Vapex—Gravity-assisted Film Drainage for Heavy Oil Recovery

Reservoir heavy oils of viscosity higher than 20 cp are difficult to recover efficiently. A new vapor extraction process called Vapex which uses horizontal wells and volatile solvents is being developed, primarily in Canada. This process lowers the viscosity of the oil by dilution and the oil is produced by gravity drainage (vertical movement of fluids) to horizontal wells placed low in the reservoir. More oil should be produced at lower production and energy costs. The Vapex process is outlined in this article and followed by some experimental work demonstrating gravity drainage flow in films at the macro- and micro-scale.     

Vapex—Gravity-assisted Film Drainage for Heavy Oil Recovery

Abstract

Reservoir heavy oils of viscosity higher than 20 cp are difficult to recover efficiently. A new vapor extraction process called Vapex which uses horizontal wells and volatile solvents is being developed, primarily in Canada. This process lowers the viscosity of the oil by dilution and the oil is produced by gravity drainage (vertical movement of fluids) to horizontal wells placed low in the reservoir. More oil should be produced at lower production and energy costs. The Vapex process is outlined in this article and followed by some experimental work demonstrating gravity drainage flow in films at the macro- and micro-scale.     

The Effective Diffusion/Dispersion Coefficient in Vapor Extraction of Heavy Oil

Abstract

In this study, a new correlation for determination of effective diffusion/dispersion coefficients in the vapor extraction of heavy oil/bitumen (VAPEX) is introduced. This model takes into account the solvent concentration as well as the drainage height and permeability dependency of these coefficients. The concentration dependency in this model stems from the mixture viscosity changes, while the height dependency appears directly in the correlation. The correlation was obtained using the experimental results of the VAPEX experiments that were conducted with physical models of varying sizes and different permeability sand-packs. Estimation of a proper mass transfer coefficient has been a challenging issue for the analytical and numerical simulation of the VAPEX and other similar processes. Incorporating the effect of drainage height on dispersion with a concentration-dependent diffusivity model enables one to estimate the dispersion coefficient values involved in this process.     

注有机极性气体开采稠油技术

针对储层薄、埋藏深的稠油油藏开发难度大及开采成本高的问题,在注溶剂萃取稠油技术（VAPEX）的基础上,提出向稠油油藏注入一种低饱和蒸汽压的有机极性气体PE提高采收率的采油技术。利用相态观察及黏度测定两种方法研究了该气体与稠油在气态和液态两种情况下的降黏效果。另外,还对比了该气体与VAPEX中常用烃类气体LPG对稠油降黏及萃取效果。实验结果表明:该气体在原油中具有很好的溶解性,能大幅度降低原油黏度;和LPG与稠油作用不同,该有机气体在液态状态下能大量分散稠油中的沥青,形成一种低密度低黏度混合相。现场应用表明注入该气体的措施井增产效果明显,因此,该注气技术可适用于一些埋藏深、油层薄、渗透性差和黏度高的稠油油藏。     

稠油冷采技术在胜利油田应用的可行性探讨

注蒸汽开采是提高稠油油藏采收率的有效方法，但存在着采油成本高以及在高轮次吞吐后期含水上升、产量递减加剧等问题。针对以上问题，列举了各种稠油冷采方法及其适用条件，其中包括出砂冷采、低频脉冲采油、井筒化学降粘、化学吞吐、Vapex方法、碱驱、注CO2方法、注烟道气方法等。分析了胜利油田未动用稠油油藏的开发难度，对稠油冷采技术在胜利油田应用的可行性进行了探讨．提出了建议。     

