(128a) Models Describing the Thermal Recovery as a Productive Option for the Heavy Oil Reservoirs

The crude oil requirement is increasing relatively at a higher rate in comparison to the amount of new crude reserves being identified.  To meet the requirement, the recovery from the available crude reserves should be maximized. After the primary recovery, there is a still a good proportion of crude is still left in the reserve. There is a need for the secondary and tertiary methods for the recovery of the left out crude.

Thermal methods are one of the successful techniques which can be implemented to enhance the recovery. I have been tested since 1950’s, and they are the most advanced among all the enhanced oil recovery methods available, as far as field experience and technology are concerned. The best utilization of thermal methods can be in the reserve left with heavy oils (of 10-20° API) and tar sands (≤10° API). Thermal methods provide a source of energy in the reservoir resulting in the large reduction in the viscosity of the heavy oil left. Decrease in the viscosity will  result in a higher mobility ratio.

Thermal methods have been highly successful in Canada, USA, Venezuela, Indonesia and other countries. The general classification of Thermal enhanced oil recovery can be broadly classified in terms of hot water, steam, in-situ gasification or electrical heating. Among these methods the steam based methods are more successful commercially than others. In the present study, we will be discussing about the various models used to understand the behaviours of the reservoir in response to the thermal enhanced oil recovery methods. We will be discussing about what are the type of simulators being used to identify the behaviour.