Laboratory Assessment of Residual Oil Saturation Under Multi-Component Solvent SAGD Coinjection

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, 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 21, 1-22

Abstract: Solvent-assisted steam-assisted gravity drainage (SA-SAGD) is an advanced hybrid oil recovery technique designed to enhance the extraction of heavy oil and bitumen. Unlike the conventional SAGD process, which relies solely on thermal energy from injected steam, SA-SAGD incorporates a coinjected solvent phase to improve oil mobility through the combined action of heat and mass transfer. This synergistic mechanism significantly reduces the demand for water and natural gas used in steam generation, thereby improving the energy efficiency and environmental sustainability of the process. Importantly, SA-SAGD retains the same well pair configuration as SAGD, meaning that its implementation often requires minimal modifications to existing infrastructure. This study explores the residual oil saturation following multi-component solvent coinjection in SA-SAGD using a linear sand pack model designed to emulate the properties and operational parameters of the Long Lake reservoir. Experiments were conducted with varying constant concentrations of cracked naphtha and gas condensate to assess their effectiveness in enhancing bitumen recovery. The results reveal that the injection of 15 vol% cracked naphtha achieved the lowest residual oil saturation and the highest rate of oil recovery, indicating superior solvent performance. Notably, gas condensate at just 5 vol% concentration outperformed 10 vol% cracked naphtha, demonstrating its effectiveness even at lower concentrations. These findings provide valuable insight into the phase behaviour and recovery dynamics of solvent–steam coinjection systems. The results strongly support the strategic selection of solvent type and concentration to optimise recovery efficiency while minimising steam consumption. Furthermore, the outcomes offer a robust basis for calibrating reservoir simulation models to improve the design and field-scale application of SA-SAGD, particularly in pilot operations such as those conducted by Nexen Energy ULC in the Athabasca Oil Sands.

Keywords: SAGD; SAGD solvent-coinjection; multi-component solvent; gas condensate; cracked naphtha; sand pack (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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