Estudo comparativo de diferentes sistemas de injeção de vapor aplicados à remediação de solos contaminados por diesel

Among the potentially polluting economic activities that compromise the quality of soil and groundwater stations are fuel dealers. Leakage of oil derived fuels in underground tanks or activities improperly with these pollutants can contaminate large areas, causing serious environmental and toxicological problems. The number of gas stations grew haphazardly, without any kind of control, thus the environmental impacts generated by these enterprises grew causing pollution of soil and groundwater. Surfactants using various techniques have been proposed to remedy this kind of contamination. This study presents innovation as the application of different systems containing surfactant in the vapor phase and compares their diesel removal efficiencies of soil containing this contaminant. For this, a system that contains seven injection wells the following vaporized solutions: water, surfactant solution, microemulsion and nanoemulsion, The surfactants used were saponified coconut oil (OCS), in aqueous solution and an ethoxylated alcohol UNTL-90: aqueous solution , and nanoemulsion and microemulsion systems. Among the systems investigated, the nanoemulsion showed the highest efficiency, achieving 88% removal of residual phase diesel, the most ecologically and technically feasible by a system with lower content of active matter

Estudo da injeção de água e gás em um reservatório com características do pré-sal brasileiro

The pre-salt province is composed by large amounts of light oil and with good quality, a reality that puts Brazil in a strategic position facing the great demand for energy worldwide. In this province are the largest discoveries in the world in the last ten years; areas as Libra, Franco and Lula field, everyone containing volumes greater than 8 billion recoverable oil barrels. To develop and optimize the production of these fields, a study was done for choosing the improved oil recovery methods. The main motivations were the presence of carbon dioxide (CO2) as a contaminant and the strategic decision of do not discard it, combined with high GOR (gas-oil ratio) of the reservoir fluid. The method should take advantage of the unique abundant resources: seawater and produced gas. This way, the process of matching these resources in the water alterning gas injection (WAG) became a good option. In this master’s dissertation, it was developed a reservoir model with average characteristics of the Brazilian pre-salt, where was applied the improved oil recovery method of water alternating gas. The production of this reservoir was analyzed by parameters as: the first fluid injected in the injection process, position of the injection wells completion, injection water and gas rate and cycle time. The results showed a good performance of the method, with up to 26% of gains in the recovery factor regarding the primary recovery, since the application of water injection and gas, individually, was not able to overcome 10 % of gain. The most influential parameter found in the results was the cycle time, with higher recovery factor values obtained with the use of shorter times.

Aplicação dos princípios LEAN MANAGEMENT ao projeto de moldes para injeção

Num mercado globalizado e extremamente competitivo, a escolha de uma metodologia de gestão é determinante para ditar o sucesso ou fracasso de uma empresa. O investimento em capital humano e tecnológico deve ser acompanhado por uma gestão de processos, rápida e eficaz, que direcione a organização para uma redução dos custos de um produto ou serviço. Nos últimos anos, vários autores têm demonstrado que uma das estratégias utilizadas para atingir este objetivo tem sido a aplicação da metodologia Lean Management, que ganhou reputação pelos resultados positivos alcançados. Este projeto foi elaborado em contexto industrial, no departamento de projeto da empresa Tecnifreza S.A., e teve como principal objetivo demonstrar que é possível obter uma diminuição do tempo de execução do projeto de um molde (lead time), através da aplicação dos princípios Lean Management. A metodologia utilizada assentou no registo detalhado de atividades predefinidas, ocorridas durante o projeto, baseada numa amostra constituída por nove moldes que melhor representam a realidade/tipologia produtiva da empresa. Após a análise dos dados obtidos, verifica-se que o desvio médio é de 91,7% entre o tempo de projeto inicialmente previsto pela direção e o tempo efetivo registado. Identificaram-se ainda as principais atividades que não acrescentaram valor aos projetos em estudo. Estas atividades, consideradas como desperdícios, perfazem no seu conjunto 34,6% do tempo total. Foram então sugeridas propostas de melhoria, de modo a reduzir ou eliminar estes tempos. De forma a avaliar o impacto destas propostas, foram realizadas estimativas tendo por base os dados de um molde tipo. Os resultados obtidos demonstram que, com a implementação das propostas de melhoria, são alcançados ganhos significativos na redução do lead time do projeto e consequentemente no tempo total de fabrico do molde. A antecipação na entrega dos desenhos 3D para a fabricação revela-se bastante evidente, existindo ainda um aumento no nivelamento da entrega de projetos para a fabricação. Face aos resultados apresentados verifica-se que a implementação de princípios Lean no departamento de projeto mostra-se potencialmente vantajosa, em particular com a introdução de células de trabalho e a realização do ciclo PDCA.

