ELECTRICAL HEATING

The purpose of this paper is to present the modifications to a multi-c omponent, thermal reservoir simulator to incorporate electrical heatin g equations. The results of the simulator are compared with actual fie ld data and a semi-analytical model. The visco-skin is described and t he use of electrical heating to remove the visco-skin and increase the productivity of the well is demonstrated. The visco-skin concept is a physical phenomenon which explains the rapid productivity increase of some wells undergoing electrical heating. It is important to include the visco-skin concept in the discussion of electrical heating since i t develops in the near wellbore, as does the temperature distribution from electrical heating. The electric field equations have been solved using a 3D finite differencing technique coupled to a multi-purpose r eservoir simulation program. The resulting program can be used for . p redicting the fluid rates from a well undergoing electrical resistance heating, . calculating the temperature distribution in the reservoir and on the electrode, . obtaining the voltage-current relationship for designing power supplies, . establishing operational criteria such as input power requirements as a function of flow rate and reservoir het erogeneity, and . well completion design.