Improving steam drive in naturally fractured reservoirs: A global optimization strategy

Abeeb A. Awotude*, Madhar S. Azad

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

One third of the heavy oil reservoirs are naturally fractured. Many thermal methods commonly applied in developing the non-fractured heavy reservoirs are not considered as a viable option in fractured reservoirs mainly because the injected steam would bypass the heavy oil by flowing through the fractures. Experimentally, it was found that the key to success in developing such reserves is to have the optimum heat conduction which overcomes the reservoir heterogeneity. Hence steam flooding; if properly optimized could overcome this problem. Injection rate and steam quality are the main operational parameters which controls the economic heat propagation into the matrix. Additionally, placing the wells in more conducive areas to ensure that the matrix gets enough heat is also crucial. Storage capacity of the matrix is higher than the fracture storage capacity and hence a special consideration is needed to extract those heavy oil reserves. Completion of the well in the proper zone could also be a factor in the severe heterogeneous reservoir. A three-dimensional channeled reservoir model undergoing steam flooding is built. Considering the complexity of the project, a global optimization strategy was chosen as the optimizer to estimate the optimal values of the design variables by using the Net Present Value (NPV) as the objective function. Three different cases were studied. In case 1, the injection and production rates were optimized. In case 2, steam quality is optimized along with rates. In case 3, well placement is optimized. Co variance Matrxix Adaptation Evolution Strategy (CMA-ES) was the global based algorithm used to solve problems. Results indicated that Case 3 gave higher NPV than Cases 1 and 2 signifying the importance of optimum selection of well placement, steam quality and rates together.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationSPE Latin American and Caribbean Petroleum Engineering Conference Proceedings
PublisherSociety of Petroleum Engineers (SPE)
Pages1645-1652
Number of pages8
ISBN (Electronic)9781632668882
StatePublished - 2014

Publication series

NameSPE Latin American and Caribbean Petroleum Engineering Conference Proceedings
Volume2

Keywords

  • Covariance matrix adaptation evolution strategy
  • Heavy oil
  • Net present value
  • Optimized steam quality
  • Steamflooding

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Energy Engineering and Power Technology

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