Estudo do acoplamento do poço injetor nas simulações de injeção cíclica de vapor

Steam injection is a method usually applied to very viscous oils and consists of injecting heat to reduce the viscosity and, therefore, increase the oil mobility, improving the oil production. For designing a steam injection project it is necessary to have a reservoir simulation in order to define the various parameters necessary for an efficient heat reservoir management, and with this, improve the recovery factor of the reservoir. The purpose of this work is to show the influence of the coupled wellbore/reservoir on the thermal simulation of reservoirs under cyclic steam stimulation. In this study, the methodology used in the solution of the problem involved the development of a wellbore model for the integration of steam flow model in injection wellbores, VapMec, and a blackoil reservoir model for the injection of cyclic steam in oil reservoirs. Thus, case studies were developed for shallow and deep reservoirs, whereas the usual configurations of injector well existing in the oil industry, i.e., conventional tubing without packer, conventional tubing with packer and insulated tubing with packer. A comparative study of the injection and production parameters was performed, always considering the same operational conditions, for the two simulation models, non-coupled and a coupled model. It was observed that the results are very similar for the specified well injection rate, whereas significant differences for the specified well pressure. Finally, on the basis of computational experiments, it was concluded that the influence of the coupled wellbore/reservoir in thermal simulations using cyclic steam injection as an enhanced oil recovery method is greater for the specified well pressure, while for the specified well injection rate, the steam flow model for the injector well and the reservoir may be simulated in a non- coupled way

Estudo do acoplamento do poço injetor nas simulações de injeção cíclica de vapor

Steam injection is a method usually applied to very viscous oils and consists of injecting heat to reduce the viscosity and, therefore, increase the oil mobility, improving the oil production. For designing a steam injection project it is necessary to have a reservoir simulation in order to define the various parameters necessary for an efficient heat reservoir management, and with this, improve the recovery factor of the reservoir. The purpose of this work is to show the influence of the coupled wellbore/reservoir on the thermal simulation of reservoirs under cyclic steam stimulation. In this study, the methodology used in the solution of the problem involved the development of a wellbore model for the integration of steam flow model in injection wellbores, VapMec, and a blackoil reservoir model for the injection of cyclic steam in oil reservoirs. Thus, case studies were developed for shallow and deep reservoirs, whereas the usual configurations of injector well existing in the oil industry, i.e., conventional tubing without packer, conventional tubing with packer and insulated tubing with packer. A comparative study of the injection and production parameters was performed, always considering the same operational conditions, for the two simulation models, non-coupled and a coupled model. It was observed that the results are very similar for the specified well injection rate, whereas significant differences for the specified well pressure. Finally, on the basis of computational experiments, it was concluded that the influence of the coupled wellbore/reservoir in thermal simulations using cyclic steam injection as an enhanced oil recovery method is greater for the specified well pressure, while for the specified well injection rate, the steam flow model for the injector well and the reservoir may be simulated in a non- coupled way

Avaliação da influência de cinza da casca de arroz em cimentos para poços de petróleo submetidos à injeção de vapor

Reservoirs that present highly viscous oils require methods to aid in their recovery to the surface. The elev ated oil viscosity hinders its flow through porous media and conventional recovery methods have not obtained significant efficiency. As such, the injection of steam into the reservoir through an injection well has been the most widely used method of therma l recovery, for it allows elevated volumes of recovery due to the viscosity reduction of the oil, facilitating the oil’s mobility within the rock formation and consequently into the production well where it will be exploited. On the other hand, the injecti on of vapor not only affects the fluids found in the rock pores, but the entire structure that composes the well where it is injected due to the high temperatures used in the process. This temperature increment is conducted to the cement, found in the annu lus, responsible for the isolation of the well and the well casing. Temperatures above 110 ̊C create new fazes rich in calcium in the cement matrix, resulting in the reduction of its permeability and the consequential phenomenon of mechanical resistance ret rogression. These alterations generate faults in the cement, reducing the well’s hydraulic isolation, creating insecurity in the operations in which the well will be submitted as well as the reduction of its economic life span. As a way of reducing this re trograde effect, this study has the objective of evaluating the incorporation of rice husk ash as a mineral additive substitute of silica flour , commercially utilized as a source of silica to reduce the CaO/SiO 2 ratio in the cement pastes submitted to high temperatures in thermal recovery. Cement pastes were formulated containing 20 and 30% levels of ash, apart from the basic paste (water + cement) and a reference paste (water + cement + 40% silica flour) for comparison purposes. The tests were executed th rough compression resistance tests, X - Ray diffraction (XRD) techniques, thermogravimetry (TG), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and chemical anal ysis BY X - ray fluorescence (EDS) on the pastes submitted to cure at low temperatures (45 ̊C) for 28 days following a cure at 280 ̊C and a pressure of 2,000 PSI for 3 days, simulating vapor injection. The results obtained show that the paste containing 30% r ice shell ash is satisfactory, obtaining mechanical resistance desired and equivalent to that of the paste containing 40% silica flour, since the products obtained were hydrated with low CaO/SiO 2 ratio, like the Tobermorita and Xonotlita fases, proving its applicability in well subject to vapor injection.

