Improvement of CSS Method for Extra-Heavy Oil Recovery in Shallow Reservoirs by Simultaneous Injection of in-Situ Upgrading Catalysts and Solvent: Laboratory Study, Simulation and Field Application

Abstract

In this work method to improve the efficiency of the development of shallow deposits of extra-heavy oil using cyclic team stimulation (CSS) technology together with injection of catalyst for in-situ upgrading and solvent was proposed. Oil-soluble catalyst has been developed. Efficiency of catalyst was proved in laboratory. Volume and conditions of catalyst and solvent injection together with steam were determined based on simulation results. Pilot tests of technology were carried out on extra-heavy oilfield in Tatarstan, Russia. The screening of catalysts and solvents together with injection of steam was studied in high pressure reactors under reservoir conditions. Heavy oil displacement coefficients in basic scenario of steam injection and second scenario of steam injection together with catalyst and solvent were measured on self-designed experimental steam injection apparatus. The technology was simulated with tNavigator softwarre (Rock Fluid Dynamics) version 18.2, STARS. Pilot tests were carried out in several stages: preliminary short-term injection of steam to pre-heat the reservoir, injection of catalyst solution and solvent, the subsequent full-scale stage of steam injection, imbibition, and production. The results of field tests confirmed laboratory and simulation data. According to the analyzed samples after six months of field tests, the viscosity at the first stage decreases as a result of dilution with a solvent. The effect of the catalyst, which particles are adsorbed on the reservoir rocks, clearly demonstrated later. It is shown that the combined use of in-situ upgrading catalyst and a solvent in CSS method allows to increase oil recovery factor. At the same time, the produced oil has better properties. Significant degree of conversion of resins and asphaltenes to light fractions was established. Field tests on Ashal'cha oilfield have shown that this technology is effective for the development of shallow deposits of extra-heavy oil.

Catalytic Activation of Ammonium Nitrate and Sodium Nitrite: Experimental, Modeling and Prediction of the Fracking Envelope in Low-Permeability Reservoirs with Light and Heavy Oils

“…Considering the temperature ranges of 200–300 °C and in the presence of water, as is the case of our investigation, by both initial water saturation of the reservoir and as a reaction product (eq ), aquathermolysis reactions take place, which in fact are accepted as oil upgrading reactions. In the aquathermolysis reactions mainly heavy fractions of oil are reduced and lighter fractions of oil increased, along with some gas evolution (low carbon number hydrocarbons, H 2 S, CO x , and H 2 ). , Additionally, such reactions in catalysis have shown rehabilitation of oil recovery rates in field applications using steam injection methods . In the range 300–350 °C aquathermolysis reaction decreases and thermal cracking reactions become more dominant.…”

“…40,51 Additionally, such reactions in catalysis have shown rehabilitation of oil recovery rates in field applications using steam injection methods. 52 In the range 300−350 °C aquathermolysis reaction decreases and thermal cracking reactions become more dominant. The initial reservoir temperature causes a meaningless impact on the reactivity of the BM (Figure 11a).…”

Catalytic Oxidation of Alkanes by Organometallics in an In Situ Combustion Process

“…Many works recently have also shown that these oil-dispersed organometallic catalysts exhibited excellent catalytic effects in enhancing the combustion efficiency of crude oils. In addition, both experiments and field application show that these catalysts can decompose and be in situ transformed into metal-based nanoparticles that can easily deposit and absorb on the surface of porous media and thus are not easily subjected to be entrained in the produced oil. , Therefore, there is no need to consider an additional separation process of metal-based catalysts from the produced oil and thus no negative influence on the downstream refinery process. It was reported that the catalytic activities of the organometallic salts are up to the metal base and organic ligand.…”

“…In addition, both experiments and field application show that these catalysts can decompose and be in situ transformed into metal-based nanoparticles that can easily deposit and absorb on the surface of porous media and thus are not easily subjected to be entrained in the produced oil. 38,44 Therefore, there is no need to consider an additional separation process of metal-based catalysts from the produced oil and thus no negative influence on the downstream refinery process. It was reported that the catalytic activities of the 42 Therefore, in this work, oleate will be used as the organic ligand to study the catalytic effect of Co-, Cu-, and Fe-based oil-dispersed organometallic salts on the oxidation of alkanes.…”

The Effect of Thermal Steam Treatment Duration with Metallic Sodium Nanoparticles on Heavy Oil Upgrading

“…Similarly, research was conducted on organic fluids from the Yarega field in the presence of nickel and iron-based catalysts, 24 from the Strelovskoe field with an iron-based catalyst, 25 and from the Tuymetkinskoe field with a cobalt-and nickel-based catalyst. 26 Authors also performed aquathermolysis of heavy oil with active coal 27 and in the Ashalcha field with carbon dioxide flooding in conjunction with a nickelbased catalyst. 28 thermal treatment with simultaneous injection, some researchers conducted studies with hydrogen donors on the Zyuzeevskoye oilfield, 29 providing an additional positive contribution to the modernization of extractable hydrocarbons.…”