Steam injection operations at China’s first supercritical steam huff-and-puff well
Shenjia Hydraulics
Release Date:
2021-04-09
After more than six months of feasibility studies and equipment installation and commissioning, China’s first 35‑MPa supercritical steam‑flooding well commenced steam injection operations on July 22 at Well Ying‑4‑Ping‑1 in the Tuha Oilfield.
After more than six months of feasibility studies and equipment installation and commissioning, China’s first 35‑MPa supercritical steam‑flooding well commenced steam injection operations on July 22 at Well Ying4‑Ping1 in the Tuha Oilfield.
Thermal recovery is an effective method for producing heavy oil. Currently, domestically used boilers operate at pressures below 21 MPa, and the associated process technologies are well‑established. However, subcritical steam huff‑and‑puff tests conducted in the eastern Lukqin block with 21‑MPa steam boilers yielded unsatisfactory results, primarily because the wells in this area are ultra‑deep, ultra‑heavy‑oil wells. Limited boiler pressure restricts steam injection rates, resulting in modest production increases.
To address the challenge of insufficient production enhancement in ultra-deep, extra-heavy oil wells within this block under conventional steam‑huff‑puff operations, after thorough evaluation, the Tuha Oilfield has decided to conduct a 35‑MPa supercritical steam‑huff‑puff pilot test at Well Ying‑4‑Ping‑1.
Due to the high reservoir pressure in the near-wellbore zone following supercritical-pressure steam injection, and the temperature distribution being identical to that of saturated steam injection, the reservoir is more readily heated, which helps increase the well’s production pressure differential and thereby enhances oil production.
Supercritical steam is currently used primarily in nuclear power generation. Detailed literature on its physical properties remains relatively scarce, and existing mature steam‑flooding simulation software is unable to account for wellbore heat losses or the pressure‑drop dynamics associated with supercritical steam. Furthermore, no established precedents exist for other related supporting process technologies.
Tuhai technicians meticulously studied the physical properties of supercritical steam, as well as the heat loss and pressure‑drop characteristics of steam within the wellbore. Drawing on conventional steam‑huff‑and‑puff experience from the Liaohe Oilfield, they ultimately completed the single‑well design for supercritical steam huff‑and‑puff in Well Ying 4‑Ping 1 and successfully passed review.
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