Evaluation of Reservoir Damage by Hydrothermal Fluid from Clay Metamorphism, Particle Migration, and Heavy-Component Deposition in Offshore Heavy Oilfields

Abstract

Marine heavy-oil reserves are enormous, and thermal recovery technology is one of the most effective ways to utilize them. However, steam as a high-energy external fluid will affect the geological characteristics of the reservoir. In this paper, the sensitivity of the reservoir was analyzed in terms of the high-temperature metamorphic characteristics of clay minerals and the coupling damage of particle migration and heavy component deposition. Firstly, long-core cyclic steam stimulation experiments were conducted using supersaturated steam, saturated steam, and superheated steam to quantify the differences in oil recovery capabilities. Subsequently, the variation characteristics of clay components in the core under different steam temperatures were analyzed by X-ray diffraction spectroscopy. Finally, the influence of particle migration and heavy-component deposition on reservoir permeability was clarified through displacement experiments. The results show that the recovery of superheated steam is more than 12% higher than that of supersaturated steam, and the throughput cycle is effectively shortened. In the laboratory, only the clay metamorphism due to superheated steam was more effective, and the metamorphism was mainly concentrated in kaolinite and monazite. Particle migration causes little damage to the reservoir, but the formation of particle migration coupled with heavy-component deposition can lead to more than 30% of the reservoir becoming damaged.