Mechanism and Performance of Flue Gas-Assisted Steam Flooding in Heavy Oil Reservoirs

doi:10.7657/XJPG20250511

Abstract

Abstract:

Flue gas-assisted steam flooding is an economically viable enhanced oil recovery (EOR) technology for heavy oil reservoirs. To address the complex mechanisms of synergy between flue gas injection and steam injection, and the unclear impacts of injection process and reservoir properties on development performance, experiments and numerical simulations were performed on flue gas-assisted steam flooding following conventional steam flooding. Taking a heavy oil reservoir as an example, core flooding experiments were conducted to compare oil displacement efficiencies under different injection media. A mechanistic model of flue gas-assisted steam flooding for heavy oil reservoirs was established to systematically investigate its underlying mechanism and performance. The research results show that flue gas-assisted steam flooding improves oil recovery efficiency by 5.84% compared to pure steam flooding, attributed to multiple mechanisms such as thermal viscosity reduction by steam, pressurization effect of flue gas, enhanced thermal sweep efficiency via gis-liquid Jamin effect, and oil mobilization by flue gas flow. The injected flue gas forms a gas zone at the steam chamber front, prolonging steam-oil interaction time while mitigating steam override, thereby expanding thermal sweep area. An optimal steam-to-flue gas molar ratio of 7∶3 during injection can achieve a favorable balance between enhanced oil recovery and reduced steam consumption. Slug injection generates periodic pressure differentials in the reservoir, further improving displacement efficiency over co-injection. These findings provide theoretical and practical guidance for designing flue gas-assisted steam flooding schemes in heavy oil reservoirs.

Key words: heavy oil reservoir, flue gas, steam flooding, core experiment, numerical simulation

CLC Number:

TE357

SONG Tao, LI Yiqiang, LYU Xiaolong, YAN Zhiqian, TANG Xuechen, ZI Jianqiang, LIU Zheyu. Mechanism and Performance of Flue Gas-Assisted Steam Flooding in Heavy Oil Reservoirs[J]. Xinjiang Petroleum Geology, 2025, 46(5): 606-613.

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方案	气测渗透率/ mD	孔隙度/ %	初始含油饱和度/%	蒸汽注入速度/ （mL·min^-1）	烟道气注入速度/ （mL·min^-1）	驱替方式
1	596	26.08	76.82	2	0	蒸汽驱
2	610	26.21	75.62	0	2	烟道气驱
3	602	26.42	76.33	1	1	烟道气辅助蒸汽驱

模型参数	数值	模型参数	数值
油藏温度/℃	55	岩石热传导率/（J·m^-1·d^-1·℃^-1）	2.0×10⁵
原始储集层压力/MPa	4	水相热传导率/（J·m^-1·d^-1·℃^-1）	5.5×10⁴
注入蒸汽温度/℃	240	油相热传导率/（J·m^-1·d^-1·℃^-1）	1.2×10⁴
蒸汽干度	0.7	气相热传导率/（J·m^-1·d^-1·℃^-1）	4 000
岩石压缩系数/kPa^-1	9.85×10^-5	上覆岩层体积热容量/（J·m^-3·℃^-1）	2.16×10⁶
初始含油饱和度/%	76.33	下覆岩层体积热容量/（J·m^-3·℃^-1）	2.16×10⁶
岩石热膨胀系数/（℃^-1）	3.75×10^-5	上覆岩层热传导率/（J·m^-1·d^-1·℃^-1）	1.15×10⁵
岩石体积热容量/（J·m^-3·℃^-1）	2.1×10⁶	下覆岩层热传导率/（J·m^-1·d^-1·℃^-1）	1.15×10⁵