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.

Efeito da perda de carga e calor no poço injetor no processo de drenagem gravitacional assistido com vapor e solvente

Nowadays, most of the hydrocarbon reserves in the world are in the form of heavy oil, ultra - heavy or bitumen. For the extraction and production of this resource is required to implement new technologies. One of the promising processes for the recovery of this oil is the Expanding Solvent Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (ES-SAGD) which uses two parallel horizontal wells, where the injection well is situated vertically above the production well. The completion of the process occurs upon injection of a hydrocarbon additive at low concentration in conjunction with steam. The steam adds heat to reduce the viscosity of the oil and solvent aids in reducing the interfacial tension between oil/ solvent. The main force acting in this process is the gravitational and the heat transfer takes place by conduction, convection and latent heat of steam. In this study was used the discretized wellbore model, where the well is discretized in the same way that the reservoir and each section of the well treated as a block of grid, with interblock connection with the reservoir. This study aims to analyze the influence of the pressure drop and heat along the injection well in the ES-SAGD process. The model used for the study is a homogeneous reservoir, semi synthetic with characteristics of the Brazilian Northeast and numerical simulations were performed using the STARS thermal simulator from CMG (Computer Modelling Group). The operational parameters analyzed were: percentage of solvent injected, the flow of steam injection, vertical distance between the wells and steam quality. All of them were significant in oil recovery factor positively influencing this. The results showed that, for all cases analyzed, the model considers the pressure drop has cumulative production of oil below its respective model that disregards such loss. This difference is more pronounced the lower the value of the flow of steam injection

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.

Efeito da perda de carga e calor no poço injetor no processo de drenagem gravitacional assistido com vapor e solvente

Nowadays, most of the hydrocarbon reserves in the world are in the form of heavy oil, ultra - heavy or bitumen. For the extraction and production of this resource is required to implement new technologies. One of the promising processes for the recovery of this oil is the Expanding Solvent Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (ES-SAGD) which uses two parallel horizontal wells, where the injection well is situated vertically above the production well. The completion of the process occurs upon injection of a hydrocarbon additive at low concentration in conjunction with steam. The steam adds heat to reduce the viscosity of the oil and solvent aids in reducing the interfacial tension between oil/ solvent. The main force acting in this process is the gravitational and the heat transfer takes place by conduction, convection and latent heat of steam. In this study was used the discretized wellbore model, where the well is discretized in the same way that the reservoir and each section of the well treated as a block of grid, with interblock connection with the reservoir. This study aims to analyze the influence of the pressure drop and heat along the injection well in the ES-SAGD process. The model used for the study is a homogeneous reservoir, semi synthetic with characteristics of the Brazilian Northeast and numerical simulations were performed using the STARS thermal simulator from CMG (Computer Modelling Group). The operational parameters analyzed were: percentage of solvent injected, the flow of steam injection, vertical distance between the wells and steam quality. All of them were significant in oil recovery factor positively influencing this. The results showed that, for all cases analyzed, the model considers the pressure drop has cumulative production of oil below its respective model that disregards such loss. This difference is more pronounced the lower the value of the flow of steam injection

Estudo da recuperação de óleo por drenagem gravitacional assistida por injeção de vapor

Steam assisted gravity drainage process (SAGD) involves two parallel horizontal wells located in a same vertical plane, where the top well is used as steam injector and the bottom well as producer. The dominant force in this process is gravitational. This improved oil recovery method has been demonstrated to be economically viable in commercial projects of oil recovery for heavy and extra heavy oil, but it is not yet implemented in Brazil. The study of this technology in reservoirs with characteristics of regional basins is necessary in order to analyze if this process can be used, minimizing the steam rate demand and improving the process profitability. In this study, a homogeneous reservoir was modeled with characteristics of Brazilian Northeast reservoirs. Simulations were accomplished with STARS , a commercial software from Computer Modelling Group, which is used to simulate improved oil recovery process in oil reservoirs. In this work, a steam optimization was accomplished in reservoirs with different physical characteristics and in different cases, through a technical-economic analysis. It was also studied a semi-continuous steam injection or with injection stops. Results showed that it is possible to use a simplified equation of the net present value, which incorporates earnings and expenses on oil production and expenses in steam requirement, in order to optimize steam rate and obtaining a higher net present value in the process. It was observed that SAGD process can be or not profitable depending on reservoirs characteristics. It was also obtained that steam demand can still be reduced injecting in a non continuous form, alternating steam injection with stops at several time intervals. The optimization of these intervals allowed to minimize heat losses and to improve oil recovery

Estudo do processo de drenagem gravitacional do óleo assistido com injeção de vapor e solvente

