A review of SAGD technology development and its possible application potential on thin-layer super-heavy oil reservoirs

• Published in: Di xue qian yuan. Vol. 13; no. 4; pp. 1 - 10
• Main Authors: Cui, Guodong, Liu, Ting, Xie, Jingyu, Rong, Guanghui, Yang, Lihong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier B.V 01.07.2022; Elsevier Science Ltd; Faculty of Engineering,China University of Geosciences,Wuhan 430074,China%The 2th Oil Production Plant of PetroChina Changqing Oilfield Company,Qingyang 710021,China%School of Resources and Geosciences,China University of Mining and Technology,Xuzhou 221116,China%The 12th Oil Production Plant of PetroChina Changqing Oilfield Company,Xi'an 710000,China%Sinopec Petroleum Exploration and Production Research Institute,Beijing 100083,China; Elsevier
• Subjects: Development technology; Heterogeneity; Multimedia assisted SAGD; Physical properties; Reservoirs; SAGD; Thin-layer super-heavy oil; Development technology; Thin-layer super-heavy oil; Multimedia assisted SAGD; SAGD
• ISSN: 1674-9871; 2588-9192
• DOI: 10.1016/j.gsf.2022.101382

[Display omitted] •A critical review on SAGD development history and technology.•Wellbore, pre-heating, artificial lift, and monitor technique.•The SAGD methods are compared and evaluated.•The adjustment of SAGD expounded for thin-layer super-heavy oil reservoirs. Super-heavy oil is a significant unconventional energy source, and more than 30 years of research have shown that steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) technology is suitable for thick super-heavy oil reservoirs. Recently, more and more thin-layer super-heavy oil reservoirs have been discovered in China, while their deep buried depth and serous heterogeneity make the existing SAGD technology difficult to apply, so it is urgent to improve the existing SAGD technology for the thin-layer super-heavy oil. To this end, this paper focuses on the enlightenment of field application in SAGD technology. Firstly, based on typical SAGD field projects, the development history of SAGD technology in the world was reviewed, and the influence of reservoir physical properties on the application of SAGD technology in thin-layer super-heavy oil reservoirs was analyzed. Secondly, the well pattern, wellbore structure, pre-heating, artificial lift, and monitor technique of SAGD were detailed described, and their adjustment direction was expounded for the development of thin-layer super-heavy oil reservoirs. Lastly, the gas- and solvent-assistant SAGD were comprehensively evaluated, and their application potential in thin-layer super-heavy oil reservoirs was studied. The research results can provide theoretical guidance for the application of SAGD technology in thin-layer super-heavy oil reservoirs.