Measurement of gas diffusivity in heavy oils

Molecular diffusion of gases in oil plays a role in several heavy oil recovery processes. In solution gas drive, the gas diffusion coefficient has a direct impact on the amount of gas that is released and the level of supersaturation that exists during pressure depletion. In the Vapex process, molecular diffusion controls the rate at which the solvent vapour is absorbed by the oil. Molecular diffusion is also important in supercritical fluid extraction of heavy oils and in recovery of residual oil by miscible displacement. Unfortunately experimental data on gas diffusion coefficient in heavy oils are relatively scarce due to the tedious nature of diffusivity measurements. The main objective of this work was to develop a simple experimental technique for measuring gas diffusion coefficients in heavy oils. Diffusion coefficients of carbon dioxide and methane were measured by measuring the rate of gas absorption in a high-pressure windowed cell. The diffusion equation, coupled with the gas material balance equation, was used to history match the gas absorption data using the diffusion coefficient as an adjustable parameter. The diffusion coefficients calculated by this history match technique are compared with the reported values of diffusion coefficients in similar systems.     

用测井方法确定砂岩储层中固体沥青含量方法的探讨

塔里木油田志留系砂岩储层中固体沥青含量高，一般方法难以标定，给油气评价带来困难，通过对测井曲线特征分析并结合实验室资料，总结出测井评价方法，能较准确的标定出储层中固体沥青含量，为准确的油气评价和油气生产的顺利进行提供依据。     

Road bitumen's based on the vacuum residue of heavy oil and natural asphaltite: Part I – chemical composition

This work is devoted to studying the possibility of producing bitumen for road construction by using vacuum residue >420°C of heavy oil of the Ashal'chinskoe field in and natural asphaltite Spiridonovskoe field from Permian deposits in Tatarstan. The effect of natural asphaltite as a solid disperse phase element on the structural and group composition of the residual heavy oil product and its malacometrical qualities (penetration, extensibility, softening point, resistance to aging and adhesion) is revealed. The production of samples of compounded bitumen production was carried out by introducing the required amount of the shredded asphaltite to deasphaltizat vacuum residue of heavy oil and heating their mixture to 220°С with vigorous stirring. Changes in the composition and physical and chemical properties of deasphalting the residual heavy oil product, associated with the amount of injected asphaltite, showed the possibility of production of modified bitumen with better adhesion properties that correspond to road bitumen.     

Tar mats and residual oil distribution in a giant oil field offshore Abu Dhabi

This paper describes how geochemical data (Rock Eval analysis, SARA composition) combined with wireline log interpretation allows for the recognition of the distribution and continuity of bitumens in a main reservoir of an offshore giant field in Abu Dhabi. The integration of new geochemical data with data and field information provided by the oil company ZADCO allows for the recognition of two types of bitumen rich levels in the main reservoir of the field: a) one corresponding to bitumen rich main reservoir intervals associated with high resistivity and high oil saturation, these intervals can be called “tar mats”, b) the other corresponding to low oil saturated intervals, and can be classified as “heavy residual oil”.In terms of lateral and vertical distribution, the tar mats are found at the crestal area of the Present-day structure and are located at the base of the reservoir unit above a tight limestone which plays a role of being a vertical permeability barrier. The tar mats seem to be independent of the Present-day OWC and are not related to biodegradation processes. The heavy residual oil is mainly located in the Northeast and the Southeast parts of the field and close to the OWC but it is also present all around the field except 1) in the west, in the area of the spill point and 2) in the Northwest area where direct contact between mobile oil and water is detected.Study of the structural evolution demonstrates that a tilting of the field began at Dammam age time (Eocene). The tilting of the structure led to a reduction of the structural closure in the West followed by the leakage of part of the originally trapped oil.Numerical modeling of such a geological scenario leads to a distribution of fluids (water, movable oil and residual oil) very close to the one observed at Present-day time in the field. This modeling allows a prediction of the extension and distribution of the residual heavy oil within the studied reservoir and can be used to better define an optimal production scheme. The effects of the residual heavy oils on the fluid circulation are difficult to evaluate, depending on the distribution of the bitumen in the pore network.     

