METHODS OF RECOVERING HEAVY HYDROCARBONS BY HYBRID STEAM-SOLVENT PROCESSES

摘要

Heavy hydrocarbons are recovered from a subterranean reservoir by a hybridrecovery process including steam-dominant and solvent-dominant processes. Theprocess includes injecting steam into the reservoir to assist recovery ofhydrocarbonsfrom the reservoir by the steam-dominant process until a peak processthreshold hasbeen reached. A vapor chamber is developed in the reservoir by steam injectionand adominant vapor in the vapor chamber during the steam-dominant process issteam.Upon determination that the peak process threshold has been reached, a solventandsteam are co-injected into the vapor chamber to assist further recovery ofhydrocarbons from the reservoir by the solvent-dominant process, such that thevaporchamber is further expanded and the dominant vapor in the expanded vaporchamberis a vapor of the injected solvent. A fluid comprising the solvent andhydrocarbons isrecovered from the reservoir.