Why steam injection works (in Spanish)
Journal Article
·
· Pet. Interam.; (United States)
OSTI ID:6686007
One of the largest accumulations of heavy oil in the world is in the Bolivar coastal region, on the E. margin of Lake Maracaibo. Here most of the oil is of high viscosity, in unconsolidated shallow reservoirs. Primary recovery is very low, generally not exceeding 10 to 15% and sometimes practically zero. Gas and water drive are of very limited applicability. Royal Dutch Shell personnel in 1917, with the intention of applying thermal methods to a Dutch field, developed the idea, which was later applied in 1957 and in 1959 in the tar areas of the Mene Grande field, using steam injection, and in Tia Juana del Este, trying in situ combustion. The steam project was abandoned without reaching important conclusions. However, unexpectedly, satisfactory results were obtained when the injection wells were later opened, and flowed between 100 and 200 bpd of oil; whereas, other wells in the field were not capable of producing more than 5 bpd by primary methods. This behavior led to the concept of steam soaking. The improved behavior is due to thermal expansion, reactivation of solution gas drive at higher temperatures, improvement in drainage area, and displacement of oil by condensation of the steam. However, the sum of these effects is only an average of 5 to 10% of the in situ oil.
- Research Organization:
- Cia Shell Venezuela
- OSTI ID:
- 6686007
- Journal Information:
- Pet. Interam.; (United States), Journal Name: Pet. Interam.; (United States) Vol. 33:3; ISSN PTIAA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- Spanish
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Related Subjects
02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUID INJECTION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
IN-SITU COMBUSTION
IN-SITU PROCESSING
INJECTION WELLS
LATIN AMERICA
MINERAL RESOURCES
OIL FIELDS
OIL WELLS
OXIDATION
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
PROCESSING
PRODUCTION
RECOVERY
RESOURCES
SOUTH AMERICA
STEAM INJECTION
THERMAL RECOVERY
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
VENEZUELA
VISCOSITY
WELLS
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUID INJECTION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
IN-SITU COMBUSTION
IN-SITU PROCESSING
INJECTION WELLS
LATIN AMERICA
MINERAL RESOURCES
OIL FIELDS
OIL WELLS
OXIDATION
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
PROCESSING
PRODUCTION
RECOVERY
RESOURCES
SOUTH AMERICA
STEAM INJECTION
THERMAL RECOVERY
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
VENEZUELA
VISCOSITY
WELLS