Estudo paramétrico da segregação gravitacional na injeção contínua de vapor

Steam injection is the most used method of additional recovery for the extraction of heavy oil. In this type procedure is common to happen gravitational segregation and this phenomenon can affect the production of oil and therefore, it shoulds be considered in the projects of continuous steam injection. For many years, the gravitational segregation was not adequately considered in the calculation procedures in Reservoir Engineering. The effect of the gravity causes the segregation of fluids inside the porous media according to their densities. The results of simulation arising from reservoirs could provide the ability to deal with the gravity, and it became apparent that the effects of the gravity could significantly affect the performance of the reservoir. It know that the gravitational segregation can happen in almost every case where there is injection of light fluid, specially the steam, and occurs with greater intensity for viscous oil reservoirs. This work discusses the influence of some parameters of the rock-reservoir in segregation as viscosity, permeability, thickness, cover gas, porosity. From a model that shows the phenomenon with greater intensity, optimized some operational parameters as the rate flow rate steam, distance between the wells injector-producer, and interval of completion which contributed to the reduction in gravity override, thus increasing the oil recovery. It was shown a greater technical-economic viability for the model of distance between the wells 100 m. The analysis was performed using the simulator of CMG (Computer Modeling Group-Stars 2007.11, in which was observed by iterating between studied variables in heavy oil reservoirs with similar characteristics to Brazilian Northeast

Estudo da segregação gravitacional do processo de injeção de vapor em reservátórios heterogêneos

Due to reservoirs complexity and significantly large reserves, heavy oil recovery has become one of the major oil industry challenges. Thus, thermal methods have been widely used as a strategic method to improve heavy oil recovery. These methods improve oil displacement through viscosity reduction, enabling oil production in fields which are not considered commercial by conventional recovery methods. Among the thermal processes, steam flooding is the most used today. One consequence in this process is gravity segregation, given by difference between reservoir and injected fluids density. This phenomenon may be influenced by the presence of reservoir heterogeneities. Since most of the studies are carried out in homogeneous reservoirs, more detailed studies of heterogeneities effects in the reservoirs during steam flooding are necessary, since most oil reservoirs are heterogeneous. This paper presents a study of reservoir heterogeneities and their influence in gravity segregation during steam flooding process. In this study some heterogeneous reservoirs with physical characteristics similar those found in the Brazilian Northeast Basin were analyzed. To carry out the simulations, it was used the commercial simulator STARS by CMG (Computer Modeling Group) - version 2007.11. Heterogeneities were modeled with lower permeability layers. Results showed that the presence of low permeability barriers can improve the oil recovery, and reduce the effects of gravity segregation, depending on the location of heterogeneities. The presence of these barriers have also increased the recovered fraction even with the reduction of injected steam rate

Estudo paramétrico da segregação gravitacional na injeção contínua de vapor

Steam injection is the most used method of additional recovery for the extraction of heavy oil. In this type procedure is common to happen gravitational segregation and this phenomenon can affect the production of oil and therefore, it shoulds be considered in the projects of continuous steam injection. For many years, the gravitational segregation was not adequately considered in the calculation procedures in Reservoir Engineering. The effect of the gravity causes the segregation of fluids inside the porous media according to their densities. The results of simulation arising from reservoirs could provide the ability to deal with the gravity, and it became apparent that the effects of the gravity could significantly affect the performance of the reservoir. It know that the gravitational segregation can happen in almost every case where there is injection of light fluid, specially the steam, and occurs with greater intensity for viscous oil reservoirs. This work discusses the influence of some parameters of the rock-reservoir in segregation as viscosity, permeability, thickness, cover gas, porosity. From a model that shows the phenomenon with greater intensity, optimized some operational parameters as the rate flow rate steam, distance between the wells injector-producer, and interval of completion which contributed to the reduction in gravity override, thus increasing the oil recovery. It was shown a greater technical-economic viability for the model of distance between the wells 100 m. The analysis was performed using the simulator of CMG (Computer Modeling Group-Stars 2007.11, in which was observed by iterating between studied variables in heavy oil reservoirs with similar characteristics to Brazilian Northeast

Estudo da segregação gravitacional do processo de injeção de vapor em reservátórios heterogêneos

