Abstract: This paper presents the characteristics and development history of the multi-layered sandstone heavy oil reservoirs in the Kern River field, USA, and specifically discusses the practices of thermally recovered reservoir management and enhanced oil recovery (EOR). The Kern River field is a monocline reservoir of hydrodynamic trap. In the late stage of steam flooding, the practices such as C/O spectral logging, 4D time-lapse dynamic surveillance during thermal recovery, injector-producer performance monitoring, isolated single-channel sandbody identification and tracking, and full-field 3D geological modeling and numerical simulation lay a basis for identifying remaining oil and enhancing oil recovery. Artificial intelligence, steam foam flooding, and layered steam injection through dual-tubing completion are proved technologies for expanding the swept volume of steam flooding. Infill drilling, horizontal well drilling, and horizontal sidetracking in shallow oil reservoirs provide additional opportunities for significantly increasing the recoverable reserves. These technologies enable the production of horizontal well to be more than three times that of adjacent vertical wells. To exploit “cold reservoirs” near the oil-water contact in the downdip zone of the reservoir, water producers are drilled in the downdip aquifer zone to release reservoir pressure, allowing the remaining oil in this zone to be effectively swept by steam.

Key words: Kern River field, heavy oil, multi-layered sandstone reservoir, steam flooding, EOR, thermally recovered reservoir management, horizontal well, artificial intelligence