Optimization and uncertainty quantification of in situ combustion chemical reaction models

Anderson, T. W.; Kovscek, A. R.

doi:10.1016/j.fuel.2022.123683

Cited by 12 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…The coking zones under different permeabilities at 7000 s are displayed in Figure . Coke was regarded as a fixed solid component and would not participate in the fluid flow, so the propagation process of the coking zone was the process of coke generation and consumption. , As seen from Figure , no obvious coking zone was found under 120 and 150 mD, which could be explained as follows. The peak temperatures of thermocouples 3–6 were lower than 300 °C as observed in Figure , suggesting the weak heat release caused by oxidation reactions.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 98%

Combined Experimental and Numerical Investigation into Combustion Characteristics of Crude Oil under Different Permeability Ranges: Thermal EOR Implication

Zhao

Wang²,

Zhao³

et al. 2022

Energy Fuels

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In situ combustion (ISC) has drawn much attention in the exploitation of heavy oil reservoirs because of its small surface footprint and high recovery efficiency relative to steam injection. As for now, the combustion characteristics of heavy crude oil under different permeability ranges have not been well-understood, particularly in low-permeability conditions. In this work, we systematically conducted the combustion tube (CT) experiments under permeabilities of roughly 650 and 480 mD. Following that, a reaction kinetics model that could simulate the CT results well was established. Finally, the corrected reservoir simulation approach was used to study the ISC characteristics of one heavy oil in the permeability range of 50–1000 mD. The combustion characteristics under different permeability ranges could be classified into four main types on the basis of the experimental studies and numerical predictions. (1) The consecutive combustion front failed to be formed from 50 to 180 mD. (2) The consecutive combustion front was formed and the coking zone appeared from 180 to 250 mD, which was accompanied by weak heat release and serious plugging effect of the oil bank and coking zone. (3) The stable combustion front was formed with obvious heat release from 250 to 500 mD, and there was a weak plugging effect of the oil bank and coking zone at the initial stage of combustion. (4) In the permeability range of 500–1000 mD, the stable combustion front featured with a peak temperature higher than 500 °C was formed with a negligible plugging effect of the oil bank and coking zone. For heavy oil reservoirs with permeabilities lower than 250 mD, much attention should be put on the variations into combustion front temperature and displacement pressure difference at the initial period of combustion. If the temperature continued to decrease and/or the displacement pressure difference continued to rise, some measures should be actively adjusted to increase heat release yielded by combustion, including the increase of the air injection rate and ignition temperature, the injection of catalysts, and so forth. This work could add new insights into the differences and connections of combustion characteristics of heavy oil under different permeability ranges, which should be of great significance for thermal enhanced oil recovery.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 98%

Combined Experimental and Numerical Investigation into Combustion Characteristics of Crude Oil under Different Permeability Ranges: Thermal EOR Implication

Zhao

Wang²,

Zhao³

et al. 2022

Energy Fuels

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“…The RTO equipment developed by Kovscek et al 51 deployed a kinetic cell batch reactor. The advantage of the RTO is to isolate the chemical process between heavy oil and oxygen from the fluid flow process.…”

Section: Experimental Studies Of Oxidation Behavior and Combustion Pe...mentioning

confidence: 99%

In-Situ Combustion for Heavy Oil and Oil Sands Recovery: Recent Progress, Field Applications, and Future Perspectives

Yang,

Chai,

Yuan

et al. 2024

Energy Fuels

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Heavy oil and bitumen resources are estimated to account for about 70% of the global oil reserves. Recovery of these resources economically and environmentally is crucial to satisfy the crude oil demand in the next few decades. Steam injection-based techniques encounter challenges of large water usage, high operating costs, and huge greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In-situ combustion, which utilizes the heat generated by oxidation reactions between crude oil and oxygen, is an alternative and promising thermal technique to recover heavy oil and bitumen resources with the expectation to reduce water usage and lower operating costs. But complexity of oxidation behavior and uncertainty of in-situ combustion (ISC) performance prediction have restricted the field application of the ISC process. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the most recent studies about the ISC process and updated field projects. Various experimental studies are first presented to investigate the oxidation mechanisms of crude oil and the ISC enhanced oil recovery (EOR) mechanism. Based on the experimental advances, recent progress on reaction kinetics models and field scale modeling of ISC is presented. Subsequently, currently active field projects have been updated to provide the best practice of field operation. Finally, future perspectives of ISC for heavy oil or oil sands recovery are identified with a focus on in-situ catalytic upgrading and hydrogen generation.

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“…ISC can either be forward or reverse and is further classified into dry combustion and wet combustion, depending on the addition of water during or after the combustion [4]. There are many challenges to achieving profitable exploitation for ISC field applications ascribed to the inadequate mechanism investigation into the sophisticated oil displacement and chemical reactions processes [5]. In the past decades, extensive laboratory studies and pilot tests have been conducted to reveal the mechanism and verify the effectiveness of this technique.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A dynamic control technique for improving oil recovery during the in-situ combustion

Sun,

Zhao,

Wang

et al. 2024

Preprint

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In-situ combustion (ISC) has excellent potential in the development of unconventional resources such as heavy oil and tar sand. However, a uniform extension process for the combustion chamber is crucial for maintaining efficient and economical oil recovery during the ISC, which should be given more attention. In this work, a dynamic control technique that is achieved by the regular implementation of production well intermittent shutdown (PWIS) with the aim to improve the uneven extension of combustion chamber is proposed. A 3D combustion model with a volume of 214962 cm 3 is utilized in the ISC experiments to study the application effect of dynamic control technique. The variation of effluent gas compositions, spatial distribution of coke zone, swept area of combustion chamber, burning stability, and pressure difference are studied and analyzed. The results show that the PWIS method is able to force the combustion chamber to extend toward the low and medium permeability regions with little influence on the burning state. The volumetric sweep coefficient of combustion chamber in the low and medium permeability zones was improved and the combustion status varied slightly during the PWIS implementation. Final 3D morphology of coke zone is vividly described according to the real size, and its spatial volumes in the low and medium permeability zones enlarge noticeably after the PWIS implementation. Additionally, the cumulative oil production increased from 5586.5 g to 10426 g, and the final oil recovery ratio enhanced from 23.3% to 40.8% after implementing the dynamic control technique. This work provides a practical approach to improving the volumetric sweep coefficient of combustion chamber, which is of great significance in maintaining a higher oil production efficiency during the ISC field application.

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Optimization and uncertainty quantification of in situ combustion chemical reaction models

Cited by 12 publications

References 30 publications

Combined Experimental and Numerical Investigation into Combustion Characteristics of Crude Oil under Different Permeability Ranges: Thermal EOR Implication

Combined Experimental and Numerical Investigation into Combustion Characteristics of Crude Oil under Different Permeability Ranges: Thermal EOR Implication

In-Situ Combustion for Heavy Oil and Oil Sands Recovery: Recent Progress, Field Applications, and Future Perspectives

A dynamic control technique for improving oil recovery during the in-situ combustion

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