Experimental studies of steam and steam-propane injection using a novel smart horizontal producer to enhance oil production in the San Ardo field

摘要

A 16????16????5.6 in. scaled, three-dimensional, physical model of a quarter of a 9-spotpattern was constructed to study the application of two processes designed to improve theefficiency of steam injection. The first process to be tested is the use of propane as asteam additive with the purpose of increasing recovery and accelerating oil production.The second process involves the use of a novel production configuration that makes useof a vertical injector and a smart horizontal producer in an attempt to mitigate the effectsof steam override.The experimental model was scaled using the conditions in the San Ardo field inCalifornia and crude oil from the same field was used for the tests. Superheated steam at190 ?????? 200????C was injected at 48 cm3/min (cold water equivalent) while maintaining theflowing pressures in the production wells at 50 psig. Liquid samples from each producerin the model were collected and treated to break emulsion and analyzed to determinewater and oil volumes.Two different production configurations were tested: (1) a vertical well system with avertical injector and three vertical producers and (2) a vertical injector-smart horizontalwell system that consisted of a vertical injector and a smart horizontal producer dividedinto three sections. Runs were conducted using pure steam injection and steam-propaneinjection in the two well configurations.Experimental results indicated the following. First, for the vertical configuration, theaddition of propane accelerated oil production by 53% and increased ultimate recovery by an additional 7% of the original oil in place when compared to pure steam injection.Second, the implementation of the smart horizontal system increased ultimate oilrecovery when compared to the recovery obtained by employing the conventional verticalwell system (49% versus 42% of the OOIP).