The Effect of Conductive Fracture on the Performance of Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD)

Conductive fractures as a reservoir heterogeneity can impact on steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) mechanism. Numerical simulation of Athabasca field scale SAGD with and without vertical, horizontal, and oriented fractures and sensitivity analyses of fracture properties is conducted. Contrary to previous studies that explain change of oil recovery of conductive fractured reservoirs due to change in steam chamber expansion, we explained it as result of change in steam chamber expansion and fluid transfer pattern. Furthermore, we found, depending on location of fractures; three types of fractures can enhance or reduce oil production rate, but do not have influence on ultimate oil recovery.     

Numerical Simulation of SAGD Recovery Process in Presence of Shale Barriers,Thief Zones,and Fracture System

This study presents a numerical investigation for evaluating the potential applicability of the steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) recovery process under complex reservoir conditions such as shale barriers, thief zones with bottom and/or top water layers, overlying gas cap, and fracture systems in the McMurray and Clearwater formation. The simulation results indicated that the near-well regions were very sensitive to shale layers, and only long, continuous shale barriers (larger than 50 m or 25%) affect the SAGD performance in these well regions. In addition, the thief zones had a strongly detrimental effect on SAGD. The results also showed that the SAGD recovery process was enhanced in the presence of vertical fractures but horizontal fractures were harmful to recovery. Fracture spacing is not an important parameter in the performance of a steam process in fractured reservoirs and extending horizontal fractures will reduce ultimate oil recovery in the SAGD process. This article provides a guideline for SAGD operations in complex geological reservoirs.     

Sensitivity Analysis to Operational Parameters of the Offset Well During Fast-SAGD Process in Naturally Fractured Reservoir

Few studies were done to investigate performance of the Fast steam-assisted gravity damage (SAGD) recovery method especially in naturally fractured reservoirs (NFR). The authors studied some cyclic steam stimulated operational parameters effects on the Fast-SAGD performance in NFR. A synthetic 2D homogenous model was constructed by Computer Modelling Group's (CMG) and simulated using the STARS module. Comparison between SAGD and Fast-SAGD recovery methods in this model shows great increase in the oil production but small increase of thermal efficiency in the Fast-SAGD recovery method. Simulation outcomes represent 17% increment in ultimate recovery factor but small reduction in steam-oil ratio. Results show that increasing the number of offset cycles and injection period yield increment in the oil production. Increasing the offset injection rate causes growth in the oil production, but has an optimal value. By increasing the distance between the offset well and SAGD well pairs up to a certain value, oil production increases but decreases after that point. This is due to the ability of the fractures in making connection between the steam chambers in higher distances. When production bottom-hole pressure decreases, the heated oil in near well region is subjected to more pressure drop and causes more oil to be produced. More offset wells result in higher production but simultaneously lower recovery factors. Increasing and decreasing soak time as the last investigated parameter did not affect the trend of production anyway.     

高压环境双水平井SAGD三维物理模拟实验

针对原始地层压力较高且难于在短期内降压的特稠油油藏,为了研究双水平井SAGD在高压环境下的开发效果,利用高温、高压三维物理模拟系统进行了SAGD物理模拟实验,并分析了在原始地层压力较高的特稠油油藏中进行SAGD生产的各项特征。研究结果表明:与低压环境下的SAGD生产过程相比,在高压环境下蒸汽腔发育过程虽然也分为3个阶段,但是蒸汽腔体积小,横向扩展范围有限;生产过程中没有出现稳产阶段,产油速率和油汽比在达到最大值以后迅速降低,大量原油在高含水和低油汽比阶段被产出;生产过程中热损失速率先缓慢、后迅速增加,最后保持稳定,与蒸汽腔发育的3个阶段相对应。根据实验研究结果可知,在高压环境下进行SAGD生产难以取得较为理想的开发效果,低压环境下SAGD开发的采收率远高于高压环境下SAGD的采收率。因此,高压环境下实施SAGD不能有效释放蒸汽潜热从而提高稠油油藏采收率,在能降低油藏压力的条件下,应首先利用适当工艺措施降低油藏平均压力,再实施SAGD开发。     

