Operation Constraints of Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage Considering Steam Interference to Accomplish Optimum Bitumen Recovery

摘要

This paper determined the optimum operations of steam assistedgravity drainage covering steam interference between vapor chambersin a heterogeneous oil-sands deposit. The objective value was theminimum cumulative steam to oil ratio that represented energyefficiency. Three wellpairs, i.e. six horizontal wells, were installed totake steam interference between the chambers into consideration. Theoptimum operations showed the small difference of bottom holepressure between an injector and a producer that released a smallamount of steam into the reservoir. The lower injection could decreasethe steam interference and lateral fluid movement by generating asimilar size of chamber. A sensitivity analysis showed the key factorsto cumulative steam to oil ratio were bottom hole pressure of theinjectors and surface steam rate at the producers. To satisfy the limit ofsurface steam rate at the producer, the bottom hole pressure at theproducer increased sharply and maintain the small difference betweenthe producer and the injector.