Numerical Simulation for Optimizing Injection – Production Parameters When Using Cyclic Steam Injection Plus Polymer Gel Flooding in An Offshore Heavy-Oil Field

Abstract

We have conducted numerical simulation studies with the goal of improving recovery efficiency. Utilizing results obtained in pilot testing on the target reservoir, which was done previously using polymer gel flooding and cyclic steam injection, in this paper we give the results of a study on optimization of the injection – production parameters. “Injection – production” refers to a combination operation involving polymer gel flooding and steam injection (for simplicity, we call this a “heating plus maintaining pressure” process). The study result shows that this process is affected by many factors, including the steam temperature, the injection rate, the soak time in the formation, the injected steam volume, and the cyclic soak time; the polymer concentration, the polymer gel slug size, the polymer flooding time interval; and the well production factor. Considering the development results, we obtained the order of importance for these factors: cyclic steam injection time > production factor > cyclic steam injection volume > soak time > steam temperature > polymer injection concentration > polymer gel slug size > polymer gel flooding time interval > steam injection rate.