Desenvolvimento de pastas de cimento flexíveis para poços de petróleo submetidos à injeção de vapor utilizando látex do tipo SBR

Novel cementing materials formulations containing flexible polymeric admixtures have been studied aiming at improving the mechanical behavior of oil well cement slurries submitted to steam injection. However, research activities in this sector are still under development. The steam injected directly into the well causes casing dilation, which after a reduction in temperature, tends to return to its original dimensions, resulting in crack formation and hydraulic isolation loss of the well, which will result in shortening of well life. In this scenario, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the mechanical behavior of Portland-based slurries containing SBR latex, applied in oil well cementing of wells submitted to steam injection. Were formulated slurries with densities of 1.797 g/cm3 (15.0 lb/Gal) and 1.869 g/cm3 (15.6 lb/Gal), containing admixtures with a latex concentration of 0; 66.88; 133.76; 200.64 and 267.52 L/m3 (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 gpc). Tests including rheology, fluid loss control, thickening time, API compressive strength and splitting tensile strength, beyond steam injection simulation. Microstrutural characteristics of the slurries were also performed (XRD, TG, FTIR and SEM). The results showed that increasing the polymer concentration increased in the rheological properties and fluid loss, and a decrease in the elasticity modulus of the cement slurries. The results obtained showed that the slurries can be applied in cementing operations of oil wells submitted to steam injection.

Otimização e análise mecânica de pastas geopoliméricas para uso em poços sujeitos à injeção cíclica de vapor

Oil wells subjected to cyclic steam injection present important challenges for the development of well cementing systems, mainly due to tensile stresses caused by thermal gradients during its useful life. Cement sheath failures in wells using conventional high compressive strength systems lead to the use of cement systems that are more flexible and/or ductile, with emphasis on Portland cement systems with latex addition. Recent research efforts have presented geopolymeric systems as alternatives. These cementing systems are based on alkaline activation of amorphous aluminosilicates such as metakaolin or fly ash and display advantageous properties such as high compressive strength, fast setting and thermal stability. Basic geopolymeric formulations can be found in the literature, which meet basic oil industry specifications such as rheology, compressive strength and thickening time. In this work, new geopolymeric formulations were developed, based on metakaolin, potassium silicate, potassium hydroxide, silica fume and mineral fiber, using the state of the art in chemical composition, mixture modeling and additivation to optimize the most relevant properties for oil well cementing. Starting from molar ratios considered ideal in the literature (SiO2/Al2O3 = 3.8 e K2O/Al2O3 = 1.0), a study of dry mixtures was performed,based on the compressive packing model, resulting in an optimal volume of 6% for the added solid material. This material (silica fume and mineral fiber) works both as an additional silica source (in the case of silica fume) and as mechanical reinforcement, especially in the case of mineral fiber, which incremented the tensile strength. The first triaxial mechanical study of this class of materials was performed. For comparison, a mechanical study of conventional latex-based cementing systems was also carried out. Regardless of differences in the failure mode (brittle for geopolymers, ductile for latex-based systems), the superior uniaxial compressive strength (37 MPa for the geopolymeric slurry P5 versus 18 MPa for the conventional slurry P2), similar triaxial behavior (friction angle 21° for P5 and P2) and lower stifness (in the elastic region 5.1 GPa for P5 versus 6.8 GPa for P2) of the geopolymeric systems allowed them to withstand a similar amount of mechanical energy (155 kJ/m3 for P5 versus 208 kJ/m3 for P2), noting that geopolymers work in the elastic regime, without the microcracking present in the case of latex-based systems. Therefore, the geopolymers studied on this work must be designed for application in the elastic region to avoid brittle failure. Finally, the tensile strength of geopolymers is originally poor (1.3 MPa for the geopolymeric slurry P3) due to its brittle structure. However, after additivation with mineral fiber, the tensile strength became equivalent to that of latex-based systems (2.3 MPa for P5 and 2.1 MPa for P2). The technical viability of conventional and proposed formulations was evaluated for the whole well life, including stresses due to cyclic steam injection. This analysis was performed using finite element-based simulation software. It was verified that conventional slurries are viable up to 204ºF (400ºC) and geopolymeric slurries are viable above 500ºF (260ºC)

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

Injeção de vapor e solvente como um método de recuperação avançada em reservatório avançada em reservatórios de óleo pesado

