Injection Well-Producer Well Combination Optimization for THAI Technology in the Case of KEM Carbonated Reservoir

THAI- “Toe to Heel Air Injection” is a new EOR process, which integrates advanced reservoir technology and horizontal well concepts, to achieve potentially very high recovery of heavy oil. The objective of this paper was to optimize the injector-producer combination on the application of the THAI for carbonated heavy oil reservoirs according to their specific reservoir characteristics such as degradation temperature. Combustion parameters and reaction kinetics of naturally fractured low permeability carbonate heavy oil reservoir in Iran called “Kuh-E Mond” applied to simulation study. Series of combustion cell tests on KEM heavy crude oil using well configurations: vertical injectorhorizontal producer (VIHP), vertical injector- 2 horizontal producers (VI2HP), horizontal (multilateral) injector- horizontal producer (HIHP), horizontal (multilateral) injector- 2 horizontal producers (HI2HP) and finally 2 vertical injector- horizontal producer (2VIHP) were simulated to obtain the optimum method of field development for THAI technology on carbonated reservoirs. Further, effect of horizontal producer length, vertical injector depth of perforation, horizontal producers spacing (in the case of VI2HP and HI2HP) and vertical injectors spacing (in the case of 2VIHP) on the results has studied.

Keywords:

heavy oil recovery , in situ combustion , simulation