"AN OPTIMIZATION STUDY FOR A STEAM-FOAM DRIVE

PROCESS IN THE BODO RESERVOIR, ALBERTA, CANADA"

D.H.S. LAW

this article begins on the next page F

PETROLEUM SOCIETY OF CIM THIS IS A PREPRINT - SUBJECT TO CORRECTION AN OPTIMIZATION STUDY FOR A STEAM-FOAM DRIVE PROCESS IN THE BODO RESERVOIR, ALBERTA, CANADA SS89-17 PAPER NO 17 by David H.S. Law ABSTRACT An optimization study for a steam-foam drive process in the Provost Upper Mannville B Pool (Bodo Reservoir located in east central Alberta, Canada was conducted using the ARC (Alberta Research Council) foam transport model. The optimization was done with respect to the foam injection strategy and the concentration of the foaming agerit (surfactant).
A "discounted net profit" due to foam injection was maximized. Within the scope of this study, oil recoveries of all steam-foam processes investigated were better than the steam-only baseline process. eiowever, not all foam processes were economically viable, optimal processes were dependent on the heavy oil prices. Over a range of heavy oil prices of US$10 to JS$2()/L,bl, the single foam slug process with a total foam injection period of 2 to 3 months and a surfactant concentration of 0.5 to 1% by wt. in the liquid phase of the injected f lu ids appeared to be
the most profitable. INTRODUCTION The process of adding foaming agent (surfactant) aqueous solution to the injected steam to form foam in situ has been recognized as a promising technique in recovering heavy oil from underground reservoirs. David H.-S. Law Alberta Research Council Foam i,; well known as a selective blockiny agent w hicti ,an ol)timize reservoir conformance and minimize steam (:hann4eiling and gravity override. Telis paper- will demonstrate teie necessity of choosing a suitable foam injection strategy for steae foam drive field applicEllion!5. Using ihe foam transport
model developed at Alberta Research h Council by Law et a p , an optimization study ior a steam-foam drive process in the Provost Upper Mannville B Pool (Bodo Reservoir) located in east central Alberta, Canada is conducted. In the optimi2,atio[i study, it is impossible to examine all of the epet-ation variables. The objective of this study is to investigate the advantage of using a steam-loam drive process instead of a steam-only drive eirocee;s. The search for an optimal steam-foam drive [)rocEess is made by permuting operation variab es such as foam injection schedule
(single or multiple-, fozim slug process), total length of the fodm injection period and surfactant concentration. Operation veiriables such as steam injection rate and steam qudii,-y are kept constant. Optimization of the steam-fo,im clrive process is performed by maximizing a discounted net profit" due to -surfactant injection. FOAM TRANSPORT MODEL DetailEed deeicriptions of the ARC foam transport model have beeri given by Law et al. . (Jnly a very brief review )f teis model will be given iri this paper-. PUBLICATION RIGHTS RESERVED THIS PAPER IS TO BE
PRESENTED AT THE THIRD TECHNICAL MEE:TING OF THE SOUTH SASKATCHEWAN SECTION, THE PETROLEUM SOCIETY OF CIM, HELD IN REGINA, SEPTEMBER 25-27, 1989. DISCUSSION OF THIS PAPER IS INVITED. SUCH DISCUSSION MAY BE PRESENTED AT THE TECHNICAL MEETING AND WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR PUBLICATION IN CIM JOURNALS IF FILED IN WRITING WITH THE TECHNICAL PROGRAM CHAIRMAN PRIOR TO THE CONCLUSION OF THE MEETING. THIS IS A PREPRINT - SUBJECT TO CORRECTION AN OPTIMIZATION STUDY FOR A STEAM-FOAM DRIVE PROCESS IN THE BODO RESERVOIR, ALBERTA, CANADA -5sgre - 1,7 PAPER NO 17
 55&'1-/7
PETROLEUM SOCIETY OF CIM PAPER NO 17

THIS IS A PREPRINT - SUBJECT TO CORRECTION

AN OPTIMIZATION STUDY FOR A

STEAM·FOAM DRIVE PROCESS IN THE
BODO RESERVOIR, ALBERTA, CANADA

David 1"1.-5. Law

Alberta Research Council

PUBLICATION RIGHTS RESERVED

THIS PAPER IS TO BE PRESENTED AT THE THIRD TECHNICAL MEETING OF THE SOUTH SASKATCHEWAN
SECTION, THE PETROLEUM SOCIETY OF CIM, HELD IN REGINA, SEPTEMBER 25·27, 19B9. DISCUSSION OF
THIS PAPER IS INVITED. SUCH DISCUSSION MAY BE PRESENTED AT THE TECHNICAL MEETING AND WILL
BE CONSIDERED FOR PUBLICATION IN CIM JOURNALS IF FILED IN WRITING WITH THE TECHNICAL PROGRAM
CHAIRMAN PRIOR TO THE CONCLUSION OF THE MEETING.

