Steam flooding and oil recovery by different types of horizontal well pattern

ABSTRACT

Scale physical simulation experiments on different types of horizontal well pattern (i.e., row pattern, five spot pattern, and inverted nine spot pattern) are conducted in steam flooding of heavy oil. According to similarity principle physical model is established. Reservoir geology and process parameters of Xinchun oilfield are transformed into the parameters of physical model. The following conclusions are obtained: (a) the temperature field variation characteristics have been cleared, (b) recovery of row pattern (51.85%) is highest, and (c) the main mechanisms are explicated (i.e., flowability increases, thermal expansion, vaporization, distillation and in situ upgrading, greater sweep efficiency, and steam overlap).

KEYWORDS:

• Horizontal well pattern
• physical simulation
• team flooding process

Acknowledgements

This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51504283) and the Technology Development Department of SINOPEC.