Steamflooding Wabasca tar sand through the bottomwater zone--scaled model tests

Journal Article · Tue Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1983 · SPEJ, Soc. Pet. Eng. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2118/8398-PA· OSTI ID:6109784

Huygen, H H.A.; Lowry, Jr, W E

Steamflooding a tar sand with a communicating bottomwater zone was investigated in a three-dimensional, scaled, laboratory model. Scaling is discussed and equipment and procedures are described. The authors studied the process mechanisms and the influence of steam rate and initial oil saturation, and compared performance of single and multiple patterns. The bottom water was found to counteract gravity segregation of the steam. If the steam rate is high enough, no gravity override occurs, and much of the formation is swept layer by layer, resulting in high recovery of oil. But oil/steam ratios are rather low, particularly at low initial oil saturation and in the single pattern pilot where oil bypasses the production wells.

• OSTI ID: 6109784
• Journal Information: SPEJ, Soc. Pet. Eng. J.; (United States), Journal Name: SPEJ, Soc. Pet. Eng. J.; (United States) Vol. 23:1; ISSN SSPJD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040401* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- In Situ Methods
True & Modified
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
EFFICIENCY
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLOW RATE
FLUID INJECTION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GRAVITATION
MATERIALS
OIL SAND DEPOSITS
OIL SANDS
OIL SATURATION
PRODUCTION
RECOVERY
SATURATION
SCALE MODELS
STEAM INJECTION
STRUCTURAL MODELS
THERMAL RECOVERY