Currently a resource more and more used by the petroleum industry to increase the efficiency of steam flood mechanism is the addition of solvents. The process can be understood as a combination of a thermal method (steam injection) with a miscible method (solvent injection), promoting, thus, the reduction of interfacial tensions and oil viscosity. The use of solvent alone tends to be limited because of its high cost. When co-injected with steam, the vaporized solvent condenses in the cooler regions of the reservoir and mixes with the oil, creating a zone of low viscosity between the steam and the heavy oil. The mobility of the displaced fluid is then improved, resulting in an increase of oil recovery. To better understand this improved oil recovery method, a numerical study of the process was done contemplating the effects of some operational parameters (distance between wells, injection steam rate, kind of solvent and injected solvent volume)on the accumulated production of oil, recovery factor and oil-steam rate. Semisynthetic models were used in this study but reservoir data can be extrapolated for practical applications situations on Potiguar Basin. Simulations were performed in STARS (CMG, 2007.11). It was found that injected solvent volumes increased oil recovery and oil rates. Further the majority of the injected solvent was produced and can be recycled

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 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

Estudo paramétrico da injeção de vapor em reservatórios delgados

Exploration of heavy oil reservoirs is increasing every year in worldwide, because the discovery of light oil reservoirs is becoming increasingly rare. This fact has stimulated the research with the purpose of becoming viable, technically and economically, the exploration of such oil reserves. In Brazil, in special in the Northeast region, there is a large amount of heavy oil reservoir, where the recovery by the so called secondary methods Water injection or gas injection is inefficient or even impracticable in some reservoirs with high viscosity oils (heavy oils). In this scenario, steam injection appears as an interesting alternative for recover of these kinds of oil reservoirs. Its main mechanism consists of oil viscosity reduction through steam injection, increasing reservoir temperature. This work presents a parametric simulation study of some operational and reservoir variables that had influence on oil recovery in thin reservoirs typically found in Brazilian Northeast Basins, that use the steam injection as improved oil recovery method. To carry out simulations, it was used the commercial software STARS (Steam, Thermal, and Advanced Processes Reservoir Simulator) from CMG (Computer Modeling Group) version 2007.11. Reservoirs variables studied were horizontal permeability, vertical and horizontal permeability ratio, water zone and pay zone thickness ratio, pay zone thickness and thermal conductivity of the rock. Whereas, operational parameters studied were distance between wells and steam injection rate. Results showed that reservoir variables that had more influence on oil recovery were horizontal permeability and water zone and pay zone thickness ratio. In relation to operational variables, results showed that short distances between wells and low steam injection rates improved oil recovery

Estudo comparativo da utilização do nitrogênio como fluido alternativo após a injeção de vapor

Currently, due to part of world is focalized to petroleum, many researches with this theme have been advanced to make possible the production into reservoirs which were classified as unviable. Because of geological and operational challenges presented to oil recovery, more and more efficient methods which are economically successful have been searched. In this background, steam flood is in evidence mainly when it is combined with other procedures to purpose low costs and high recovery factors. This work utilized nitrogen as an alternative fluid after steam flood to adjust the best combination of alternation between these fluids in terms of time and rate injection. To describe the simplified economic profile, many analysis based on liquid cumulative production were performed. The completion interval and injection fluid rates were fixed and the oil viscosity was ranged at 300 cP, 1.000 cP and 3.000 cP. The results defined, for each viscosity, one specific model indicating the best period to stop the introduction of steam and insertion of nitrogen, when the first injected fluid reached its economic limit. Simulations in physics model defined from one-eighth nine-spot inverted were realized using the commercial simulator Steam, Thermal and Advanced Processes Reservoir Simulator STARS of Computer Modelling Group CMG

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

Influência da areia argilosa na recuperação de petróleo por injeção de vapor

Continuous steam injection is one of heavy oil thermal recovery methods used in the Brazilian Northeast because of high occurrence of heavy oil reservoir. In this process, the oil into the reservoir is heated while reduces, substantially, its viscosity and improves the production. This work analyzed how the shaly sand layers influenced in the recovery. The studied models were synthetics, but the used reservoir data can be extrapolated to real situations of Potiguar Basin. The modeling was executed using the STARS - Steam Thermal and Advanced Process Reservoir Simulator - whose version was 2007.10. STARS is a tool of CMG Computer Modeling Group. The study was conducted in two stages, the first we analyzed the influence of reservoir parameters in the thermal process, so some of these were studied, including: horizontal permeability of the reservoir and the layer of shaly sand, ratio of horizontal permeability to vertical permeability, the influence of capillary pressure layer of shaly sand and as the location and dimensions of this heterogeneity can affect the productivity of oil. Among the parameters studied the horizontal permeability of the reservoir showed the most significant influence on the process followed by diversity. In the second stage three models were selected and studied some operational parameters such as injection rate, distance between wells, production time and completion intervals. Among the operating parameters studied the low rate and intermediate distances between wells showed the best recoveries