Due to reservoirs complexity and significantly large reserves, heavy oil recovery has become one of the major oil industry challenges. Thus, thermal methods have been widely used as a strategic method to improve heavy oil recovery. These methods improve oil displacement through viscosity reduction, enabling oil production in fields which are not considered commercial by conventional recovery methods. Among the thermal processes, steam flooding is the most used today. One consequence in this process is gravity segregation, given by difference between reservoir and injected fluids density. This phenomenon may be influenced by the presence of reservoir heterogeneities. Since most of the studies are carried out in homogeneous reservoirs, more detailed studies of heterogeneities effects in the reservoirs during steam flooding are necessary, since most oil reservoirs are heterogeneous. This paper presents a study of reservoir heterogeneities and their influence in gravity segregation during steam flooding process. In this study some heterogeneous reservoirs with physical characteristics similar those found in the Brazilian Northeast Basin were analyzed. To carry out the simulations, it was used the commercial simulator STARS by CMG (Computer Modeling Group) - version 2007.11. Heterogeneities were modeled with lower permeability layers. Results showed that the presence of low permeability barriers can improve the oil recovery, and reduce the effects of gravity segregation, depending on the location of heterogeneities. The presence of these barriers have also increased the recovered fraction even with the reduction of injected steam rate

Estudo paramétrico da recuperação de óleo no processo de drenagem gravitacional com injeção de CO2

The gas injection has become the most important IOR process in the United States. Furthermore, the year 2006 marks the first time the gas injection IOR production has surpassed that of steam injection. In Brazil, the installation of a petrochemical complex in the Northeast of Brazil (Bahia State) offers opportunities for the injection of gases in the fields located in the Recôncavo Basin. Field-scale gas injection applications have almost always been associated with design and operational difficulties. The mobility ratio, which controls the volumetric sweep, between the injected gas and displaced oil bank in gas processes, is typically unfavorable due to the relatively low viscosity of the injected gas. Furthermore, the difference between their densities results in severe gravity segregation of fluids in the reservoirs, consequently leading to poor control in the volumetric sweep. Nowadays, from the above applications of gas injection, the WAG process is most popular. However, in attempting to solve the mobility problems, the WAG process gives rise to other problems associated with increased water saturation in the reservoir including diminished gas injectivity and increased competition to the flow of oil. The low field performance of WAG floods with oil recoveries in the range of 5-10% is a clear indication of these problems. In order to find na effective alternative to WAG, the Gas Assisted Gravity Drainage (GAGD) was developed. This process is designed to take advantage of gravity force to allow vertical segregation between the injected CO2 and reservoir crude oil due to their density difference. This process consists of placing horizontal producers near the bottom of the pay zone and injecting gás through existing vertical wells in field. Homogeneous models were used in this work which can be extrapolated to commercial application for fields located in the Northeast of Brazil. The simulations were performed in a CMG simulator, the STARS 2007.11, where some parameters and their interactions were analyzed. The results have shown that the CO2 injection in GAGD process increased significantly the rate and the final recovery of oil

Análise paramétrica da simulação composicional do processo de Drenagem Gravitacional Assistida por Gás (GAGD)

In Brazil and around the world, oil companies are looking for, and expected development of new technologies and processes that can increase the oil recovery factor in mature reservoirs, in a simple and inexpensive way. So, the latest research has developed a new process called Gas Assisted Gravity Drainage (GAGD) which was classified as a gas injection IOR. The process, which is undergoing pilot testing in the field, is being extensively studied through physical scale models and core-floods laboratory, due to high oil recoveries in relation to other gas injection IOR. This process consists of injecting gas at the top of a reservoir through horizontal or vertical injector wells and displacing the oil, taking advantage of natural gravity segregation of fluids, to a horizontal producer well placed at the bottom of the reservoir. To study this process it was modeled a homogeneous reservoir and a model of multi-component fluid with characteristics similar to light oil Brazilian fields through a compositional simulator, to optimize the operational parameters. The model of the process was simulated in GEM (CMG, 2009.10). The operational parameters studied were the gas injection rate, the type of gas injection, the location of the injector and production well. We also studied the presence of water drive in the process. The results showed that the maximum vertical spacing between the two wells, caused the maximum recovery of oil in GAGD. Also, it was found that the largest flow injection, it obtained the largest recovery factors. This parameter controls the speed of the front of the gas injected and determined if the gravitational force dominates or not the process in the recovery of oil. Natural gas had better performance than CO2 and that the presence of aquifer in the reservoir was less influential in the process. In economic analysis found that by injecting natural gas is obtained more economically beneficial than CO2

