Cálculo de la eficiencia térmica de un proceso de inyección continua vapor en yacimientos estratificados
No Thumbnail Available
Date
Advisors
Evaluators
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Universidad Industrial de Santander
Abstract
Description
Los yacimientos de crudo pesado muestran una importancia predominante al estar asociados a las reservas más grandes del planeta. Por este motivo, se ha dado lugar al desarrollo de técnicas de recuperación mejorada como la inyección continua de vapor, para facilitar la producción de crudo pesado. Sin embargo, en la práctica común se ha evidenciado la presencia de arcillas en formaciones productoras, las cuales afectan negativamente la eficiencia de los procesos de recobro térmico.El presente estudio se llevó a cabo a partir de la construcción de modelos conceptuales de simulación, con distintos espaciamientos entre los pozos y distinta relación arena-arcilla, con el propósito de analizar qué tanta de la energía suministrada a la formación productora a través del vapor está siendo aprovechada por la misma y que porción ha sido atrapada por las arcillas. Los resultados obtenidos muestran que la eficiencia térmica del proceso se ve afectada por la presencia de formaciones arcillosas, sobre todo cuando estas son de gran espesor, y esto se ve reflejado en el bajo índice de productividad. Por otra parte, se observó que al disminuir el espaciamiento entre los pozos se obtienen mejores factores de recobro debido a que el proceso de inyección continua de vapor resulta más eficiente. Los resultados finales de esta investigación llevaron a la elaboración de correlaciones que permiten el cálculo de la eficiencia térmica de un proceso de inyección continua de vapor en yacimientos de crudo pesado con intercalaciones de arcilla. Estas pueden ser aplicadas en posteriores estudios siempre y cuando las características de los modelos a evaluar sean similares a las empleadas en los modelos de estudio. Con este trabajo se pretende dar un aporte a la industria en el área de recobro mejorado para la producción de crudo de alta viscosidad.
Heavy oil reservoirs show a predominant importance because they are associated with the largest reserves in the world. For this reason, it has resulted in the development of enhanced recovery techniques such as steamflooding, to facilitate the production of heavy oil. However, the common practice has evidenced the presence of shale within producing formations, which negatively affect the efficiency of thermal recovery processes.This study was conducted from the construction of simulation conceptual models, with different spacing between wells and different sand-shale ratio, with the purpose of analyze how much of the energy supplied to the producing formationthrough the steam is being exploited by the same, and what portion has been trapped by shales. Results show that the thermal efficiency of the process is affected for the presence of shale formations, mainly when these are of great thickness, which has reflected in the index productivity low. Moreover, it was observed that decreasing the spacing between wells, allowed best recovery factors due to that steamflooding is more efficient. The final results of this investigation led to development of correlations that allow the calculation of the thermal efficiency of a steamflooding process in heavy oil reservoirs with shales intercalated. These correlations may be applied in subsequent studies as long as characteristics of models going to be evaluated are similar to in the models in this study. With this work it is sought to make a contribution to the industry in the area of enhanced oil recovery for producing high viscosity oil.
Heavy oil reservoirs show a predominant importance because they are associated with the largest reserves in the world. For this reason, it has resulted in the development of enhanced recovery techniques such as steamflooding, to facilitate the production of heavy oil. However, the common practice has evidenced the presence of shale within producing formations, which negatively affect the efficiency of thermal recovery processes.This study was conducted from the construction of simulation conceptual models, with different spacing between wells and different sand-shale ratio, with the purpose of analyze how much of the energy supplied to the producing formationthrough the steam is being exploited by the same, and what portion has been trapped by shales. Results show that the thermal efficiency of the process is affected for the presence of shale formations, mainly when these are of great thickness, which has reflected in the index productivity low. Moreover, it was observed that decreasing the spacing between wells, allowed best recovery factors due to that steamflooding is more efficient. The final results of this investigation led to development of correlations that allow the calculation of the thermal efficiency of a steamflooding process in heavy oil reservoirs with shales intercalated. These correlations may be applied in subsequent studies as long as characteristics of models going to be evaluated are similar to in the models in this study. With this work it is sought to make a contribution to the industry in the area of enhanced oil recovery for producing high viscosity oil.
Keywords
Thermal efficiency, Sand-shale ratio, Steamflooding, Stratified reservoir, Heavy oil, Numerical simulation, Eficiencia térmica, Relación arena-arcilla, Inyección continua de vapor, Yacimientos estratificados, Crudo pesado, Simulación numérica.