Abstract
Due to the presence of heterogenic shale lenses within oil sands, engineers implementing the SAGD process are often forced to run time-consuming computer simulations before developing even a basic idea of reservoir feasibility. Therefore, there is a need for a robust analytical expression for the oil rate that can be quickly used to assess the sensitivity of the performance of a SAGD well pair to various combinations of reservoir and fluid parameters. This paper will shed some additional insights into the effect of both thermal conductivity and permeability heterogeneity on SAGD performance. Numerical simulation results for several cases of reservoir heterogeneity will be analyzed using a semi-analytical equation developed by Azom et al. that modifies the fundamental equation for SAGD performance by Butler. Using SISIM, a geostatiscal reservoir building software, several base correlations were modeled, each correlation representing a given set of lens parameters and dimensions. The numerous realizations produced from each correlation were simulated using CMG STARS and a relationship between the heterogenic properties and adherence to Azom's model has been developed. Our results show that naturally occurring low permeability barriers caused the steam chamber to have a shape quite different from that assumed in the literature for proxy model development and severally limited the growth of the steam chamber. As expected, variations in permeability more significantly impacted the steam chamber than corresponding thermal conductivity variations. Modifications to the semi-analytical model are required to make it a viable proxy model for fast SAGD simulations/history matching.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Society of Petroleum Engineers - SPE Heavy Oil Conference Canada 2013 |
| Pages | 2315-2325 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Volume | 3 |
| State | Published - Sep 9 2013 |
| Event | SPE Heavy Oil Conference Canada 2013 - Calgary, AB, Canada Duration: Jun 11 2013 → Jun 13 2013 |
Other
| Other | SPE Heavy Oil Conference Canada 2013 |
|---|---|
| Country | Canada |
| City | Calgary, AB |
| Period | 6/11/13 → 6/13/13 |
Fingerprint
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Geochemistry and Petrology
Cite this
}
Analysis of impact of thermal and permeability heterogeneity on SAGD performance using a semi-analytical approach. / Hampton, Travis; Kumar, Dhananjay; Azom, Prince; Srinivasan, Sanjay.
Society of Petroleum Engineers - SPE Heavy Oil Conference Canada 2013. Vol. 3 2013. p. 2315-2325.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution
TY - GEN
T1 - Analysis of impact of thermal and permeability heterogeneity on SAGD performance using a semi-analytical approach
AU - Hampton, Travis
AU - Kumar, Dhananjay
AU - Azom, Prince
AU - Srinivasan, Sanjay
PY - 2013/9/9
Y1 - 2013/9/9
N2 - Due to the presence of heterogenic shale lenses within oil sands, engineers implementing the SAGD process are often forced to run time-consuming computer simulations before developing even a basic idea of reservoir feasibility. Therefore, there is a need for a robust analytical expression for the oil rate that can be quickly used to assess the sensitivity of the performance of a SAGD well pair to various combinations of reservoir and fluid parameters. This paper will shed some additional insights into the effect of both thermal conductivity and permeability heterogeneity on SAGD performance. Numerical simulation results for several cases of reservoir heterogeneity will be analyzed using a semi-analytical equation developed by Azom et al. that modifies the fundamental equation for SAGD performance by Butler. Using SISIM, a geostatiscal reservoir building software, several base correlations were modeled, each correlation representing a given set of lens parameters and dimensions. The numerous realizations produced from each correlation were simulated using CMG STARS and a relationship between the heterogenic properties and adherence to Azom's model has been developed. Our results show that naturally occurring low permeability barriers caused the steam chamber to have a shape quite different from that assumed in the literature for proxy model development and severally limited the growth of the steam chamber. As expected, variations in permeability more significantly impacted the steam chamber than corresponding thermal conductivity variations. Modifications to the semi-analytical model are required to make it a viable proxy model for fast SAGD simulations/history matching.
AB - Due to the presence of heterogenic shale lenses within oil sands, engineers implementing the SAGD process are often forced to run time-consuming computer simulations before developing even a basic idea of reservoir feasibility. Therefore, there is a need for a robust analytical expression for the oil rate that can be quickly used to assess the sensitivity of the performance of a SAGD well pair to various combinations of reservoir and fluid parameters. This paper will shed some additional insights into the effect of both thermal conductivity and permeability heterogeneity on SAGD performance. Numerical simulation results for several cases of reservoir heterogeneity will be analyzed using a semi-analytical equation developed by Azom et al. that modifies the fundamental equation for SAGD performance by Butler. Using SISIM, a geostatiscal reservoir building software, several base correlations were modeled, each correlation representing a given set of lens parameters and dimensions. The numerous realizations produced from each correlation were simulated using CMG STARS and a relationship between the heterogenic properties and adherence to Azom's model has been developed. Our results show that naturally occurring low permeability barriers caused the steam chamber to have a shape quite different from that assumed in the literature for proxy model development and severally limited the growth of the steam chamber. As expected, variations in permeability more significantly impacted the steam chamber than corresponding thermal conductivity variations. Modifications to the semi-analytical model are required to make it a viable proxy model for fast SAGD simulations/history matching.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84883378358&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84883378358&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84883378358
SN - 9781627486286
VL - 3
SP - 2315
EP - 2325
BT - Society of Petroleum Engineers - SPE Heavy Oil Conference Canada 2013
ER -