Como os recursos de hidrocarbonetos convencionais estão se esgotando, a crescente demanda mundial por energia impulsiona a indústria do petróleo para desenvolver mais reservatórios não convencionais. Os recursos mundiais de betume e óleo pesado são estimados em 5,6 trilhões de barris, dos quais 80% estão localizados na Venezuela, Canadá e EUA. Um dos métodos para explorar estes hidrocarbonetos é o processo de drenagem gravitacional assistido com injeção de vapor e solvente (ES-SAGD Expanding Solvent Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage). Neste processo são utilizados dois poços horizontais paralelos e situados verticalmente um acima do outro, um produtor na base do reservatório e um injetor de vapor e solvente no topo do reservatório. Este processo é composto por um método térmico (injeção de vapor) e um método miscível (injeção de solvente) com a finalidade de causar a redução das tensões interfaciais e da viscosidade do óleo ou betume. O objetivo deste estudo é analisar a sensibilidade de alguns parâmetros operacionais, tais como: tipo de solvente injetado, qualidade do vapor, distância vertical entre os poços, porcentagem de solvente injetado e vazão de injeção de vapor sobre o fator de recuperação para 5, 10 e 15 anos. Os estudos foram realizados através de simulações concretizadas no módulo STARS (Steam Thermal, and Advanced Processes Reservoir Simulator) do programa da CMG (Computer Modelling Group), versão 2010.10, onde as interações entre os parâmetros operacionais, estudados em um modelo homogêneo com características de reservatórios semelhantes aos encontrados no Nordeste Brasileiro, foram observadas. Os resultados obtidos neste estudo mostraram que os melhores fatores de recuperação ocorreram para níveis máximos do percentual de solvente injetado e da distância vertical entre os poços. Observou-se também que o processo será rentável dependendo do tipo e do valor do solvente injetado

Estudo do processo de drenagem gravitacional do óleo assistido com injeção de vapor e solvente

Como os recursos de hidrocarbonetos convencionais estão se esgotando, a crescente demanda mundial por energia impulsiona a indústria do petróleo para desenvolver mais reservatórios não convencionais. Os recursos mundiais de betume e óleo pesado são estimados em 5,6 trilhões de barris, dos quais 80% estão localizados na Venezuela, Canadá e EUA. Um dos métodos para explorar estes hidrocarbonetos é o processo de drenagem gravitacional assistido com injeção de vapor e solvente (ES-SAGD Expanding Solvent Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage). Neste processo são utilizados dois poços horizontais paralelos e situados verticalmente um acima do outro, um produtor na base do reservatório e um injetor de vapor e solvente no topo do reservatório. Este processo é composto por um método térmico (injeção de vapor) e um método miscível (injeção de solvente) com a finalidade de causar a redução das tensões interfaciais e da viscosidade do óleo ou betume. O objetivo deste estudo é analisar a sensibilidade de alguns parâmetros operacionais, tais como: tipo de solvente injetado, qualidade do vapor, distância vertical entre os poços, porcentagem de solvente injetado e vazão de injeção de vapor sobre o fator de recuperação para 5, 10 e 15 anos. Os estudos foram realizados através de simulações concretizadas no módulo STARS (Steam Thermal, and Advanced Processes Reservoir Simulator) do programa da CMG (Computer Modelling Group), versão 2010.10, onde as interações entre os parâmetros operacionais, estudados em um modelo homogêneo com características de reservatórios semelhantes aos encontrados no Nordeste Brasileiro, foram observadas. Os resultados obtidos neste estudo mostraram que os melhores fatores de recuperação ocorreram para níveis máximos do percentual de solvente injetado e da distância vertical entre os poços. Observou-se também que o processo será rentável dependendo do tipo e do valor do solvente injetado

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

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 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

Incorporação de resíduo cerâmico para prevenção da retrogressão da resistência de cimentos de poços de petróleo submetidos à injeção de vapor

Steam injection is the most used thermal recovery method of oil nowadays because of the high degree of development of the technique that allows high recovery factors. However, injection of superheated steam into the reservoir affects the entire structure of the well, including the cemented layer that presents a retrogression of compressive strength and increases the permeability due to formation of more crystalline and denser phases at temperatures above 110 °C. These changes result in failures in the cement that favor the entrance of formation fluids into the annulus space resulting in unsafe operations and restrictions in the economic life of the well. But the strength retrogression can be prevented by partial replacement of cement by silica-based materials that reduce the CaO/SiO2 ratio of cement slurries changing the trajectory of the reactions, converting those deleterious phases in phases with satisfactory mechanical strength and permeability. The aim of this study was to evaluate the behavior of a ceramic waste material rich in silica in partial and total substitution of a mineral additive used to fight the strength retrogression of cement slurries subjected to high temperatures. The evaluation was made by compression, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetry (TG/DTG). The samples were submitted to a cycle of low temperature (38 °C) for 28 days and a cycle of low temperature followed by exposure to 280 ºC and 1000 psi by 3 days. The results showed that slurries with additions of up to 30% of the waste material are not enough to prevent the strength retrogression, while slurries with additions of the waste material combined with silica flour in various proportions produced hydrated products of low Ca/Si ratios that maintained the compressive strength at satisfactory levels