Multi-Physical Field Numerical Simulation of Electromagnetic Heating in Heavy Oil Reservoirs With Different Well Configurations

Abstract Stable and efficient extraction of heavy oil is crucial for addressing the current shortage of crude oil resources. Electromagnetic (EM) heating effectively reduces oil viscosity and improves oil recovery rate by heating oil layers with EM radiation. However, the selection of well configurations for EM heating oil recovery has yet to be thoroughly studied. This article uses numerical simulation methods to study the effect of different well configurations on the oil recovery efficiency of EM heating heavy oil reservoirs. A complex EM heating model coupled with an EM temperature seepage field was established to simulate two different well configurations: vertical and horizontal wells. The results indicate that the horizontal well configuration is more efficient in heating heavy oil reservoirs in the same area than the vertical well configuration. Vertical heating wells facilitate the swift creation of a flow channel around the wellbore due to the direction of heavy oil flow coinciding with that of the well. However, the horizontal configuration takes longer for a flow channel to form. Despite this, the temperature distribution in the reservoir under the horizontal configuration is more uniform, and high temperatures do not accumulate around the heating wells. On the other hand, with a vertical configuration, the heat accumulates at the bottom of the well along with the flow of heavy oil. Increasing EM power and frequency can lead to a rise in reservoir temperature and facilitate the flow of heavy oil. However, it is important to note that beyond a certain point, the benefits of increased power and frequency become limited and may result in an excessively high temperature of heavy oil. These results can guide the selection of appropriate well configurations for EM heating in heavy oil reservoirs.