页岩夹层及压裂裂缝对蒸汽辅助重力泄油蒸汽腔扩展的影响

为了研究储层非均质特征对SAGD蒸汽腔扩展的影响,通过顺序指示模拟方法（SISIM）建立了不同页岩夹层分布模式,基于油藏数值模拟定义了“上部蒸汽腔分数”、“下部蒸汽腔分数”、“总蒸汽腔分数”的概念,研究了不同页岩夹层分布模式和压裂裂缝形式对SAGD蒸汽腔扩展的影响。研究结果表明:随着地层内页岩夹层发育的增多,页岩夹层对蒸汽腔扩展的限制作用增强,并呈现出蒸汽腔垂向扩展减弱而水平方向扩展增强的趋势;不同页岩概率下总蒸汽腔分数与采收率呈现较好的线性函数关系;压裂裂缝能改善SAGD蒸汽腔扩展和开发效果,垂直裂缝通过扩大蒸汽腔垂向发育高度加快了SAGD泄油速度,开发效果好于水平裂缝;移位垂直裂缝可以降低垂直裂缝导致的注采井间蒸汽窜流,蒸汽腔扩展及开发效果都好于垂直裂缝。     

Assessment of Optimal Operating Conditions in a SAGD Project by Design of Experiments and Response Surface Methodology

Abstract

The steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) is likely the most efficient and important thermal recovery in-situ method to produce extra-heavy oil and bitumen reservoirs. Indeed, a huge expansion of commercial SAGD applications is taking place, particularly in the Alberta oil sands of Canada. Numeric reservoir simulators are available for predicting SAGD performance indicators and are used as tools to support reservoir management decisions. Those decisions are related to the selection of optimal values of controllable variables, including operating conditions such as preheating period, sub-cooling temperature, maximum steam injection pressure, maximum steam injection rate and steam quality, and temperature. In order to make unbiased decisions, the optimization process should be done considering the stochastic character of reservoir variables. However, the high computational time associated to the complex numeric solution of reservoirs under the SAGD recovery process makes the integration of reservoir uncertainty to the SAGD decision-making process an almost impossible task. Thus, a calibrated-proxy is used in this work as an efficient substitute of the numeric simulator to accomplish such a task. Design of experimental techniques and response surface methodology allowed the construction of a simple model by fitting a quadratic model to reservoir simulator outputs extracted from a chosen set of simulation cases. The main purpose of this work was to optimize the production and injection constraints of a SAGD well pair, based on an Athabasca oil sands data set, in order to maximize the net present value in presence of reservoir uncertainty. The production and injection constrains considered in the problem were: injection pressure, maximum steam flow rate, and sub-cooling temperature; and the reservoir uncertainty was represented by vertical permeability, porosity, thickness, horizontal to vertical permeability, and initial oil saturation. The results indicate that experimental design and response surface techniques are excellent tools to quickly obtain valuable information about the SAGD performance.     

泡沫油型超重油冷采后转SAGD开发数值模拟

泡沫油型超重油油藏原始溶解气油比高,地下可形成泡沫油流,水平井冷采初产较高,但一次衰竭开发采收率低。因此,开展了泡沫油型超重油冷采后转SAGD开发技术研究。根据研究区块油藏地质特征,建立了泡沫油冷采及热采数值模拟模型,研究了泡沫油SAGD驱油机理和开发技术政策。研究结果表明,与油砂SAGD不同,泡沫油具有流动性,泡沫油SAGD驱油机理为在注采井形成热连通之前蒸汽驱油为主、重力泄油为辅,形成热连通后蒸汽驱油为辅、重力泄油为主。泡沫油SAGD启动阶段不需要预热,注采井间垂向井距应适当增大。地层压力下降后油相中析出的溶解气附着在蒸汽腔侧面上影响蒸汽腔的横向扩展。因此,冷采转SAGD时机应尽量延后,当冷采至较低地层压力、溶解气含量大幅降低时转SAGD开发效果更好。由于区块构造具有倾角,生产井水平段井轨迹应保持水平,有利于形成合理的SAGD汽液界面;在满足技术经济条件下,缩小SAGD排距可提高采出程度。提出了提高SAGD开发效果的措施：1采用上下两口水平井冷采,有利于减少溶解气含量,提高SAGD开采效果;2对于多井SAGD,采用（交替）不平衡注汽,可促进蒸汽腔发育,提高采出程度。     

