Physical modeling technology of hard-to-recover oil reserves production

Methods of thermal action are effective to increase a production rate of high-viscosity oil and bitumen oil formations. Specialists of TatNIPIneft and Kazan State Power Engineering University developed a new technology of oil formation heating. Also was made a laboratory bench to test a physical modeling technologyof oil production with using natural convection.
Materials and methods
It was designed a stand shaped of3D cube. Transverse to the long side of one (its lower part) extends the perforated joint with a heating spiral (1,9 kW capacity). Tube and cover are equipped with pressure gauges (GOST2405-88). The front wall of the stand is made of armored glass to study aprocess natural convection during oil formation's heating by thermal imager.
Results
The physical modeling of technology of oil production was run by using natural convection.
Сonclusions
Physical modeling technology of hard-to-recover oil production method showed: 1. The lower a permeability of the porous medium, the faster a heating of a medium around a heated pipe. 2. There is a three stage of porous medium heating in all cases. At first, the temperature rises almost linearly and pressure doesn’t rises. Second, steam pocket isformed after a boiling point is reached in joint section. The temperature rise insignificantly or doesn't rise at all. The pressure doesn't rise or rise insignificantly at final of this stage. The steam pocket, temperature and pressure rise at the last stage.3. Coefficient of hard-to-recover oil production’s technology using only natural convection method is 53%.4. The low water saturation provides effect of extra energy saving, which gives to this method more benefits before other ones.