investigation of mass transfer, which occurs during diffusion of hydrocarbon solvents in heavy oil based on constant and concentration-dependent diffusion coefficient. Here, a series of free fall diffusion experiments have been conducted in sealed test tubes at fixed temperatures. Pentane, hexane, and octane were used as solvents and were placed on heavy oil in tubes. The diffusivity of heavy oil into solvents was monitored by a digital camera. The image analysis technique was applied to extract concentration profiles in diffusion zones of solvents by means of calibration curves. Fick's second law was used to obtain both constant and...