Estudo da perda de carga e calor no poço injetor no processo De drenagem gravitacional assistida por vapor (SAGD)

The oil companies in the area in general are looking for new technologies that can increase the recovery factor of oil contained in reservoirs. These investments are mainly aimed at reducing the costs of projects which are high. Steam injection is one of these special methods of recovery in which steam is injected into the reservoir in order to reduce the viscosity of the oil and make it more mobile. The process assisted gravity drainage steam (SAGD) using steam injection in its mechanism, as well as two parallel horizontal wells. In this process steam is injected through the horizontal injection well, then a vapor chamber is formed by heating the oil in the reservoir and, by the action of gravitational forces, this oil is drained down to where the production well. This study aims to analyze the influence of pressure drop and heat along the injection well in the SAGD process. Numerical simulations were performed using the thermal simulator STARS of CMG (Computer Modeling Group). The parameters studied were the thermal conductivity of the formation, the flow of steam injection, the inner diameter of the column, the steam quality and temperature. A factorial design was used to verify the influence of the parameters studied in the recovery factor. We also analyzed different injection flow rates for the model with pressure drop and no pressure drop, as well as different maximum flow rates of oil production. Finally, we performed an economic analysis of the two models in order to check the profitability of the projects studied. The results showed that the pressure drop in injection well have a significant influence on the SAGD process.

Estudo das forças capilar, viscosa e gravitacional através de grupos adimensionais na simulação da drenagem gravitacional assistida por gás (GAGD)

The distribution and mobilization of fluid in a porous medium depend on the capillary, gravity, and viscous forces. In oil field, the processes of enhanced oil recovery involve change and importance of these forces to increase the oil recovery factor. In the case of gas assisted gravity drainage (GAGD) process is important to understand the physical mechanisms to mobilize oil through the interaction of these forces. For this reason, several authors have developed physical models in laboratory and core floods of GAGD to study the performance of these forces through dimensionless groups. These models showed conclusive results. However, numerical simulation models have not been used for this type of study. Therefore, the objective of this work is to study the performance of capillary, viscous and gravity forces on GAGD process and its influence on the oil recovery factor through a 2D numerical simulation model. To analyze the interplay of these forces, dimensionless groups reported in the literature have been used such as Capillary Number (Nc), Bond number (Nb) and Gravity Number (Ng). This was done to determine the effectiveness of each force related to the other one. A comparison of the results obtained from the numerical simulation was also carried out with the results reported in the literature. The results showed that before breakthrough time, the lower is the injection flow rate, oil recovery is increased by capillary force, and after breakthrough time, the higher is the injection flow rate, oil recovery is increased by gravity force. A good relationship was found between the results obtained in this research with those published in the literature. The simulation results indicated that before the gas breakthrough, higher oil recoveries were obtained at lower Nc and Nb and, after the gas breakthrough, higher oil recoveries were obtained at lower Ng. The numerical models are consistent with the reported results in the literature

Estudo paramétrico da recuperação de óleo no processo de drenagem gravitacional com injeção de CO2