The Applicability of Expanding Solvent Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage (ES-SAGD) in Fractured Systems

Abstract

The aim of this contribution is to evaluate the performance of an expanding solvent steam assisted gravity drainage (ES-SAGD) process in naturally fractured systems. Steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) and ES-SAGD processes have been investigated in both conventional and fractured reservoir models and the effect of networked fractures on the recovery mechanism and performance of ES-SAGD has been investigated. Operational parameters such as steam quality, vertical distances between wells, and steam injection temperature have been also evaluated. Finally, to study the effect of a well's horizontal offset, a staggered ES-SAGD well configuration has been compared to a stacked ES-SAGD.     

碳酰胺辅助SAGD提高超稠油Ⅲ类油藏采收率技术

超稠油Ⅲ类油藏原油黏度高、渗透率低、夹层发育,在蒸汽辅助重力泄油(SAGD)生产中存在蒸汽腔扩展慢、泄油阻力大、产量与油汽比“双低”等现象,针对该问题,提出了碳酰胺辅助SAGD技术,采用室内实验与数值模拟结合的方法,揭示其机理并进行关键参数优化。研究表明,碳酰胺注入蒸汽腔后具有乳化降黏、提高驱油效率和改善水敏等作用。以地质条件和采出程度为依据,制订油藏筛选标准,优选出风城油田Z井区试验井组,并开展优化设计,设计碳酰胺注入质量分数为60%,注入温度为60～100℃,注入量为42 t,注入井焖井时间为60 min,后续蒸汽顶替段塞为10 t,生产井焖井时间90 min后转正常SAGD操作。与纯蒸汽SAGD相比,1 a期内平均日产油提高3.8 t/d,油汽比提高0.04,按照油价1 988元/t测算阶段投入产出比为1∶5,预测最终采收率提高9.4个百分点,最终达到55.7%。研究成果对提高超稠油Ⅲ类油藏SAGD开发效果具有重要意义。     

OPTIMUM STEAM INJECTION STRATEGIES FOR NATURALLY FRACTURED RESERVOIRS

This study aims to identify the effective parameters on matrix oil recovery and the efficiency of this process while there is a continuous flow of steam in fracture. Single matrix system is studied first. The critical injection rate is defined for laboratory scale simulation for different matrix properties. It is observed that there is a critical injection rate optimizing the process and the critical injection rate for an efficient matrix oil recovery is defined for different matrix sizes and matrix heat transfer coefficients.

In the second part of the study, similar analysis is performed to investigate the effect of injection rate on the oil recovery for field scale. Critical rate concept is evaluated for different number of horizontal fractures and steam qualities. Finally, the economics of steam injection in the field scale is studied. The optimum injection strategies determined by the adjustment of injection rates are discussed based on the fracture properties such as density and permeability. The approach and results can be used in further studies to analyze the efficiency of thermal applications and to obtain correlations for steam injection performances in naturally fractured reservoirs.     

油砂SAGD开发后期转火驱数值模拟

当蒸汽辅助重力泄油(SAGD)开发进入平台期末时,日产油量降低,汽油比急剧升高,在蒸汽腔发育的楔形区域存在大量剩余油,造成热量的损失,并降低了开发的经济性。文中提出了SAGD开发后期转火驱的接替方式,基于加拿大某油砂区块储层、流体特征建立数值模拟机理模型,将蒸汽腔波及至油层顶部边缘位置时作为转火驱的开发时机,利用在SAGD井两侧添加的垂直注气井排与原水平生产井分别作为火驱开发的注、采井,对转驱开发进行油藏数值模拟研究。结果表明:转驱开发分为4个阶段,即气驱次生水期、火驱见效期、火驱稳产期以及产量递减期;转驱采出程度达到20.9%,平均空气油比仅为788 m~3/m~3,最终采收率达到82.1%。该研究对于油砂高效开发具有积极的推动作用。     

