Integrated Optimization of Thermal Processes In Heavy Oil Recovery - Biannual report VISTA 2009

Biannual Report VISTA 2009

Integrated Optimization of Thermal Processes in Heavy Oil Recovery

Project director: Whitson, Curtis,/ NTNU-IPT

Post-doc/ scholar: Ghasemi, Mohammad

Project duration: 01.05.09 - 01.05.12

Technical contact person in Statoil: Høier, Lars

Division head: Høier, Lars

Project number: 6346

Object

The main objective of the project can be divided in two parts: Modelling the thermodynamic behaviour of solvent into heavy oil and optimization of thermal methods in heavy oil recovery. True modelling of phase behaviour of thermal process in heavy oil requires detailed information of heavy end fractions. However, significant amount of heavy oil can not be distilled and remain as solid. Adequate characterization of heavy oil is one of our main objectives in this work. Moreover, we shall design new PVT experiment for heavy oil for specific range of pressure and temperature since conventional procedures are not able to give reliable data when thermal process are applied in heavy oil. Optimization of thermal methods into heavy oil is second phase of the work. The main goal is to build an integrated model that can connect reservoir to surface facility and use this model to optimize some thermal methods like SAGD (steam assisted gravity drainage), SAS (steam alternating solvent), ES-SAGD(expanding solvent SAGD). The main objective of this part is to find the main variables that control the performance of those processes into heavy oil recovery.

Status:

2 exams corresponding to 15 credits was completed both with grade A. New method for characterization of heavy oil which is based on crude assay data is submitted to SPE (Society of Petroleum engineers). This method was applied on heavy oil samples using gamma procedure for characterization of heavy end. However, in order to check the stability of the model, new samples with more pseudo fractions are needed. Moreover, learning the Petrostreamz Pipe-It software (the integration and optimization (IO) application) is in the progress.

Publications:

1- Whitson, C.H., Ghasemi, M., Sunjerja, S., and Alavian, S.A. 2009. C7+ Characterization Based on Crude Assay Data. Paper SPE 125403 will present at reservoir characterization conference, UAE, Abuthabi, 19-21 October 2009.