Fundamental studies, physical and mathematical modelling of a solvent vapour extraction (VAPEX) process for in-situ enhanced heavy oil recovery

如何从加拿大巨大的稠油储量中有效、经济地开采稠油是一个关键的技术挑战。溶剂蒸气驱(VAPEX)是一种现场非热提高稠油采收率的工艺，它是将气态溶剂从上部水平井注入稠油油藏，然后利用重力向下排出溶剂稀释后的稠油，从下部水平井开采。VAPEX工艺是目前用于稠油开采的热力方法的一种很有前途的替代方法，例如蒸汽辅助重力排水(SAGD)。它是一种节能、经济、环保的稠油开采技术。此外，由于热法不适用于大多数加拿大稠油油藏，VAPEX在加拿大的环境下更具吸引力。

How to effectively and economically recover heavy oil from the tremendous heavy oil deposits in Canada is a key technical challenge. Solvent vapour extraction (VAPEX) is an in-situ non-thermal enhanced heavy oil recovery process in which a gaseous solvent is injected from an upper horizontal injection well into a heavy oil reservoir and the solvent-diluted heavy oil is then drained downward by gravity and produced from a lower horizontal production well. The VAPEX process is a promising alternative to the currently used thermal methods for heavy oil recovery, such as steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD). It is an energy-efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally sound heavy oil recovery technology. Also, as thermal methods are not suitable for most Canadian heavy oil reservoirs, VAPEX is even more attractive in the Canadian context.