Cyclic In-Situ Combustion Process for Improved Heavy Oil Recovery after Cyclic Steam Stimulation

Summary Cyclic in-situ combustion (ISC) is a novel process with great potential for thermal enhanced oil recovery (EOR). In this study, a 3D physical simulation experiment of cyclic ISC after cyclic steam stimulation (CSS) was carried out for the first time. The mass loss during heavy oil oxidation was studied by thermogravimetry (TG) and the preheating temperature of sandpack was determined by differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The oxidation process of heavy oil in a porous medium was investigated by a heavy oil static oxidation experiment. The development characteristics and EOR mechanism of cyclic ISC after CSS were studied through 3D physical simulation experiments and the characteristics of the coking zone was studied by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and computed tomography (CT). The results of the thermal analysis indicate that three different regions were observed with increasing temperature: low-temperature oxidation zone (LTO), fuel deposition zone (FD), and high-temperature oxidation zone (HTO). When the temperature reaches 480°C, the mixed oil sand has the most exothermic effect and the high-temperature oxidation reaction is the most vigorous. The results of the 3D physical simulation show that steam channeling and steam overlay in CSS reduced the swept volume of steam and heat usage rate. During the cyclic ISC, the oil bank can overcome the heterogeneity of the oil reservoir caused by steam channeling and steam overlay, which makes the combustion front move forward smoothly. Cyclic ISC can greatly increase the temperature of the zone near the well, and upgrade the crude oil through cracking to reduce the viscosity of heavy oil. The foaming oil formed by the dissolution of flue gas improves the fluidity of the crude oil. The oil recovery of CSS is 19.3%, and the oil recovery of cyclic ISC increased by 13.2%. SEM and CT show that flake black solid coke was attached to the surface of the sand at the coking zone. The coking zone is a porous medium structure with a porosity of 35.14%, which has little effect on the oil recovery in the process of cyclic ISC.