ABSTRACT Foam is wei I knoNn as a selective blocking agent

which can optimize reservoir conformance and minimize
An optimization study for a steam-foam drive process steam channell ing and gravity override. This paper
in the Provost Upper t·lannvi lie B Pool (Bodo wi I I demonstrate the necessity of choosing a suitable
Reservoir) located in east central Alberta, Canada foam injection strategy for steam-foam drive field
was conducted us i ng the ARC (A I berta Research applications.
Counci I) foam transport model. The optimization was
done with respect to the foam injection strategy and Using the foam transport model ~e~eloped at Alberta
the concentration of the foaming agent (surfactant). Research Counci I by Law et al. ~ ~ an optimization
A "discounted net profi"t rl due "to foam injection was study for a steam-foam drive process in the Provost
maximized. Upper Mannvi lie B Pool (Bodo Reservoir) located in
east central Alberta, Canada is conducted. In the
\'Iithin the scope ot thiS study, oi I recoveries of all optimization study~ it is impossible to examine all
steam-foam processes investigated were better than of the operation variables. The objective of this
the steam-only baseline process. However~ noT all study is to investigate the advantage of using a
foam processes were economically viable, optirral steam-foam drive process instead of a steam-only
processes were dependent on the heavy oi I prices. drive process. The search for an optimal steam-foam
Over a range of heavy oil prices of US$IO to drive process is made by permuting operation
US$20/bbl. the single foam slug process with a total variables such as foam injection schedule (single or
foam injection period of 2 to 3 months and a mUltiple foam slug process). total length of the foam
surfactant concentration of 0.5 to 1% by wt. in the injection period and surfactant concentration.
I iquid phase of the injected fluids appeared to be Operation variables such as steam injection rate and
the most profitable. steam qual ity are kept constant. Optimization of the
steam-foam drive process is performed by maximizing a
lid i scounted net prof i til due to surfactant inject ion.
INTRODUCTION
FOAM TJWa'ORT MOIlEL
The process of adding foaming agent (surfacTant)
aqueous solution to the injected steam to form foam Detai led descriptions of the ARt 20am transport model
in situ has been recognized as a promising technique have been given by Law et al. ~ . Only a very brief
in recovering heavy oi I from underground reservoirs. review of this model wi II be given in this paper.
 that vertical and horizontal perrn.=abilities o~ ~he
The foam transport model J wll ieh is based on the shale breccia Zone are reduced 3ignificantly relative
ph'~SICol propertie'; of an alkylar.,,1 sulfonate to those of the non-shaly zones UilJure 2). Poro~ity
surfactant (SUII TI~CH IV), is a fully implicit of the shale breccia lone is al5.c reLJuc~d
mu I t i component therlT'r.l I reser'lo i r model havi ng the significantly to a value of 0.U5.
ubiliij to handle fi'/s components and three phases_
Th8 I ive componenTs ere water l heavy oi I, surfactant Physical properties of the reservuir rock elm] fluilb
.md ' ....'0 additives (non-conden~iible gases or volati Ie are avai lable in the I i1erature tllrou~h a ~eriu~ at
I1ldrocarbon ccrnponenls). The three phases are the repor!s5 from the Pe1roleum Recovery I nsti I lift:-
aqueous '....atE:r phase, , he oi I phase and the gaseous (PKI) , ,0 and are yiven in Table I. The viscosity of
phasE'. Conservation '.Jf mass of al I componenTs is Bodo oi I as a function of temperaTure, which .... clrius
'JO\!erned by DarciT~ law and is solved impl icitly from 1.2 Pa-s at 26.7~C to 0.001 Pa·s oJt L!::l7.t1°C, is
together with conservation of energy_ For the given by Hayashitani. Characteristics (Jf n::la1ive
cons8rvation of sJrfactant, mechanisms leading to permeabi ] i ty curves for a I I zones ..:lre ~ i ven In
~lJrfactant loss in ~he water phase including thermal Table 2. In norm3lized forms, relative perrneabi Iity
tJegradation, adsorption at rock surface and curves are .the samE: for- a I I lones and are IJ i ven 1)'/
jJ,Jrtitiryning into eil phase are all taken into Hayashitani. It is appropriate 10 mention th,]t nu
.)cr:Cllnt . capi liar)' pressure eftccts are cunsidenlrJ In tl,i'"
paper.
Tn\} lie:.... resistance cw to the presence of foam is
tr,,-oTed as the mobi I i ty reduc~ion of gas phase wh ich A schematic diagram of the hY~CJthetical r...,·servoir J
i,-, tak(;"n into consideration by modif-~ing the gas which is a line drive pa1tern ot 0.44 .Jere'S, is ~i'JI~11
phase, relative perm,:.cbi lity instead of The gas phase in Figur~ 3. The r .. ;;:servoir. ~I;tll dimE!n~iuns 1)/
viscvsit'l. The gas phase relati·...e penr.eability is. 99 x IB x 22 m, is dssumed isotropic in ~hL:
con5lderBd d_ funcTi~r of gas phase ve!ocjty, wat~r horizontal direction. Injection and produc110n wel15
pha'::!"! VGlgClt'l, surfilctant concentration and all are 99 m apart. The reservoir is di scretil811 into bU
3atur-at~on2· In Thi5 __ Study, oJ " cr itlcal roaming oi I (6 x 10) grid blocks ,.... ith b In the i-direction and IU
Suturatlon II of O.L' is chosen such that the in the k-direction (Figure j ) . DiscrGtization of thu
formation of foam car. only o:.cur '.... hen The local oi I shale breccia Zone involved usiny Ie (~~ 5) IJrid
satLfation is below i-his critl::al value. blocks.

