Numerical Modeling for Improved Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage Using Solvent for In-Situ Heavy-Oil/Bitumen Recovery

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Canada has the largest heavy-oil resources in the world. A recent report indicates approximately five trillion barrels of heavy-oil resources in the world, approximately 50% of which are in Canada. Every one percent of incremental heavy-oil recovery in Canada contributes 25 billion barrels of oil production. Steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) is the most widely used method for in-situ heavy-oil recovery. The main drawback of SAGD is the significant consumption of energy and water resources required to generate steam. Co-injection of steam and solvent (solvent-SAGD) has been studied to improve the drawback of SAGD. However, those solvent-SAGD processes do not improve local displacement efficiency of SAGD because the solvent concentration is so low in the injection fluid. A potential method is to create the solvent-rich liquid phase near the chamber edge to achieve high displacement efficiency. The proposed research will develop modeling methods for this new solvent-SAGD process using the solvent-rich liquid phase. The proposed research can improve heavy-oil recovery efficiency by providing the oil industry with - A new solvent-SAGD process using the solvent-rich liquid phase that enhances displacement efficiency while decreasing environmental costs of SAGD - Highly qualified personnel with skills and knowledge to design enhanced heavy-oil recovery - Practical software to design enhanced heavy-oil recovery, such as fluid characterization software and a new 3-D equation-of-state compositional thermal reservoir simulator. The proposed research improves our understanding of complex interaction of multiphase behaviour and flow that can occur during enhanced heavy-oil recovery. With improved understanding, we can robustly design solvent-SAGD for more oil recovery with reduced environmental costs.