Steam slug process
Steamflooding, or continuous injection of steam for oil recovery, has been shown to be technically feasible by numerous field tests. However, this process is not likely to be economical except under favorable conditions, e.g., small well spacings, adjacent formations of low thermal conductivity, etc. The high cost of continuous injection of steam and the inefficiency due to increasing loss of heat can be offset by injection of only a limited quantity, or ''slug'' of steam, followed by cold water injection. Whether this type of process would retain most of the desirable effects of steamflooding depends upon the particular rock-fluid system involved. The cold water injected, after the steam injection is terminated, serves to recover some of the heat lost to the adjacent formations during the steam injection phase, and also drives the oil bank formed previously. Results are given of an experimental investigation of the steam slug process. The magnitudes of oil recoveries are discussed, together with the temperature distribution in the formation.
- Research Organization:
- Continental Oil Co; Pennsylvania State Univ
- OSTI ID:
- 5517627
- Journal Information:
- Prod. Mon.; (United States), Vol. 32:11
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
A theoretical and experimental study of the steam slug process
INCREASING HEAVY OIL RESERVES IN THE WILMINGTON OIL FIELD THROUGH ADVANCED RESERVOIR CHARACTERIZATION AND THERMAL PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGIES
Related Subjects
OIL WELLS
STEAM INJECTION
ECONOMICS
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
HEAT TRANSFER
PETROLEUM
TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION
WELL SPACING
WELL STIMULATION
ENERGY SOURCES
ENERGY TRANSFER
FLUID INJECTION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
RECOVERY
STIMULATION
THERMAL RECOVERY
WELLS
020300* - Petroleum- Drilling & Production