History Matching With Combustion-Tube Tests for Light-Oil Air-Injection Project

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>A series of experiments is essential in light oil air injection (LOAI) study. Accelerating Rate Calorimeter (ARC) test, Thermo Gravimetric Pressurized Differential Scanning Calorimeter (TG/PDSC) test and Combustion Tube (CT) test are generally conducted to evaluate a potential of air injection in fields. ARC test is used to determine the extent and continuity of reactions in the low and high temperature range. TG/PDSC test also helps to identify the temperature ranges over which oil reacts with the oxygen. The purposes of the CT test are (1) to assess the overall burning characteristics of oil, (2) to measure incremental oil production, air and fuel requirements and other parameters and (3) to measure produced gas compositions and oil and water production to provide benchmarks for monitoring future field operations. On this series of experimental work, using domestic oilfield sample, two CT tests were conducted, in low water saturation case and high water saturation case after waterflooding, to estimate the applicability of LOAI including on tertiary mode. Both tests showed stable combustion performance in terms of temperature, pressure response, produced gas compositions and incremental oil production.</jats:p> <jats:p>On the other hand, numerical simulation is important to predict field production performance. The appropriate reaction kinetics on the combustion has to be used in the numerical simulation. History matching with CT tests were conducted to obtain the kinetics, and two kinds of reactions, "oxidation reaction" and "combustion reaction" were used in the study. In the former reaction, oxygen is consumed by the oil to form oxidation compounds. In the latter one, oxygen reacts with the compounds to form carbon dioxide and water. Reaction parameters were used as matching parameters. Results of history matching with both CT tests using same reaction kinetics were obtained.</jats:p> <jats:p>This paper presents the results of the CT tests and the history matching studies with these tests and also some discussion of the air injection process.</jats:p>