Injection of hot urea solutions as a novel process for heavy oil recovery A proof-of-concept experimental study

Mabkhot BinDahbag; Mohsen Zirrahi; Hassan Hassanzadeh

Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, Vol.95, 244-251, March, 2021

DOI10.1016/j.jiec.2020.12.030 Export Citation

Injection of hot urea solutions as a novel process for heavy oil recovery A proof-of-concept experimental study

Mabkhot BinDahbag^{1, 2}, Mohsen Zirrahi¹, and Hassan Hassanzadeh^{1, †}

¹Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4 Canada
²Department of Petroleum Engineering, College of Engineering and Petroleum, Hadhramout University of Science and Technology, 50511 Mukalla, Hadhramout, Yemen

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We report a proof-of-concept experimental study of hot urea solutions injection as a new recovery process to extract highly-viscous oils. Eight flooding experiments were conducted to study the viability of hot urea solutions in displacing bitumen from cold sandpacks. Three injection rates (4, 8, and 12 cm3/ min), four injection temperatures (180, 200, 220, and 240 °C), and three urea solution concentrations (5, 10, and 15 wt%) were investigated. Another baseline experiment was conducted with fresh water for comparison with the urea solution scenarios. The results showed that the injection of hot urea solution into cold sandpack saturated with bitumen lead to a significant increase in the oil recovery due to the formation of in-situ water-in-oil emulsions. The results also reveal that the balance of the retention time and the amount of heat delivered to the sandpack leads to an optimum injection rate at which the oil recovery is improved considerably. Additionally, while the increment in injection temperature accelerates oil production, it decreases the ultimate oil recovery. These results pave the way for improving the existing recovery techniques and introducing chemical in-situ oil recovery processes for reservoirs that are not currently exploitable using existing recovery techniques.

Keywords:Urea solution flooding;Sandpack flooding. Solvent-aided recovery;Water-in-oil emulsion;Viscous fingering;In-situ surfactants

[References]

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Wu Z, Huiqing L, Wang X, Zhang Z, J. Ind. Eng. Chem., 61, 348 (2018)
You N, Yoon S, Lee CW, J. Ind. Eng. Chem., 18(6), 2051 (2012)
Zirrahi M, Hassanzadeh H, Abedi J, Moshfeghian M, Can. J. Chem. Eng., 92(3), 563 (2014)
Sabet N, Hassanzadeh H, Abedi J, Chem. Eng. Sci., 161, 198 (2017)
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Guo E, Jiang Y, Gao Y, Shen D, Zhigang C, Yu P, A new approach to improve recovery efficiency of SAGD, Society of Petroleum Engineers, (2017).
Erpeng G, Hongyuan W, Oilfield L, Youwei J, Yongrong G, Junhui S, Experimental study of urea-SAGD process, Society of Petroleum Engineers, (2018).
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Water - specific heat, Engineering ToolBox, (2004).
Water - heat of vaporization, Engineering ToolBox, (2010).
Zhao DW, Wang J, Gates ID, Fuel, 112, 50 (2013)
Gates ID, J. Pet. Sci. Eng., 74, 138 (2010)
BinDahbag MS, Mohammadi M, Khalifi M, Aghajamali M, Zirrahi M, Hassanzadeh H, ACS Omega, 5, 6122 (2020)
Bin Dahbag M, Zirrahi M, Hassanzadeh H, J. Chem. Eng. Data, 64(8), 3592 (2019)
BinDahbag MS, Al-Gawfi A, Hassanzadeh H, Fuel, 272, 117713 (2020)
Sheng JJ, Petroleum, 1, 31 (2015)
Wang J, Hu Y, Cai Y, Zhao C, Zhu L, Zhao C, Fu H, Energy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization, and Environmental Effects, pp.1 (2019).
Schaber PM, Colson J, Higgins S, Dietz E, Thielen D, Anspach B, Brauer J, Am. Lab., 31, 13 (1999)
Gargurevich I, J. Chem. Eng. Process Technol., 7, 289 (2016)
Southwick JG, Van den Pol E, Van Rijn CH, Van Batenburg DW, Boersma D, Svec Y, Anis Mastan A, Shahin G, Raney K, SPE J., 21, 10 (2016)
Van SL, Chon BH, J. Ind. Eng. Chem., 52, 99 (2017)
Lee YK, Kim SY, Wang JH, Sung WM, J. Ind. Eng. Chem., 88, 215 (2020)
Zeng Y, Farajzadeh R, Biswal SL, Hirasaki GJ, J. Ind. Eng. Chem., 72, 133 (2019)
Lu R, Xu X, Yang J, Gao J, Energy Sources Part A-Recovery Util. Environ. Eff., 29(1), 47 (2007)
Ehrlich R, Hasiba H, Raimondi P, J. Pet. Technol., 26, 335 (1974)
BinDahbag MS, AlQuraishi A, Benzagouta M, J. Pet. Explor. Prod. Technol., 5, 353 (2015)
BinDahbag MS, Al Quraishi AA, Benzagouta MS, Kinawy MM, Al Nashef IM, Al Mushaegeh E, J. Pet. Environ. Biotechnol., 4, 2 (2014)
Yekeen N, Padmanabhan E, Thenesh A, Sevoo L, Kamalarasan A, Kanesen L, Okunade OA, J. Ind. Eng. Chem., 1 (2020).
Zirrahi M, Hassanzadeh H, Abedi J, J. Pet. Sci. Eng., 151, 305 (2017)
Azinfar B, Zirrahi M, Hassanzadeh H, Abedi J, Fuel, 233, 885 (2018)
Avraam D, Payatakes A, J. Fluid Mech., 293, 207 (1995)