NUMERICAL SIMULATION Injection and Production Strateqies

The field scale simulation is a t ..... o-dimensional In order to achieve a morG favorable inJ8ctivi ty,
'.,ferilcal simulation IJsing C1aracteristlcs of the steam is injected at one end of the reservoir in tile
Pro'.'nst Upper Mannvi lie B Po~1 (Bodo Reservoir) in water transition and 3he water Sdturated zones at d
easi centra I A I beri a, Canaja near the A I bertq constant rate of 12 m /d and at d pressure of g IvPa.
:Jaskatcl1el"1'an border ciS shown in Figure 1. The quality of the injected stearn is kept constant at
70%. At the other end of the reservoir, fluids ..Jre
Reservoir Desc-iptions produced throug~lout the whole thickness of the PdY
zOlle under a constant bottomhole pressure of
log i eEl I
G,?O character- i ,:at i on of the Bodo Reservo i r 2.76 r-1Pa.
wldcll has .::J long :::Jnd narra .... trend, approximately
15 kl: long.by 1.~ km \~ide 3FigJre 1), ',,,as_provi~ed .in In all the numerical runs, foam injec~ion sldrt~
detelll Loy Kramers e1- al. _ The reservoir, '.... hlch IS after 2 years of steam-onl'j injection. LJurin<] the
,730 m underground, is found in thE: r·1cLaren Formation foam injection period, different concE::n~rdtions of
sands of Upper t·lannvi lie (Lower Cretaceous) age. SU~J TECH IV (surfactant) aqueous scilui ions dre
coinjecte-d with steam. These resulted in surfactant
Oesj~n 0f the field simulation of the Bodo Reservoir concentrations of 0.2%, 0.5% and 1% tlY wt. in tile
i3 based on core sampl,O! and geoph'fsical weI.! log from liquid phase of the injected fluids. Foam injecl ion
theProvosti'lel1 located at 14-29-37-IW4 in the schedules for the single and mulTiple fOdm slulJ
northern part rlf the r,=servo i r. Vert i ca I strat i graphy prr£esses are Shown in Figures 4 and 5, respectivoly.
sno~n in Figure 2 irldicates a pay zone thickness of Total Injection periods (steam-only + steam-foam) ~or
22 Pl. ThE: pa'/ Zone is divided into 7 Zones wit~l aJ I processes ure 5 years. It is ;j~,prOl.Jria1c tv
dift'Jr""nT thicknes~;, [lOrOsiTy, initial water- mention that only one surfactant conc.en1ral ion ul
5"l1urdtion and perrreabi I ities. DistinctiVE: 0.5% by wt. I~ used tor the mul-riple fU,Jm ~luU
cndr-.]ct'~r-istics are --he existence of a shale breccia prc.ces ses.
zon~, (3 . .:: Hi thick) b.2 m rroln The top and a ·....ater
tr,:Hl:;iTion zone (5 In ihicl-...) I.:::ading to a water COM'ARSIONS OF STEAM--ONlY AND STEAM-FOAM PROCESSES
sa11JrdT<:-G zone (3 m thick) at the bottom. A
sh,]!,;/silt laminae .~one 0.2 m thick) also exist::; The sTate of r,"?si'::rvoir after 2 'fear-s llf -:,1edrn-'Jnlf
h<.."-r,.... '~"n the oVcrLurdl:n and the shale DrE:ccia zone. In injection (beginning cf fOdm Injection) arL: ShaHII ;rl
th.::- 'lon-shal,' zones, porosity q) is 0.30, tloriz~ntal Figure [, as gas dnd oi I saturation L.un1uLlr·~_
pcrl'l'2dbility (k ) ','aries from I to 3.5 IJrn and Figure oa show s that, even with the 810. i:. tellce at till.-·
b
'J'2'r~icdl permeabllih (k) is approximat.:::I'f hair of shale Dreccia zone, steam override is obviou~ as 11"--'51
the horizontal value .. InYtial '....ater saturation val-ies of the injected steam is found in tht: uppor ~dr1 at
tram 0 . .1 in the hecv',' oil zone to l.u in the '.... ater the reservoir. Since the shale cl~sts ~r~
5a1urdt~d .:::one. un ~he other hand. characterization discontinuous, it is reasonable to bl.:::!leve 1hdt til ...
at the shale l,rE-cr:ia zone is ver'y complex. The injected steam can penetrate the shale breccia LVIII_
r,r~':';,~nCI} ot The shall~ clasts hinders fluid flo\o,' such into the upper part of the r-eservoir. r i~]ur'; LoI.J ~huw'