3. Steam flooding technogy, introduced in the 1970.
It is the type of thermal EOR method are generally
applicable to heavy,viscous crudes, and involve the
introduction of thermal energy or steam into the
reservoir to raise the temperature of the oil and reduce
its viscosity, increase in permeability.
It is applicable for low depth well.
4. Steam drive
Steam is injected into several injection wells
while the oil is produced from other wells.
Multi-well operation in regular pattern
Inject steam into one or more wells
Recovery factor (RF) ≈ 50% OOIP
5. • Some thermal energy is lost in heating the
formation rock and water
• The steam moves through the reservoir
and comes in contact with cold oil, rock,
and water.
• As the steam comes in contact with the
cold environment, it condenses and a hot
water bank is formed. This hot water bank
acts as a water flood and pushes
additional oil to the producing wells.
6. Mechanism
Mechanisms of this processMechanisms of this process
•– include thermal expansion of the crude oil,
•–viscosity reduction of the crude oil,
•–changes in subsurface forces as the reservoir
temperature increases.
•This application is limited due to loss of heat energy. In
deep wells, steam will be converted to liquid water
•More expensive than cyclic steam stimulation.
7. • A method of thermal recovery in which a well is
injected with steam and then subsequently put
back on production.
• Single well operation
• Injection/production
• cycle:
• – Steam injection
• – shut-in (soak)
• – Oil production
8. • A cyclic steam-injection process includes
three stages.
• The first stage is injection, during which a
slug of steam is introduced into the
reservoir.
• The second stage, or soak phase,
requires that the well be shut in for several
days to allow uniform heat distribution to
thin the oil.
9.
10.
11.
12. limitation
Oil saturations must be quite high and the pay zone should be more
than 20 ft thick to minimize heat losses to adjacent formations.
Lighter, less viscous crude oils can be steam flooded but normally will
not be if the reservoir will respond to an ordinary water flood.
Steam flooding is primarily applicable to viscous oils in massive, high
permeability sandstones or unconsolidated sands.
Steam flooding is not normally used in carbonate reservoirs.