含水气贫凝析气体系的相态及渗流特征

常规凝析气体系的相态分析忽略了水气的影响，而在实际生产中发现水气对凝析气井的生产产生的影响已不可忽视。文章针对低含凝析油的凝析气体系，采用实验的方法对比研究了含水气体系和不含水气体系的相态特征，发现水气的存在使低含油的凝析气体系的相态发生较大变化，凝析液量的析出区间与常规相态分析不重合，存在较大的偏移。在此基础上，提出用水膜的形式来描述低渗凝析气藏的开发过程中凝析水对油气渗流影响，并给出了相应的数学模型；用一实际体系研究了凝析水析出对相渗曲线的影响，结果表明凝析水的析出改变了凝析油气的渗流，它使其相渗曲线发生偏移，加速了近井地带凝析油饱和度的聚集速度。研究认为，凝析气中水气的存在会加速重烃的凝析，改变凝析气的反凝析区间，渗流过程中水气形成的凝析水将加剧近井地带凝析油饱和度的聚集作用，大幅度降低低渗凝析气井的产能。     

Road bitumen's based on the vacuum residue of heavy oil and natural asphaltite: Part II – physical and mechanical properties

This work is devoted to studying the possibility of producing bitumen for road construction by using vacuum residue >420°C of heavy oil of the Ashal'chinskoe field in and natural asphaltite Spiridonovskoe field from Permian deposits in Tatarstan. The effect of natural asphaltite as a solid disperse phase element on the structural and group composition of the residual heavy oil product and its malacometrical qualities (penetration, extensibility, softening point, resistance to aging and adhesion) are revealed. Samples, compounded bitumen production, were carried out by introducing the required amount of the shredded asphaltite to deasphaltizat vacuum residue of heavy oil and heating their mixture to 220°С with vigorous stirring. Changes in the composition and physical and chemical properties of deasphalting the residual heavy oil product, associated with the amount of injected asphaltite, showed the possibility of production of modified bitumen with better adhesion properties that correspond to road bitumen.     

Successful simulation of solution gas drive in heavy oils using conventional modeling

Detailed investigations into the production behavior of heavy oil reservoirs under foamy solution gas drive have been conducted extensively in the past. Historically, two approaches have been used to explain and model the solution gas drive in heavy oil reservoirs. The first approach is the base of foamy oil models in which solution gas drive is governed by parameters such as compressibility, viscosity, nonequilibrium phenomena, and the supersaturation. In the second approach, conventional modeling, which we show to be suitable for the history matching and prediction of the production data and macroscopic modeling of a series of depletion experiments (using a live combination of heavy oil and methane gas in a three-dimensional rectangular laboratory model), the foamy oil flow mechanism, dispersed flow of gas and the supersaturation are nonexistent. The conventional modeling uses parameters such as critical gas saturation, very low gas relative permeability, and the assumption of no supersaturation in the reservoir.     

The Semi-Analytical Modeling and Simulation of the VAPEX Process of “Kuh-e-Mond” Heavy Oil Reservoir

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 that incorporates all involved physical parameters in the VAPEX process is developed. Also, we performed a sensitivity analysis on the proposed correlation to obtain its adjustable parameters and optimize using available experimental data.     

重油污垢热阻模型研究及应用进展

重油组成复杂,分子种类多,通过换热网络时易产生不同机制的污垢.介绍了重油胶体分散体系构成、重油稳定性影响因素、重油稳定性评价及重油污垢产生的油品因素.总结了现有的重油污垢热阻数学模型及其发展形式,分析了重油灰分颗粒对污垢热阻的影响以及污垢热阻模型中薄膜温度的改进计算方法.重油污垢热阻可通过实验室试验测定,也可通过在线生...     

