Modeling steam injection pressures during SAGD ramp-up
In our recent look at the importance of reservoir cap rock integrity we discussed a number of topics including new approaches to monitor and optimize high pressure steam injection in thermal heavy oil recovery that will produce optimal recovery while minimizing undesired effects associated with thermal expansion.
Higher steam injection pressure may cause the reservoir cap rock to be breached resulting in a very high steam-oil ratios (SOR) and in some very shallow reservoirs, loss or damage to the surface facilities. In Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage or SAGD, the goal is to optimize steam injection early in the ramp up phase for maximum geomechanical benefits and accelerated recovery without causing cap rock failure.
One approach is to use a thermal reservoir simulator that can also model or couple geomechanical effects to better plan and manage steam injection rates during SAGD ramp-up.
SPE paper, Steam Injection Pressure and the SAGD Ramp-Up Process, investigates the relationship between steam injection pressure and the SAGD ramp-up process using a coupled reservoir geomechanical simulator.
Kambiz.
