Mechanistic Simulation of Solvent-aided Gravity Drainage of Bitumen

The injection of solvent is an alternative method for recovering heavy oil and bitumen to reduce the viscosity and density of the bitumen. In this study, solvent assisted thermal gravity drainage is modelled in CMG STARS using propane as the solvent. First, the modeling of thermosphysical properties of bitumen and propane mixture was performed. Then, a highly refined and simple mechanistic model was constructed and validated. The parameters of the model were defined to enable the numerical model for pure mass and heat transfer as well as coupled heat and mass transfer processes. Three mechanistic cases were studied including isothermal gravity drainage, non-isothermal gravity drainage, and solvent-aided non-isothermal gravity drainage. Also, three groups were defined to obtain a better understanding of the effect of the bitumen properties and the relative permeability curves on the drainage process. Group 1 with low initial bitumen viscosity, Group 2 with high initial bitumen viscosity, and for Group 3 with different relative permeability models were studied. Fine grid numerical simulations demonstrated extensive fingering during the drainage process and the need for fine grid numerical simulations to ensure accurate capturing the physics of gravity drainage. Scaling relations were developed to describe the rate of oil drainage as a function governing dimensionless groups. For the isothermal gravity drainage, the presence of the solvent (propane) and its molecular diffusion into bitumen was found to play a critical role in reducing the viscosity and density of the bitumen leading to gravity drainage of bitumen.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MSc)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Chemical and Petroleum Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Graduate Studies

Year dc:date.issued

2017

Author dc:creator

• Salas Santa, Marta Liliana

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Hassanzadeh, Hassan

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Moore, Robert
• Nassar, Nashaat

• Engineering--Chemical
• Engineering--Petroleum

Statement dc:rights

• University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.

Language dc:language.iso

eng

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/26870

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:ucalgary.scholaris.ca:11023/3799