稠油油藏中含内热源多孔介质的传热研究

立足于稠油热采技术,通过研究分析储层中含内热源多孔介质的传热机理,建立相应的传热计算模型,给出稠油油藏多孔介质在内热源作用下的温度分布,从而了解温度对油层中原油(尤其是稠油)性质的影响。文中以火烧油层工艺为例,考虑了由生产井注入空气与油层(即含内热源多孔介质)中原油的燃烧放热反应这一因素。运用了数理方程、渗流力学、采油工程等方面的知识,建立了含内热源多孔介质一维传热模型,并对所建立的一维传热微分方程进行求解,得到油层多孔介质在内热源作用下的温度场分布。研究油层多孔介质内部温度场分布对原油开采有重要指导意义。     

X油田F区块烟道气辅助SAGD提高超稠油开发效率研究技术

为改善X油田F区块油藏开发效果,采用物理模拟与数值模拟相结合的方法论证了烟道气SAGD(辅助重力泄油)的可行性并优化了注采参数。溶解特性实验结果表明,烟道气在F区块超稠油中具有降低表面张力和溶解降黏的作用,压力和温度越高,烟道气与超稠油的界面张力越低;烟道气在超稠油中的降黏率随溶解度的增加而升高,随着温度的上升而下降。三维物理模拟实验表明,烟道气SAGD可以减少蒸汽热损失,促进蒸汽腔发育,提高SAGD累计产油量和累计油汽比,能达到最佳的开发效果。     

加拿大油砂溶剂提取分离的实验研究

采用半连续溶剂抽提法对加拿大油砂进行了提取分离试验,应用溶解度参数理论以及实验筛选出最佳抽提溶剂为重整汽油。综合考察了提取温度、溶剂流量、提取时间以及提取压力等工艺操作条件对油砂沥青提取的影响。结果表明,在提取温度80 ℃、溶剂流量60 mL/min、提取时间60 min、提取压力1.0 MPa的条件下,油砂沥青提取率达到92.74%。     

A Post–Cold Production Solvent Vapor Extraction (SVX) Process Performance Evaluation by Numerical Simulation

Solvent vapor extraction (SVX) process has been proposed as an approach to improve heavy oil production after cold production. The wormholes formed during cold production can be utilized as conduits available to produce diluted oil in SVX process. Through numerical simulation, the authors studied the effects of wormhole characteristics (length, permeability and water saturation, direction, and wormhole branch number) and fluid and formation uncertainties (dispersion coefficients, relative permeability curves, and reservoir heterogeneity) on the production performance of SVX process. The conclusions drawn can be used as guidance for designing post-cold SVX processes.     

稠油环空掺稀气举技术——以吐哈油田吐玉克区块为例

为了提高稠油冷采开发水平,利用高18.25 m的垂直多相管流实验回路开展了稠油气举流动实验及压降模型优选。基于实验结果及井筒传热机理,建立了环空掺稀气举井筒压力-温度梯度耦合预测模型,并可通过耦合环空与油管内流动进行循环迭代求解。实验结果表明:注气有助于稠油与稀油更快更充分混合;压降模型优选表明,Ansari模型误差相对最小,为12.12% 。针对吐哈油田吐玉克区块稠油井筒举升困难的实际情况,提出了稠油环空掺稀+气举工艺思路,并开展了实例井掺稀气举设计,对注气量、掺稀量等进行了敏感性分析。实例设计结果表明,实例井仅靠气举无法生产,其 掺稀生产极限产量可达到16 m³/d,而掺稀+气举极限产量能达到52.5 m³/d;定产油量条件下,在特定范围内增加注气量能极大地减小掺稀量,且井底掺稀气举能极大地提升稠油井的产能。     

芳6断块微生物驱油数值模拟

根据微生物在多孔介质中运移的规律，微生物在驱油过程中的生长与衰竭、深积、趋化性、扩散、对流弥散和培养基消耗以及微生物对原油的降解、乳化等特性，建立了适合微生物驱油的数学模型。利用该模型系统地研究了驱替过程中微生物浓度、注入段塞尺寸和注入方式对微生物驱油效果的影响。