Abstract
A comprehensive numerical simulator is developed from an existing bitumen leaching model to incorporate the effects of asphaltene precipitation during bitumen mobilization with a solvent. Such mobilization is required prior to any thermal enhanced oil recovery (EOR) application. Numerical simulation results indicate that the presence of a bottom-water zone, often considered to be detrimental to oil production, enhances bitumen mobilization to a great extent. The bottom-water zone acts as a transporting medium for initial movement of the solvent and invokes solvent leaching of bitumen. Asphaltene precipitation reduces permeability of the bottom-water zone, thus, controlling excessive fluid influx into the bottom-water zone. This role of asphaltene is particularly important for relatively higher bottom-water permeabilities. A series of numerical simulation runs was conducted to study the effect of a wide range of parameters, such as, the bitumen-to-water zone permeability ratio, type of solvent, the bitumen-to-water zone thickness ratio, flow rate, and others.
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© 1994 Springer Science+Business Media New York
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Carter, J.M., Islam, M.R. (1994). Field-Scale Numerical Simulation Of Bitumen Mobilization With Solvent Slugs. In: Sharma, M.K., Yen, T.F. (eds) Asphaltene Particles in Fossil Fuel Exploration, Recovery, Refining, and Production Processes. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-2456-4_3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-2456-4_3
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