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On the physics of cyclic steam stimulation

Author

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  • Bao, Yu
  • Wang, Jingyi
  • Gates, Ian D.

Abstract

Steam fracturing as done during cyclic steam stimulation is an effective thermal process for initiating recovery from viscous oil reservoirs such as oil sands reservoirs found in Alberta, Canada and Liaohe, China. A key component of these processes is the ability to inject high temperature steam into the formation to fracture it which in turn raises its permeability and mobilizes the oil by lowering its viscosity. The dynamics of steam fracturing are not fully resolved especially how steam fingers into the reservoir and how its state changes as heat losses occur from the injected steam. The results of this study reveal that steam condensate, pressurized by the steam vapour upstream, fractures the formation. The results also show that dilation of the reservoir during steam injection relieves the pressure which in turn lowers the steam injection pressure below that of the case where no dilation occurs.

Suggested Citation

  • Bao, Yu & Wang, Jingyi & Gates, Ian D., 2016. "On the physics of cyclic steam stimulation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 115(P1), pages 969-985.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:115:y:2016:i:p1:p:969-985
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2016.09.031
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Nie, Bin & Sun, Sijia, 2023. "Thermal recovery of offshore coalbed methane reservoirs: Flow characteristics of superheated steam in wellbores," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 266(C).
    2. Liu, Yueliang & Rui, Zhenhua & Yang, Tao & Dindoruk, Birol, 2022. "Using propanol as an additive to CO2 for improving CO2 utilization and storage in oil reservoirs," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 311(C).
    3. Wang, Huaijing, 2023. "Modeling of multiple thermal fluid circulation in horizontal section of wellbores," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 282(C).
    4. Sun, Fengrui & Li, Chunlan & Cheng, Linsong & Huang, Shijun & Zou, Ming & Sun, Qun & Wu, Xiaojun, 2017. "Production performance analysis of heavy oil recovery by cyclic superheated steam stimulation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 356-371.
    5. Zhang, Qichen & Liu, Huiqing & Kang, Xiaodong & Liu, Yisheng & Dong, Xiaohu & Wang, Yanwei & Liu, Siyi & Li, Guangbo, 2021. "An investigation of production performance by cyclic steam stimulation using horizontal well in heavy oil reservoirs," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 218(C).
    6. Yao, Yue & Sun, Deqiang & Xu, Jin-Hua & Wang, Bin & Peng, Guohong & Sun, Bingmei, 2023. "Evaluation of enhanced oil recovery methods for mature continental heavy oil fields in China based on geology, technology and sustainability criteria," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 278(PB).

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