Author(s)

Lili Liu, Shuren Yang, Chunsheng Wang, Qiji Sun, Xiaojun Zhong

College of Petroleum Engineering, Northeast Petroleum University, Daqing, China.

Liaohe oilfield gravity drainage assisted steam flooding of heavy oil reservoir has made significant development effect, but the drain rule of condensate is unclear in the process of development. Heavy oil drainage microscopic visualization experimental study of using core model of glass etching, drainage process simulation of heavy oil reservoir and its influence factors were analyzed. Its method turns the drainage process of images into computer numerical signal through the image acquisition system, intuitive display flow pattern of drainage, and analyses the influence of homogeneity and the pressure differential regulation of drainage through the experimental data. The experiment results show that condensate around the steam chamber has a corresponding drainage channel, not uniform or diarrhea in the gravity drainage assisted steam flooding process. At the beginning of the drainage channels formation, the instantaneous drainage amount along with the change of pressure difference is not obvious. Instantaneous drainage amount increases with increasing pressure difference in the medium term. It tends to be stable in the later. The time of drainage channels to form homogeneous core is earlier than heterogeneous core. After the drainage channel, differential effects on heterogeneous core than homogeneous core of instantaneous drainage water.

Heavy Oil, Gravity Drainage, Visualization, Drainage Rule

Liu, L. , Yang, S. , Wang, C. , Sun, Q. and Zhong, X. (2016) Gravity Drainage Visualization Experimental Study of Heavy Oil Reservoirs. Energy and Power Engineering, 8, 243-249. doi: 10.4236/epe.2016.85023.