Thermal methods promise some of the highest recovery factors. They also promise the largest potential capital expenditure and operating costs—and therefore risk.

How can you best navigate your way through the multiple possibilities, minimize expenditure and risk while maximizing long-term production, and make the right decisions for you and your asset?

Three techniques tested for new thermal production methods currently stand out above the rest :

Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD)

Using pairs of parallel wells—one a steam injection and another a producer—steam is injected into the top well; the resulting steam chamber encourages heated oil to drain into the lower well.

Cyclic Steam Stimulation (CSS)

A single well is used to inject steam into the reservoir, both to heat the oil and to reduce its viscosity. After the reservoir has been through a soak phase, the operation of the injector well is reversed to produce the oil. This technique is also known as huff ‘n’ puff.

Steamflood

Two vertical wells are used. One injects steam into the reservoir, creating a steam front that sweeps the oil before it and into the producer well.