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Methods of recovering heavy hydrocarbons by hybrid steam-solvent processes
Methods of recovering heavy hydrocarbons by hybrid steam-solvent processes
Heavy hydrocarbons are recovered from a subterranean reservoir by a hybrid recovery process including steam-dominant and solvent-dominant processes. The process includes injecting steam into the reservoir to assist recovery of hydrocarbons from the reservoir by the steam-dominant process until a peak process threshold has been reached. A vapor chamber is developed in the reservoir by steam injection and a dominant vapor in the vapor chamber during the steam-dominant process is steam. Upon determination that the peak process threshold has been reached, a solvent and steam are co-injected into the vapor chamber to assist further recovery of hydrocarbons from the reservoir by the solvent-dominant process, such that the vapor chamber is further expanded and the dominant vapor in the expanded vapor chamber is a vapor of the injected solvent. A fluid comprising the solvent and hydrocarbons is recovered from the reservoir.
Solvent production control method in solvent-steam processes
Solvent production control method in solvent-steam processes
A method for producing hydrocarbons from a subterranean reservoir, comprising: injecting steam and a solvent into the reservoir to mobilize viscous hydrocarbons in the reservoir, wherein mobilized hydrocarbons drain towards a production zone, the production zone comprising a liquid phase comprising water and mobilized hydrocarbons, and a gas phase comprising the solvent; producing a fluid comprising the liquid phase and the gas phase, through a production well, the production well penetrating the liquid phase in the production zone; controlling a ratio of produced gas phase to produced liquid phase in the produced fluid, wherein the controlling comprises adjusting a flow rate of the fluid in the production well so as to raise or lower a liquid level of the liquid phase surrounding the production well, thus reducing or increasing flow of the solvent in the gas phase into the production well through the liquid phase in the production zone.
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