Experimental Evaluation of Residual Oil Saturation in Solvent-Assisted SAGD Using Single-Component Solvents

Fernando Rengifo Barbosa (), Amin Kordestany and Brij Maini ()
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Fernando Rengifo Barbosa: Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
Amin Kordestany: Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, 58 Pollock Rd., University Park, Pennsylvania, PA 16802, USA
Brij Maini: Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 13, 1-24

Abstract: The massive heavy oil reserves in the Athabasca region of northern Alberta depend on steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) for their economic exploitation. Even though SAGD has been successful in highly viscous oil recovery, it is still a costly technology because of the large energy input requirement. Large water and natural gas quantities needed for steam generation imply sizable greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and extensive post-production water treatment. Several methods to make SAGD more energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable have been attempted. Their main goal is to reduce steam consumption whilst maintaining favourable oil production rates and ultimate oil recovery. Oil saturation within the steam chamber plays a critical role in determining both the economic viability and resource efficiency of SAGD operations. However, accurately quantifying the residual oil saturation left behind by SAGD remains a challenge. In this experimental research, sand pack Expanding Solvent SAGD (ES-SAGD) coinjection experiments are reported in which Pentane -C 5 H 12 , and Hexane -C 6 H 14 were utilised as an additive to steam to produce Long Lake bitumen. Each solvent is assessed at three different constant concentrations through time using experiments simulating SAGD to quantify their impact. The benefits of single-component solvent coinjection gradually diminish as the SAGD process approaches its later stages. ES-SAGD pentane coinjection offers a smaller improvement in recovery factor (RF) (4% approx.) compared to hexane (8% approx.). Between these two single-component solvents, 15 vol% hexane offered the fastest recovery. The obtained data in this research provided compelling evidence that the coinjection of solvent under carefully controlled operating conditions, reduced overall steam requirement, energy consumption, and residual oil saturation allowing proper adjustment of oil and water relative permeability curve endpoints for field pilot reservoir simulations.

Keywords: SAGD; ES-SAGD; residual oil saturation; single-component solvent; pentane; hexane (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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