Abstract

The paper presents and summarizes results of reservoir modeling studies aimed to determine geological and reservoir conditions for creating a stable burning front resulting from air injection into heavy and extra-heavy oil accumulations (known as in-situ combustion (ISC) process). A numerical reservoir model was built to determine reservoir depths and oil viscosities at these reservoir depths. Based on the results of calculations, the relationship between the reservoir depth and the oil viscosity in original reservoir conditions corresponding to the conditions of creating a combustion zone in the vicinity of the injection well within three days once air injection was started, has been obtained. Using this analytical dependence, the distinct line based on reservoir depths and original oil viscosities was constructed dividing oil reservoirs into zones with and without oil self-ignition within three days once air injection was started at BHP equal to hydrostatic pressure at the given reservoir depth. Case histories of other ISC projects in which self-ignition of oil was observed reported in the literature are mentioned. To calculate performance of the in-situ combustion-developed fields, reservoir characteristics of the Moco zone reservoir of the Midway-Sunset oil field and the Brea-Olinda field, California, were used as input data. The analysis of the calculation results demonstrated good history matching.

Key words:

heavy or extra-heavy oil accumulation, in-situ combustion, reservoir depth, original oil viscosity, in-situ combustion front, self-ignition of oil, hydrostatic pressure

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Authors

G.V. Aleksandrov, Junior Research Engineer, Geologic and Reservoir Modeling Laboratory, Reservoir Engineering Department, TatNIPIneft–PJSC TATNEFT
32, Musa Jalil st., Bugulma, 423236, Russian Federation
E-mail: razrcmg@tatnipi.ru

R.Kh. Nizaev, Dr.Sc., Professor of Reservoir Engineering at Almetyevsk Oil State Institute, Leading Research Associate of Geologic and Reservoir Modeling Laboratory, Reservoir Engineering Department, TatNIPIneft–PJSC TATNEFT
32, Musa Jalil st., Bugulma, 423236, Russian Federation
E-mail: nizaev@tatnipi.ru

Yu.L. Yegorova, Senior Lecturer of Reservoir Engineering Faculty, Almetyevsk Oil State Institute
2, Lenin st., Almetyevsk, 423450, Russian Federation
E-mail: ulaegor@rambler.ru

A.A. Gizzatullina, PhD (Phys.-Math.), Senior Lecturer of IT, Mathematics, and Physical Sciences Faculty, Ufa State Oil Technical University
1, Kosmonavtov st., Ufa, 450064, Russian Federation
E-mail: alina.gizzatullina87@mail.ru

For citation:

G.V. Aleksandrov, R.Kh. Nizaev, Yu.L. Egorova, A.A. Gizzatullina Opredelenie kriteriev vozniknovenija fronta vnutriplastovogo gorenija pri zakachke vozduha v neftenosnuju zalezh' [Establishment of criteria for creating in-situ combustion front following air injection into oil reservoir]. Neftyanaya Provintsiya, No. 4(28), Part 2, 2021. pp. 375-392. DOI https://doi.org/10.25689/NP.2021.3.375-392 (in Russian)