提高直井与水平井组合SAGD泄油速率技术研究

针对辽河油田直井与水平井组合SAGD井组在开发过程中存在泄油速率低、蒸汽腔扩展不均匀等问题,以R.M.Bulter建立的双水平井泄油模型为理论基础,将直井与水平井简化为双水平井,在考虑端点效应有限长度水平井日产量方程的基础上,建立了水平井的泄油速率模型,并得到直井与注汽水平井组合SAGD上产和稳产阶段的泄油速率方程。分析泄油速率方程发现,直井与水平井组合SAGD井组泄油速率的主控因素为泄油井点数和蒸汽腔纵向扩展高度,结合辽河油田稠油开发实践,给出了直井与水平井组合SAGD井组提高泄油速率的技术措施,即水平段跟部注汽井增加2口,并将注汽井注汽排量提高20%,同时将最佳射孔位置设在靠近低物性段处,补孔长度确定为8 m。该技术在辽河油田6井组进行了现场应用,日产油量均呈现不同程度的上升,取得阶段性成功,为进一步提高SAGD井组泄油速率奠定了良好的基础。      

OPTIMUM STEAM INJECTION STRATEGIES FOR NATURALLY FRACTURED RESERVOIRS

ABSTRACT

This study aims to identify the effective parameters on matrix oil recovery and the efficiency of this process while there is a continuous flow of steam in fracture. Single matrix system is studied first. The critical injection rate is defined for laboratory scale simulation for different matrix properties. It is observed that there is a critical injection rate optimizing the process and the critical injection rate for an efficient matrix oil recovery is defined for different matrix sizes and matrix heat transfer coefficients.

In the second part of the study, similar analysis is performed to investigate the effect of injection rate on the oil recovery for field scale. Critical rate concept is evaluated for different number of horizontal fractures and steam qualities. Finally, the economics of steam injection in the field scale is studied. The optimum injection strategies determined by the adjustment of injection rates are discussed based on the fracture properties such as density and permeability. The approach and results can be used in further studies to analyze the efficiency of thermal applications and to obtain correlations for steam injection performances in naturally fractured reservoirs.     

Static Stability of Liquid Bridges Between Matrix Blocks of a Gas Invaded Zone of Naturally Fractured Reservoirs

A large portion of oil and gas reservoirs in the world are located in naturally fractured reservoirs. Despite such importunity, the production mechanisms of these reservoirs are not completely well defined. Gas–oil gravity drainage that takes place in the gas-invaded zone of this type of reservoirs is one instance of such a weakness. The density difference between gas-filled fractures in contact with oil-saturated matrix blocks brings the oil out of the matrix blocks into the fracture. The drained oil can reach the production well through two different paths: continues fracture network and block-to-block path. These two different paths require different approaches to modeling of gravity drainage. Single-block approaches are used when drained oil only travels through the fracture network, which totally formulated before. But when oil prefers to travel through the matrix blocks, continuum approaches such as Darcy's law may not work in their basic forms any more. Liquid bridges and film that form in the horizontal fracture between matrix blocks usually transfer the wetting phase across the fracture. Stability condition and duration of stability can help better understanding of gravity drainage in stacks of blocks. In this article, the stability of liquid bridges between the matrix blocks studied and a minimum length of stability is predicated. The results show that this stable length of liquid bridges formed between adjacent matrix blocks is 2r₀π, which is a function of the pore throat. This critical length can be used in modeling of capillary continuity and wetting phase transfer across matrix blocks.     

裂缝性油藏单井渗流规律研究

在进行裂缝性油藏渗流理论研究时，用常规方法难以对随机分布在储层中且不与油水井相连通的天然裂缝进行处理。为此，根据等值渗流阻力原理，将天然裂缝表征成果应用到油田开发研究中，考虑天然裂缝表征参数对渗流特征的影响，建立了裂缝性油藏单井稳态渗流的理论模型。用实际油藏参数进行了实例计算，研究了裂缝长度、裂缝开度、裂缝数目、裂缝线密度及裂缝与油井的相对距离等参数对压力分布和产量的影响。结果表明，在距井约10m范围内天然裂缝对压力分布和产量的影响大，超过10m，对压力分布和产量的影响减小；裂缝开度、数量和线密度超过一定值后天然裂缝对压力分布和产量的影响程度减小。     

