MAJOR PROJECT SYNOPSIS

on

SIMULATION STUDIES OF THIN HEAVY OIL RESERVOIRS

UNDER THE MENTORSHIP OF

Dr. Pushpa Sharma

(Department of Petroleum Engineering and Earth Sciences,COES,UPES))

SUBMITTED BY
Abhimanyu Gangula(R870213001)
Dinesh Reddy Aluka (R870213005)
Deepak Guptha (R870213016)

_____________________

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Mentors Signature

Course Co-ordinators Signature

(Dr. Pushpa Sharma)

(Dr. Pushpa Sharma)

B.Tech Applied Petroleum Engineering(Upstream)

Batch:2013-2017
Department of Petroleum Engineering and Earth Sciences
University of Petroleum and Energy Studies,Dehrdun

Abstract:
Heavy oil production from extremely viscous reservoirs requires thermal production techniques, such as
Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD). This report deals with the first step in expanding/developing
alterations to the SAGD process quantifying the impact of problematic reservoir characteristics (thin oil
columns and gas zones) on production performance to try to gain insight into the best avenue for
improvement. For all oil column thickness studied, only reservoirs with an aspect ratio (AR) ratio of well
pair spacing (horizontal distance between adjacent wells) to reservoir thickness of 4:1 or less are
economic. For each case, the optimum AR is 2:1. The presence of a gas zone overlying a thin reservoir is
detrimental to SAGD efficiency regardless of gas zone volume. The presence of a gas zone does not change
the choice of optimum aspect ratio (2:1) or the largest aspect ratio (4:1) for which SAGD operations will be
economic. Additionally, it is shown that the sink/source well model is not sufficient to capture early steam
chamber growth and production behaviour.

Deliverables:
Under this project we try to develop some alterations to SAGD process, which is hindered by two reservoir
problematic characters namely thin oil columns and gas zones. These alterations to the process can drive to
the production enhancement and economic development at the same time. The work on reservoirs with gas
zones extensively studies the effect of gas zone volume, the effect of reservoir aspect ratio with constant
gas zone volume, and the effect of initial gas zone pressure. The CMG STARS software is used for all
simulations. The STARS simulator was chosen because it includes discretized wellbore modelling (see
discussion in Wellbore Treatment) and is commonly used for thermal heavy oil production simulation.

Keywords: Thermal Production techniques, SAGD, Aspect Ratio.

References: Sharma, B.C., et al. 2002. A Simulation Study of Novel Thermal Recovery Methods in the
Ugnu Tar Sand Reservoir, North Slope, Alaska. Paper SPE 76729 presented at SPE Western
Regional/AAPG Pacific Section Joint Meeting, Anchorage, Alaska, 20-22 May.

PROPOSED TIMELINE

Comprehensive Study of Heavy Oil Reservoir : Production

and Reservoir Characteristics

September

Octobe
r

Exhaustive Analysis on Thermal Recovery Process Techniques

(SAGD Process)

Alterations to the SAGD Process to improve production from deterring

Thin Oil Columns and Gas Zones
Analysis of AR(Aspect Ratio)

Novemb
er
Effect of thickness of Reservoirs on AR and SAGD performance
Submission of First Draft

Decemb
er

January

Febuar
y

Work on CMG STARS Software for all simulations

Simulation Study on Heavy Oil Reservoirs with Thin Oil & Gas
Columns
Study on Effect of Aspect Ratio

Submission of Final Report with prepositions of Future Developments

March