Heavy Oil Reservoirs with Sandstone Rock Type, Properties and Recovery Methods

Summary Heavy crude oil is defined as any liquid petroleum with API gravity less than 22.3 °API according to World Petroleum Congress definition. Heavy oil reservoirs are distributed all over the world. This paper explains the recovery methods of heavy oil reservoirs in sandstone rock types, and also the challenges faced in oil production of them. It's concluded that detailed reservoir characterization study is necessary to reach the high oil production in each heavy oil reservoir. Cold heavy oil production with sand is the most common method in heavy oil reservoirs with sandstone rock type and has usually more benefits than sand controlled production in high permeability reservoirs. Steam based methods are usually economic because of their high recovery increment. One of the most common problems in high permeable sandstone reservoirs is sand production and so severe water channeling. In these cases polymer injection, ASP injection and installing AICDs can be useful. If the high water cut is originated from bottom-hole aquifer, drilling horizontal wells is also a useful method for suppressing water coning.