辽河油田蒸汽辅助重力泄油开发实践

辽河油田是中国最大的稠油热采基地,稠油资源丰富,蒸汽吞吐是大部分稠油油藏的主要开发方式,但采收率仅为22%～25%。为有效提高辽河油田超稠油油藏采收率,针对油藏埋藏深、隔夹层发育和蒸汽吞吐后非均质性加剧等难题,开展蒸汽辅助重力泄油(SAGD)的室内物理模拟实验,进行油藏工程、钻采工艺、地面工艺等方面的系列攻关研究,先后经历了蒸汽辅助重力泄油先导试验、工业化一期工程和工业化扩大3个阶段。目前,辽河油田已有72个井组转为SAGD开发,2019年年产油达到105×10⁴t/a,已连续3 a年产油超过100×10⁴t/a。形成的地质、油藏、工艺配套的SAGD系列技术,可为同类油藏的开发提供借鉴。     

双水平井SAGD间歇式吞吐强化扩腔技术

强非均质储层条件下,超稠油双水平井SAGD开发中普遍存在注采井间窜扰、水平段动用不均匀、蒸汽腔规模小且扩展缓慢等问题,导致SAGD井组长期处于低产、低效状态。为了改善开发效果,提出双水平井SAGD间歇式吞吐强化扩腔技术策略。以新疆风城油田M区实际井组为例,采用数值模拟对吞吐操作方式、注采参数、转轮时机等关键参数开展了系统研究。研究结果表明,采用注汽井注汽(生产井关井),焖井后生产井采油(注汽井关井)的方式,在合理注采参数条件下,间歇式吞吐能有效改善开发效果,采收率达53.8%。SAGD间歇式吞吐强化扩腔技术主要作用机理为:(1)吞吐期间注汽井高速注入,蒸汽热损失减少;(2)注汽时消除了汽窜和压差影响,有助于扩大蒸汽波及和动用较差区域;(3)注汽期间重力泄油持续进行,建立的液面在开井生产时能有效防止汽窜,实现高效泄油。采用该技术在风城M区开展了2井组试验,措施后日产油水平提高了1.5 t/d,且生产稳定,研究成果为同类油藏改善开发效果提供技术参考。     

中深层超稠油油藏SAGD开发热效率分析及提升对策

针对目前中深层超稠油油藏SAGD(蒸汽辅助重力泄油)开发中热能消耗大、热利用率低的问题,参考辽河油田杜84块馆陶油层SAGD实际生产数据,对SAGD开发各阶段热损失原因和影响因素进行了分析,计算了开发全过程各阶段的热损失,并提出了热效率提升对策.结果表明:SAGD开发全过程的热损失包含注汽锅炉热损失、汽水分离器热损失、...     

蒸汽与天然气驱(SAGP)开采特征——与蒸汽辅助重力泄油(SAGD)对比分析

利用数值模拟方法及Surfer制图软件制作了蒸汽辅助重力泄油(SAGD)和蒸汽与天然气驱(SAGP)两种开采方式在采油过程中不同重力泄油阶段(泄油初期、泄油高峰期、泄油末期)的温度场、剩余油饱和度场的场图,更直观、可靠地对比研究了SAGD与SAGP的蒸汽腔形成及扩展过程以及不同泄油阶段蒸汽腔形状及渗流特征,并对两种开采...     

确定压裂裂缝部分闭合的现代产量递减分析方法及应用

现有的压裂井产量递减分析商业软件中没有考虑压裂缝闭合对油气产量的影响,所解释的压裂井裂缝长度远小于实际压裂缝长度。基于压裂井裂缝部分闭合和裂缝流量不均匀特征,建立了考虑裂缝部分闭合的压裂井产量递减模型,通过Newman乘积、空间变换与数值反演得到压裂井不稳定产量解,绘制了产量递减理论图版。与常规压裂井产量递减模型对比发现:新模型由于考虑了闭合裂缝的影响,不稳定流阶段产量递减速率比常规递减模型降低30%~50%;进入边界控制流阶段后,两种模型的曲线大致重合;当裂缝部分闭合长度增大时,递减速率降低的幅度也将变大。新模型在苏里格、大牛地等致密气藏的压裂井产量递减分析中拟合效果较常规递减模型好,解释得到的远井段闭合裂缝长度可以用来预测裂缝部分闭合对压裂井产量的影响。