Tj. Boone et al., EXPLOITING HIGH-RATE INJECTION AND FRACTURING TO IMPROVE AREAL THERMAL CONFORMANCE IN CYCLIC STEAM STIMULATION, SPE reservoir engineering, 10(1), 1995, pp. 65-71
Achieving good areal thermal conformance is a key component in develop
ing an effective steam-based recovery process. This paper describes a
test where high-rate pulsed injection (HRPI) of steam has been used to
improve areal thermal conformance as part of an operation that uses c
yclic steam stimulation. In this process, steam was repeatedly injecte
d at high rates [almost-equal-to 2000 m3/d, cold water equivalent volu
me (CWEV)] for relatively short periods (hours), rather than constantl
y injecting at lower rates (200 to 300 m3/d) for several weeks or mont
hs. The objective of the high-rate injection was to create extensive h
orizontal fractures at a well. Then, the heat transport capability of
steam flow in the fractures was exploited to improve areal thermal con
formance. The well at which this test was conducted is surrounded by s
ix observation wells. In the previous 5 years of cyclic steam stimulat
ion at the injector, little temperature change had occurred in these w
ells. Within hours of starting HRPI, significant heat was seen at thre
e of the surrounding observation wells. After several pulses, a fourth
observation well showed significant temperature increases. This paper
documents the procedures used in the test and data collected during t
he test.