[1] Adams D, J. Pet. Technol., 34(1), 643 (1982)

[2] Takahashi A, Torigoe T, Oil sands reservoir characterization in Athabasca, Canada, International Petroleum Technology Conference (2008).

[3] Meldau RF, Shipley RG, Coats KH, J. Petr. Technol., 33(1), 990 (1981)

[4] Butler RM, J. Can. Pet. Technol., 33, 44 (1994)

[5] Wu Z, Huiqing L, Wang X, Zhang Z, J. Ind. Eng. Chem., 61, 348 (2018)

[6] You N, Yoon S, Lee CW, J. Ind. Eng. Chem., 18(6), 2051 (2012)

[7] Zirrahi M, Hassanzadeh H, Abedi J, Moshfeghian M, Can. J. Chem. Eng., 92(3), 563 (2014)

[8] Sabet N, Hassanzadeh H, Abedi J, Chem. Eng. Sci., 161, 198 (2017)

[9] Sheng J, Enhanced Oil Recovery Field Case Studies, Gulf Professional Publishing, 2013.

[10] Guo E, Jiang Y, Gao Y, Shen D, Zhigang C, Yu P, A new approach to improve recovery efficiency of SAGD, Society of Petroleum Engineers, (2017).

[11] Erpeng G, Hongyuan W, Oilfield L, Youwei J, Yongrong G, Junhui S, Experimental study of urea-SAGD process, Society of Petroleum Engineers, (2018).

[12] Ahmed T, Principles of Waterflooding, (2001).

[13] Water - specific heat, Engineering ToolBox, (2004).

[14] Water - heat of vaporization, Engineering ToolBox, (2010).

[15] Zhao DW, Wang J, Gates ID, Fuel, 112, 50 (2013)

[16] Gates ID, J. Pet. Sci. Eng., 74, 138 (2010)

[17] BinDahbag MS, Mohammadi M, Khalifi M, Aghajamali M, Zirrahi M, Hassanzadeh H, ACS Omega, 5, 6122 (2020)

[18] Bin Dahbag M, Zirrahi M, Hassanzadeh H, J. Chem. Eng. Data, 64(8), 3592 (2019)

[19] BinDahbag MS, Al-Gawfi A, Hassanzadeh H, Fuel, 272, 117713 (2020)

[20] Sheng JJ, Petroleum, 1, 31 (2015)

[21] Wang J, Hu Y, Cai Y, Zhao C, Zhu L, Zhao C, Fu H, Energy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization, and Environmental Effects, pp.1 (2019).

[22] Schaber PM, Colson J, Higgins S, Dietz E, Thielen D, Anspach B, Brauer J, Am. Lab., 31, 13 (1999)

[23] Gargurevich I, J. Chem. Eng. Process Technol., 7, 289 (2016)

[24] Southwick JG, Van den Pol E, Van Rijn CH, Van Batenburg DW, Boersma D, Svec Y, Anis Mastan A, Shahin G, Raney K, SPE J., 21, 10 (2016)

[25] Van SL, Chon BH, J. Ind. Eng. Chem., 52, 99 (2017)

[26] Lee YK, Kim SY, Wang JH, Sung WM, J. Ind. Eng. Chem., 88, 215 (2020)

[27] Zeng Y, Farajzadeh R, Biswal SL, Hirasaki GJ, J. Ind. Eng. Chem., 72, 133 (2019)

[28] Lu R, Xu X, Yang J, Gao J, Energy Sources Part A-Recovery Util. Environ. Eff., 29(1), 47 (2007)

[29] Ehrlich R, Hasiba H, Raimondi P, J. Pet. Technol., 26, 335 (1974)

[30] BinDahbag MS, AlQuraishi A, Benzagouta M, J. Pet. Explor. Prod. Technol., 5, 353 (2015)

[31] BinDahbag MS, Al Quraishi AA, Benzagouta MS, Kinawy MM, Al Nashef IM, Al Mushaegeh E, J. Pet. Environ. Biotechnol., 4, 2 (2014)

[32] Yekeen N, Padmanabhan E, Thenesh A, Sevoo L, Kamalarasan A, Kanesen L, Okunade OA, J. Ind. Eng. Chem., 1 (2020).

[33] Zirrahi M, Hassanzadeh H, Abedi J, J. Pet. Sci. Eng., 151, 305 (2017)

[34] Azinfar B, Zirrahi M, Hassanzadeh H, Abedi J, Fuel, 233, 885 (2018)

[35] Avraam D, Payatakes A, J. Fluid Mech., 293, 207 (1995)