The gas injection has become the most important IOR process in the United States. Furthermore, the year 2006 marks the first time the gas injection IOR production has surpassed that of steam injection. In Brazil, the installation of a petrochemical complex in the Northeast of Brazil (Bahia State) offers opportunities for the injection of gases in the fields located in the Recôncavo Basin. Field-scale gas injection applications have almost always been associated with design and operational difficulties. The mobility ratio, which controls the volumetric sweep, between the injected gas and displaced oil bank in gas processes, is typically unfavorable due to the relatively low viscosity of the injected gas. Furthermore, the difference between their densities results in severe gravity segregation of fluids in the reservoirs, consequently leading to poor control in the volumetric sweep. Nowadays, from the above applications of gas injection, the WAG process is most popular. However, in attempting to solve the mobility problems, the WAG process gives rise to other problems associated with increased water saturation in the reservoir including diminished gas injectivity and increased competition to the flow of oil. The low field performance of WAG floods with oil recoveries in the range of 5-10% is a clear indication of these problems. In order to find na effective alternative to WAG, the Gas Assisted Gravity Drainage (GAGD) was developed. This process is designed to take advantage of gravity force to allow vertical segregation between the injected CO2 and reservoir crude oil due to their density difference. This process consists of placing horizontal producers near the bottom of the pay zone and injecting gás through existing vertical wells in field. Homogeneous models were used in this work which can be extrapolated to commercial application for fields located in the Northeast of Brazil. The simulations were performed in a CMG simulator, the STARS 2007.11, where some parameters and their interactions were analyzed. The results have shown that the CO2 injection in GAGD process increased significantly the rate and the final recovery of oil

Análise paramétrica da simulação composicional do processo de Drenagem Gravitacional Assistida por Gás (GAGD)

In Brazil and around the world, oil companies are looking for, and expected development of new technologies and processes that can increase the oil recovery factor in mature reservoirs, in a simple and inexpensive way. So, the latest research has developed a new process called Gas Assisted Gravity Drainage (GAGD) which was classified as a gas injection IOR. The process, which is undergoing pilot testing in the field, is being extensively studied through physical scale models and core-floods laboratory, due to high oil recoveries in relation to other gas injection IOR. This process consists of injecting gas at the top of a reservoir through horizontal or vertical injector wells and displacing the oil, taking advantage of natural gravity segregation of fluids, to a horizontal producer well placed at the bottom of the reservoir. To study this process it was modeled a homogeneous reservoir and a model of multi-component fluid with characteristics similar to light oil Brazilian fields through a compositional simulator, to optimize the operational parameters. The model of the process was simulated in GEM (CMG, 2009.10). The operational parameters studied were the gas injection rate, the type of gas injection, the location of the injector and production well. We also studied the presence of water drive in the process. The results showed that the maximum vertical spacing between the two wells, caused the maximum recovery of oil in GAGD. Also, it was found that the largest flow injection, it obtained the largest recovery factors. This parameter controls the speed of the front of the gas injected and determined if the gravitational force dominates or not the process in the recovery of oil. Natural gas had better performance than CO2 and that the presence of aquifer in the reservoir was less influential in the process. In economic analysis found that by injecting natural gas is obtained more economically beneficial than CO2

Estudo da perda de carga e calor no poço injetor no processo De drenagem gravitacional assistida por vapor (SAGD)

The oil companies in the area in general are looking for new technologies that can increase the recovery factor of oil contained in reservoirs. These investments are mainly aimed at reducing the costs of projects which are high. Steam injection is one of these special methods of recovery in which steam is injected into the reservoir in order to reduce the viscosity of the oil and make it more mobile. The process assisted gravity drainage steam (SAGD) using steam injection in its mechanism, as well as two parallel horizontal wells. In this process steam is injected through the horizontal injection well, then a vapor chamber is formed by heating the oil in the reservoir and, by the action of gravitational forces, this oil is drained down to where the production well. This study aims to analyze the influence of pressure drop and heat along the injection well in the SAGD process. Numerical simulations were performed using the thermal simulator STARS of CMG (Computer Modeling Group). The parameters studied were the thermal conductivity of the formation, the flow of steam injection, the inner diameter of the column, the steam quality and temperature. A factorial design was used to verify the influence of the parameters studied in the recovery factor. We also analyzed different injection flow rates for the model with pressure drop and no pressure drop, as well as different maximum flow rates of oil production. Finally, we performed an economic analysis of the two models in order to check the profitability of the projects studied. The results showed that the pressure drop in injection well have a significant influence on the SAGD process.

