Cold Heavy Oil Production (CHOP) as a primary production mechanism has been implemented successfully in the 1990s in shallow, heavy oil unconsolidated sandstones in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Typical reservoirs are 4.5-25 m thick uncemented sands with high saturations (85-90percent) of < 20deg API oils. Preferred candidates have gas in solution but no free water or gas zones. Initiation and maintenance of continuous sand production involves aggressive perforation strategies, use of progressive cavity pumps, and novel workover techniques. Maintaining sand production after initiation means dealing with large initial sand/fluid ratios for severall weeks, and smaller sand/fluid ratios for many months or years.
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