Feasibility Analysis of the Steam Flooding Process in an Iranian Fractured Light Oil Reservoir

Abstract

Steam flooding is applied to heavy and extra-heavy oil reservoirs, but it may be used in light oil reservoirs when water injection does not work effectively. In this simulation study, the feasibility of the steam flooding method applied as enhanced oil recovery process to one Iranian oil-wet fractured reservoir is investigated. For this purpose, a simulation model based on a sector of this reservoir was prepared and history matched with available production data. Steam flooding has been simulated for this reservoir and has been compared with conventional water injection process. A sensitivity analysis has been performed in order to study the effects of important parameters. The results show that the steam flooding process is likely to be profitable for this reservoir, when compared with water injection, improving the oil recovery factor by nearly 14 %.