Otimização de vazão de poços injetores em projeto de injeção de água utilizando simulação por linhas de fluxo

Until the early 90s, the simulation of fluid flow in oil reservoir basically used the numerical technique of finite differences. Since then, there was a big development in simulation technology based on streamlines, so that nowadays it is being used in several cases and it can represent the physical mechanisms that influence the fluid flow, such as compressibility, capillarity and gravitational segregation. Streamline-based flow simulation is a tool that can help enough in waterflood project management, because it provides important information not available through traditional simulation of finite differences and shows, in a direct way, the influence between injector well and producer well. This work presents the application of a methodology published in literature for optimizing water injection projects in modeling of a Brazilian Potiguar Basin reservoir that has a large number of wells. This methodology considers changes of injection well rates over time, based on information available through streamline simulation. This methodology reduces injection rates in wells of lower efficiency and increases injection rates in more efficient wells. In the proposed model, the methodology was effective. The optimized alternatives presented higher oil recovery associated with a lower water injection volume. This shows better efficiency and, consequently, reduction in costs. Considering the wide use of the water injection in oil fields, the positive outcome of the modeling is important, because it shows a case study of increasing of oil recovery achieved simply through better distribution of water injection rates

Estudo comparativo da injeção de água usando poços verticais e horizontais

Oil recovery using waterflooding has been until now the worldwide most applied method, specially for light oil recovery, its success is mainly because of the low costs involved and the facilities of the injection process. The Toe- To-Heel Waterflooding TTHWTM method uses a well pattern of vertical injector wells completed at the bottom of the reservoir and horizontal producer wells completed at the top of it. The main producing mechanism is gravitational segregation in short distance. This method has been studied since the early 90´s and it had been applied in Canada with positive results for light heavy oils, nevertheless it hasn´t been used in Brazil yet. In order to verify the applicability of the process in Brazil, a simulation study for light oil was performed using Brazilian northwest reservoirs characteristics. The simulations were fulfilled using the STARS module of the Computer Modelling Group Software, used to perform improved oil recovery studies. The results obtained in this research showed that the TTHWTM well pattern presented a light improvement in terms of recovery factor when compared to the conventional 5- Spot pattern, however, it showed lower results in the economic evaluation

Otimização de vazão de poços injetores em projeto de injeção de água utilizando simulação por linhas de fluxo

Until the early 90s, the simulation of fluid flow in oil reservoir basically used the numerical technique of finite differences. Since then, there was a big development in simulation technology based on streamlines, so that nowadays it is being used in several cases and it can represent the physical mechanisms that influence the fluid flow, such as compressibility, capillarity and gravitational segregation. Streamline-based flow simulation is a tool that can help enough in waterflood project management, because it provides important information not available through traditional simulation of finite differences and shows, in a direct way, the influence between injector well and producer well. This work presents the application of a methodology published in literature for optimizing water injection projects in modeling of a Brazilian Potiguar Basin reservoir that has a large number of wells. This methodology considers changes of injection well rates over time, based on information available through streamline simulation. This methodology reduces injection rates in wells of lower efficiency and increases injection rates in more efficient wells. In the proposed model, the methodology was effective. The optimized alternatives presented higher oil recovery associated with a lower water injection volume. This shows better efficiency and, consequently, reduction in costs. Considering the wide use of the water injection in oil fields, the positive outcome of the modeling is important, because it shows a case study of increasing of oil recovery achieved simply through better distribution of water injection rates

Estudo comparativo da injeção de água usando poços verticais e horizontais

Oil recovery using waterflooding has been until now the worldwide most applied method, specially for light oil recovery, its success is mainly because of the low costs involved and the facilities of the injection process. The Toe- To-Heel Waterflooding TTHWTM method uses a well pattern of vertical injector wells completed at the bottom of the reservoir and horizontal producer wells completed at the top of it. The main producing mechanism is gravitational segregation in short distance. This method has been studied since the early 90´s and it had been applied in Canada with positive results for light heavy oils, nevertheless it hasn´t been used in Brazil yet. In order to verify the applicability of the process in Brazil, a simulation study for light oil was performed using Brazilian northwest reservoirs characteristics. The simulations were fulfilled using the STARS module of the Computer Modelling Group Software, used to perform improved oil recovery studies. The results obtained in this research showed that the TTHWTM well pattern presented a light improvement in terms of recovery factor when compared to the conventional 5- Spot pattern, however, it showed lower results in the economic evaluation