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

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

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.